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November 17, 2024
A Trojan's War By Bob MacArevey This is the heartwarming story of Nan Emery (270 1/2 Fourth Street) and Jim MacArevey (422 2nd Street) as they came to age in Troy, NY and experienced the tumult of WWII. Nan lost her mother at a young age. Jim dropped out of high school. Their friendship in Troy ended when Nan went off to State Teachers College in Albany and Jim joined the Army. Nan Emery taught at schools in Troy, Schroon Lake, Hyde Park, and East Greenbush. Jim graduated from Officer Candidate School (OCS) and received a commission. Lieutenant MacArevey was part of Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. He was captured near Kasserine in Tunisia and kept a Prisoner of War at OFLAG 64, a POW camp in northern Poland. Jim escaped and survived a difficult journey through Russian and the Ukraine. Learn how they finally re-connected in the feel-good ending of A Trojan's War. Author Bob MacArevey is a 1972 graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point. He is an Army Ranger and Paratrooper and attended the Infantry Officer's Basic and Advanced Courses at Fort Benning, GA. He participated in Reforger exercises to Germany with the First Infantry Division out of Fort Riley, KS. He was a Company Commander for the Training Brigade at Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN. Following the military service he worked in Information Technology positions for 37 years. 
February 16, 2025
Julia Chinn By Melissa Dalley Julia Chinn was the black spouse and mother of Richard Johnson's two daughters. Johnson would later become Martin Van Buren's Vice President. Melissa Dalley is a docent at Lindenwald, President Van Buren’s estate in Kinderhook. 
April 27, 2025
The Van Alen Home By Walter Wheeler The Van Alen home has been the centerpiece of the hamlet of DeFreestville since its completion in 1793. The house was initially constructed for one of the first representatives in Congress for Rensselaer County and his family, and remained in the Van Alen family for 100 years. Sam Swanson, Town Historian during his tenure at the home for 20 years from the 1970s to the 1990s, restored the house with a group of people who later became prominent in their fields. Sam sold the house to Karen Hartgen in 1995. Since that time Karen’s business, Hartgen Archeological Associates, has occupied the Van Alen house and has become identified with it. Walter Wheeler is the Senior Architectural Historian at Hartgen Archeological Associates. 
October 20, 2024
Steamboats on the Hudson By Mark Peckham An informal talk about the development and demise of steamboats on the Hudson River. Mark also shared information about the Hudson River Maritime Museum and its public programs. |
January 19, 2025
Wild Women of Rensselaer County By Kathy Sheehan Kathy Kathy will delve into the lives of some the remarkable women who lived and made an impact in our area. Kathy is the Executive Director of the Hart Cluett Museum in Troy and both City of Troy and Rensselaer County Historian. 
March 16, 2025
Albany & Susquehanna Railroad War By Jill Knapp The Albany & Susquehanna (A&S) Railroad (later the Delaware and Hudson) was propose in 1852 and finally completed in January 1869. The road was developed to run between Albany and Binghamton to bring farm products and cheap coal to Albany. James Fisk of the Erie RR tried to get control of the line to connect with the Erie RR, by controlling the board of directors of the A&S road. In August 1869, a “war” between conflicting boards of directors broke out, with Col. Church of Anti-Rent War notoriety working with Fisk. Find out how it ended and became part of the D&H. 
September 15, 2024
Forged by Fire: The Life and Legacy of Harry Howard By Lauryn Czyzewski, Assistant Curator at the FASNY Museum of Firefighting in Hudson, NY This lecture explored who Harry Howard was, what his many accomplishments were and why we are still talking about him today! 
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