Photographer Jeff Hiller exhibits

White Mills — The Photographic work of Wayne County native Jeff Hiller will be featured in an upcoming exhibit at the Historic White Mills Fire House located on Route 6 in White Mills, between Indian Orchard and Hawley. The exhibit will open Friday night, Sept. 18 and will run through the end of the year. Hiller’s exhibit features a number of photographs from the area with a special focus on “Scenes from White Mills.” Like many people in the area, Hiller has close ties to the community, known as home to the famous Dorflinger Cut Glass Company. “My family is originally from White Mills and so many of my relatives, including my Mom and Dad, still live nearby,” Hiller said. Known for capturing the culture and heritage of Wayne County, Hiller’s photography adorns the walls of the Trackside Grill, his popular Honesdale eatery. He is also a featured artist at the Wayne County Historical Society where he has 65 pieces on display for the 2009 season. Growing up on a dairy farm inspired Hiller to experiment with photography. “I started with a Brownie by Kodak and have used Ricoh and Nikon film cameras before making the difficult decision to switch to digital. I now shoot with a Nikon D 80 and enjoy the versatility and capabilities both within the camera and also what can be done with a photograph afterward with the computer,” Hiller said. The exhibit will open with a reception on Friday evening, Sept. 18, from 6 until 9 p.m., at the Historic White Mills Fire House. The exhibit will also be open on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 19 & 20 and Oct. 10 & 11 from 1 until 4p.m. Other dates will be announced through the end of the year. For more information call 570-253-1185. The Historic White Mills Fire House is part of the Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary’s Historic White Mills project. In recent years the Sanctuary has made great strides in highlighting the historical significance of the glass cutting industry and the town of White Mills. In addition to the Fire House, other buildings in the area have been preserved, including an original Glass Workers’ House on Charles Street and the privately owned and restored Lock Tender’s House, once part of the intricate canal system, on Lock Street. These buildings are also open to the public at select times through the year. About the Historic White Mills Fire House: The Historic White Mills Fire House was built by local residents in 1911 to serve the growing community. For more than five decades the building housed the White Mills Volunteer Fire Department and was used for many social gatherings and community meetings. In 1999, the historic building was threatened by a highway improvement project and was scheduled for destruction. Wayne Stephens led the community effort to save the building. On Columbus Day, Monday October 11, 1999, the historic structure was raised from its foundation and relocated to a safe location, several hundred feet away. The building crept at a snail’s pace in a trip that took nearly the whole day to complete. The project closed Route 6 and required dozens of individuals’ time and efforts. The Fire House has undergone extensive improvements since being relocated in 1999. Today the building primarily functions as a museum dedicated to the town of White Mills and its people. A number of local artifacts are on display including the 1948 REO fire engine which is on loan from the White Mills Volunteer Fire Department who had used the truck in earlier years. For more information visit www.dorflinger.org