Historic Huguenot Street Honors Three
Lifetime Supporters of Huguenot History
NEW PALTZ, NY (October 20, 2017) – Historic Huguenot Street honored three individuals for their outstanding commitment to the preservation and advancement of Huguenot history in America at its second annual Fall Harvest Celebration on September 30, 2017. This year’s honorees are: John P. (Jack) Strang (awarded posthumously) and David and Susanna Lent.
Jack Strang, a descendant of Huguenot refugees who in 1687 settled in what is today New Rochelle, NY, led a life dedicated to the arts and to preserving the heritage and accomplishments of the Huguenots in the United States and abroad. Following his service in WWII, Jack pursued a passion for photography, leading him to freelance for LIFE Magazine and become a member of the Independent Filmmakers of New York.
Jack’s later work would become his main focus. In founding the nonprofit organization Huguenot Heritage, Jack set out to research, preserve, and share the unique contributions of Huguenot descendants across a wide spectrum of disciplines. These efforts directly resulted in the preservation of the Chateau Chamerolles in Loiret, France. Jack’s legacy and work will continue at Historic Huguenot Street, which has pledged to protect the assets and uphold the mission of Huguenot Heritage.
Historic Huguenot Street Board Trustee and former Huguenot Heritage Board Member Steve Miller presented the honor.
Historic Huguenot Street Board Chair Mary Etta Schneider, 2016 Honoree Robert Hasbrouck, and 2017 Honorees Susanna and David Lent at the Fall Harvest Celebration, Historic Huguenot Street, New Paltz, NY. Photo by Kevin Venkatesh, 2017.
Longtime New Paltz residents and direct descendants of Huguenot refugees who settled in New Paltz, David and Susanna Lent have spent a lifetime dedicated to Historic Huguenot Street. With a love of preservation and pride in their heritage, David and Susanna have forged a connection with the past that, for decades, has helped guide Historic Huguenot Street’s role in the community.
After a long career with IBM, David served as New Paltz Town Supervisor for six years. He also served the community as a little league coach, trustee of the Elting Library, Boy Scout troop leader, and Treasurer of the Historic Huguenot Street Board. Susanna is the longest-serving member of Historic Huguenot Street’s Collection Committee, which she helped form over 47 years ago. She has served as a tour guide since the 1960s, and was a Board Trustee for 20 years, much of which she served as Board Secretary. Both David and Susanna have been active members of the Reformed Church of New Paltz and are Trustees Emeriti of Historic Huguenot Street.
Jack, David, and Susanna’s passion and dedication to telling the Huguenot story continues to inspire the board, staff, and volunteers of Historic Huguenot Street.
About Historic Huguenot Street
A National Historic Landmark District, Historic Huguenot Street is a 501(c)3 non-profit that encompasses 30 buildings across 10 acres comprising the heart of the original 1678 New Paltz settlement, including seven stone houses dating to the early eighteenth century. Historic Huguenot Street was founded in 1894 as the Huguenot Patriotic, Historical, and Monumental Society to preserve the nationally acclaimed collection of stone houses. Since then, Historic Huguenot Street has grown into an innovative museum, chartered as an educational corporation by the University of the State of New York Department of Education, that is dedicated to protecting our historic buildings, preserving an important collection of artifacts and manuscripts, and promoting the stories of the Huguenot Street families from the seventeenth century to today.
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Contact
Kaitlin Gallucci
Director of Marketing & Communications
(845) 255-1660
media@huguenotstreet.org