Oral History Project

The Washington Grove Oral History Project preserves in audio form the recollections and observations of Grove residents. The earliest recordings of the project date back to 1975, using reel-to-reel technology, and a number of recordings were done in the mid-1980s. The project lay mainly dormant for two decades and then was brought back to life in 2007. All of the recordings are housed in the town archives and the town archivist, Patricia Patula, maintains a list of all the oral histories.

Town residents are welcome to come to the town hall to listen to the recordings by making arrangements with the town clerk or the archivist.

Interviews

The interviews cover topics such as the person’s role in town government and in various volunteer projects, memories of holidays and special events in town (one couple spontaneously broke into a spirited rendition of “Washington Grove on the Fourth of July” during their interview), descriptions of changes in the town and the surrounding area, and the person’s definition of the town’s essence and spirit.

Volunteers

Volunteers are welcome to join the project to assist in conducting the interviews. Contact Judy Mroczka for more information.