Schenectady Celebrates 250!

With its strategic location along the Mohawk River, the New York town of Schenectady was an important defensive outpost against British and Loyalist forces during the American Revolution and served as a critical link in the supply line for the Continental Army.

Supported by an NEH Celebrate America! grant, the Schenectady County Historical Society (SCHS) will commemorate the Semiquincentennial with Schenectady Celebrates 250!, a year-long series of public programs examining the town’s revolutionary history.

Foremost among these is the exhibition Threads of Liberty: Schenectady and the American Revolution showcasing the historical society’s rare 1771 Liberty Flag, the only surviving Revolutionary Era “Liberty” protest flag, alongside other artifacts and letters documenting how Schenectadians contributed to and were shaped by the birth of the nation.

In the fall of 2026, the historical society will host a one-day symposium, Schenectady: Crossroads of the Revolution, bringing together historians and scholars to examine the lives and experiences of everyday Schenectady residents during the Revolutionary War and the town’s position as a transportation and military hub.

Other planned activities include a reading and discussion series, a theater performance about key Revolutionary moments in Schenectady history, walking tours, and children’s programs focused on topics such as frontier combat conditions and Revolutionary Era spycraft.