Now in our TENTH full year as a Society, I am delighted to report that ‘history’ is alive and thriving at Prouts! There are numerous things that make Prouts Neck unique and important to all of us. By inspiring families to share their memories, using technology in innovative ways, and constantly refreshing the content that reaches us throughout the year, the PNHS plays a key role in sustaining the traditions and connections of this remarkable place.

The work of discovering our shared history is never really complete, because we receive a steady flow of photographs, diaries, film clips, and oral histories, as many of you keep unearthing unique items from your own families’ experience at Prouts. Some of the richest material comes from the many past and current interviews (many captured on video), mostly with elder members of the community whose memories run deep and rich.

Thanks to flexible, cutting edge technology, we are preserving vast amounts of this material in a digital museum, where it is labeled and organized in ways that make it easy to search and use. Our website is being continuously enriched as new items are scanned, catalogued, stored, and organized into fascinating exhibits, both in print and online, where we can also feature our outstanding video collection.

The most exciting part of what we do is sharing this treasure trove of material in ways that reach virtually every Prouts family. The monthly Prouts Necker now reaches more than 1,100 subscribers; we deliver lively and entertaining public presentations; we publish handsome, richly illustrated books (two so far, and actively working on our third); and respond to hundreds of emails and phone calls.

We hope you will join us as we discover, preserve and share the collective histories of Prouts Neck.

Vaughan Pratt, President July, 2024