Patterson Library

Westfield, New York’s Patterson Library will place its “Historical Photographs Collection” in archival sleeves and create a finding aid to help researchers locate useful images. The nearly 5,000 photographs in the collection help tell the story of Westfield “The Grape Juice Capital of the World.” This collection includes images of the local grape juice industry, as well as town luminaries, among them Grace Bedell, the little girl famous for petitioning Abraham Lincoln to grow a beard. Other photos show school activities, civic organizations, and street scenes that document the physical development of the town.