Evelyn R. Edwards
Evelyn is from Clinton New York in the Mohawk Valley and published Around Utica in 2007.
Among the collectors of Manning’s postcards is Evelyn R. Edwards, who also authored an earlier photographic history entitled The Sauquoit Valley. A member of four local historical societies, she has been an avid deltiologist for two decades. From her collection she has selected some 200 outstanding glimpses of life for Around Utica, a work that will delight anyone wishing to know more about the past.Around Utica features the work of A. J. Manning, who traveled with his camera through picturesque central New York in the early 1900s. Manning recorded historic events, such as Sherman Notification Day in 1908, honoring William Howard Taft’s vice presidential nominee James Schoolcraft Sherman; catastrophes, such as the fires at Utica Free Academy and the YMCA; and nostalgic scenes of everyday life. His images were produced in small quantities as real-photo postcards, which today are quite rare and much sought after by collectors.
The Sauquoit Valley, located in central New York State, boasts a rich and fascinating history. Known for its unique character and many villages, the region played a vital role in manufacturing, and was home to a variety of mills, tanneries, and tool factories.