TRUSTEES — Pictured are Lois Mumford, trustee; and Frank Ortel, trustee. Missing from photo is Charles Munro, trustee.

The Collins Regional Historical Society is up and running.

The Society’s officers and trustees were sworn in at the July 18 monthly meeting. The society’s new goal is to become chartered and incorporated, after which they will begin their search for appropriate locations in which to establish a research library to house their extensive digital and regular collection, and a museum, to house the many items locals have offered to donate. In order to obtain this goal they will host their first fundraiser on Aug. 17.

A community picnic will be held at the Town Park and Gowanda Correctional Training Center property in Collins Center, rain or shine. This is an attempt to revive the Collins Town Picnic of yesteryear, with a new twist; rather than sending postcard invitations to attendees, the Society is hoping to draw in people from the original Town of Concord, which included Collins, North Collins, the Cattaraugus Reservation, Gowanda, Concord and Sardinia. There will be food and friends, 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century games for all ages, prizes, raffles and a Chinese auction.

Working meetings for the fundraiser will be held on Wednesday evenings at the former "Dreamers" bar, in Collins Center at 7 p.m.

A historical society is being formed by group in the town of Collins

Monday June 10, 2013 | By:Richard Westlund | Springville Journal

COLLINS — Doug Martindale addressed the Collins Town Board, during its June 3 meeting, to inform the board members that a local group is in the process of forming a Collins Historical Society.

The group’s stated purpose is to “collect, research, interpret and preserve information or items of historical interest, to citizens and former citizens of the town of Collins, as well as those seeking a link to their own past.”

Martindale said that he and the rest of the group’s members are eager for additional interested parties to join their ranks.

Historical society being formed in Collins

Thursday June 6, 2013 | By:Richard Westlund | Gowanda News

Doug Martindale addressed the June 3 meeting of the Collins Town Board to inform them that a small group is in the process of forming a Collins Historical Society. Their purpose, as stated in their brochure, is: To collect, research, interpret and preserve information or items of historical interest to citizens and former citizens of the Town of Collins, as well as those seeking a link to their own past.

Collins exploring historical society

Sunday May 19, 2013 | By:Submitted to Journal

COLLINS — A meeting will be held at the Collins Library on May 23 at 5 p.m., to garner support for the organization of a town of Collins Historical Society.

Organizers announced a stated goal of better preserving the history of the original town of Collins, which includes all of the lands presently within town borders, a portion of the village of Gowanda, land inside the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation, land now located within the town of Brant and the portion which now constitutes North Collins, as well as preparing for Collins’ upcoming bicentennial.

Town Historian Irvine Gaffney has accumulated information concerning the town history, with virtually no budget. Those materials now occupy a room in the basement of the town hall. No tax dollars for the preservation of history or the historical aspects of the town are available. After nearly 200 years of the town’s existence, its residents are now addressing the possibility of creating a historical society.

All Collins residents, as well as those belonging to local historical societies within Gowanda, North Collins, the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation and the town of Concord, may attend the meeting.