Books Relating to Dutchess County

The Future of the Year Book

The Year Book Committee of the Dutchess County Historical Society has a glorified vision of what the annual publication of this organization couid be and do and the committee offers the present number as an indication of the lines along which it hopes to continue production.

As the committee sees its possibilities, the Year Book can be made a mine of treasure of original source-material concerning Dutchess County. None of the three county histories, so far published, has specialized in the reproduction of original records, such as maps, letters, unrecorded deeds and colonial tax lists, in the identification of early road-courses, reports upon the existence, character, custody and condition of the record-books of the several townships, publication of entries from family Bibles, &c, &c.

In late years the study of history has become a much more exact science than ever before. Tradition still has its place and its value. But the historian of today demands source-documents, contemporary evidence, original material of all sorts to work with and from which to draw conclusions and announce results. It is within the power of this society to publish a Year Book which will be sought after by students of history, rather than one which would indicate that the., members of the society had sunk into a static, complacent contemplation of their previous local affairs. Dutchess County is rich in source- material and the society can afford to issue an annual publication in which it can take a justified pride and one by which the society will become known for its appreciation of what is really valuable in the historical world.

It is the hope of the Year Book Committee that the society will resolve itself into a committee of the whole to search for original material. A beginning might be made with family Bibles and, on another page, will be found a statement regarding a step taken in that direction.

Certain individual members of the Dutchess County Historical Society have already made intensive studies of local source-material and are publishing their findings in book form. These books are being credited to the society but are all financed privately. They are more particularly referred to on another page.

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