Local historian Walter Waite was the guest speaker at the recent Valley Historical Society meeting.

SINCLAIRVILLE — Walter Waite, charter member of the Valley Historical Society and past president of the society, was the guest speaker at the recent gathering of the Valley Historical Society.

The Valley Historical Society was organized in January 1977 by the late John and Ruth Smith, the late Rev. John Rough, Bill Hulett and Walter Waite. One year later, the museum, located at the corner of Main and Lester Streets, was purchased to display local artifacts of the Cassadaga Valley area.

Waite has been collecting historical items following in the footsteps of his great grandmother, grandmother, and mother. Waite said he has many notebooks of news articles. In his recent speech, Waite talked about his attending the ground breaking and laying of the cornerstone of the Cassadaga Valley Central School in 1939, his first grade teacher and showing his first grade report card, and his family home. Waite said when his family purchased their farm in the Centralia area, there was no electricity and when electricity was available, they had to dig the holes for the poles. Waite said he was drafted into the military right out of high school for the Korean War in June 1952, and when the war ended, he was able to continue his education at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to become a nurse. Waite had a number of old photographs, one showing his first calf he purchased. This was a very interesting and historical talk.

After the Pledge to the Flag and the Lord’s Prayer, the minutes of the previous meeting were read by secretary Evelyn Thorndike, and the financial report given by treasurer John Sipos. Dean Houser, village trustee and former mayor of Sinclairville Dean Houser, with the advisement of President Larry Barmore, is in charge of the annual history fair scheduled the second Saturday in September. Houser reported on all of the arrangements completed to date including the grand parade, the baby contest, baking contest, dog show, the craft stands in the village park, food vendors, music during the day, breakfast by the Sinclairville 76ers, chicken barbecue, and fireworks display at 9 p.m. The museum will be open that day and there is no admission charge. Houser said he is still working on more arrangements. The Sinclairville Library will be celebrating its 25th anniversary of the building, and librarian Beth Hadley reported on the plans for the celebration. Refreshments of strawberry short cake were provided by Sheryl Christy and Morgan Tarbell.

Meetings are held the first Tuesday of the month from April through December at 7 p.m. Guests are welcome.