The Saratoga County History Center and the Village of Victory invite the public to a special presentation by Skidmore College student Nicholas Sisto on “The Company and its Town: Textile Production in Victory Mills and the Community Built Around It.” The program will be held on Tuesday, November 11, at 7 p.m. at the Village of Victory Hall, 23 Pine Street, Victory Mills, NY 12884. 

Sisto’s presentation explores how industry shaped both the economy and identity of this small mill community along Fish Creek. Founded in 1846, the Victory Manufacturing Company transformed the landscape, employing hundreds and fostering a self-contained village of homes, schools, and gathering spaces. His research examines the factory’s rise, decline, and the lasting impact on local families whose stories remain woven into Saratoga County’s industrial heritage. 

The talk offers a window into the social, economic, and environmental forces that defined 19th- and 20th-century life in upstate New York. The program is free and open to the public.

The Saratoga County History Center will host noted local author Hollis Palmer for a look at life in the Gilded Age in Saratoga Springs on Thursday November 13 at 7 pm at Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa.  

After retiring from a career in education, Palmer has devoted himself to writing and speaking on local history with a focus on Saratoga Springs at the height of its popularity among the nation’s rich and famous families.

“During the Gilded Age Saratoga Springs was considered the Queen of America’s Spas,” said Hollis. “We will explore what it must have been like to spend the season or even a day at the Spa.”  Palmer will explore this experience for those who were guests of the village as well as for local residents working to support the resort’s hotels and gambling establishments. 

Hollis Palmer has written 15 fiction and non-fiction books on local history. In addition to several true crime stories, he has written extensively about Saratoga Springs in the Victorian era. He is currently writing a fictionalized series on the Gilded Age in Saratoga Springs. Several of his books will be available for sale after the program.

In a joint effort to combat the growing deficit of financial literacy among young people, The Charlton School is pleased to announce an exciting and multifaceted partnership with Ballston Spa National Bank that will equip students with access to technology and educational resources to enhance essential money management skills.

The connection between The Charlton School and BSNB spans back several decades. This new partnership comes at a time where the therapeutic learning community is looking to strengthen its Corporate Partnership opportunities to create sustainable and strategic growth, while also offering its corporate supporters a chance to enhance their own community goals.

“At BSNB, we believe that strong communities are built by investing in the next generation,” Christopher Dowd, President & CEO of Ballston Spa National Bank said. “Partnering with the Charlton School on this multi-year investment enables us to advance our mission of financial wellness and support the health and resilience of these young women who will one day be leaders in our community.”

The $20,000 pledge from BSNB will begin before the end of this year and carry through 2028. The growing financial institution recently launched a financial wellness and education platform to offer resources that integrate real-world financial and life literacy into the classroom to supplement existing content. 

In addition to supporting The Charlton School’s mission for young women with mental health concerns, this commitment allows students and educators an opportunity to offer feedback and insight regarding the new financial resources while continuing a purposeful connection between the two organizations.   

“At the Charlton School, our goal is to nurture both the emotional well-being and the future readiness of our students,” Alex Capo, LMHC, Executive Director of The Charlton School said “This partnership with BSNB is especially meaningful because it recognized financial literacy is not just a skill, but a pathway to independence and long-term stability. We are grateful to BSNB for their investment in our young women and working together, we look forward to helping them take this next important step in life,” 

The Charlton School and BSNB’s multi-year commitment ensures that students will have consistent access to tools that will build confidence, improve financial wellness, and provide a strong foundation for their next chapter.

“This partnership with BSNB has been fostered as both of our organizations are embarking on a time of strategic growth,” said Bo Goliber, Chief Strategy and Impact Officer at The Charlton School. “Each of us remains committed to the relationships that have gotten us to where we are today, and the mutual commitment to strengthening our communities is something we’ve always shared. It is a pleasure to continue our meaningful partnership while also opening opportunities for our students to learn from the professionals at BSNB about financial literacy.”

On Sunday, October 19 at 10:30 AM, join George Demers for the Foundation’s final Autumn Sunday Stroll offering, “Historic West Side”. 

This stroll will be centered around the culturally rich history of the West Side region of Saratoga Springs. Historically, the West Side was home to the African American and immigrant communities in the city. The success and survival of the West Side can be attributed to the African American, Irish, and Italian owned businesses which existed there.

