Publications

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Publications2018-01-17T21:49:33+00:00

The following books about Meredith’s history are available from Meredith Historical Society.

(A printable order form is at the bottom of the page.)

Meredith’s Dairy Barns: Past and Present

by Frank M. Waterman

Meredith’s dairy barns are a threatened icons of our rural heritage. Of the more than 230 dairy barns that once graced our hills, a scant 71 survive today. The purpose of this book is to preserve a pictorial and historical record of Meredith’s remaining barns and many of the barns that are now gone. It includes pictures and histories of 119 barns, 48 of which are no longer standing. In addition a chapter is devoted to describing how Meredith’s barns evolved with time in response to the health of the dairy industry, the introduction of […]

Raising Lincoln’s Army

By Frank M. Waterman

The Union army was almost entirely made up of volunteers who were recruited, not by the federal government, but by the States which passed the responsibility down to the towns, each of which had a quota of men to provide. If the quotas were not met, deficiencies were made up by a draft. The towns went to a great expense to avoid having their men drafted. The townspeople dug deep into their pockets to create increasingly greater financial incentives for men to volunteer. Raising Lincoln’s Army tells the story of the recruitment effort in Delaware County, and […]

The Thing of It

By Wilfred Jurjens with Bob Rosen

A little book of stories and remembrances as told to Bob Rosen by Willy Jurjens. Many of Willy’s stories recount the way things were here in Meredith. Some are Willy’s own, but others have been passed on to him by elders, and still others are accounts Willy has patiently put together from many different sources. These tales are plainly told, in an old-fashioned, homespun manner that leaves no doubt as to their authenticity. 84 pages.

Price: $13 plus $3 shipping and handling

Bisbee’s General Store 1900-1976

by Bob Rosen

Bisbee’s General Store in Meridale, NY, first operated by Everett Bisbee and later by his son Ruez, was the heart of the community from 1900 until it was destroyed by fire in 1976. People congregated there to shop, get their mail, and chat with their neighbors. This book, which is based on an exhibition of historical materials presented by the Meredith Historical Society at the Delaware County Historical Association in Delhi, NY September-December 2010, records the history of the store with pictures and recollections of some who remember it. This book is a must for anyone who remembers […]

Two Hundred Years of Rolling Suns

This is a book about the first 200 years of Meredith’s History, 1800 – 2000. Written by Meredith’s town historian for the town’s bicentennial history, it includes sections titled, “Old, Old ,Meredith,”, “East Meredith,” “West Meredith,” “Meredith Square,” “Meridale,” “Our Schools,”, “Our Churches,” “Agriculture and 4-H,”, and “Our Folks.” The latter includes family histories contributed by many present and former residents. This book is a “must-have” for those who are interested in Meredith’s history. 332 pages.

Price: $12 plus $5 shipping and handling.

Mother, You Mustn’t Worry So About Us

Ed. by Frank M. Waterman

Brothers James and Clark McDonald from the town of Meredith enlisted in the 8th NY Independent Battery on October 7, 1861.  As with most Civil War soldiers, they wrote many letters home.  This book contains 168 letters written to their immediate family members during the course of the war.  James died of disease on December 7, 1862, but Clark, who thrived in the military, served the entire war and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.  These letters relate their experiences, opinions, and chronicles the history of the 8th NY Independent Battery.  297 pages.

Price $20 plus $4 shipping […]

Meridale Farms

by Frank M. Waterman

Francis W. Ayer, a self-made millionaire, founded Meridale Farms in 1888 where he began to improve the Jersey breed of cattle, a hobby that blossomed into a business empire operated under the name of Ayer & McKinney. This book chronicles the rise of Meridale Farms to preeminence during the lifetimes of F. W. Ayer and W. W. Fry and its decline until only a vestige remains. This book, however, is not just about the history of the farm. It is the also the story of the Meredith Inn, the farm’s extensive network of creameries, and about the Ayer […]