Schenectady County Historical Society

Get ready for an adventure by land and river! This special tour allows us to explore unique and hidden places right in our own backyard. This tour begins at the Lock 7 Boat Launch in Niskayuna. From there, we will kayak to Lions Park where we can swap our boats for bikes and begin our return trip. Throughout the journey, an expert historian guide will share stories and secrets of the landmarks along the way. Highlights include a passage through a modern canal lock, the thunderous sight of Goa

For our next virtual America250 Book Club, we are reading Occupied America: British Military Rule and the Experience of Revolution by Donald F. Johnson. Instead of covering military or political decisions, this book explores a lesser-discussed side of the war: the psychological impact of military occupation on the average colonial citizen and how that affected the outcome of the revolution. We will read about how each major American city reacted to occupation and how people used thes

Spring is here, and with it, our annual meeting! This year’s annual meeting of the Schenectady County Historical Society will be held on Friday, June 12 at 5:30pm at Mabee Farm Historic Site. Our guest speaker is Kiersten Marcil, author, on the topic “Iron in the Water: How American Rebels Blocked British Control of the Hudson River during the American Revolution.” It is important for us to have at least 10% membership attendance or proxies from 10% of the membership at the annu

Calling all aspiring weavers! This program introduces kids to the timeless craft of textiles. Sarah Boink, expert weaver of Sizz Handmade will join us for a hands-on day with live weaving, and exploration of wool, linen, and hemp. Participants will discover how weaving technology evolved from hand-powered tools and how creativity has always been essential to survival. We’ll explore all these materials and the historic tools used to process them. We’ll also weave our own bookmarks to take hom

To commemorate Juneteenth, all public tours of the Mabee Farm on June 20th will be our Lost Voices tour. Not everyone at the Mabee Farm was free to live and pass down their stories for posterity. The Farm was also home to generations of enslaved people like Sam, Bate and Cato whose voices have been lost to history. In this tour, we try to see the Mabee Farm as they would have known it- we hope to understand the experiences of hundreds of other enslaved people in Schenectady’s history.<

The 2023 and 2024 Americana Artist of the Year at the Thomas Edison Music Awards, Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band have become one of the fastest-rising groups in upstate NY with expansive live albums highlighting a reputation for compelling performances. With a rotating cast of talented players, a broad and dynamic body of work, and a refusal to set anything in stone, their shows are always fresh, full of joy, and hard to describe. Think Wilco with hints of Prine a

For centuries, local history has revolved around the mighty Mohawk River. Join us on this Schenectady kayak tour, as we paddle from the modern Mohawk Harbor to the site of our city’s ancient port. Along the route, our expert guide will regale you with the history of the area. Guests will be provided with a kayak, life vest, and paddle. Guests should be prepared to paddle for about two hours. There are no bathrooms at either site. Due to safety restrictions, you may not bring your own k

The Schenectady County Legislature is proud to announce America’s 250th Birthday Celebration at Mabee Farm! This FREE family festival will feature live music, fireworks, activities for kids, and special guests George & Martha Washington. Celebrate America’s birthday at the historic Mabee Farm, the oldest working farm in New York’s Mohawk Valley. Spread your blanket on the lawn and enjoy live music, family activities, and a spectacular firework show over th

🌾 The Mabee Farm will be open just for kids! Tour the entirety of our farm with special demonstrations of colonial crafts. Our fields are almost ready for harvesting and we’ll need your help! Butter making, barn-building and meeting the farm animals are just some of the other activities available. We’ll also take a short ride in our historic boats! 🎟️ Admission is free for Family+ members of SCHS, otherwise $10 for kids 5 and over. Younger siblings are welc