When a group of Rensselaer County residents met for the first time in 1927, to found the organization we know today as the Rensselaer County Historical Society, history - particularly, local history- was considered by many to be the purview of as select few. Since that time, however, the Historical Society has sharpened its focus on preserving local history for a broader audience, while at the same time expanding its facilities to include a historic house museum with period collections of fine and decorative arts; historical artifacts and archival materials relating to Rensselaer County and its inhabitants; and an adjacent educational building for temporary exhibitions, public programs and a research library.

Keeping Green the Memory of Pioneer Days in Rensselaer County: The Early Years of RCHS, 1927-1952

The headline in the December 19, 1927, Troy Record read, "Rensselaer County Historical Society Incorporated Today." Reading further, one learns that the impetus for this event came both from an individual and from another organization.

A Going and Growing Organization: The Hart-Cluett House, a Home of Our Own, 1952-1975

In 1948, Albert E. Cluett and his wife, Caroline Ide Cluett, challenged the Historical Society, now 20 years old, to raise sufficient funds to support the operation of their Troy townhouse as a museum. In 1952, the building was turned over to the Society by Mrs. Cluett after a successful campaign was completed.

Beyond the House: The Acquisition of 57 Second Street and the Impact of America's Bicentennial, 1976-1996

It became clear by the mid-1970s that the Rensselaer County Historical Society had outgrown the Hart-Cluett House and Carriage House. Growth of the collections and demands for programs had outpaced the building's space.

The Dawn of a New Century, 1996 to present

RCHS begins the restoration of the Hart-Cluett House, guided by a wealth of new information on the building and the people who lived there.

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