Carmel lies on the shores of Lake Gleneida, some 50 miles north-northeast of New York City, not far from the Connecticut border. It has served as the county seat for Putnam County since 1812 and has emerged over the years as the region's governmental and legal center. The vintage postcards presented in Carmel portray the elegant Putnam County Courthouse, a national historic landmark; the picturesque lake and agricultural pursuits; the corner dam and watershed development; Drew Seminary and other local institutions; the days of steam trains and Model Ts; and the community's eventual suburbanization.