 The mid-twentieth century in the U.S was largely characterized by American’s “…fascination with the modern.” The economic restrictions that came with World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II caused cities to suffer in terms of their infrastructure. The Urban Renewal Movement arose to combat these issues, and the movement is historically noted to have begun with the passing of the 1954 Housing Act. In 1962, Saratoga Springs appointed the members of its Urban Renewal Board and began working on “…acquiring properties, relocating residents, contracting for demolition… and re-parceling the land for sale.” The two primary goals of this movement were to develop the economy of Saratoga Springs, as well as to revitalize the city’s Downtown area. The Urban Renewal Board was ultimately successful in achieving their goals during their 24 years of operation. While this movement greatly revitalized Saratoga Springs in terms of its economy and infrastructure, the movement had negative consequences for the minority populations living in the city.

 The Foundation is especially grateful for the generous support of the 2025 Autumn Series Sponsor: The Market Bar and Café at Franklin Square Market.

All Sunday morning tours last approximately 90 minutes and require walking and standing on varied terrain. Tours will be limited to thirty and tickets must be purchased in advance. The cost per tour is $15 for SSPF members and $20 for non-members. For additional information on the Autumn Sunday Strolls or to purchase tickets visit www.saratogapreservation.org, call (518) 587-5030, or email Dianne Winter, Development Director, at dwinter@saratogapreservation.org

The Dance Department at Skidmore College and the Department of Theatre and Dance at Union College have joined forces to host a two-day residency by Baye & Asa on October 29 and 30, 2025. The guest artists will spend one day teaching students on each campus and there will be two events open to the public.

“The Skidmore Dance Department is excited to be partnering with Union College in bringing Baye & Asa to the Capital Region,” says Jason Ohlberg, Chair of the Department. “This residency promises to be an immersive experience for students as they delve into the thought provoking and engaging work of these incredible artists.”

Recently awarded a 2025 fellowship in choreography from the New York State Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), Baye & Asa is a company creating movement art projects directed and choreographed by Amadi ‘Baye’ Washington and Sam ‘Asa’ Pratt.  The two grew up together in New York City. Their shared educational history is the mother of their work with Hip Hop and African dance languages as the foundation of their technique and informing the way they confront contemporary dance, theater and film. Baye & Asa were selected as one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2022 and were recipients of that magazine’s Harkness Promise Award the following year. They have been commissioned to create work for the Martha Graham Dance Company, BODYTRAFFIC and Alvin Ailey II. Their films have won numerous awards and been presented internationally.   

Baye & Asa’s work has been performed at The Joyce Theater, Metropolitan Museum of Art, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, Pioneer Works, 92nd Street Y, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Jacob’s Pillow, Guggenheim Works & Process, American Dance Festival, Quick Center for the Arts, New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, Yale University, ODC, b12 Berlin Workshop Festival, Florence Dance Festival, Dance Days Chania, University of Maryland, Blacklight Summit, Southampton Arts Center, Bard College, Vassar College and Battery Dance Festival.  This residency will mark Baye & Asa’s first Capital Region appearance.

“Union students were introduced to Baye & Asa this past April when they witnessed their work Cortège, performed by the Martha Graham Dance Company at the Joyce Theater,” said Laurie Zabele Cawley, Union’s Gustave L. Davis ’59 and Susan S. Davis Director of Dance. “They were transformed by the choreography—the work spoke powerfully to this generation and resonated deeply with everyone in the room.”

On Wednesday, October 29, Baye & Asa will be at Union College.  They will teach two classes for theatre and dance students and participate in a film screening with discussion.  At Skidmore on Thursday, October 30, the pair will teach three classes as well as engage in dialogue with the institution’s Miranda Fellows, a program intended to create access for students to education and long-term support that helps to advance careers in theater, dance, music and arts administration.

Offerings open to the public include an Advanced Beginner/Intermediate dance technique class in the Henle Dance Pavilion at Union College on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 from 5pm to 6:30pm. No registration or fees are required for participating. 

On that same day, the second public offering will take place from 7:30 to 8:30pm in Old Chapel on the Union campus.  In collaboration with Union’s Film Studies Program, Baye & Asa’s film Second Seed will be screened.  In this and an ongoing body of work, Pratt and Washington respond choreographically to D.W. Griffith’s 1915 silent film The Birth of a Nation based on Thomas Dixon’s novel “The Clansman.”  According to the artists, “Second Seed is our collision with this American artifact.”

The screening will be followed by a discussion with the guest artists. It will be moderated by James A. de Sève, Artist-in-Residence and Co-Director of the Film Studies Program at Union College.  No registration or fees are required for participating

Saratoga 250 and Saratoga County officials present Saratoga Siege Weekend, Saturday, October 11 and Sunday, October 12, a free family-friendly event celebrating America’s Turning Point & Saratoga County’s revolutionary past. 

