Historic Marker Restoration Project Resumes At Putnam County Jail

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — Several of the historic markers that dot Putnam County were reinstalled last week after having been restored.

The work was done by people in the Correctional Facility taking part in a Community Work Program run by the County Sheriff’s Office.

Led by Corrections Officer Matt Amato and County Historian Jennifer Cassidy, the ongoing marker restoration project seeks to restore "curb appeal" to Putnam County.

Officials said they hoped it also provided participating members of the jail population with a sense of purpose in contributing to the beautification of the county.

"The restoration of these historic markers is a significant contribution to preserving our county’s rich history," Cassidy said in a news release. "I can’t thank CO Amato and his team enough for their participation in helping to educate the public. I’m grateful for their dedication and for the community’s generous donations to help subsize the projects."

Putnam County is home to more than 200 historic markers and memorials. The first ones were created and dedicated in the 1930s by the New York State Department of Education.

Since 2020, more than 30 historic markers have been removed, sandblasted, painted, and replaced.

"The markers are a great point of pride for Putnam County that not only educate residents, but also promote heritage tourism," Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne said. "I commend Sheriff McConville and his team, our County Historian, and all those involved in the Community Work Program for their hard work to restore these tangible representations of our County’s incredible history."

The Community Work Program’s marker restoration initiative was originally overseen by Corrections Officer James "Jimmy" See. It was abandoned in 2014 after he died. Six years later, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, CO Amato approached the Historian’s Office with a proposal to resurrect the project.

Putnam County Sheriff Kevin McConville praised the commitment and dedication of the officers involved. "This is exactly the kind of work our Corrections Division should be engaging in when given the opportunity. Excellent job done by all those individuals involved, and I look forward to seeing more markers go up in the future."