The Ulster County Clerk’s Office has received the donation of local photography legend Eugene Dauner’s expansive slide collection, encompassing over 19,000 images that document the region’s significant changes from 1962 to 1986.

Dauner’s collection, known for its historical significance, features Urban Renewal projects in the Rondout, changing landscapes in the Catskills, buildings lost to fire and demolition and the decline of rail service in the mountains. In a press release, Acting Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck emphasized the importance of preserving the collection in its entirety to maintain its historical context and value to researchers and the public.

“Gene has selected our office as the final repository of his archive in acknowledgement of several important needs,” Bruck stated. “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."

Bruck stated that the collection allows people to reflect on what their communities were and what they became during a period of remarkable change. “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."

The Ulster County Clerk’s Archives is currently processing the collection for public access. Researchers and individuals interested in viewing the materials can contact the archives at archives@co.ulster.ny.us.