This week, the West Essex Tribune presents its bi-annual “Celebrate Livingston’s History” section. It is one of our most popular features, in part because it speaks to our township’s sense of community; no matter who we are, we live here, together, in Livingston, and we all share that common thread.As always, our “Celebrate Livingston’s History” section contains interesting tidbits about the history of our town and its residents: stories of beloved, but now defunct institutions; tales of the founding families who gave their names to our streets and schools; and old photos and news articles that provide insight to what Livingston was like back “in the old days.” In this specific edition, read about the history of the Kiwanis Karnival, which has been a Livingston tradition since 1945. We also have an article on the survival of a young man from Livingston who was on board the USS Quincy when it was sunk by the Japanese in 1942. In an occasional feature known as “Livingston Back in the Day,” we look back at fun stories from the past. In this issue, we examine how the children of Livingston held a Presidential election in 1968, with Snoopy defeating both Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey.Additionally, this July marked the 70th anniversary of the end of the “forgotten” Korean War, and we are featuring an article about the two Livingston men who lost their lives in that war, Edward Schneider and Alan Shadis. On a related note, in this issue, you will find the first of what we hope will become a regular series in the Tribune, “Letters From Home.” We are excited to highlight excerpts from letters that Livingston’s veterans wrote to their loved ones while serving in various conflicts overseas. Doing so, we believe, will offer a personal connection to wars that may feel like a lifetime ago and half a world away to those who were not even born when they occurred, but will stay with so many, including those letter writers, forever. Our first letters come from Jeff Smith, now 91, who served in the Korean War and wrote letters from the front in 1953. His letters were read during a service commemorating the anniversary of the end of that war last month at the Livingston Library. It was the standout moment of that ceremony, and the inspiration for this series, so we thank him both for his service ...
