Press

ALBANY, N.Y. - Clean out your attic to help clean out Historic Cherry Hill's attic. The New York State Museum and other area historical sites and groups are joining forces on Sunday, April 30 from noon to 5 p.m. for the first Albany History Fair to help raise money for a new storage and research facility for the 213-year-old house. The event will be held in the State Museum's Terrace Gallery, and Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings is serving as the honorary chairman.

Curators will help identify those family heirlooms and flea market finds you're curious about, while professional appraisers will be available to place a monetary value on the objects. Conservators will also be on hand to assess the condition of objects and make recommendations regarding their care. Each piece that is reviewed costs $5. Admission to the fair is free.

"We really want to emphasize the historical significance to your family," said Liselle LaFrance, the director of Historic Cherry Hill. The event was also developed to raise awareness of Cherry Hill and its needs, and to bring local historical groups together.

The funds raised will help build the Edward Frisbee Center for Collections and Research on the Cherry Hill property on Pearl Street. Currently, collections not being displayed in the living spaces of Cherry Hill are stored in the house's attic, which is causing structural damage to the building. Cherry Hill's 20,000 objects are the culmination of five generations of one family from 1787-1963. Built for Philip and Maria Van Rensselaer, the house and its contents were bequeathed by the last surviving family member, Emily Rankin, to benefit the people of New York State.

Along with artifact identification, there will be presentations and events throughout the day, including tours of Treasures from the Wunsch Americana Foundation. State Museum Curators John Scherer and Ron Burch will lead tours of the exhibition of New York furniture, silver, paintings, ceramics and glass.

Other events include:

• Becky Watrous, Education Director at Cherry Hill, will discuss the famous murder at Cherry Hill that resulted in the last public execution in Albany.
• Paul Grondahl, Times Union reporter and author, will speak about Mayor Erastus Corning.
• The Willborn Temple Gospel Ensemble will perform.
• State Museum archaeologists will display and discuss "Pearl," the reconstructed face of a woman who lived nearly 300 years ago in downtown Albany.
• Karen Hartgen, archaeologist, will speak about Albany archaeology.
• Lori Fisher, Cherry Hill Curator, will talk about preserving family heirlooms.
• Jack McEneny, Assemblyman and historian, will speak about 19th century immigration.
• Phil Bayly of WNYT News Channel 13 will discuss archaic Albany laws still on the books.
• Reggie's Red Hot Feet Warmers and NitroJive will perform throughout the day.
• Albany City Trolleys will run tours to five city attractions, Cherry Hill, the Visitor's Center, the Half Moon, Schuyler Mansion and Ten Broeck Mansion.

NYSM