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Building
Portraits from the Collection: Curator's Choice
June 25,
2010 - November 20, 2010
 The
built environment is familiar to us all, but ever-changing. As part of
our mission to tell the stories of
the past in Rensselaer County, it is often the buildings we pass by
each day
that hold the key to understanding how our communities have become what
they
are today. And yet, it is also possible to walk right by without really
seeing them and learning from them.
As part
of RCHS’s current look at architecture in Troy and Rensselaer County,
Curator
Stacy Pomeroy Draper has made a selection of building "portraits" to
pique your curiosity, whet your appetite and give some idea of the
scope of the
museum’s holdings related to architecture.
Some of these images are well-known, others have not been seen for many
years or are brand new additions to the collection.
George Shear's Houses on the Hudson
George
Ellsworth Shear is an architect with a longtime interest in the history
of residential architecture in America. Wherever his travels have taken
him, he has carefully observed and sketched the local architectual
vernacular. His recent work focuses on the historic homes lining the
east shore of the Hudson River and the remarkable architecture of Troy.
Shear's original drawings will be on display at RCHS through December 2010.
"UNCLE SAM: THE MAN IN LIFE
AND LEGEND"
NEW PERMANENT EXHIBITION
 The
Rensselaer County Historical Society is now
the new home for Uncle Sam and his story with the opening of its new
permanent exhibition Uncle Sam: The Man in Life and Legend.
Samuel
“Uncle Sam” Wilson (1766-1854) is undoubtedly Troy’s most famous son.
Arriving in Troy in the late 18th century and participating in the
community’s early growth and success, he was also a witness to the
expansion of our nation and the development of our national identity.
The
Historical Society’s exhibit, Uncle Sam: The Man in Life and
Legend, examines both the real man and the national symbol
using objects from the museum’s collections, including archeological
artifacts from the site of one of Sam Wilson’s houses and historical
prints and images of our national symbol. Visitors will be able to see
how the story of the man and the legend evolved and learn how this real
person and national icon continue to impact us today.
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