Historic Cherry Hill
Contents -- May 2004
- Curator Secures Prestigious IMLS Grant
- Cherry Hill And Cooperative Extension Enjoy A Budding Relationship
- History Fair Highlights Historic Treasures
- Best Selling "Murder At Cherry Hill" In Its Third Printing
- From the Director
- A Cordial Reception
- New, Familiar Faces
- Pretty As A Picture
Curator Secures Prestigious IMLS Grant
Historic Cherry Hill's nationally significant textile collection will benefit from a $48,041 Conservation Project Support grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency. This matching grant will enable the museum to conduct a critical detailed condition survey on the site's textiles, accumulated by five generations of the Van Rensselaer-Rankin family. During the project, Cherry Hill Curator Erin Crissman will work with consultant Conservator Gwen Spicer to examine 4,132 textiles, assessing condition, freezing and vacuuming, relocating the collection to the Edward Frisbee Center for Collections & Research, and re-housing them in appropriate archival materials. The remainder of the textile collection, estimated to total well over 7,500 pieces, will be addressed in later phases.
"This exciting project brings Cherry Hill closer to its ultimate goal of providing outstanding collections care and making the entire collection accessible to researchers," noted Director Liselle LaFrance.
"IMLS is dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping museums and libraries better serve their communities," said IMLS Director Robert Martin. "The grants we make today will ensure the cultural, historical, natural, and scientific collections in America's museums are available for a lifetime of learning for generations to come."
Nationwide, the agency awarded 186 grants, with eight going to institutions in New York State. The Conservation Project Support program funds a wide range of projects to help museums safeguard their collections. Museums of every type, from art to zoo, are eligible for funding. These grants, which are awarded by a competitive peer review process, help museums undertake their most critical conservation activities.
IMLS is a federal grant making agency located in Washington, D.C. that fosters leadership, innovation and a lifetime of learning by supporting museums and libraries.
[contents]Cherry Hill And Cooperative Extension Enjoy A Budding Relationship
This spring, a team of master gardeners from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Albany County has taken on Historic Cherry Hill's gardens as a community project. Cherry Hill Volunteer Coordinator Linda Dunkerley approached Susan Pezzolla, Community Educator/Consumer Horticulture at the Extension, meeting with her and explaining the museum's short- and long-term goals for the grounds.
Team members Diane Breslin, Alfred D'Alauro, Diane Funari, Marilyn Gaviria, Donna Stiglmeier and Carol Willey are focusing their initial efforts on the garden to the south of the house. The garden was originally created by master gardener Hazel Van Aernam, and after her retirement, suffered from benign neglect. More recently, Cherry Hill Housekeeper Sharyn Brown spent hours of volunteer time in an effort to battle the overgrowth.
While work throughout the year will focus on maintenance, the team is also excited about helping the museum realize its longterm goal of recreating Emily Rankin's gardens as they existed between 1945 and 1954. The museum's Historic Landscape Study, completed a few years ago with funding from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Institute of Museum Services (now IMLS), will be an important reference document for the team and HCH staff. Once the multi-year project is fully developed, the grounds will better correspond to the house's overall furnishing period, and will become a strong vehicle for interpretation.
The gardens and grounds are open during the museum's regular hours. We encourage you to stop by throughout the season to see the fruits of the team's labors.
[contents]History Fair Highlights Historic Treasures
Cherry Hill Board member Mike Beiter,
dressed in a reproduction late 19th
century baseball uniform loaned by the
Tri-City Valley Cats, with Albany Common
Council President Pro Tempore and Cherry
Hill Advisory Board member Richard Conti.
The two met up at the 5th Annual Albany
History Fair on May 2.
The Fifth Annual Albany History Fair introduced nearly 500 visitors to an array of historic features that make the city and region unique. Focusing on 1827 Albany, the fair featured walking tours on the Erie Canal (led by Bill Bouchard) and downtown architecture (led by Tony Opalka), and presentations on the Cherry Hill murder (by HCH Education Director Becky Watrous), history of Shaker music (by Christian Goodwillie) and Underground Railroad (by Carol Ann Margolis). There were also displays by area historical organizations, including Albany County Historical Association, Albany County Land Conservancy, Albany Institute of History & Art, First Church in Albany (Reformed), the New York State Capitol-OGS, Old Songs, Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site and the Underground Railroad History Project, and the Second Annual Sense of Place Awards, presented by awards organizer Carol Wallace to the Center Square Neighborhood Association, Hudson/Park Neighborhood Association, St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church and Mansion Neighborhood Association. Kristee and Noreen Iacobucci demonstrated rug hooking, and traditional music performed by Shaker Creek provided a wonderful ambience throughout the afternoon.
This year's fair was co-sponsored by HCH, the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center and Historic Albany Foundation, with the proceeds supporting Cherry Hill's educational mission. Significant support was provided by media sponsor Times Union, the City of Albany, Hartgen Archeological Associates, Hudson River Construction Company and Niagara Mohawk. Dozens of area restaurants, hotels, gift shops, museums, theaters and attractions provided gift certificates for the popular "archaeological dig" raffle.
