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Date: 1/26/2021
SOUTHWICK – In partnership with the Southwick 250th Anniversary committee, local historian Lee Hamburg is publishing a book all about Southwick’s 250-year history.
Hamburg said the book took two years to write and was written for the town’s 250th anniversary.
“I did it for the 250th anniversary, although due to COVID, the celebration has pretty much been put off until this year and probably later. The book is coming out Feb. 8 and it took a couple of years to write,” he said.
He added that he has been interested in local history for his whole life.
“I’ve been interested in local history for about 50 to 60 years, so pretty much my whole lifetime,” he said.
Hamburg said the book covers Southwick’s history going back to before it separated from Westfield.
“I tried to hit the highlights of a good chunk of the community’s past, so there are sections on some of the early homes and the people, so it covers quite a bit of the local history. There’s something for everyone,” he said.
All proceeds from the book will be going into the Southwick Civic Fund.
“The funds are going to the Southwick Civic Fund and the only reason for that is because the Celebrate Southwick 250 could close their books at the end of this year and that would be it for them. The money would probably go in some general fund at that point,” Hamburg said.
Hamburg said he is more interested in the early history of Southwick that’s covered in the book.
“I’m particularly more interested in the early portion of Southwick. There is a copy of the 1765 petition requesting the creation of Southwick that was presented to the town meeting in Westfield. This was the second attempt to split from Westfield,” he said.
One of the sections Hamburg said residents should be interested in including the 1955 flood and the lakes.
“Quite a few people are interested in the lakes and the 1955 flood, so there is a respectable section of the book that is dedicated to those two components,” he said.
“Southwick Revisited” will be released on Feb. 8 and can be purchased through the Southwick Florist, on Amazon, or through Arcadia Publishing.