ATHOL — Finding Historical Voices is a two-part event on July 12 and 15. The first part, at the Athol Public Library, 568 Main St., in Athol, will take place on Wednesday, July 12, at 6:30 p.m., with a presentation by Elena Palladino and J. A. McIntoshabout genealogy, online research and historical sources. Participants are encouraged to bring a pre-1970 photograph or small artifact.

McIntosh, a local author, has written several contemporary mysteries and is now working on a novel, “Swift River Secrets,” that combines a present-day crime with roots in the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir.

“I often spend time just looking through archives and other old records,” said McIntosh. “I’ve developed a fascination with ice harvesting, heirloom plants, and other past practices that I never knew existed.”

Palladino moved into a new home in Ware and became intrigued with its past when a neighbor put decades-old pictures of the house in her mailbox. After doing some research, she found that the house had been owned by Marion Smith, a resident of Enfield, Mass., now under the Quabbin Reservoir. She wrote a book, “Lost Towns of the Swift River Valley: Drowned by the Quabbin,” that talks about Smith’s last days.

The second part of the presentation, Getting To Know Primary Sources, will take place on Saturday, July 15, 10:30 a.m., at the Swift River Valley Historical Society, 40 Elm St. in New Salem. This event will emphasize primary sources and hands-on work with town and organizational records from the Swift River Valley, now under the Quabbin Reservoir.

J.A. McIntosh and Dot Frye, museum administrator, will introduce participants to primary sources at the museum, including town record books, Sunday school records, private family histories and lots of photographs. Brief tours of the historical society will be available after the presentation.

Frye has worked at the museum since 2015 and is responsible for research there. She devoured history books as a child, took a detour through work in a legal office and came back to her first love.

“My favorite part of the job is meeting other people who love the Swift River Valley history,” she said.

Both parts will focus on allowing the researcher to get a feel for the times, thoughts and actions of the past.

This is a joint presentation of the Athol Public Library and the Swift River Valley Historical Society and welcomes genealogists, history buffs, Quabbin Reservoir enthusiasts, and everyone with an interest in local history.

This event is part of the library’s summer reading program, Find Your Voice, made possible by the support of the Friends of the Athol Public Library and/or the Athol Cultural Council.

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