Local History Book Club- Andrew Carnegie

Washington County Historical Society’s Local History Book Club will meet from 12 noon until 1 PM on Friday, Oct. 13, at Mountainside Free Library, 3090 NY-9L, Lake George. The building is at the corner of Joshua Rock Road. Historical Society membership is not required for participation.

The discussion will focus on Andrew Carnegie’s role in the creation of free public libraries. Attendees can read any biography of Carnegie, or his essay The Gospel of Wealth. Andrew Carnegie funds contributed to the building of this library which opened in 1904. It is maintained by volunteers, is self-service, and is open 24 hours a day. It was Carnegie’s wish that books would be available to all.

The book club meets regularly on the second Friday of the month at twelve o’clock, usually at the Historical Society in Fort Edward. The November meeting will be held on Nov. 10 at Battenkill Fibers in Greenwich, with focus on Vanishing Fleece by Clara Parkes, and Merino sheep in the early 1800’s in Washington County.

Future sessions of the club will include books about the larger Adirondack area as well as works by local authors. Proposed topics include the temperance movement in our area, tugboats on the Champlain Canal, and the life of Salem resident Asa Fitch, historian and entomologist. For additional information, email Connie Harris Farrington at connieandlee@roadrunner.com.