Experience the revolutionary history of the Saratoga region with living historians and Revolutionary War reenactors at Fort Hardy Park in Schuylerville from 10AM to 4PM each day. Events previously scheduled at the National Saratoga Historical Park have been moved to Fort Hardy Park, which is the site of the British Surrender in 1777. 

This 18th century encampment brings the past to life, providing visitors with a unique window into the American Revolution through engaging demonstrations, historical reenactments, and immersive experiences that celebrate the Patriots’ victory at the Battles of Saratoga! 

Be a revolutionary recruit, take a draft horse ride, chat with Patriot and British soldiers and civilians, hear the blast of a cannon, see a traveling forge and watch a blacksmith fix the army’s tools, meet an author, check out replica 18th century sleds made by WSWHE BOCES students to commemorate Henry Knox’s Noble Train of Artillery 250th anniversary, play 18th century games, eat some ice cream (provided by Stewart’s shops on Saturday) and more! 

Please visit www.saratoga250.com for the schedule of events.  The event will go on rain or shine!

We are thrilled to announce that Division Street Elementary School has been named a 2024–2026 National PTA School of Excellence, one of only 330 PTAs and schools nationwide to receive this prestigious designation. Division Street Elementary School PTA previously earned this recognition in 2018 and 2021. 

Through the National PTA’s School of Excellence program, PTAs and schools commit to a year-long partnership to strengthen family-school connections. During the 2024–2025 school year, Division Street Elementary School made significant strides in welcoming all families, communicating effectively, supporting student success, advocating for every child, sharing decision-making power, and collaborating with the community.

“We are proud that Division Street Elementary has once again been recognized as a National PTA School of Excellence,” said former PTA Co-President Sarah Nolan-Tice. “We are one of only 24 schools in New York—and just 330 schools across the entire country—to earn this honor. This past year, we placed a strong focus on strengthening communication with our families—sharing updates on activities, educational opportunities, and community events that support our students both and outside of just Division Street. We could not have achieved this without the help of our families and staff. Together, we will continue to make Division Street a place where every student and family feels they belong.” 

Congratulations to Division Street Elementary School PTA on this great achievement. For more information about the National PTA School of Excellence program, visit PTA.org/Excellence. 

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will host Assistant Saratoga County Historian, Anne Clothier for a presentation as part of the 10th Annual NYS History Month “Tuesday Talk” series. The program starts at 7 pm inside the Enders House, adjacent to the Visitor Center and Museum, 129 Schoharie Street, on Tuesday, October 14th. Clothier will speak about Women of the Saratoga Campaign, 1777.

We look forward to the commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution. Many know the story of British General John Burgoyne’s Surrender to the Americans after the Battles of Saratoga in 1777, commonly referred to as the Turning Point of the American Revolution. Familiar names such as Benedict Arnold and Philip Schuyler are often associated with this history, but what about the women who were also involved in this crucial campaign? Whether actively traveling with the armies, or local residents who had the revolution brought to their doorsteps, this presentation tells lesser-known stories of women on both sides of the conflict and shares their perspectives on the ways their lives were forever changed by these events.

Anne Clothier grew up immersed in history on her family’s 200-year-old farm in northern Saratoga County. Her particular interests include women’s history, textiles, and medical history. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in History from SUNY College at Oneonta. While attending the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies, she gained experience working on projects at the Farmers’ Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, and the New York State Historical Association. She worked as Director of Education at the Saratoga County History Center at Brookside Museum for over a decade before becoming Assistant to the Saratoga County Historian in 2024.

The series continues on October 21st with Dr. Kozakiewicz who will take to the podium to discuss “Upstate Women Legislators of NYS: a History and Legacy” which is a look at the lives and contributions of key women leaders who hailed from upstate regions including the Mohawk Valley. The focus will be on the era between 1919 and the late 20th century. Kozakiewicz is a Lecturer in the Department of History and a Liaison for UAlbany in the High School, University at Albany SUNY.

The series conclusion on October 28th will feature Dr. Sherri Cash speaking on slavery in what is now Montgomery County during the immediate post-Revolutionary years. Dr. Cash is a Professor of History and Chair, Department of Liberal Studies and World Languages at Utica University, Utica, New York.

In addition to these presentations, the site will host Cosby Gibson and Tom Staudle on Sunday, October 26th at 1pm to perform Erie Canal songs in celebration of the Bicentennial of the Canal during History Month. 

These programs are free and open to the public. For more information, please call the Visitor Center: (518) 829-7516, email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov or find Schoharie Crossing on Facebook.