Local author and photographer Zach Lewis will explore the people, places and stories of Clinton and Kirkland during a free public program Monday, Oct. 5, at Mohawk Valley Community College’s Rome campus.
The presentation will run from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. at 1101 Floyd Ave. in Rome. It is part of the Mohawk Valley Institute for Learning in Retirement’s Local Authors Book Series.
Lewis, a Clinton native, is the author of Clinton and Kirkland, a photographic history focused on the neighboring Oneida County communities. Organizers said he will use photographs, artifacts and personal stories to show how local history can be preserved through images and storytelling.
Admission and parking are free. The MVCC Rome campus is accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A local history told through photographs
Community history is often recorded in official documents, but photographs can reveal details that written records miss. Storefronts, school groups, public celebrations, homes and working people can show how a place changed and what residents valued at a particular moment.
Lewis’s presentation will connect those visual records with stories about Clinton and the Town of Kirkland. The program description says he will discuss “the people, places and stories that shaped Clinton and Kirkland.”
That approach can make history more familiar to people who live in the area today. A street name, building or family photograph may lead to a larger discussion about business, education, immigration, transportation or neighborhood life.
The topic also reaches beyond Clinton. Rome, Utica and other Mohawk Valley communities have experienced many of the same changes, including shifts in industry, shopping patterns and public spaces. Comparing those experiences helps residents understand regional history rather than viewing each town in isolation.
Why preserving local records matters
Old photographs and family documents are vulnerable to water, fire, fading and loss. Digital copies can help preserve them, but scanning a picture is only part of the work. Names, dates, locations and the story behind an image give it meaning.
Residents who have older photographs can write identifying details in a separate record, scan both sides of each image and save copies in more than one secure location. Local libraries, historical societies and archives may also be able to advise families about preservation.
People should avoid writing directly on the front of a photograph or using tape and glue that may cause damage. When sharing historical images online, families should identify the source and confirm that sensitive information about living people is not exposed.
Part of a broader learning series
The Mohawk Valley Institute for Learning in Retirement offers programs for adults who want to continue learning in a community setting. Its Local Authors Book Series introduces participants to writers with regional connections and gives them a chance to hear about research, writing and the creative process.
The Oct. 5 program is open to the public, not only current institute participants. That makes it an accessible option for residents interested in local history, photography, books or community storytelling.
The event will take place at MVCC’s Rome campus. The college lists the Rome location at 1101 Floyd Ave. and provides campus information through the official MVCC website.
What visitors can expect
The hourlong format is designed as a focused presentation. Attendees can expect a discussion of the research behind the book and examples of how Lewis used images and stories to document Clinton and Kirkland.
Visitors may want to arrive a few minutes early to find the room and seating. Because the release does not require advance registration, attendees should follow any signs or directions posted at the campus entrance.
People who own a copy of the book may also find the program useful as added context. Those who have not read it can still follow the presentation because the subject is the communities and the process of preserving their history.
Clinton and Kirkland as a shared story
The Village of Clinton is located within the Town of Kirkland, and their histories are closely connected. Schools, churches, businesses, farms, civic groups and Hamilton College have all helped shape the area.
A photographic history can show how those institutions interacted with daily life. It can also document ordinary places that may disappear before residents think of them as historic.
That is one reason public history programs have lasting value. They invite longtime residents to share memories while giving newer residents a clearer sense of where they live. They can also encourage families to preserve records before important information is lost.
Program details
Program: Local author Zach Lewis on Clinton and Kirkland history.
Date: Monday, Oct. 5, 2026.
Time: 10:45 to 11:45 a.m.
Location: MVCC Rome Campus, 1101 Floyd Ave., Rome.
Admission: Free and open to the public.
Parking and access: Free parking is available, and the campus is ADA accessible.
The program offers Mohawk Valley residents a chance to look at familiar communities through a historical lens and to consider how today’s photographs and stories will become tomorrow’s record.
