📜 Celebrating 120 Years of the Warwick Historical Society

The following remarks were delivered by Mayor Michael Newhard during the Warwick Historical Society’s 120th Anniversary Celebration at The Old School Baptist Meeting House on Sunday, April 26, 2026.

Good afternoon, friends.

It is a pleasure to be here with you today. Congratulations on celebrating 120 years of the Warwick Valley Historical Society. One hundred and twenty years of care, of curiosity, and of quiet persistence.

How fitting that we mark this milestone as our nation reflects on 250 years of independence—two anniversaries, each reminding us that history is not distant; it is living, and we are part of it.

Over time, this organization has become much more than a steward of the past. You care for twelve historic properties. You safeguard thousands of documents, photographs, and artifacts. You preserve a remarkable collection of costumes spanning centuries. But more than that, you have grown, adapted, and reimagined your purpose with each passing generation.

Today, you are not only keepers of history—you are interpreters, educators, and, in many ways, authors of what comes next. And that does not happen by accident.

We are here because of a certain tenacity of spirit—a shared belief that our history is not simply something to admire, but something to protect. Because in preserving it, we better understand who we are, and perhaps more importantly, where we are going.

But let us be honest—this work is not easy. It asks a great deal. It asks for time, patience, resources, and volunteerism. There is always more to do than can be done—a steeple in need of repair, a barn waiting to be cleaned, a collection that requires tending. And yet, you return to it time and time again. You lift yourselves up, dust yourselves off, and start all over again.

So we might ask—why? What is it that draws us in?

I would suggest it is something a bit like magic.

It is the quiet enchantment of these spaces—the way light shifts through old windowpanes, the stillness of a meeting house that has seen generations pass through its doors. It is the moment in an archive when a photograph stops you, or a letter—written in a hand so deliberate, so expressive—suddenly feels as immediate as if it were written yesterday.

It is the realization that we are not so different from those who came before us. Their days were full, their work meaningful, their lives complex, surprising, and familiar. We smile at what they wore, marvel at what they ate, and quietly acknowledge that someday, we too will be viewed through that same curious lens.

We find beauty in the smallest details—a quilt, carefully stitched, at once humble and breathtaking. A story passed down that lingers just long enough to spark wonder. And before we know it, we are captivated.

We are, all of us, a little bit smitten.

And in truth, over these past 120 years, we are simply the latest in a long and devoted line of those who have fallen under this spell.

Each of you brings something unique to this work, and together you create something extraordinary—an arsenal of talent, imagination, and care. The result is something we can see and feel: a collection that does more than preserve our history—it defines us.

Because of you, our story is not lost to time. It is alive. It is present. It is something we can return to and learn from.

And perhaps most importantly, because of your efforts, we are not only remembered—we are, in every sense, unforgettable.

Thank you for your dedication, your passion, and for keeping our history so very much alive.