By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

RESERVE – The committee putting together the celebration to honor Reserve’s 150th anniversary, or sesquicentennial, received some shocking news when they last met.

It seems 2010 may not mark 150 years after all.

Committee head Judge J. Sterling Snowdy explained when his father, an English teacher, asked students to write about the history of Reserve, the founding date was pegged at 1860.

In the Internet age, research is a little more easily conducted than it was in 1960.

“We have evidence that would suggest Reserve was founded in 1858 or maybe even 1850. We were off by a few years,” said Snowdy.

The discovery, however, will not put a damper on the festivities, Snowdy explained.

He said the group will just throw a plus sign after Reserve150, and the show will go on as planned.

“It’s no reason to throw us off track,” he said.

Among the projects the group is moving ahead with are a homecoming weekend in November, a cemetery walk, an online photo resource and a documentary film.

To accommodate the gathering of archival photos, Snowdy said the group plans to have four different events where community members can bring in their old pictures to be scanned and used in conjunction with the celebration.

The kickoff for the celebration is anticipated to take place at the annual Independence Day fireworks celebration July 2.

Snowdy said the celebration committee hopes to have T-shirts and bumper stickers available at the event although he hopes to keep the group’s presence there as low-key as possible.

“I don’t want to impinge on that scenario,” he said.

Snowdy said the group is still looking for anyone willing to help in the planning and execution of the celebration, and anyone interested should e-mail him at Reserve150@rtconline.com.

The next planning meeting will be held Tuesday, June 15, at 5:30 p.m. at St. John Theatre.