The monthly meeting of the Friends of Historic Saugerties on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at the Saugerties Public Library will feature a presentation about the Delano family by historian, speaker and writer Shannon Butler. “Extracting the Truth from the Trade: The Delano Family at Home and in China” will explore the Delano family and their rise to fame and fortune as the result of their involvement in the opium trade in China. Butler will offer her insights about the illegal business venture, including the Delanos’ experiences during the Opium Wars and what they did with their wealth when they returned to the U.S. Eventually the fortune trickled down to Sara Delano Roosevelt and her son, Franklin.
Butler is an interpretive park guide at the Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Site and has worked with the Saugerties Historical Society. Raised in Saugerties, she earned degrees in history from SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Albany. All Friends of Historic Saugerties events are free of charge to attend and open to anyone interested in history.
Join the family! 
