WEST LEYDEN — The NYS Tug Hill Commission is hosting a historical presentation entitled “A Century Gone By: Revisiting Swancott Mills” from 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at the West Leyden Elementary School, 1157 Fish Creek Road, or remotely via Zoom. Registration is required for this free event, either at tinyurl.com/swancott or by calling the Tug Hill Commission office at 315-785-2380.

Where the Swancott Mills State Forest now lies in the Town of Lewis, Lewis County, was a significant mill-based community in the late 1800s and early 1900s. With emcee Robert Sauer and speakers James “Jim” Burke and Leigh Portner, the history of Swancott Mills will be explored through old photographs, historical accounts, personal reminisces, mill artifacts and songs that memorialize the experience at Swancott Mills.

Burke, a musician, storyteller and author of “A Lifetime on the Hill,” will sing and share stories from his family and life experience. Portner, a logger, Linn tractor enthusiast and history lover, will bring artifacts from Swancott Mills and share his recollections. Sauer, a Tug Hill Sage, retired Harden forester, Northern Oneida County Council of Governments chairman and Camden local official, will emcee the event.