Schenectady County Historical Society

Candlelight Tour | Oct 20 6:30 Victorian
2022-10-20 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Join us for spooky tales of Schenectady’s haunting past! We’ll explore the historic Stockade after dark, and discover the neighborhood’s most blood-curdling ghost stories. Tickets are $13 and you can choose either the “Colonial Hauntings” or “Ghostly Victorian” tour. The two tours feature different stories, and venture through different parts of the neighborhood. We recommend you bring a flashlight. Each tour lasts 60-90 minutes – both tours cannot be done on the same night.
Please park on the street-parking is not allowed in the YWCA parking lot.
Candlelight Tours are co-sponsored by the Schenectady Heritage Foundation. The tour meets at 32 Washington Avenue, Schenectady.
** All ticket sales are final. No refunds or switching dates/times **
Available Dates:
Wednesday Oct 12 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm
Thursday Oct 13 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm
Friday October 14 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm
Wednesday Oct 19 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm
Thursday Oct 20 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm
Friday October 21 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm
Wednesday Oct 26 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm
Thursday Oct 27 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm
Friday October 28 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm

Candlelight Tour | Oct 20 7:30 Colonial
2022-10-20 19:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 20 7:30 Victorian
2022-10-20 19:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 21 6:30 Colonial
2022-10-21 18:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 21 6:30 Victorian
2022-10-21 18:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 21 7:30 Colonial
2022-10-21 19:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 21 7:30 Victorian
2022-10-21 19:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 26 6:30 Colonial
2022-10-26 18:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 26 6:30 Victorian
2022-10-26 18:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 26 7:30 Colonial
2022-10-26 19:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 26 7:30 Victorian
2022-10-26 19:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 27 6:30 Colonial
2022-10-27 18:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 27 6:30 Victorian
2022-10-27 18:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 27 7:30 Colonial
2022-10-27 19:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 27 7:30 Victorian
2022-10-27 19:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 28 6:30 Colonial
2022-10-28 18:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 28 6:30 Victorian
2022-10-28 19:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 28 7:30 Colonial
2022-10-28 19:30 - 20:30

Candlelight Tour | Oct 28 7:30 Victorian
2022-10-28 19:30 - 20:30

Museum Closed
2022-10-31 00:00 - 2022-11-30 23:59
The Schenectady Historical Museum at 32 Washington Ave will be closed from October 31 – December 2 while we install a new painting storage system. We will reopen to the public on December 3 for the Festival of Trees!

Workshop: Fresh Pine Wreaths
2022-11-12 10:00 - 12:00
Many people love to decorate a pine wreath but often are unsure where to begin. Kelly Chapman of @gildeddoor will lead us through a workshop creating fresh pine wreaths with floral wire. Join us in making fragrant, one-of-a-kind seasonal wreaths to enliven your home during the holidays. All materials are included. Payment is required in advance and is non-refundable. This program will take place indoors and is limited to ten participants.

Mabee Farm “Through the Woods” Tour
2022-11-18 18:00 - 20:00
This program will take you “over the river and through the woods” on a journey back in time. We’ll begin with a candlelit walk through our nature trail with guides to provide orientation and share local tall tales. Guests will then be invited to warm themselves up with a tour of our historic structures. The Mabee tavern will be serving some tasty refreshments based on historic recipes and board games will be available for an evening of fun!

All Sites Closed for Thanksgiving
2022-11-23 08:00 - 2022-11-27 17:00
All Schenectady County Historical Society sites will be closed for Thanksgiving.

Festival of Trees
2022-12-03 10:00 - 2022-12-23 16:30
Advance tickets are not available. Please purchase tickets at the front desk when you arrive.
Celebrate the season as we fill our galleries with lighted fir trees! Decorated from classic to kooky Christmas styles, the Festival of Trees glows with the enchantment of the holidays. Join us throughout December for a shimmering, festive season.
The Festival of Trees is a fundraiser for, and a partnership between, the Schenectady County Historical Society and the YWCA NorthEastern NY. Admission is $6 for adults 12+.

Kids Craft: Tea Light Snowman Ornament
2022-12-03 11:00 - 14:00
This fun and easy craft allows you to create and customize your own adorable snowman ornament to take home. Hang on a tree or anywhere around the house. We’ll provide all the materials needed. Stop in anytime between 11am-2pm!
Crafters younger than 5 may need parental assistance! Each person can craft 1-2 ornaments. Free for folks with a Family level or higher membership, just let us know you’re coming.

Schenectady Wine Society
2022-12-08 18:00 - 19:30
It’s the inaugural meeting of the “Schenectady Wine Society” a collection of curated wine tastings by and for local wine lovers at our historic sites. Up first: uncorking the perfect holiday wines to accompany your meals. Join City Historian and wine connoisseur Chris Leonard on a tasting and history tour of his favorite wines to make the season bright. Enjoy the shimmering Festival of Trees while you’re here! The program begins at 6pm but you’re welcome to arrive early to explore the Festival of Trees.
$30; pre-registration required. Must be 21+ with valid ID.
All ticket sales are final.

Jan Mabee's Twilight Tour
2022-12-09 16:30 - 18:30
Each twilight at Mabee Farm brings a different array of lights and colors, as the warmth of the sunset transforms into deep blue, moon-lit skies. Join us as we explore Mabee Farm as it’s meant to be explored; awash in changing colors, the wind gusting outside, and the flickering lights of the Mabee house keeping us cozy and warm. A costumed guide from the 1600s will lead us through the house, which is decorated for the season. He’ll delve into the histories and mysteries of the Mabee Farm, and give us a taste of what life was like for settlers living on the edge of the wilderness.

Drink the Seasons: Holiday Warmers
2022-12-09 17:30 - 19:00
Drink the Seasons is ready for the holidays: are you? Join for an evening of holiday warmers and more at Schenectady Historical. Led by historian John Gearing, we’ll make — and sample — a variety of historic libations, made with seasonal flare. Enjoy the shimmering Festival of Trees while you’re here, and together we’ll mix up a few rounds of festive winter libations! The program begins at 5:30pm but you’re welcome to arrive early to explore the Festival of Trees.
$30; pre-registration required. Must be 21+ with valid ID.
All ticket sales are final.

The Holiday Stockade Stroll 12/14
2022-12-14 18:00 - 19:30
Schenectady’s Stockade is beautiful any time of year but the holidays always bring out a certain magic! In this walking tour we’ll explore the lights and sights of this historic district while learning the ways in which generations past celebrated the season. Light refreshments will be served, and guests are invited to explore the sparkling Festival of Trees before and after the tour!

Chocolate Haus
2022-12-16 18:00 - 20:00
Experience a recreated 18th century chocolate house inside the seasonally-decorated Mabee Farmhouse. Well-known historian Paul Supley will tempt your pallet and tickle your tastebuds with a trio of historic hot chocolates, including delicacies enjoyed by English kings and the middle-class settlers of the Mohawk and Hudson Valleys. You’ll learn how easy it is to create and enjoy this wonderful treat favored by the ancestors. As a special finale to the evening, we’ll taste a libation infused with port or madeira. All amidst the backdrop of the Mohawk Valley’s oldest home, properly decked in festive decor by the Hugh Platt Garden Club.
