Authors William Blake and William Pelletreau published histories of Putnam County from early records that pre-dated the American Revolution through their publication dates in the 19th century. In 1946, the Lewis Historical Publishing Company released a three volume set entitled “Southeastern New York” with a substantial section updating the history of Putnam County and profiling notable people, places and events through to the middle of the 20th century.

The Putnam County Bicentennial Committee decided to close the historical gap by focusing a new book on updating Putnam history to the beginning of the 21st century. Putnam County government officials, legislators, department heads and several local authors and historians were asked to provide chapters documenting their areas of expertise.

For more than a year, Putnam County Legislator Richard Othmer and Bicentennial Liaison Krista Butler were working tirelessly to compile and edit the new book for Putnam’s 200th birthday. The result is a unique combination of stories that bear witness to the changes this nation, this local government and the people of this county faced to arrive at this historical calendar date that marks the Putnam County Bicentennial.

The books are the dimensions of a school yearbook with more than 400 pages of text, photos and historical images. If you have any interest in the county, its history, its government or its inner workings, you should put your order in before the books are sold out.