The Peru Gazette

By John T Ryan

Peru, NY – March 11, 2025 – “We do what we have fun doing.” That’s how Peru Town Historian Helen Nerska and volunteers Chris Mullen and Jackie Madison describe their work at the Peru historian’s office. The women, including Nerska, are unpaid volunteers who love local history and want to share it.

Helen Nerska, who also directs the Clinton County Historical Association, has been Peru’s Town Historian since August 2022, succeeding longtime historians Ron and Carol Allen.  Nerska commented, “Peru has an incredible history to share. I want people, especially future generations, to learn how hard those people worked, how important family was, and how they communicated. We want to share it and make it more available to people.”

Helen Allen Nerska grew up and resides at the Jabez Allen Homestead on Jabez Allen Road. A sign in the front yard reads, “Allen Homestead since 1788.” Seven Allen generations farmed its land. Chris Irwin Mullen’s parents, Kermit and Bertha, operated the beautiful Maplegrand Farm on Jarvis Road. Kermit was a leader in the local and state dairy industry. Mrs. Irwin worked on the farm, was a mother to six children, and cared for her parents and Kermit’s parents as they grew older. Sundays, she was the Peru Community Church’s organist. Jackie Madison, a great friend to Nerska and Mullen, is President of the North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association.

Over the past several months, Nerska, Mullen, and Madison have been unboxing, examining, organizing, filing, and cataloging hundreds of historical Peru documents, photographs, and artifacts. Nerska is developing a computer database listing all the historical items in the town’s possession and their location. They’ve uncovered long-forgotten Peru history, including some somewhat scandalous behavior.

Last year Nerska and Mullen staffed displays at the Peru Town Market, the Applefest, and the Babbie Museum, organized a hamlet walking tour, and conducted a “History Chats” series with Peru senior citizens. They’ll host another walking tour this summer, an open house at the Lyons Street one-room schoolhouse, and participate in the America 250 Celebration. The Revolutionary War Battle of Valcour Island occurred in Peru on October 11, 1776.

The ladies are also developing what Nerska calls a “mini-museum” on the town hall’s lower level. Visitors will enjoy historic photographs and artifacts, such as medicine bottles from Marsha’s pharmacy and photos of the Mason lumber mill, Peru’s business district, and the Valcour Summer Camp.

Helen Nerska praises her town historian predecessors, Ron and Carol Allen, Cora Stafford, John Roach, Hilda Curtis, Jane Metcalf, Nancy LaMar, and Eleanor Spaulding, for collecting and preserving the town’s possessions. She also thanks Lincoln Sunderland for his many books detailing Peru’s history, which are invaluable resources. Nerska said, “We treasure everything they preserved.

Helen Nerska, Chris Mullen, and Jackie Madison warmly invite the community to visit the historian’s office. “We always enjoy it when people come to visit. We want people to know they can share their history with us, and we’ll share ours with them.”

The office is open every Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment. Phone 518-643-2745 Ext. 108. Nerska’s cell number is 513-582-7246. Email: historian@perutown.com