As winter turns into spring, the Gateway can report significant progress on major projects at the Burden Iron Works Museum, and we can already announce the selection of our 2022 Gala honoree. The repair of the museum’s plaster walls is nearing completion, the concrete pad to display our new steam engine has been poured, and renovations to the apartment at the museum are moving ahead. Our Gala honoring local businessman, philanthropist, and Gateway supporter Peter A. Grimm will be held September 22. We are launching a challenge inspired by 2021 Gala honorees Tom and Nan Carroll to increase the Gateway endowment to at least $1 million. This newsletter also includes a profile of a dedicated team of museum volunteers.

Gateway’s 2022 Gala – Save the Date!
We are pleased to announce that we will be honoring local businessman, philanthropist, and Gateway supporter Peter A. Grimm at our 2022 Gala on September 22 at the Country Club of Troy. Stay tuned for further announcements and sponsorship opportunities.

Burden Iron Works Museum Plaster Project Moving Forward
Significant progress has been made on the project to repair the original plaster upper walls of the Burden Iron Works Museum’s main exhibition space. Local historic plaster expert Peter Poulin worked his way around the perimeter of the space, pulling down areas of failing plaster, repairing them, and giving the walls a new coat of plaster. The results so far are fabulous, but the staging of his scaffolding has required repeated rearrangement of museum exhibits by Gateway board member volunteers. The Corliss steam engine and our largest bell are not going anywhere, however! It is easy to understand now why we are not able to welcome visitors at the present time.

We expect the plaster work in the main exhibition space to be finished by the end of April. After that, Sage Brothers Painting will return to prime the plaster and then repaint it in its historic color. When this project is completed, the Gateway will be in a position to consider moving ahead with the next phase of the interior renovation: the recreation of the original cherry wainscoting ripped out by Republic Steel when they abandoned the building.

Meanwhile, we are finally working again with the New York State Historic Preservation Office to move ahead with our $500,000 Environmental Protection Fund matching grant from 2017. We are hopeful of making progress this year. CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO GET A CLOSER LOOK!

Pad for Ludlow Steam Engine Ready; Gateway Hoping to Move Engine Later This Year
With the arrival of warmer weather, contractor Duncan & Cahill has been able to complete work on the concrete pad to display our steam engine and dynamo from the old Ludlow Valve site in Troy on the grounds of the Burden Iron Works Museum. Excavation required digging through several feet of blast furnace slag that Burden Iron Co. and later Republic Steel dumped on the ground. The pad was formed up and the pad poured near the end of April. This project is being funded by a donation from our 2022 Gala honoree, Peter A. Grimm. We also wish to thank Albany Engineering for preparing the plans for this project on a pro bono basis.

Now that the 18’ x 21’ pad is completed, the Gateway will need to raise more money and then work with a rigging company to haul the 50-ton steam engine and flywheel approximately one-half mile to the museum.

CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW FOR A SLIDESHOW VIEW.

Renovations Nearing Completion at Burden Iron Works Museum Apartment
Did you know that there is a two-bedroom loft apartment above our offices at the Burden Iron Works Museum? Back in the mid-1970s, when the Gateway acquired the office building and was contemplating its initial stabilization, the building was virtually the only structure still standing on what had once been a bustling heavy industrial area. The Gateway could not get insurance on a vacant building, so the architects who were working on the stabilization of the building included a “caretaker apartment” in their plans. The first occupants were newlyweds the late Steve Draper, designer of the Gateway logo, and Stacy Pomeroy Draper, who went on to a 40-year career at the Rensselaer County Historical Society (now the Hart Cluett Museum).

Interior shot of the apartment at HMIG — One corner of the loft apartment at HMIG

The apartment recently became vacant after a long-term tenancy, and it is undergoing a well-deserved renovation. Improvements include new paint, new carpet, and new tile in the bathroom and kitchen (the latter courtesy of one of our board members). If you are interested in being contacted when the apartment becomes available, please send an email to info@hudsonmohawkgateway.org.

Endowment Challenge Launched
2021 Gala Honorees Tom and Nan Carroll surprised us last year when, as part of their acceptance speech, they challenged the Gateway to increase our endowment to at least $1 million – and immediately made a substantial donation of their own. Watch for a mailing from the Gateway further explaining the challenge and providing a donation form. Those not on our mailing list who wish to donate may contact Executive Director Susan Ouellette at susan@hudsonmohawkgateway.org.

Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway Executive Director, Dr. Susan Ouellette

From the Director:
Dedicated Volunteers Assist Gateway Mission
Many people may not know that the collections of the Gateway are varied and extensive. Over the years, the museum has become home to a number of book and manuscript collections as well as generated a tremendous volume of paperwork on its own. In the few months since I’ve taken the helm of the museum, I have come to rely on the invaluable help of volunteers who have generously donated their time and efforts towards taming these piles of documents. Two stalwart volunteers who have worked at the museum every week since the beginning of the year are Ms. Donna Done and Ms. Patricia Wright. Their current project is focused on the updating of the bell manufacturing documentation maintained by the Gateway and the inventory of the Matton Shipyard documents. Both projects represent important collections of documents and are intended to make the information that we have available to researchers and the interested public. Ms. Done has been a long-time volunteer who has worked on various projects since she retired eight years ago. Her first project focused on the Rototiller materials that came to the museum almost a decade ago. Her interest was sparked when she attended a Tiffany tour and became acquainted with the museum and its outreach in the Troy area. Ms. Done also has a personal connection to the artifact collections at the museum: her father, David Done, managed the Rototiller production line at Garden Way Manufacturing Co. in Troy, and her uncle, George Done, served as the plant engineer. Ms. Wright also had a personal connection to the museum collections; she came to the museum because her father worked for the Matton shipyard and she wanted to work on those materials. She has volunteered for more than two years. Both Ms. Done and Ms. Wright have made important and valuable contributions to the Gateway and we are very grateful for their service.

Newsletter - Spring 2022