Each year, the fair grows in scope and visibility, and we're grateful to all who attended, as well as participants, sponsors, raffle donors, honorary committee members and volunteers.
[contents]Best Selling "Murder At Cherry Hill" In Its Third Printing
The theme of this year's History Fair was in part a celebration of the recent third printing of Murder at Cherry Hill, by Louis C. Jones. Originally published in 1982, the book still holds wide appeal. Like so many of the stories at Cherry Hill, the murder has it all-drama, crisis, romance & history.
The author, until his death, was Director Emeritus of the New York State Historical Association. He co-founded the New York Folklore Society and wrote numerous books and folk art catalogues, including a history of Cooperstown, New York and a collection of ghost stories, titled Things that Go Bump in the Night (a Cherry Hill ghost story is included in that publication). The third release of Murder at Cherry Hill retails for $6.95 and is available in the Cherry Hill gift shop and other outlets, including the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center Shop and the Book Outlet at the Empire State Plaza.
[contents]From the Director
Longtime Cherry Hill Researcher Maxine Lorang died on January 29, and she is sorely missed. Maxine's work and passion for the site contributed significantly to the museum's many successes over the past 20 years. She provided critical research for two educational teaching units, Different Voices, Different Truths: The 1827 Murder at Cherry Hill, and Kittie Putman and the Cherry Hill Household, 1860- 1884, both of which won national awards. She also undertook vast research and conducted numerous oral history interviews as part of the museum's grantfunded 20th century initiative, which lay the groundwork for the museum's new interpretation, and culminated in a voluminous Historic Furnishings Study that informs the museum's ongoing implementation of its 1945-1954 Furnishing Plan.
As part of the interpretive team responsible for developing the museum's tour, The Rankins of Cherry Hill: Struggling with the Loss of Their World, Maxine amazed our consultant historians with her ability to accurately recall hundreds of Cherry Hill family references, and she would passionately argue her position as the tour was crafted.
I know that Maxine shared the pride we all felt when the tour was acclaimed in the Journal of American History. Last spring, we waited with some apprehension for the review to appear. I still remember Maxine's phone call to my home one June evening when the publication appeared in her mail, excitement barely contained in her voice, as she read only the last paragraph of the review to me.
Maxine's contributions will have a lasting impact on the museum and on all who worked with her.
[contents]A Cordial Reception
Historic Cherry Hill was showered with honors during the City of Albany's First Ward Annual Appreciation Dinner on April 25. The museum was presented with a Legislative Resolution by Senator Neil Breslin and Assemblyman Ronald Canestrari, a Proclamation by County Executive Michael Breslin, a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol by County Legislator George Infante on behalf of Congressman Michael McNulty, and an Appreciation Award by 1st Ward Council Member Dominick Calsolaro and Mary-Ellen O'Connor of the Albany County Democratic Committee. The dinner tables were even adorned with chocolate covered cherries in the museum's honor!
The museum was cited for its contributions to the beauty, history and tourism of the First Ward. President Kathleen Quandt and Director Liselle LaFrance accepted the awards on behalf of the museum. Also in attendance were Mayor Gerald Jennings, and many other strong supporters of Cherry Hill, including John Abbuhl, Richard Conti, Priscilla Frisbee, Connie and Frank Frisbee Houde, Tom Nitido, Charles and Alice Senrick, Steve Stofelano, Carol Wallace and Anna Welter.
The evening provided a wonderful opportunity for the museum to reconnect with its neighbors and supportive elected officials, and the awards are gratifying reminders of the organization's contributions to the community to all volunteers, staff and Board members who work on a daily basis to fulfill Cherry Hill's important educational mission.
[contents]New, Familiar Faces
Former volunteer interpreter Eileen Finn has been appointed to the position of Interpretive Assistant. In her position, Eileen serves as an interpreter and works on special interpretive projects. She has been a volunteer at Historic Cherry Hill since 1998. In 2003, she took on extra duties as a senior interpreter, assisting in the training of new volunteers. Eileen brings a special enthusiasm and keen interest in history and archaeology to her work here.
The museum has also lured former intern Mary Doehla back as a consultant Researcher. During her internship, Mary became very familiar with the Cherry Hill family and collections, and now provides significant research support on a variety of projects, including the basement kitchen discovery room, history fair and volunteer programs.
[contents]Pretty As A Picture
In a couple of weeks, Cherry Hill will look spectacular as several major exterior maintenance/preservation projects are completed. After months of searching, the museum finally located a contractor (Home Improvement Guide, Inc.) able to recreate the historic archways for installation under the new porch, and at the same time, the Executive Committee authorized the re-pointing of the foundation and painting of the house. The painting and foundation repair are important measures in providing long-term care to the wood-frame structure. With repair work undertaken on the roof last fall, the house's envelope will be in tip-top shape before attention is turned to interior restoration needs in the next few years.
Plans are also underway to take pictures of the house once work is complete, in anticipation of production of a new Cherry Hill postcard.
If you would like to support this critical preservation work, please send your contribution to the museum at 523½ South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12202, noting "Preservation Project" on your check.
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