One of my favorite holiday movies is “A Christmas Story”, the post WWII story about an 8-year-old boy whose only wish is to get a Red Rider BB Gun for Christmas. While the story line is fun, and the dad is hilarious, the reason I love this movie is how well that time is captured on film, not only visually, (tinsel and big Christmas light bulbs) but auditorily as well. While I wasn’t born till the mid 1950’s, the sights and sounds portrayed in the movie were still very much around when I was growing up in Troy. The noise the tire chains on the United Traction buses made on the snowy streets, the snapping sound of a house fuse blowing out because of all the extra plugs needed for the huge lights, the sound of push button light switches, and creaking floorboards all transported me to my childhood.

What movie magic does on the big screen to capture moments in our nation’s history, we do through the two- and three-dimensional collections here in our exhibits and programs to capture the history of Rensselaer County. In December, the nearly 2000 visitors to our 68th Holiday Greens Show marveled at what the amazing women of the Van Rensselaer Garden Club did to transform our 1827 Hart-Cluett House into a magical story. Education Director, Anna Doren, created a scavenger hunt which our many volunteers in each of the rooms gently helped visitors answer, bringing attention to the history of the Harts and Cluetts and the many objects within each room. Coming back into the Carr building attendees marveled at the 1880 Lucas Confectionary sugar castle, wanting to know how curator/archivist Samantha Mahoski moves this famous and delicate object into its prominent position every year. The gorgeous wreaths and arrangements the garden club made, the Dicken’s Village that Mary Peper created in the carriage house and the beautiful ornaments that Barbara Urban found for the shop all created a delightful experience for our visitors.

Deputy Director, Amanda Irwin, kept an eagle eye on the admissions and shop, while I was directing traffic which also gave me the ability to answer visitors’ history questions about the exhibits that Samantha curated in the Carr Building and the many programs that go on throughout the year. When visitors came out of the exhibit on voting and democracy in Rensselaer County, they couldn’t wait to share their story about using the same type of voting booth that is on display, (c.1970’s). Their eyes lit up talking about the first time they voted, pulling down the levers, or having their children in the booth with them, giving them the thrill of pulling back the curtain which in effect registered their vote. The Gilded Age exhibit in the Robison Family meeting room elicited quite the discussion about the Walter Wood tractor seat, mostly bemoaning how hard it was to sit on! The Freihofer bread delivery container drew the largest response, including discussion about what day bread was delivered, naming the variety of cakes and cookies Freihofer baked, and the smell of bread baking in the Lansingburgh plant.

These stories collectively become part of our history, from the recent to the past generations, from when our county was formed in 1791. Those earlier stories are gleaned in the letters, photographs, including business, fraternal, church and family archives that make up our permanent collection. As we approach the 250th celebration of our nation, we mine these collections for the stories on who was here when our nation was first formed, all the way to today. Amid our nation’s celebration, we will also be celebrating our 100th anniversary in 2027. Our next exhibit about our history will open in the spring of 2025 and will reflect the period from 1952 to 1973, when Albert and Caroline Cluett gifted the 1827 Federal Style townhouse to the historical society, giving us a permanent home.

I am grateful to work with the most amazing staff, board of trustees, and volunteers who all give so much time, wisdom, and talent to making this organization what is today. It is a labor of love and pride in a community that understands our shared history matters and needs to be preserved for future generations. I am profoundly grateful to all of you as our members of the Hart Cluett Museum who support and forward our mission in “recognizing every face and every story” as we head to 2025!

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and Happy New Year,

Kathryn T. Sheehan

Executive Director | Rensselaer County & Troy City Historian

Holiday Greetings from Kathy Sheehan, Executive Director and Rensselaer County & Troy City Historian.

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