The Shelter Island Historical Society — in an effort to catalog how Islanders are responding to the COVID-19 outbreak — has a message: tell us about your experience.
“In this time of trouble and fear we must not relinquish hope,” the Society said in an email. “All hard times come to an end, they have before and they will again — the important thing is to travel this journey together.”
“With that in mind, we have a request: tell us about your experience,” the Society said. “We’re living through a notable period in history and as a historical society we have the duty and the joy of recording history as it happens; not only looking back on history, but providing for future historians.”
Ways to tell us about your experience
“So, if you would like to be a resource for future historians send us your story and thoughts about social distancing or quarantine, some photos, a poem you wrote, a recipe you’ve been using, or anything that tells the truth of this moment in time that we can keep and catalog for the Shelter Islanders of 2030, 2080, 2120 … “
Residents can send information to the archival department at collections@shelterislandhistorical.org.
Or, you can submit documents to Shelter Island Historical Society, PO Box 847, Shelter Island NY 11964.
And, if you’re posting photos on Facebook or Instagram, you can use these hashtags to help the Historical Society find and document your experiences: #shelterislandhistoricalsociety #capturingthecovid19crisis #shelteredonshelterisland #historyinthemaking #shelterislandarchives
“We look forward to receiving your submissions to preserve our Island history,” the email said.
About SIHS
The Shelter Island Historical Society strives to preserve the Island’s heritage for future generations.
Founded in the 1920s and revived in the 1960s, the society “interprets Shelter Island’s past through historical material and through its people, from the first Native American inhabitants, settlers and town fathers, to those who have made it a caring and unique community through the years.”
To learn more or make an online donation: visit shelterislandhistorical.org.
