Go ahead. Ask Tom Vince a history question about the school or its hometown of Hudson.

Betcha 100 bucks he gets it right.

When was Hudson founded? 1799.
What was Ellsworth Hall originally named? Cutler Hall.
Who gave Hudson its clock tower? James W. Ellsworth.

Vince, Western Reserve Academy's archivist and historian, is a walking history book. It's no wonder he's known around town as Mr. Hudson. His vast knowledge and his four decades of service in the community recently earned him the Citizen of the Year award from the local Chamber of Commerce.

At the luncheon to honor him, Vince skipped the aw-shucks speech and instead showed a video of some of his favorite historic landmarks, which he's highlighted for nearly a decade on the local cable show, Good Day in Hudson.

Vince ended the video, titled Tom Vince's Hudson, by walking into the John D. Ong Library, where he's worked since 1996.

"I cannot think of anyone in Hudson who is more deserving,'' of the Citizen of the Year Award, said Head of School Christopher Burner '80. "Tom has had a significant impact in many areas of the Hudson Community and he, more than anyone I know, has more collective knowledge about the history of the city."

Hudson was a small village of about 8,000 people when Vince first moved here from Cleveland in 1969. For many years, he ran the Hudson Library and Historical Society. There, he was responsible for acquiring the large David Hudson Pioneer Family Collection and a couple of nationally recognized John Brown collections.

In 1996, he joined Western Reserve Academy, where his charge was to promote the history of the school to students, alumni, faculty and the larger community. A big part of that has been his cable feature, A Moment in Hudson History, which airs during Frank Youngwerth's show, Good Day in Hudson.

Vince said it all started about nine years ago when then Headmaster Henry "Skip" Flanagan introduced him to the new head of the local cable channel and told him: "I want you to do something to bring honor and accolades to the school."

Shortly after, Vince began delivering his short vignettes on Hudson history to local viewers. He does not use a TelePrompTer or notes during his segments.

"It's unscripted,'' Vince said, "but it is, of course, researched."

Friend and fellow Rotary Club member Jimmy Sutphin is amazed at Vince's knack for history.

"He's an encyclopedia of information,'' Sutphin said. "He never forgets anything."

Youngwerth said his friend and colleague is also a natural on camera.

"He's a very likeable individual,'' Youngwerth said. "(A Moment in Hudson History) has been a very popular part of the program."

So popular, in fact, that the staff at his regular dining spot, Yours Truly, treats him like a celebrity. Vince said he's frequently greeted with, "Well, here's Mr. Hudson...'' when he walks into the restaurant.

"People say I have garnered a reputation for knowing -- they say I know everything -- but I really don't know everything,'' he said with a chuckle.

Still, Vince is considered the go-to guy on Hudson history.

But the soft-spoken historian believes it's his four decades of community service that helped earn him the Citizen of the Year award. He's held every office with the local Rotary Club. He was an usher and lector at Hudson's St. Mary's Church. He served on the Hudson Bicentennial Commission and is a past president of the Hudson Heritage Association, the local preservation group. He's currently a member of the Hudson Cemetery Board and emcees Hudson's annual Memorial Day parade for the local cable channel.

While his community involvement and history expertise have earned him many honors over the years, his most memorable moment came from a small group of WRA students.

Vince recalled the students coming to his ground-floor office at the school library a couple of years ago and saying, "Mr. Vince, we were wondering when you were going to come back and give those talks at the Chapel." They were referring to periodic talks Vince gives about the school's history during Morning Meetings.

"That was a great compliment,'' Vince said. "That meant more to me than some of the other awards I've been honored with over the years.''

He's preparing another talk for students on what life was like 90 years ago at Western Reserve Academy in the school year 1919-20. Bringing history to life is important to Vince. He said a friend once described him as a public historian: Someone who brings history back to the public.

He likes that description and prides himself on building community pride through sharing its history.

"It gives you a stake in your community,'' Vince said. "People who know more about their history will feel more connected to where they live.''

This, in turn, will lead to more people participating in their community, he said.

Vince is proof of that.