The Dr. Elizabeth VR Gillette House is located at 254 Union Street at the entrance of Schenectady's Stockade area. The county owned building had its exterior renovated last year and funds are now being sought to restore the interior. Dr. Gillette was the first female medical doctor in Schenectady County and first upstate women to be elected in the NYS Legislature (Assembly) in 1919.

When finished, the house will be the new city visitor's center, Schenectady County Historian Don Rittner's office, and the Chamber's tourism office.

Grants are being sought at the present time.

The following occured in November of last year.

19th century artifacts donated to Historical Society
11/9/2004

A little more Capital Region history has been added to the Electric City.

Three 19th century artifacts were donated to the Schenectady Historical Society.

The artifacts include a window pane engraved with the signatures of Philip Schuyler and Christina Elizabeth Schuyler from 1828, another engraved by Thomas Norton Stanford whose brother founded Stanford University, and an Albany-Schenectady Turnpike Mile Stone from 1805. All the artifacts were donated by the Ingersoll Residence.

Historian Don Rittner said, "Schenectady County is very fortunate today in that the Ingersoll Residence, which is a private care home, has over the last 80 years preserved a lot of the history that's pertaining to this historic mansion which was built around 1818."