WANAKENA -- Locally-made art, visits to the Clifton Town Museum and Ranger School, and a talk on the first county historian are the highlights of the St. Lawrence County Historical Association’s 70th Annual Meeting.

The meeting will be held at the Pine Cone Grill, 68 Ranger School Rd. #B, in Wanakena, on Saturday, Nov. 4, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The public is invited and you do not have to be a member of the SLCHA to attend.

The St. Lawrence County Historical Association’s Annual Meeting begins at 11 a.m. with a brief business meeting, followed at noon by a baked ziti luncheon. Lunch is $15 per person and pre-registration is required for the meal. Lunch registrations can be made by calling 315-386-8133 or emailing info@slcha.org.

As this is the 70th anniversary of the SLCHA’s founding, the after lunch presentation by Mark Friden, historian of the town of Clifton, will center on the first St. Lawrence County historian, J. Otto Hamele. While Hamele was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, he came to Wanakena in 1901 to work for the Rich Lumber Company; he became county historian in 1945, two years before his death, after years of supporting the local community and Ranger School.

Members can then visit the Ranger School, the restored Wanakena footbridge, and the Clifton Town Museum.

A piece of art made by Suzie Thaller is being raffled to benefit the St. Lawrence County Historical Association, with the drawing being held at the Annual Meeting.

The piece itself has not been made yet, but it will consist of a bird painted on local birch bark.

Tickets are available at the SLCHA for $1 each or 6 for $5, and will also be available at the Annual Meeting on November 4th.

The winner’s name will be drawn at the meeting, but they need not be present to win.

Visit the SLCHA’s website, www.slcha.org, for more information.