Museum Board Museum Board

Meets First Wednesday of the Month at 7pm

Hours:

Open from April through November on the first Saturday of the month from 9 am -11 am. Other hours by appointment.

If you wish to donate articles to the museum, please call 518-797-3511 and leave a message. Someone will get in touch with you to make arrangements for pick up/delivery.

History of the Town of Westerlo Heritage Museum

Compiled by Mary – Jane Araldi, Director of Town of Westerlo Heritage Museum- January 2018

In December of 1983, Harold Bell generously donated the historic “Whitford General Store”

building to the Town of Westerlo to be used as a library and historical museum. Mr. Bell made the

donation in the memory of his beloved wife, Helen Taylor Bell, an avid reader and lover of history, she

passed away in 1982.

The building had been used as a general store throughout the 1800’s and the early 1900’s by the

Green family. Around 1910, it was leased to Edwin Hannay and used as a car repair shop and showroom

for the new Model T Fords.

In 1915 it was purchased by Vernon Whitford and operated as an ice cream parlor and then

expanded to a general store. Mrs. Bell, who worked as a clerk for Mr. Whitford, inherited the store in

1948 and continued to run it with her husband until her death. Mr. Bell passed away in December 1983,

eleven days after the transfer of the building to the Town of Westerlo.

The library opened in the building on June 8, 1986.

In August of 1993, the museum opened in a large back room of the building displaying many

historic artifacts of the town. A small ceremony and parade was held at that time.

In 1995 the residents of the town voted on a referendum to purchase the old “Phillip Myers”

homestead, believed to be the oldest structure in Westerlo. The proposed purpose of the purchase was

to use the building as a museum. Since that time, through many hours of hard work by volunteers and

grants, the house has been refurbished.

In 2014, the contents of the museum were moved from the library building to the current

location. The museum in its new location was first open to the public on Saturday, September 26, 2015

during the Town’s bicentennial celebration.

Artifacts, documents and photographs are exhibited throughout the building to tell the story of

the rich history of the town. Among the collections on display are the old post office slots, a funeral

dress from the early 1900’s and items from various businesses in Westerlo, many of which from

Whitford’s General Store.