At 22, Woodbury Historical Society’s new president keeps a busy schedule
Central Valley. Town of Crawford Historian Rob Sassi said of Alex Prizgintas: ‘If you enjoy local history, you won’t be disappointed to attend one of his lectures.’
The Woodbury Historical Society recently elected Alex Prizgintas, at 22, to take the lead in the history of the society. And while the youngest, he does bring a rather long list of notable achievements.
A recent graduate (summa cum laude) from Marist College where he majored in history with an emphasis on Hudson Valley regional studies, Prizgintas is currently pursuing his Masters (also at Marist) in Public Administration.
His work has been published twice in the scholarly Hudson River Valley Review and three times in the Orange County Historical Society Journal, along with numerous articles in the Antique Bottle and Glass Collector Magazine.
And just this past Fall, Prizgintas had an article published in the New York Archives Magazine which will may be featuring another article of his later this year.
In addition to these recent publications, he has a full schedule of lectures and performances.
“Most people know me either as a cellist or a historian,” said Prizgintas, who at this time has close to 80 bookings throughout the Hudson Valley. “My goal last year was to have have sixty bookings which I was able to exceed with seventy. This year, I am aiming for one-hundred, but with seventy-five events at this point, I feel very confident that I will beat that goal as well.”
His lectures feature regional topics from dairy farming and glass production to railroads, historic regional figures, and even the former “Borscht Belt” hotels of Sullivan and Ulster counties.
His musical performance feature a range of styles from classical, jazz, rock, and Broadway which come accompanied with a narration that offers insight into the selections.
“I recently added a 1000-watt amp to my mix of guitar pedals and looping station that will bring the British Invasion alive on the cello.”
Along with Prizgintas’ recent appointment as president this past week he also spoke at the 200-year celebration in the Town of Crawford where he chronicled the relationship of that community with the railroad.
Featured at the celebration were author Fritz Meier, (left) Orange County Legislator and and Alex Prizgintas (right).
“Alex’s in-depth knowledge of local history with an incredible focus on railroads and their impact on the growth of Orange County are second to none,” said Rob Sassi, the acting Town of Crawford Historian. “If you enjoy local history, you won’t be disappointed to attend one of his lectures.”
That same weekend Alex and his father presented a demonstration on some of the interesting ways to tease out the stories found in antique bottles.
To learn more about the Woodbury Historical Society, visit on Facebook. For additional information on Alex Prizgintas, you can learn more his concerts, lectures and publications at alexprizgintas.com.