To the Editor: 
A bit of rain didn’t prevent a good crowd from turning out on June 28 to celebrate the formal  unveiling of the McKownville - Country Club Highlands Historic District roadside marker at the  corner of Western Avenue and Glenwood Street. The Guilderland Historical Society and the McKownville Improvement Association co-hosted the event, the culmination of a team effort on the part of many individuals and organizations.

The roadside marker was produced by Sewah Studios in Marietta, Ohio, and generously funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. We extend our thanks to the Pomeroy Foundation, and to members of the Guilderland Historical Society for writing the grant application and arranging the production of the very handsome sign.

We also thank Grace Luke Fraser and her family for graciously allowing us to locate the sign on her property; Don Reeb, who first suggested that a portion of our neighborhood might be eligible for designation as a historic district, and who offered his time and knowledge all along the way; and current and past officials of the town of Guilderland and Albany County for their  encouragement and support throughout the process.

We also thank our neighbors for their enthusiasm; and staff from the State Historic Preservation Office for identifying the boundaries of the district, guiding us through the process, writing the nomination, and performing the many steps required for listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. We offer particular  thanks to SHPO staff members William Krattinger, James Carter and Linda Mackey.

At the ceremony, William Krattinger noted that SHPO’s job was made easier due to the extensive contributions of volunteers from the McKownville Improvement Association. William Kidd and Susan Anderson spent untold hours researching the history of McKownville, identifying early owners and residents of each home within the historic district, and determining  construction dates for each structure.

Bill Meehan’s beautiful photographs of each property  were exactly what SHPO needed, and are included in the nomination document. Without their considerable efforts we would no doubt still be working our way through the process, and we  thank them for their persistence and devotion to the project. 

Finally, we thank Town Supervisor Peter Barber, Town Historian Mary Ellen Johnson, William  Krattinger, and volunteers from the Guilderland Historical Society and the McKownville  Improvement Association for speaking at the ceremony, as well as everyone who came out in the rain to celebrate, and all who worked behind the scenes to make the occasion so enjoyable  and truly memorable. 

Ellen Manning

President 

McKownville Improvement Association