Choose your path through history! Join the Albany County Historical Association | Ten Broeck Mansion in celebrating Path Through History on Saturday October 12 from 11 am -4 pm.
Join us for an exploration of the rich and diverse history of Albany County by choosing your path to explore. There will be driving, walking, and biking options.
Themes we are exploring in 2024 as we explore Albany as a crossroads of history:
- Road to Revolution
- Agriculture & Foodways
- Technology & Transportation
- Community & Organizations
How to participate:
1 ) Register for the tour via this webpage. If you have having trouble registering, please call our office (Tuesday-Friday) 518-436-9826.
2) Plan your day! We suggest starting your tour at the Ten Broeck Mansion but you may start at any historic site along the route. Each historic site has special free programs from 11 am- 4 pm. You will be emailed maps about a week before the event.
Participating Historic Sites & Museums:
- Albany County Historical Association | Ten Broeck Mansion, Albany NY
- American Italian Heritage Association & Museum, Albany, NY (please note: The American Italian Heritage Association & Museum is open from 1pm to 4 pm only)
- Albany Rural Cemetery, Menands NY
- Historic St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands NY
- Huyck Preserve, Rennselaerville NY
- Irish American Heritage Museum, Albany NY
- Knox Historical Society Museum, Knox NY
- New Scotland Historical Association, Voorheesville NY
- Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence, Albany NY
- Town of Bethlehem Historical Association, Bethlehem NY
- Van Schaick Mansion, Cohoes NY
- Watervliet Historical Society Museum and Cultural Center, Watervliet NY
4 ) Special events at the Ten Broeck Mansion from 11 am -4 pm (park in our free Livingston Avenue lot):
- Free full-length tours1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm (pre-registration recommended via our tours page).
- Free walk-through tours from 11 am -4 pm.
- Meet historians and local history organizations, including the Friends of Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm, Inc., stewards for the historic Tivoli Lake preserve.
- Free family art kits & self-guided garden discovery tours
- Ten Broeck Museum Shop open 11am - 4 pm: books & fine locally made artisan goods
Documenting Untold Stories History Presentations at King's Place (on Ten Broeck Mansion campus): free
- workshops on reading historic handwritings from the Albany region, 1600s-1900s
- Documenting Untold Stories Archives Initiative
- on the hour (full schedule TBA)
Speakers include:
Devin Lander, New York State Historian
Paul A. Miller, Searching for Timbuctoo Writer/Producer/Director
Chelsea Teale, Associate Director, New Netherland Research Center
Aaron Bradt, ACHA Collections Associate
Kathryn Kosto, ACHA Executive Director
Safety Practices & Suggestions:
- Keep in mind that if you wish to visit each site, you will need to pace yourself!
- You may visit all of the sites or choose to visit a few sites and have a more in-depth experience.
- Wear comfortable walking or hiking shoes - many historic and natural sites have uneven walkways.
- Use your GPS/phone to set the directions for the next stop, following the recommended route on our map.
- Drive carefully: bring a friend to help navigate. Never text or re-set your phone while driving.
- The tour passes private property & private historic homes and farms. Enjoy the view but do not park on or visit private sites.
- Bring your own lunch to enjoy at select sites or stop at the many roadside farmstands or restaurants along the way. Shop local!
- Keep Albany County beautiful. Practice "leave no trace."
- Programs are free, but donations are appreciated to help all of the historic sites continue their important work.
Note: video is from Path Through History 2023.
Images: Header - Van Schaick Mansion, Cohoes NY. Below: Van Schaick Mansion, Cohoes NY; Knox District School No. 5, Town of Knox, NY; Irish American Heritage Museum, Albany NY; Hall Place, Arbor Hill, Albany NY; Henry Hudson Park; Saddlemire Homestead, Knox NY; Mynderse-Frederick House, Guilderland NY.
