Keenan Williams Speaks To Historical Society About Trains

Keenan Williams gave a program for the Hempstead County Historical Society Tuesday on trains and how they are tied in to Hope’s history.  At the heart of the presentation were dozens of slides taken by Williams during the 1970’s.  Not only did the slides show some of the more interesting trains, engines, and cabooses to pass through Hope but the slides showed a landscape that no longer exists.  Many of the slides featured the features of such former landmarks as the Saenger Theater, the Snyker Hotel, and the downtown location of Hope Auto.  Possibly the most striking slide was a shot of the original overpass on Hervey which showed trees and residential structures on Hervey with no sign of commercial development.  Williams’ program was well-received and the pictures showed structures that many in the audience remember but hadn’t thought about in years.