Transcription
Melinda: My name is Melinda McTaggart, and I have been the director of the Schoharie County Historical Society and the Old Stone Fort Museum complex for four years. It’s a dual appointment between the society and Schoharie County Government, and I joined the society back in 2017 as the director of Educational Outreach, and that gave me a lot of opportunity to be out and about in the community, sharing the stories of Schoharie County. And then the previous director retired in 2018, and in 2019 I was appointed by Schoharie County to take the directorship and have been here ever since.
It’s an interesting job with lots of opportunities to explore, promote and share Schoharie County’s rich history. I’ve had a lot of opportunities to meet great people, including some of the staff here at the fort have been absolutely wonderful. But for me, being here at the society and working in Schoharie County is a very much a full circle moment. Back when I was in high school, I was a Cornell Cooperative Extension legislative intern and worked with Schoharie County Government. And little did I know I’d be back in a county department head capacity so many years later. In fact, one of the town supervisors is a fellow intern with me. But then the other part of the job is being the society director. And that, too, is a coming full circle.
I became a volunteer oh, back in the late eighties, early nineties, when I started doing Living History with Rick Sherman with the 15th Albany County militia and got to have a grand time being an 18th century lady of quality, I loved wearing my gowns and writing habits and all of that, for which I say, Thank you, Rick. And that time I met Helene Farrell, and Helene was a director, longtime Schoharie County resident, and had long, deep ties to the society as well, and became a volunteer with the Stone Fort Day Committee, which allowed me to meet some folks that were very active in the society at that time; people who were involved with the bringing of the Dutch barn and the Palatine House and had lots of great things going on. So, I got to be on both sides of the table in terms of events planning as well as participating. So that was great fun as well. But it’s just been a really good experience to be here. Like I say, I’ve met wonderful people and it’s an excellent opportunity to promote the beauty and richness of Schoharie County.