Schoharie Colonial Heritage Association

We are a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to acquiring and preserving historical sites in and around the Village of Schoharie.

Our main goal is to restore such sites and make them available to the public for educational and cultural enrichment.

History

One of our first projects was the restoration of the oldest existing buildings in Schoharie, the 1743 Palatine House. Also known as the Old Lutheran Parsonage, the Palatine House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was one of the few frame buildings spared when Brandt raided Schoharie during the Revolutionary War and burned the village to the ground. The Association has also acquired and restored abandoned buildings on Depot Lane in Schoharie. The buildings had not been in use since the demise of the Middleburgh and Schoharie Railroads. For several years now SCHA volunteers, with the aid of New York State Department of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation and O’Connor Foundation Grants, have worked to develop the Station House, Freight Shed, Engine House, Weigh Station and the Old Mill Building into a historical complex – The Schoharie Valley Railroads Museum.

Schoharie Valley Railroad Museum

In 1974, SCHA transported the last remaining vehicle of the Middleburgh and Schoharie Railroad to Depot Lane from the Middleburgh flats where it had been since 1936.

The restored 1891 passenger car is now on display for visitors along with a restored 1917 wooden caboose donated to the organization by the Bridgeline Historical Society.  In addition, SCHA was able to transport a period box car and a flatbed car to the site.  The museum also includes a 1920 scale model of buildings, cars and terrain of the area served by the Middleburgh and Schoharie Railroad.

1743 Palatine House

Visit the oldest building in Schoharie County.  As a living history museum, the Palatine House demonstrates how traditions of the past have shaped the future.  A natural spring bubbles from the rock ledge, winding its way into a creek.  Enjoy a stroll through the certified nature garden and visit with scarecrow, Nicholas, as he stands guard over the vegetables.  A walking tour of the neighboring cemetery, which dates back to the earliest settlers, is also available. Feel free to bring a picnic and enjoy the peaceful setting.

For more information, please call Ted Shuart, Director, at 518-295-7505, or email him at palatinehouse1743@gmail.com