Two of Guilford's remarkable residents recently celebrated together reaching very significant birthdays together. On Aug. 19, friends Edith Nettleton and Emma McSweet were the guests of honor at a birthday party in their honor, hosted by Scott and Nancy Conover at the Conovers' home.

Nettleton celebrated birthday number 104 in July and McSweet was lauded for turning 97. Both Nettleton and McSweet have lived on Clapboard Hill Road most of their lives. Also attending the party was Clare Conover, who first met McSweet some eight decades ago, when McSweet was her babysitter, said Nancy Conover.

Few in town need an introduction to Nettleton, namesake of the Edith B. Nettleton Historical Room at the Guilford Free Library. In 1933, Nettleton was hired as the town's first librarian. Her dedication to the work and her interest in her hometown's history led to establishing the library's first historic reference archive.

Nettleton instituted the collection, which she started in a library closet, by actively gathering material, saving otherwise discarded items, and even tracking documents down in attics, basements, and other local repositories. Still active as a volunteer since her retirement in 1978, Nettleton comes in almost every day to assist in the Edith Nettleton Historical Room. In July, well-wishers from the community and beyond helped the library celebrate Nettleton's 104th birthday with a party at the library.