A party will be held on Saturday May 3, 2014 from 7-9pm at the Fullerton Cultural Center, 297 Grand Street, Newburgh, NY 12550 to introduce both Johanna Porr and Matthew Colon. Potluck and BYOB. Open to all to attend.
Johanna Porr, City of Newburgh native, was recently appointed Orange County Historian.
“Every community in Orange County has incredible stories, some related to transportation and technology, others to national military history, architecture and design or pivotal moments in social history. The role of helping to bring the work of our region’s dedicated municipal historians to the public is one that I’m greatly looking forward to,” Porr said.
In her previous position as director of the Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands, Porr focused on raising funds for the organization’s annual budget, worked with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to continue a comprehensive renovation on the group’s headquarters at Crawford House, and planned monthly programs on historical topics. She was recently recognized for her efforts with the Society by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and appeared in the New York Times and on C-Span.
“I will forever be grateful for my time with the Society, a tightknit group of supporters and volunteers who dauntlessly take the reins of so many incredible community initiatives,” Porr said.
Matthew Colon of Newburgh, N.Y., has been named the Society’s new director.
“I’m pleased to see Matthew at the helm of the Historical Society,” said Porr. “I had the pleasure of working with him at Washington’s Headquarters, and I know that his dedication and creativity will be a great benefit to his new role.”
Porr has been immersed in community and civic service from an early age.
Porr has aided the community as a member of the fundraising team for Tower of Victory Restoration and as a regional contributor to the Washington- Rochambeau Trail committee for the National Parks Service. She is a young professional of Orange County Chamber of Commerce, serves on the Action Newburgh Crime & Safety Committee and is the Vice- President of trustees for the Fullerton Mansion Cultural Center. Porr is also founder of both the Newburgh-Beacon Wheelmen bicycle club and the Newburgh Horse Thief Detective Society history club.
She was a historian at Washington’s Headquarters, the nation’s first historic site, for six years.
Porr earned her master’s degree in public and non-profit administration from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., her bachelor of arts degree in anthropology from the State University of New York in New Paltz, N.Y., and her bachelor of European history from Franklin College in Switzerland. She received a certificate in museum studies from Smith College, and a certificate in American archaeology from the University of Virginia.
Photo © Michael Green
