The History Room Committee of the Hudson Area Library is pleased to welcome Mary Beth Wenger to the library on Saturday, May 17th at 4pm as the 2nd speaker in the Hudson Area Library’s Local History Speaker Series. Ms. Wenger will be discussing her book Finding Grandma: A Sentimental Journey Through 1920s Columbia County Recipes.
Originally from Saugerties and now based in Columbia County, Wenger was an acclaimed television journalist in Albany, New York whose love of uncovering the stories of “ordinary” people carried over into her first book, Finding Grandma. After discovering her Grandma Edna’s collection of 1920s recipes, she began a personal journey, searching for the grandmother she never knew. The resulting book is at once a scrapbook, a history lesson, a cookbook, a poignant personal story and a preservation of a bygone way of life and language from the Hudson Valley during the “Roaring Twenties”.
“My aim with this book is to honor not only Grandma Edna, but all the women of my family who have gone before, as well as to preserve a bit of local history. Every time I break out the bowls and wooden spoons and baking sheets and pie tins, referring to their handwritten recipes, I pay homage to them and connect with them in a deeply personal way.” –Mary Beth Wenger
Wenger’s presentation will include a PowerPoint, reading, and Q&A highlighting the fascinating historical information detailed in Finding Grandma and her personal journey of exploring family history through recipes. The talk will be held on the first floor of the Hudson Area Library, with wheelchair access on the northeast side of the building. Admission is free and open to the public. Seating is available on a first–come, first-served basis. Light refreshments will be served. Copies of her book will be available for purchase after the presentation. All proceeds will go towards the History Room Collection of the library.
The History Room Committee’s Local History Speaker Series offers bimonthly talks on diverse topics related to the history of Hudson, Greenport, Stockport, and Columbia County. The Hudson Area Library’s History Room houses a special collection that pertains to the history of the City of Hudson, as well as Columbia County and New York State. The History room is open Tuesday evenings from 5:30-7:30pm, Saturdays from 10am-12pm, and by appointment.