Claire Gilbert is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the town of Ghent turns 200 this year. The year-long celebration begins April 3 with an event at the Ghent Post Office featuring a special commemorative postmark and the new town historian Gregg Berninger. He has spent the last two months putting together Ghent's Bicentennial Journal. The Journal contains rare pictures submitted by residents of town life in the early 20th century that show local landmarks still visible today. The stories speak of what life was like in Ghent before the Great Fire of 1923 and how the town changed when the railroad first came through in 1838. Two railroad lines ran through the hamlet, one from Chatham to New York City and the other from Chatham to Hudson. Berninger will be at the post office on April 3 to answer questions about Ghent’s history. Over the course of the summer, a series of walking tours will take place for those interested in learning more about the history and buildings of Ghent. A Community Day is planned for October 13, with a parade, historical displays, food and fireworks. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.