On Wednesday, Dec. 16, the Manlius Town Board accepted the annual report from Town Historian Barbara Rivette, which articulated her thoughts on a “memorable” 2020 from her perspective as a historian focused on local events. The text of the report is below:

How does one describe 2020?
“Unusual” will have to do until I think of a better word.
I’ve done meetings via Zoom, meetings on the telephone, and had meetings cancelled “until a better time.”
During the year I did research by internet and with telephone interviews. I’ve developed “fact sheets” relating to local events and people. I’ve certainly tried to keep track of the local events – and non-events.
Describing the empty parking lots at businesses and industries during the initial shut-down can not adequately convey the “empty feeling”: of the silent and car-less main streets of Manlius, Fayetteville and Minoa in March and April.
In contrast to the empty parking lots of the spring, there were the traffic jams and “closed” signs at Green Lakes State Park on many summer Sunday afternoons as the “keep your distance” regulations were followed once local activities were resumed in July and August.
Throughout the year, I sorted reference material, sending some on to other locations, and conferred with other historians. When appropriate I participated in several locally-oriented chat groups on the internet.
I concentrated my research on Kirkville in response to several requests for specific information. Kirkville is an unincorporated settlement that ranks among the earliest centers of population in the county. It has had a school, church and graveyard, but never attained the self-governing legal status of an official village. Nevertheless, with a post office established in 1824, residents of a wide rural area in northeastern Onondaga and part of Madison county use Kirkville as the definition of their “home town.”
I respond to all the inquiries received by the Manlius Historical Society, sorted and filed their accessions and attend their meetings when held.
The virus cancelled the formal activities related to the Erie Canal although it became very well used during the shut-down and as usual is in daily use throughout the year.
I deeply appreciate the cooperation of the people in the Manlius Town Hall who have faithfully responded to the “public” that inquires for the historian and sometimes leaves large and small objects.
How to describe 2020? Memorable.

Barbara S. Rivette,
Manlius Town Historian