The story of how and why Luther Forest in the Town of Malta was selected to begin America’s space program will be told by Paul Perreault, former Town of Malta Historian, on Tuesday, November 12 at 7 pm at the Brookside Museum, 21 Fairgrounds Ave., Ballston Spa.
As World War II was ending, America began a race with the Soviet Union to capture Germany’s war secrets. The most prized were the V-2 rockets that had caused so much destruction in England and the Channel Ports. The Army selected engineers from the Schenectady General Electric plant to travel to Europe and interview the captured German scientists and select the papers, drawings and rocket parts to be shipped back to America. Another G.E. team was tasked with finding a secluded location convenient to the GE plant to build a test facility.
“Few of the thousands who pass through Malta every year or even Malta residents themselves, realize the importance that this aging campus had on the Cold War.” says Perreault. “The story of the Malta Rocket Test Site has largely been lost to history, though it is a story that deserves telling.” Local residents long recalled that the rocket tests were so loud, they rattled the dishes in their homes in the surrounding communities.
Perreault will use images and video clips to tell the story of the creation of the facility which was destined to begin America’s space program. Developed almost 75 years ago, this rocket test site is in our own backyard and remnants still exist today adjacent to the Globalfoundries chip plant.
This event is sponsored by the Saratoga County History Center. Registration is available HERE. Donations received during registration will be used for SCHC program development
