UPPER HUDSON

Historic Cherry Hill

  http://www.historiccherryhill.org/ 

523 1/2 South Pearl St

Albany, NY 12202

  Phone: (518) 434- 4791

Hours:

May 9 - July 5, August 8 - September 30, and November 1-20: Friday & Saturday, tours at 12 to 4

July 8 - Augutst 7: Tuesday-Saturday, tours 12 to 4

October 9 - 11, 15-18, and 22-25: Murder at Cherry Hill at 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm

Admission: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $3 for students (6-17)

 

Historical Description:

Philip Van Rensselaer was an early proponent of American freedom. After becoming active in the Albany Committee of Correspondence, Van Rensselear was elected as a member of the second ward in 1776. He proved to be a valuable liaison with supply for the revolutionary war effort. After the war, Philip moved his family to Cherry Hill and continued to expand the family holdings.

The preservation of this home was ensured by Catherine Bogart Putnam Rankin. Rankin moved to Cherry Hill in 1860, at the age of three. Her history is recounted throughout the tour of the museum

 

The Site: 

The home explores the hardships the family faced for nearly a century, 1857-1948. The site offers 100 primary sources, including letters, diaries, photographs, school compositions, and census records from Watervliet, receipts, cartoons, floor pans, sheet music, and trade cards. Each room represents a distinct experience that the family endured. Finally, the museum also briefly explores how socioeconomic class, genders, age, and race influenced a person’s life during this time.