The trustees and staff of the Saratoga County History Center are thrilled to announce the second annual Saratoga County Public History Award ceremony. The gala event will be held at Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa on April 13 at 7 pm.
The 2022 winners are Paul Perreault and Charlie Kuenzel. They were selected by a special committee of local historians and educators who met throughout the fall months. The committee included the inaugural winners, Carol Godette and Jim Richmond, as well as Dr. Julia Blackwelder (Texas A & M University), Ellie Dillon (National Bottle Museum), and Dr. Michael Landis (Saratoga County History Center).
Mr. Paul Perreault taught history at Shenendehowa High School, 1967-1975, and then served as Principal of Ballston Spa High School, 1978-1998. Now retired, he continues to pursue his passion for history by working as the Malta Town Historian, where he spends his time documenting that town’s past. In addition, Mr. Perreault is the editor of (and frequent contributor to) The Gristmill, a local periodical of note, and often gives public talks on local and regional history. He is best known for his gracious personality and expertise on Luther Forest and the Malta GE test station.
1st Annual Public History Award Ceremony
Mr. Charlie Kuenzel is a retired Earth Science teacher who began his career at Saratoga High School. In early 2000, he began taking other teachers on after-school walking tours to educate them on geology and the origins of our famous spring water. After his retirement in 2010, Mr. Kuenzel embraced history full time and devoted himself to research and serving on the board of the Saratoga Springs History Museum, where he diversified programming and forged partnerships with other Saratoga non-profits. He has co-authored two books on local history, has written a popular historical column for the Simply Saratoga magazine for the past twelve years, and has interacted with thousands of tourists and locals through public lectures, living history events, and tours. “Charlie strives to find creative ways to make history accessible to all,” observes Carol Godette. “His love of local history is deep and admirable.”
Mr. Perreault and Mr. Kuenzel will be honored at the April 13 ceremony at Brookside Museum. The event, which was originally slated for December 2022, was pushed back to the spring because of all the exciting renovations occurring at the Brookside mansion. The terrific success of the “Preserve the Porch” and “Finish the Job” fundraising campaigns have allowed History Center trustees to move forward on critical infrastructure improvements and innovative new exhibits. The April gala will be both a celebration of the award winners and a preview of the May re-opening of the beloved museum.
The Saratoga County History Center is celebrating its 60th anniversary and is committed to explaining that a greater Saratoga starts by understanding its history. As part of this commitment, the History Center is installing an immersive exhibition on the history of Saratoga County that will open in spring 2023. In addition, the History Center’s multi-year, multiplatform initiative offers a variety of innovative, stimulating, and educational programs online and in-person across the country. Learn more about the Saratoga County History Center and program updates at www.brooksidemuseum.org or the Center on Facebook or Twitter @SaratogaCoHistory.
