Historic Cherry Hill
Contents -- April 2005 Update
See You at the Fair!
6th Annual Albany History Fair
Sunday, May 1 Noon-4 p.m.
"Places, Spaces and Faces" is the theme of this year's History Fair, a Cherry Hill event hosted by the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center at the corner of Clinton Avenue and Broadway, and co-sponsored by the Visitors Center and Historic Albany Foundation. Since its inception, the History Fair has enjoyed the media sponsorship of the Times Union. Hartgen Archeological Associates and Hudson River Construction Company have provided generous corporate underwriting for this year's event, which is bigger than ever. See the enclosed flyer for a detailed description of the tours, music, activities and exhibits.
A New Old Piece to the Puzzle
Historic Cherry Hill's collection is essentially comprised of the entire contents of the house when Emily Rankin died in 1963. Therefore, the museum's collection policy is very limited in scope. In the past forty years we have accepted a few gifts of furniture and other objects from family relatives and friends, if we find that the pieces were at one time in the house. However, we typically do not purchase acquisitions. Recently, the museum made its second-ever purchase of an object to add to the collection, and the first-ever purchase of a manuscript document.
Routinely, Curator Erin Crissman and Researcher Mary Doehla search E-Bay for the occasional Van Rensselaer-Rankin related object. This time they found a fascinating one. At the end of March, the museum was excited to acquire a document relating to Philip Van Rensselaer's estate. This document, dated April 7, 1799 from the Supreme Court of Indentures in Albany, seeks payment of debt and damages from Philip Van Rensselaer's estate. Maria Van Rensselaer was sued by the Reformed Dutch Church in Albany for non-payment of the debt as well as damages. Having still not paid the debt one year later, (presumably in 1800 although no date was recorded) John Given, Sheriff, seized property from Cherry Hill in lieu of cash. Property seized consisted of: "Two Negro Men and Two Negro Women slaves, four horses and four cows." This document is particularly important as we know very few details regarding Philip Van Rensselaer's estate and even less about the disposition of his property after his death. This is a significant addition to our manuscript collection and will help us piece together the beginning of the end of the family's wealth and property that culminated with public auction of the house in 1884.
[contents]Open for Business
Historic Cherry Hill's 2005 season began on April 1. In its opening weekend, the museum hosted small groups from the Center for the Disabled and the Albany County Historical Association. Through June, the museum's tour schedule is Tuesday-Friday at Noon, 1, 2 & 3 p.m., Saturday at 10 and 11 a.m., Noon, 1, 2 & 3 p.m., and Sunday at 1, 2 & 3 p.m. The museum's tour, "The Rankins of Cherry Hill: Struggling with the Loss of Their World," continues to receive praise for teaching history through a family story and for provoking discussion about contemporary issues. Remember, members receive free admission! Please call ahead to confirm tour availability-434-4791.
[contents]Duty Calls
Cherry Hill staff are often called into service as speakers, grant reviewers and panel members. Education Director Rebecca Watrous recently served as a grant reviewer for the Educational Foundation of America in Westport, Connecticut, as well as the Get Set! Technical Assistance program funded by the Museum Program at the New York State Council on the Arts and administered by the Upstate History Alliance. Later this month, Curator Erin Crissman and Director Liselle LaFrance will speak at sessions at the Annual Meeting of the Museum Association of New York and Upstate History Alliance. Erin's session will focus on interpretation for multi-generational audiences, and Liselle will speak on strategic planning. Erin also served as a reviewer for the Upstate History Alliance's Awards of Merit program. In May, Liselle will travel to Washington D.C. to serve on the "Museums for America" grant review panel for the Institute of Museum & Library Services, a federal agency.
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