“Images of America: Around Clymer” was written by Rodney Beckerink, a retired teacher and president of Clymer’s Historical Society. Beckerink said the idea for the book came back when he first joined up with the historical society.

“My inspiration for writing the book came about five years ago when I was asked, along with a few others, to make a presentation about family farms to the Clymer Historical Society,” Beckerink said. “Being retired after years of teaching, that led to a much greater personal involvement with the historical society and reconnection to the town of my upbringing. After spending many Tuesday mornings perusing stories and photos at the Haverkamp Huis museum in Clymer, I concluded that writing this book would be a great way of sharing Clymer’s history.”

Beckerink spent most of the winter of 2023 and 2024 collecting, organizing and writing all of the material that can be found in the book. One of the main ideas Beckerink said he wanted to convey in the book to readers was the sense of community a person growing up in small town America experienced and most likely took with them wherever they went later in life. Chapter titles include things such as “Everyday Life” and “Celebrating Life” and Beckerink said the photos in the book are arranged “to explain the connection between farmer and businessman, the role of civic organizations and schools, and the pride of celebrating heritage and individual accomplishments.”

A previous history book of Clymer was done many years ago, but Beckerink said this book focuses more on the history of Clymer through pictures.

Another historical photo included in the book, this time looking at an old Legters Brothers, a Clymer business, vehicle. Submitted photo

“Although a previous ‘history’ of Clymer was done in the late 1960s, ‘Around Clymer’ is more of a photographic history and part of Arcadia Publishing’s ‘Images of America’ series that many people might be familiar with,” Beckerink said. “As far as any future writing is concerned, a more comprehensive written history, especially regarding Clymer in the 20th century, might be forthcoming down the road.”

Arcadia Publishing’s “Images of America” series does include a few other books on places in Chautauqua County, including a few on Buffalo and one on Sherman.

“Images of America: Around Clymer” is available now at local bookstores and gift shops, along with Clymer’s Neckers Company, Clymer Hardware and Home Center, and the Dutch Village Restaurant, and Amazon. All proceeds from the book go to the Clymer Historical Society to help them continue their mission to further preserve and share the history of Clymer.

Pictured is the 30-31 Flying Dutchman, Clymer’s local basketball club team that would play other town teams, and is a picture that can be found in the book. Submitted photo

“Images of America: Around Clymer” is a recently published book by Rodney Beckerink, part of the “Images of America” series by Arcadia Publishing. Submitted photo