ABOUT THE SOCIETY

The Schenectady County Historical Society (SCHS) was chartered in 1905. (See our 100-year history.) Many Centennial Events to celebrate were spaced throughout 2005. In addition to our own Centennial, 2005 also marked the 75th anniversary of the Schenectady City Hall and the 300th anniversary of our Mabee Farm.

The "County" in our name signifies our area of historical interest; we are a private not-for-profit organization, not a unit of Schenectady County Government. Our mission is the storage and preservation of books and documents pertaining to the history of our county, the dissemination of information about this history, and the conduct of educational programs at the five centers that we own or manage - the Grems-Doolittle Library of Historical Research and the Museum of Schenectady History at 32 Washington Avenue in the City of Schenectady, the Mabee Farm Historic Site in Rotterdam Junction, the Teller- Schermerhorn Historic Site on Schermerhorn Road in Rotterdam (gifted to the Society on 2/29/2008), and the Efner Center on the third floor of Schenectady City Hall.

The Society is supported through the dues structure of its members; the interest and dividends earned on bequests willed to us by altruistic citizens; contributions from those families who specify us in obituaries as a worthy source of support in memory of deceased relatives; through fees for admission and service; and the sale of small items and educational material in our two gift shops, one at the Mabee Farm and one at downtown headquarters.  Recent copies of our bi-monthly newsletters are stored online, but they make more pleasant reading in hard copy mailed to those who join the Society. We'd far prefer to see you in person, either at our monthly Saturday afternoon presentations in our Vrooman Room or, whenever they are open, when you tour one of our museums or historic sites or browse or do research, genealogical or otherwise, in the Grems-Doolittle Library.  Very likely, some of our Trustees and professional staff are known to you as friends or neighbors. Won't you join us by downloading and executing our membership form?