by Gail Blass Wolczanski Originally published 2014 Iron ore shipped to South Boston Iron Company from the Chatham Smelting Company was used to make ordnance for the United States Army and Navy at the turn of the last century. The Chinese government ordered Chatham’s iron ore to make cannons. To this day, adventurers who wander […]
Author: Chatham Village Historical Society
A brief history of the Columbia County Fair
Local residents and visitors alike know that the end of August means one thing – the Columbia County Fair is back. For 183 years, the county fair has been a place of meeting, celebration, competition, education, and community. Let’s turn the clock back and look at the history of the Columbia County Fair. Community and […]
The Chatham clocktower
The Chatham Village clocktower in Chatham, New York, is one of the most recognizable local landmarks. Built in 1872, the clocktower has been an integral part of Chatham history for over 150 years.
The closing of Brown’s Shoe Store
by Gail Blass Wolczanski The bell suspended above the doorway to Brown’s shoe store jingled as each one arrived. The shelves were nearly bare, revealing aged, faded, and cracked walls. A plastered over doorway that once led upstairs looked jailed behind the horizontal boards. The floors, too worn thin from well over a century of […]
A brief history of Chatham Public Library
Learn how two early civic leaders and the generosity of a Scottish-American philanthropist helped make the Chatham Public Library the community cornerstone it is today.
A new look
Welcome to the new and improved home-on-the-web for Chatham Village Historical Society (CVHS). We’re so glad you’ve visited. Want to learn more about what kind of history Chatham village has to offer? Read on!