Mabee Farm Historic Site

...we're back! Winter hours are in effect through March. That means we'll be here for tours of Schenectady's oldest homestead on Fridays and Saturdays through the snowy months. Come on out at 11am, 1:30pm and 3:00pm to experience winter in the 18th century! We also have a ton of programs scheduled for this winter -- some virtual, and some in person. Check our FB and website www.schenectadyhistorical.org for updates!

Done photo by Mike Diana, January 2019.

It might look like some elves have been decorating at the Mabee Farm but, nope! Big shout out to the Hugh Platt Garden Club for another year of beautiful holiday decor. You can take a tour and see it for yourself through the end of the year!

Live book talk with Don Ackerman, author of "Who Runs this Town?"

The first snows of the season are blanketing the farm. It might be chilly outside but it's still warm inside the Mabee Farm!

As the days get shorter and the winds blow colder, the Mabee Farm is still warm inside! Our regular open hours last through December- Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and if we don't see you tomorrow, we'll see you next week!

Have broomcorn? Make wreaths! Thank you to everyone who joined us for our workshop. We hope you enjoy your lovely creations!

Each of our Twilight Tours 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.

So pleased to welcome our friends and neighbors, Schenectady Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club to the Mabee Farm this cold, clear evening. Congratulations to all awardees!

"The Mabee Farm, despite its humble experience, tells the really important story of what went on here, said Diana. It’s not about just any one individual or family. The house tells the history of this entire area better than any other single location can do it.

Thanks to WMHT Public Media for inviting our Executive Director, Mary Zawacki, to appear on "AHA! a house for arts." Check it out here: https://youtu.be/WQ1lR8MzM_0

Welcome to the herd!

Our video on the history and production of maple syrup in the Mohawk Valley is live! If you'd like a sample, new Schenectady County Historical Society members are eligible for a 1/2 pint of syrup! Register at www.schenectadyhistorical.org

We are very sad to let you know that our beloved sheep, YahYah, has passed from this world. We buried her yesterday, and marked her grave with a stone. YahYah was a joyful sheep who loved nothing more than dandelions in the spring time. She was with us for nearly a decade. RIP YahYah.

With a heavy heart, we are letting our friends here know of the passing of William Ackner, a longtime Mabee Farm guide. Bill was instrumental in our school programs, helping students learn about the history of the farm, and the people who inhabited this land long ago. Thank you, Bill, for all your contributions to Mabee Farm and to Schenectady County Historical Society. Rest in peace; we will miss you.

Thanks to the Hugh Platt Garden Club for decking the halls of the Mabee House this Christmas!

A little solitude on a Friday night.

Its endless combinations of light and clouds, that change by the hour and with the seasons, call out to photographers.

Late fall evenings, warmed by twinkling skies, and the flicker of a candle in the window. Join us for Jan Mabee's Twilight Tours, a look at early Schenectady at its most beautiful time of day. Weekends through November/December; tickets at www.schenectadyhistorical.org/programs.

Join us Friday and Saturday evenings in November and December for an ever-changing array of light and color, as the warmth of the sunset melts into deep blue, starlit skies.

Bake oven cover is done! Thanks to Kim, Joel, Mark, John, and Mike for their work this week making it happen. The oven will add new (and tasty!) interpretive opportunities to the Mabee Farm