The Association of Public Historians of New York State presented this year’s Hugh Hastings Award to Denise Roe, Madison County Clerk, Sept. 15, 2016 at their annual state conference. This award is named in honor of the first New York State historian (1895-1907), and is given in recognition of Roe’s distinguished service to and support of the public history community of New York State.
Devin Lander, New York State Historian, Gerald R Smith, President of the Association, and John Scherer, Trustee and Chairman of the Awards Committee presented the award.
The Madison County Clerk’s office has been awarded numerous grants to identify, sort, catalog and digitize historical documents held. In addition, a website was established to share history and the indexes of holdings as well as some document images. Much of Madison County’s rich local history has been brought forth from obscurity, and this project continues.
Records that comprise local government document the most fundamental events in our personal lives and have over-arching significance to us as individuals and the communities in which we live. They document our heritage and enhance education. The Clerk’s office welcomes teacher and student groups and instructs how to use these primary source documents on a regular basis. Projects result in growth of historical tourism from genealogists and researchers visiting from across the country, enhancement in communities’ pride, as well as documenting how Madison County residents have influenced national and world history.
Roe states, “These projects take a team to accomplish– and they are such a talented, enthusiastic, and valuable team—historian, records management coordinator, deputies, and clerks . How can it get any better than to receive an award for something you are passionate about, is meaningful, helps others, and connects people? History shows us that if generations preceding us overcame polio, evil, built impossible canals, and conquered space travel, we learn that we can persevere, overcome and reach for the stars successfully.”