BERNARDS TWP. – The Somerset Hills Historical Society invited author Meryl Carmel to discuss her book, ‘Finding Kate: The Improbable Journey of 20th Century Healthcare Advocate Kate Macy Ladd’, at The Brick Academy, 15 West Oak St., Basking Ridge from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 6.
A book signing will follow, along with refreshments. A free autographed book will be given to the first four people present at the conference. Space is limited. Registration is not compulsory.
During the Golden Age, Standard Oil heiress Kate Macy Ladd established a convalescent center on her 1,000-acre Natirar estate in Peapack-Gladstone, where “deserving kind women who are compelled to depend on their own efforts to support themselves will be entertained free of charge for periods of time during convalescence from illness, recovery from impaired health, or need for rest.”
Chester resident Carmel will bring the little-known story of Macy Ladd to life, touching on her Quaker family and heritage, her years in New York and her life in Natirar.
The story will be told through an informative Power Point lecture illustrated with historical images from the private collections of the Macy and Ladd family, revealing a woman’s life of faith, charity and resilience.
Carmel was inspired to write Kate Macy Ladd’s biography while walking the grounds of Natirar in 2007.
She is a former teacher, curriculum specialist, and museum director who graduated from Beloit College and Edgewood College in Wisconsin and the University of Maryland. Her history graduate work has focused on the roles and contributions of American women in our nation’s past.
“Finding Kate” is her first book. To learn more about Carmel and Kate Ladd, visit www.FindingKate.com.
