Ravena Coeymans Historical Society
1998 - 2023
Celebrating 25 Years
In 1998 local residents Bob Wade and Tony Lento spoke about the rich history of the Town of Coeymans. It was after that conversation that Bob reached out to some members of the community who had expressed a desire to establish a society for the preservation of artifacts and ephemera. On 8 July 1998, at the Village of Ravena offices, Bob Wade chaired an initial meeting with a number of community members: Suzanne Celella, Mary Driscoll, Edna Falkner Kniffen, Anthony Lento, Mary McCabe, Laszlo Polyak, Bonnie Ruso, Marie Sturges and Dennis Whalen.
What followed that initial meeting was the organization of what we know today as the Ravena Coeymans Historical Society. That early group obtained nonprofit status, wrote a constitution and by-laws, filed a charter with New York State Education Department. A certificate of incorporation was filed on the 19th of January 1999. The first board of Trustees were Harry A. Sturges, Anthony Lento, Dennis P. Whalen, Bonnie Ruso, Mary C. Driscoll, Mary McCabe and Mary Farinelli.. The society was granted its provisional charter in 1998 and received its absolute charter from the State of New York Education Department on July 28, 2008.
Mission Statement: The mission of the Ravena Coeymans Historical Society is to recall the past by preserving, sharing and educating.
Vision Statement: As custodians of the past, the Ravena Coeymans Historical Society preserves the rich history and diverse culture of our community. We educate through exhibits, programs and outreach.
Objective: The primary function of the Ravena Coeymans Historical Society is to maintain objects, photographs and documents which reflect the cultural history of the Town of Coeymans, specifically its Dutch heritage, farms, Industries, businesses and families.
Museum: The museum displays items individuals and families have donated, providing visitors with a glimpse of a rich cultural past. With the relocation of the museum from the second to the first floor of Village of Ravena municipal building, the historical society has doubled its space. The museum is open to the public for scheduled programs and tours by schools and other organizations.
Archives & Research: The Society has an extensive research library which includes the only complete collection of historic local newspapers (Coeymans Gazette, Coeymans Herald and Ravena News Herald), a collection of RCS yearbooks, various deeds, indentures, personal writings and genealogies. It provides assistance to researchers of genealogy, historical buildings, farms, political parties, schools, libraries, businesses, fire departments, fraternal organizations and personages.
Outreach: The historical society provides educational programs during the months of September through November and January through May. We are available to school groups, scouts and other organizations interesting in learning more about local history, with an opportunity for twelfth grade students in the town to apply for an annual $500 scholarship.
Partnerships: The Ravena Coeymans Historical Society is part of the Albany History Collaborative group which promotes history within Albany County and participates in quarterly meetings to discuss promotion of historical events throughout the county.
Membership: Our current membership is 204: 158 annual members, 43 life members, 3 student members and 25 local business sponsors.
Public Relations: The Society raises awareness in the community of historical events through its website coeymanshistory.org, newsletters (The Hitching Post), press releases of featured speakers, and collaborations with the RCS Community Library and RCS School District.