GILL — Inspired by a Gill roadmap he owns and a curiosity to learn more about the town’s historic configuration, resident Ray Steele has organized a local history forum.
The discussion will be held Thursday starting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
Steele, a Gill resident since 1978, said he got the idea of meeting up to share information with other residents after seeing another old map with different information on it from his own, which is dated to 1874. He said he’s heard of other maps floating around that are even older than his, some of them supposedly dating as far back as the 1700s.
His own knowledge of the subject is very limited, Steele noted, and he doesn’t know of any existing resources for this kind of information.
“I’ve never gone digging deep into it,” Steele said.
Thus, Thursday’s meeting is for people like himself, he said, who are curious and want to know more about Gill’s historic configuration, and for people who are more knowledgeable and want to share what they know. Anyone who owns old maps is encouraged to bring them, he said.
Depending on how much interest there is, Steele said he may try to schedule another meeting next month.
Reach Max Marcus at mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 261.