Discovering Owego; Map viewing to uncover Owego’s history

How old is Owego as a named settlement? Join the Early Owego Antique Center vendors and staff on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. in the Owego Elks ballroom for a free map viewing and discussion to perhaps learn the answer.

Early Owego owner Jim Mead has been collecting original maps that show evidence of our fair village. So far, his collection pushes that date back to 1750, 37 years before the accepted European founding date of 1787. How much further back might a printed mention of Owego be found?

Guests will have a chance to view the collection up close.

“It is most interesting to view the maps in reverse,” said Mead, adding, “Surrounding villages fall away until only Owego and Canandaigua remain between the Wyoming Valley (Wilkesbarre) and Fort Naigara. Not quite pre-colonial, but the frontier wilderness for sure.”

Special Guest Caleb Kiffer, Specialist in Maps and Atlases at Swann Galleries of New York, will be welcomed. Mead has been aided in his quest by Caleb, who has agreed to join the group electronically to discuss maps and map collecting, with some comments on Mead’s collection thus far.

Kiffer earned his BA in Art History from Penn State University in 2001, with a primary focus on fifteenth and sixteenth-century Dutch painting. As Kiffer’s interest in old books and printed materials developed, he completed coursework in the field at the University of Virginia’s Rare Book School and NYU’s School of Continuing Education.

Outside of Swan, Kiffer’s interests include fishing, small-scale farming, and North American Indian studies; he collects books and illustrations related to these fields.

Gerald Smith, the executive director of the Tioga County Historical Society, and Bryan Goodrich, the Manager of Geographic Information Systems for Tioga County, will also be present at the event.

If you are a local historian, educator, current student, or just interested in the history of Owego, join this presentation with an informal discussion to follow.