Schenectady County Historical Society

05/08/2020

As part of Preservation Month, our curator Suzy Fout is coming to you live from SCHS to share her tips on how to preserve your own special clothes, quilts, painting, furniture, and more!

05/08/2020

Preserving Paper & Photo Collections

Join our Librarian, Marietta Carr, for a primer on how to preserve your own collections of paper documents and photographs. If you liked this video, and want to support SCHS' preservation efforts, please considering joining as a member or making a donation at www.schenectadyhistorical.org

05/07/2020

Drink the Seasons: The Stone Fence

Is it happy hour yet? Historian John Gearing shows us how to mix up a classic and a modern take on The Stone Fence in this video. All you need is rum, cider, and hard cider. Try one...or both! We sure did 😅🥃

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO1XcvrDDwI&feature=youtu.be

Spring is here! We filmed historian John Gearing mixing up a classic and a modern take on The Stone Fence. Cheers! Enjoy this video? Consider joining the Sch...

05/05/2020

Nice collection of outbuildings, spotted out near Pattersonville.

05/05/2020

Very relatable.

May the 4th be with you and don't forget your handkerchief!
This gem from the New York State Archives reminds us that this isn't the first time New Yorkers have been through a pandemic. We are #nytough.

05/01/2020

Part II of our behind-the-scenes look at our historic collections. Part I is over at https://www.facebook.com/schenectadyhistorical/videos/676090833231433/. See you Tuesday for another tour featuring Mike’s dad jokes.

05/01/2020

Behind the scenes with our historic artifacts!

05/01/2020

Steinmetz Virtual Exhibit

We've just digitized our "Wizard of Schenectady: Charles Proteus Steinmetz" exhibition, available on our website! Check it out, along with our other virtual exhibitions.

04/30/2020

We’ll be live on Facebook this Friday at 4pm for a behind-the-scenes tour of our collections. Featuring our hosts Mike and Suzy!

04/30/2020

When A Flu Reined In New York

An 1872 flu outbreak halted the American economy for months. Yet no one died. Why? Read on...! https://nystateparks.blog/2020/04/28/when-a-flu-reined-in-new-york/

As we New Yorkers endure the COVID-19 pandemic, the natural question for historians is: how did people react to epidemics in the past? By now you may be aware of the 1918 influenza pandemic, which …

04/30/2020

Historical Significance and Historical Markers

New Grems-Doolittle Library blog post: https://gremsdoolittlelibrary.blogspot.com/2020/04/historical-significance-and-historical.html

There are plenty of places in our county that have historical significance, but are currently unmarked. If you could pick any place in Schenectady County for a new historical marker, where would it be? What is the significance of that place? What would the marker say?

What we know and understand about the past is just the tip of the iceberg. Of everything that happened to people throughout time, only a fr...

04/29/2020

Mabee Farm Historic Site

We went live yesterday for a tour inside the Mabee House. Join us this Friday at 4pm for a behind-the-scenes look at our historic artifacts, featuring Mike, our educator, and Suzy, our curator!

Our tour of the Mabee House!

04/28/2020

We’ll be live on the Mabee Farm page at 4pm today for a tour inside the Mabee House.

04/26/2020

Lazy Sunday at the Brouwer House. This week we’re working on new videos and live-streams, AND we have a new virtual exhibition going up!

04/24/2020

Touring the Brouwer House

Join Mike, Suzy, and Chris on a tour of Brouwer House Creative's gardens and historic interior!

04/24/2020

We’ve been busy in the Brouwer House gardens, preparing for the summer’s Stockade garden tour. While we may not be sure what this year holds in terms of programming, we do know that we’re committed to keeping our historic buildings and grounds in tip top shape. Here’s to better times, and hoping you’ll stop by for a visit!

04/23/2020

Totally 😍 over the blooms at the Brouwer House today.

04/22/2020

On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we're grateful for the natural beauty that surrounds us, from the Mohawk River and public parks to the Adirondacks and Catskills. (Photo of the Mohawk River during sunset taken by S. Clark, photographer; donated as part of the COVID-19 Archive Project)

04/18/2020

I get you, diner. It’s been a rough month. But hey, tomorrow the sun will be shining again. Pictured: a closed 1941 Silk City diner. Silk City Diners produced 1,500 diners between 1926 and 1966. Some are still operating!

04/17/2020

Happy Friday everyone. Hope you’re all doing well, and get a chance to take a walk outside this weekend 🌞🌸. We’ll be closed until at least May 15, but are still available to answer your research questions.

