Pictured is Sharon Howe Sweeting, Cherry Creek’s longtime historian, who has decided to retire. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

CHERRY CREEK — After 15 years, Cherry Creek’s historian is retiring.

Born and raised in Cherry Creek, Sharon Howe Sweeting spent much of her time traveling the world with her husband before taking on the historian role. Graduating from Pine Valley Central School in 1961, she worked at reference, art and music libraries in Syracuse at the university, where she also met her future husband, Lester Sweeting; the two married in 1966.

After Lester graduated from college in 1967, he joined the IRS and was transferred to IRS headquarters in Washington D.C. Sweeting worked at the University of Maryland School of Architecture, setting up a library on architecture and historic preservation, and then later at the libraries of the Smithsonian Institution.

In 1983, the Sweetings were sent to the American Embassy in London. Sweeting worked with the American ambassador, assisting his speech writer in research.

“For me, the most interesting time was in London working in the American Ambassador’s office,” Sweeting said. “I think I was sent to him because he was hard to get along with, so I helped his speech writer at the embassy.”

In 1987, Lester Sweeting was transferred to Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Sweeting returned to their 1897 historic house in a D.C. suburb. She noted that every house she has lived in has been historic, including her childhood home in Cherry Creek.

During their time in the 1897 historic house in D.C., she also helped lead the Hyattsville Historical Society in creating a National Register Historical District.

In 2005, the Sweetings returned to Cherry Creek, living in an 1860s Italianate house Inn built by the same architect who designed the Fenton Mansion in Jamestown. In 2008, Sweeting took on the role of historian for the town, something she said found her rather than her deciding to take on the role.

“They came and got me,” she said. “They knew I had grown up there, and the lady I replaced was unwell. They knew I had library and research experience because of my work at the Smithsonian. Most of my experience has been in libraries and museums.”

Sweeting has spent her time as historian organizing Cherry Creek’s museum into something that reflects the life of a small rural town. She also served on the board of the Chautauqua County Historical Society for 10 years. She now lives in a cottage on Coachlight Drive at Heritage Village in Gerry with her cat.

While she has loved every part of being historian, the parts that stand out to her connect to tracing the histories of some of the exhibits in the museum. This includes many military exhibits such as the Short Snorter, 24 paper currencies collected by Flying Tiger Bombardier Lt. Lawrence A Waite on his way to China to fight the Japanese in 1944. The Flying Tigers, Sweeting said, fought during World War II and were volunteers based in China from all branches of the military, fighting to push Japan back. Sweeting said growing up, her neighbor’s father was one and that this was before Pearl Harbor.

Other sections or exhibits that stand out for Sweeting include the blood chits, worn inside the jacket as a message to Chinese peasants that if a Flying Tiger was shot down to help them return to their home base; a graduation quilt honoring the Cherry Creek class of 1944, with each square named for a graduate with a boat showing them sailing into the future; and a $10 bill from the Cherry Creek bank from back before the Federal Reserve and signed by bank founder E.B. Crissey and his teller Nora Lake.

The decision to retire after 15 years came because Sweeting said she has been at it a long time and, now living in Gerry, the drive to Cherry Creek is harder for her in the winter. Sweeting does still serve on the Cherry Creek Cemetery Board and helps to run the library.

From 2005 to 2019, Sweeting also owned a bed and breakfast in Cherry Creek out of the historic house she lived in with her husband; it closed after his passing.

Her time as historian has meant a lot to her.

“It’s my whole life,” Sweeting said. “I lost my husband many years ago and I’ve always been associated with museums or libraries. It’s in my blood. My first books had check out cards. All I ever wanted to be was a librarian and my first job in a museum library made the connection to the museums.”

Besides continuing her work at the library, Sweeting attends a book club at Heritage Village and is also part of a writing group that is working on writing grants and has sessions on how to write on all kinds of subjects.

Sweeting has also loved reading her whole life, saying that now she has more opportunity to do that, and encouraging others to do the same.

“Keep reading, understand your history and take an interest in it,” Sweeting said. “Learn your history and support your museums. The Chautauqua County Historical Society in the McClurg Museum in Westfield is always looking for visitors. Read newspapers. Just keep reading.”