Ulster County Clerk’s Archives Receives Eugene Dauner Photographic Archive

Acting Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck is pleased to announce that his office had the pleasure this past month to accept the donation of the photographic slide collection of Eugene Dauner. Mr. Dauner’s collection, comprising over 19,000 unique images, is a body of work well known and celebrated among regional historians, rail enthusiasts, and documentarians who have had the pleasure to work with and view these materials. Taken between 1962 and 1986 by Mr. Dauner himself, this collection represents the entirety of his personal photographic archive and is a uniquely contiguous body of work captured and indexed with the express aim to preserve a vision of our region as it was wracked by monumental changes. From Urban Renewal on the Rondout, to landscapes in the Catskills, buildings lost by fire and demolition, and even the disappearance of rail service in the mountains, Gene Dauner’s collection covers a breadth and scope only truly grasped in its entirety by the donor himself.

“Gene has selected our office as the final repository of his archive in acknowledgement of several important needs,” stated Acting Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck. “First, Gene recognizes that a collection like this can never be broken up and parceled out to multiple repositories – it would diminish its usefulness and misrepresent the scope of his work and interests. We’re honored to preserve the entirety of his artistic and documentary vision in one place. Secondly, a collection like this deserves to be used and accessed. In making this donation, Gene has endowed the people of Ulster and the entire region with a body of work that allows us to reflect on what our communities were and what they became during a period of remarkable change that swept the entire valley.” Bruck continued: “As a historian, I understand the value of a benchmark collection like this that allows us to collectively look in the mirror. As an individual, I also understand how profoundly generous Gene’s decision was to finally turn these materials over to the people. All creative pursuits are deeply personal – every one of these pictures is a reminder of Gene’s own personal experiences and vision.”

Due to the scale and scope of this collection, the Ulster County Clerk’s Archives is working diligently to process and prepare the collection for public access. Those interested in viewing materials can contact the archives by emailing archives[at]co.ulster.ny[dot]us.

For further information about this project or other programs of the Ulster County Clerk’s Office, please contact Acting County Clerk Taylor Bruck at (845) 340-3040 or by emailing countyclerk[at]co.ulster.ny[dot]us.

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