EVENT: Brooklyn Area Historical Society Annual Open House

DATE: Saturday October 13, 1 – 4pm

WHERE: Brooklyn Community Building, Lower level, 109 N. Rutland

CONTACT: Susan McCallum, 608-455-1503 or 608-999-0812 (media only)

Brooklyn Area Historical Society’s Annual Open House is Saturday October 13 th  from 1- 4pm at  the Brooklyn Community Building, lower level. We are pleased to announce author Carrie Meyer will be presenting information about the book she published this year, “Letters from the Boys”. Her talk begins at 1:30 pm; we will have the book available for sale and autographing.

 “Letters from the Boys” brings to life the arrival of American Troops in Europe that would shift the tide of World War I. Through the eyes of Wisconsinites writing home, Professor Carrie Meyer collected and synthesized the letters into a narrative that is both unique and representative,  telling the stories of several Green County boys and what they saw from preparing for war to life among French families near the front to the terror of the battlefield. Three Green County newspapers published the letters given to them by the families, one of those men lived in Brooklyn- Otis O’Brien, and we will have a display on him and his family history. In addition, the letters mention other Brooklyn families’ sons; Benjamin “Ben” Johnson for whom the local Legion Post is named, died while in Camp McArthur, Waco Texas, Ben’s brother Einar (Ike) Johnson and Bernie and Thorwald Christensen.

We will have books for purchase and the author will autograph them after her presentation. Carrie Meyer an associate professor of economics at George Mason University has written numerous papers, books, reports etc. Since 2000, she has focused her research on the history of the rural Midwest.

Our displays this year will also include acquisitions during 2018, from photos to artifacts. Perhaps these  will spur others to donate items from Brooklyn and the surrounding area. We are a tax-exempt organization affiliated with the Wisconsin Historical Society. Brooklyn’s American Legion will be on hand displaying information on their organization. Please join us for light refreshments following the author’s presentation.

You may contact the Brooklyn Area Historical Society at [email protected], 608-455-4585, or view all our many photos on our Facebook page- Facebook.com/BAHS