Saratoga County History Center Vice President on Federal Commission
Sean Kelleher, the vice president of the Saratoga County History Center, has been appointed to the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission. This federal commission works with communities along the Erie Canal to celebrate and promote the Canal’s heritage.
Kelleher directs communications and is a project director for special events at the History Center based in Ballston Spa. Kelleher is also the historian for the town of Saratoga and the vice chair of the Saratoga County 250th American Revolution Commission.
“The Erie Canal was one of the most significant factors in the development of upstate New York,” explained Kelleher. “As we approach the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal’s opening in 1825, we must have a commemoration involving all in the 500 miles across the corridor.”
“Sean Kelleher truly exemplifies the spirit of this region,” said Field Horne, president of the History Center. “Kelleher has been tireless in promoting our historical treasures in Saratoga County.”
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission is a 27-member, community–based federal commission appointed by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior that works with 234 communities along the Erie Canal route. They plan and direct activities that preserve and celebrate the historical, natural, scenic, and recreational resources of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. Kelleher’s appointment is for a three-year term.
“The canals in New York were the catalyst that spurred industrial development and intellectual thought in New York and beyond in the 1800s. Almost 200 years later, the canals remain an important economic and recreational resource thanks in large part to the efforts of the Erie Canalway Corridor National Heritage Commission,” said Kelleher. “I am honored and delighted to be appointed by Deb Haaland, United States Secretary of the Interior.”