04/16/2020

Every few days, our garden and library volunteer Nancy emails us with her favorite photos. Today she picked a few shots of SCHS and Mabee Farm Historic Site in bloom, and we're thrilled to share them with you.

04/15/2020

Duty now for the future: Local historians seek COVID-19 stories, info

“In this particular moment, we felt it was important to remind people they are history makers and what they're doing right now to make sense of their experiences is something historians and researchers of the future will want to see...”

https://dailygazette.com/article/2020/04/14/duty-now-for-the-future-local-historians-seek-covid-19-stories-info

Duty now for the future: Local historians seek COVID-19 stories, info Jeff Wilkin | April 14, 2020 SHARE SHARE TWEET SHARE PIN Denis Brennan, Niskayuna town historian, and his wife, Margaret, stop for a photo during their walk. Photographer: Marc Schultz Denis Brennan believes Capital Region residen...

04/15/2020

They bloom each year, and don’t last long. But gosh, how beautiful the cherry blossoms on Washington Ave are 🌞

04/14/2020

Took a break from ‘Tiger King’ to stroll Schenectady, solo. The architecture in this city is 😍

04/13/2020

Be a historian! Schenectady County Historical Society asking people to help preserve history

Thanks to WTEN for talking to us about our COVID-19 Archive Project. Thank you to the members of our community who have contributed their stories and photos to our collection so far. https://www.news10.com/community/adventures-at-home/be-a-historian-schenectady-county-historical-society-asking-people-to-help-preserve-history/

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Schenectady County Historical Society is asking people to become a part of the local historical record by submitting personal ph…

04/12/2020

Our volunteer Nancy W shared this Easter sunrise picture with us. Wishing everyone a beautiful Sunday, and hoping you're staying healthy and safe.

04/09/2020

How Epidemics of the Past Changed the Way Americans Lived

What are you reading this week? This article in Smithsonian Magazine caught our eye!

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-epidemics-past-forced-americans-promote-health-ended-up-improving-life-this-country-180974555/

Past public health crises inspired innovations in infrastructure, education, fundraising and civic debate

04/09/2020

Historians Podcast: Extra Edition #2/Thursday, April 9, 2020

Thank you to Bob Cudmore for interviewing our librarian about the SCHS COVID-19 Archive Project on "The Historians" podcast: https://soundcloud.com/obudmore/historians-podcast-extra-edition-2thursday-april-9-2020

Thursday, April 9, 2020-Historians Podcast: Extra Edition 2-Marietta Carr, librarian at Schenectady County Historical Society, discusses how to keep track of the local history of COVID 19. Author Nin

04/08/2020

This Day in History: “Who will drop next?”

Thanks to WTEN for highlighting a piece of Schenectady's history in their "This Day in History" column: https://www.news10.com/news/schenectady-county/this-day-in-history-who-will-drop-next/

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — April 8, 1993 was the final day of the longest dance marathon ever in Schenectady history. Located on 214 Clinton Street, the Marathon Endurance Dance lasted for 58 day…

04/07/2020

We're happy to share with you some signs of spring, from around the Stockade. The neighborhood is quiet these days, but several neighbors were out, with masks. Be safe everyone. We miss you.

04/07/2020

April 7 is World Health Day, a day designated by the WHO to bring awareness to a specific health theme. This year's theme is nurses and midwives. Thank you to all of the nurses and midwives who care for our community!

04/07/2020

Our spring newsletter is here, and ready for you to enjoy:https://schenectadyhistorical.org/admin/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-2.pdf

04/04/2020

Folk Art Online Exhibit

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we've created a virtual version of our "Handcrafted: The Folk and Their Art" exhibition. Check it out at https://indd.adobe.com/view/b06c2b57-3098-47ec-a417-e4b34378bcff and let us know what you think!

At the root of Handcrafted: The Folk and Their Art we ask, who were these artisans, and what does their art say about our shared past?

04/04/2020

Capital Region's pandemic history being collected

Thanks to the Albany Times Union for talking to us about our COVID-19 Archive Project. We’ve received several responses to our online form and emails from photographers and journal-keepers about donating their materials. We'd love to hear your stories, and add them to our archive. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Capital-Region-s-pandemic-history-being-collected-15175095.php

TROY – Capital Region historical societies are urging their members and other community...

04/01/2020

Schenectady County Historical Society Building Archive Of COVID-19 Stories

Thanks to WAMC Northeast Public Radio for talking to us about our COVID-19 Archive Project. We'd love to hear your stories, and add them to our archive.

The COVID-19 outbreak has already proven to be a significant event in world history. And now one local organization wants to collect and preserve the