SUMMITVILLE — Looking for some regional events to learn more about the rich history of Sullivan County? The Mamakating Historical Society is offering informative lectures for the summer season that are open to the public. On Friday, July 25th at 7:00 PM, the historical society will feature  Ontario & Western Railway Historical Society President Joseph Senese for his part two of a then-and-now program on the New York, Ontario & Western Railway’s Port Jervis, Monticello, and Summitville branches. Having been abandoned since 1957, railroading was once an important part of life in this region of Sullivan, Ulster, and Orange County that has origins as early as the 1860s and 1870s. With early images compared with contemporary photographs, Senese’s journey allows attendees to imagine how towering steam engines once ruled the local landscape. This part two will cover the branch that extended from Valley Junction, near Cuddebackville, to Monticello through places such as Oakland Valley, Hartwood, and St. Joseph’s. The Mamakating Historical Society is located at 136 Summitville Road, Summitville, NY right off Route 209. For any questions, please call 845-857-8635 or email mamakatinghistorical@gmail.com.