Calendar

Roderic Blackburn, author of such books as Remembrance of Patria, Dutch Arts and Culture in Colonial America, 1609-1776 and Dutch Colonial Homes in America, brings his expertise to the Mabee Farm to discuss Dutch houses and their furnishings.

In the autumn of 1758, British and provincial troops at Lake George deliberately sank 260 bateaux and other military watercraft to protect them over the winter from marauding French and their Native American allies. Fort William Henry had been destroyed in August 1757, so this unconventional military action was necessary to safeguard the British squadron at the 32 mile long Lake George. Many warships of "The Sunken Fleet of 1758" were recovered by the British forces in 1759 and were reused in the successful Amherst campaign that pacified the Champlain Valley. However about four dozen sunken bateaux were not retrieved. Since 1987 an underwater archaeology group called Bateaux Below has been studuing these French & Indian War (1755-1763) shipwrecks. Many of the bateaux used by the British at Lake George in 1758 were built in bateau boatyards in Schenectady and Albany and then were taken by water and also overland in wagons to Lake George, a strategic frontier waterway. Bateaux Below's underwater archaeologist Joseph W. Zarzynski will present a talk on the history and underwater archaeological investigation of "The Sunken Fleet of 1758" and also discuss the role of Schenectady in building the British army's Lake George bateau fleet.

Local author Joseph Thatcher presents on the Confederate coal torpedo. The coal torpedo was a weapon of desperation and opportunity. When hidden in the coal piles used by the Union Navy, it would be shoveled into the firebox where it would then explode, setting fire to the ship. This is the first book to tell the true story of the coal torpedo and its inventor, Thomas Courtenay.

From the volunteer era, to the first professional department, fire fighting has been an integral aspect of life in Schenectady. This exhibit shows the evolution of firefighting in the City of Schenectady from the early 1700s on through to the 20th century. This exhibit also highlights some of the more interesting fires to occur in Schenectady’s history. Included in this night will be a brief talk on the history of Schenectady Fire Department by Dr. Lyle Barlyn.

Presented by Frank Taormina @ the Franchere Education Center, Mabee Farm Historic Site - Free to members; $2 for non-members. Coffee & Tea provided.