A forgotten catastrophe in the Warwick Valley retold

Warwick — Dr. Richard Hull will offer “When Our Community Collapsed: Causes and Consequence of a Great Human and Cultural Catastrophe” at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18, at the Albert Wisner Public Library at 2 Colonial Ave. in Warwick. The program will focus on the largely unwritten story of the vanished people of the valley. During a catastrophic moment in the distant past, the local community lost nearly 95 percent of its population. What caused this tragic collapse? What happened to the innocent victims? What happened in the aftermath? Can it happen again, and if so, how can it be prevented? These questions will be addressed in the program. Hull has a doctorate in history from Columbia University, and is a professor of history at New York University. He is the author of “People of the Valleys Revisited: History of Warwick, 1700-2005.” He is also a trustee emeritus of the Warwick Historical Society, and the recipient of the Orange County Revered Citizen Award 2005 and a United Nations Distinguished Citizen Award. Registration is required. To register, call the library at 986-1047.