Schenectady County Historical Society facts for kids

The Schenectady County Historical Society is a special group in Schenectady, New York. It started on July 14, 1905. This group is not part of the government. It's a non-profit organization that helps people learn about the past.

Today, the Society brings history to life through fun exhibits, talks, and workshops. They also host concerts and community events. They have three main locations: Mabee Farm Historic Site, the Grems-Doolittle Library and Schenectady History Museum, and the historic Brouwer House Creative.

Discovering Schenectady's Past

The Schenectady County Historical Society was created to help people learn about history. Their main goal was to find and share stories from the past. They wanted to collect old items, books, and photos. These items help us understand the history of Schenectady County, New York and the areas nearby. They also wanted to mark important historical places.

Finding a Home for History

For seven years, the Society did not have its own building. They used space at the Schenectady County Public Library for their exhibits. In December 1912, they found a new home. They leased a building on Union Street. This building used to be for county offices. All the exhibits were moved there. This became their main meeting place for 46 years.

A New Chapter on Washington Avenue

In April 1958, the General Electric Company gave a building to the Society. This building was at 32 Washington Avenue. It showed that G.E. wanted to support the city's culture and education. The building was built around 1895. It is located in the Stockade Historic District, which became a national historic site in 1973.

To hold more books and documents, a large addition was built in 1991. This new part was named the Grems-Doolittle Library. It was named after a big supporter, Mandalay Grems. The Library and the Schenectady History Museum are the main parts of the Society's downtown operations.

In the 1990s, the Society grew a lot. It went from a small house museum to the large Schenectady History Museum. The Grems-Doolittle Library now holds over 2,000 local family history files.

Exploring Mabee Farm Historic Site

The Mabee Farm Historic Site was given to the Society in 1993. It has three farm buildings from the 1600s. The site covers about 9 acres (3.6 hectares) in Rotterdam Junction, New York. This is about 7 miles (11 km) west of Schenectady.

The Mabee House stayed in the same family for 287 years. George Franchere, the last family member, gave it to the Society. He also gave them 583 family papers. These papers included the original deed from 1705. Mr. Franchere also gave money to help run the farm. He passed away in 2004.

In 2008, part of his gift was used to buy 27 more acres (11 hectares) of land. This made the farm four times bigger. The George E. Franchere Educational Center was finished in October 2011. It has parking, space for events, classrooms, and offices. In 2009, they also got more land along the Mohawk River. This helped protect the historic views around the farm.

Around the early 2000s, a Dutch barn from the 1760s was moved to the site. It is now used for programs. Today, Mabee Farm shows what life was like in early rural Schenectady. It has 18th-century buildings and still practices farming.

The Creative Brouwer House

In 2017, the Kindl Family of Schenectady donated a property to the Society. This was the historic Brouwer House at 14 N Church Street. It dates back to 1735 and is one of the oldest houses in the Stockade neighborhood.

The Society turned this old house into creative studios. Artists, crafters, musicians, and theater groups use these spaces. Other local non-profit groups also work there. Behind Brouwer House Creative, there is a large shade garden.

What the Society Does

The Schenectady County Historical Society offers many public programs each year. They have more than 150 events. Over 20,000 people visit their sites every year. They help everyone learn about the rich history of Schenectady County.

See also

• List of historical societies in New York (state)