SNAPSHOTS WANTED! HISTORICAL SOCIETY OPEN HOUSE - APRIL 27TH

WANTED -   Snapshots of the past; posted article in the 4/3/19 Edition of The Recorder:

SUNDERLAND — The Swampfield Historical Society archives are abundant with photographs of Sunderland residents and their families posing near or in front of their humble homesteads. The images span the later decades of the 19th century but seem to come to a halt around 1890. That means there is a nearly 130-year gap in which townspeople and their property are not well documented. Now, the historical society is asking for help to fill in the blank spots.  An open house is scheduled for April 27, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Graves Memorial Library at 109 North Main St., and the Swampfield Historical Society invites people to stop by with family photos to be scanned or digitally copied. There is a limit of five photos per person/family. Sunderland was known as Swampfield until it was incorporated as a town in 1718. It was named by settlers who couldn’t help but notice the swampland within the town. Sunderland Elementary School is at 1 Swampfield Drive. 

Thomas Zimnowski, a member of the historical society and chairman of the town’s 300th Anniversayr Committee, said Sunderland has been far from vacant since 1890, but there is little photographic evidence to that fact.  “We’ve got 100 years of families ... since then, and there really is no visible record of them here,” he said. The town celebrated its 300th anniversary last year and various festivities were held from June to Veterans Day. There had been hope to do this archiving during one of the 300th anniversary celebrations but, Zimnowski said, “you can only do so much.”

Zimnowski said people are welcome to drop off family photos of yesteryear or even one taken recently, as this will help prevent a similar chronological gap years from now. He said the photos will be scanned or digitally copied so they can be entered into the historical society’s database. Photographs on flash drives will not be accepted. Light refreshments will be available.

Zimnowski said the society has been working with Historic Deerfield for help in this process. He said there are generations of many Polish, Irish and German immigrants not sufficiently chronicled, and even more ethnicities have poured in over the past 130 years. He explained his paternal grandfather immigrated to Hatfield from Poland in 1910 and moved to Sunderland in roughly 1915.  “We were here. We made Sunderland what it is, and what it was,” Zimnowski said. “This is the fabric of the town. This is who we are and this is what makes up the town.”

Zimnowski said people are welcome to drop off family photos of yesteryear or even one taken recently, as this will help prevent a similar chronological gap years from now. He said the photos will be scanned or digitally copied so they can be entered into the historical society’s database. Photographs on flash drives will not be accepted. Light refreshments will be available. Zimnowski said the society has been working with Historic Deerfield for help in this process. He said there are generations of many Polish, Irish and German immigrants not sufficiently chronicled, and even more ethnicities have poured in over the past 130 years. He explained his paternal grandfather immigrated to Hatfield from Poland in 1910 and moved to Sunderland in roughly 1915. “We were here. We made Sunderland what it is, and what it was,” Zimnowski said. “This is the fabric of the town. This is who we are and this is what makes up the town.”

Anyone who has relevant family photos and would like more information can email Swampfield Historical Society President Mike Walunas at mikewalunas1718@gmail.com.