Katonah Village Improvement Society preserves nearly 150 Years of local history

KATONAH, N.Y. - On Oct. 21, 1878, a group of Katonah residents gathered for the first meeting of what would become the Katonah Village Improvement Society (KVIS).

Among the founding members was a grandson of John Jay, the first chief justice of the United States. At that meeting, members discussed a variety of ideas for improving village life, including having residents loan books to establish a library for the community.

Nearly 150 years later, that early connection between KVIS and the Katonah Village Library has come full circle.

KVIS recently completed a major project to preserve and digitize its historic minute books, which date back to that first meeting in 1878 and continue through 1941. The original volumes have been professionally restored and protected, while digital copies will help preserve their contents for future generations.

KVIS thought it only fitting that the newly preserved minute books be housed in the reference room of the Katonah Village Library, where residents and researchers can explore more than six decades of local history.

The timing is especially appropriate. Oct. 21 marked both the 148th anniversary of KVIS' first meeting and the opening day of New York Archives Week.

The minute books offer a remarkable window into Katonah's early history and the residents who worked to improve the village. They also preserve the story of a community organization whose work has continued, in one form or another, for nearly a century and a half.