By Jarrett Carroll, Recorder News Staff

In order to help its preservation efforts, the Historic Amsterdam
League is trying to sell the future.

A group more commonly known as "HAL" is releasing "Amsterdam Icons
2012," its inaugural edition of an annual calendar that will highlight
various themes of the Rug City's past, which was designed by its vice
president, Jerry Snyder.

City Historian Robert von Hasseln, who is also the president of HAL,
said the calendars cost $12 each and will go toward helping City Hall
restoration, which was the former Sanford Mansion and the cover
subject of the this year's edition.

"All the money raised goes to historic preservation, not HAL operating
expenses, especially for City Hall," he said.

The 12-month calendar is a full-color 11 inches by 17 inches spread
that features illustrations originally appearing on postcards of
Amsterdam from the early 1900s. Twelve historic images were selected
to appear each month creating an iconic representation of the city
from churches to mansions and mills.

"In laying out the design I selected what I considered to be iconic
views of Amsterdam, things from various aspects of life and living in
the city," Snyder said. "Some are still with us, providing a tangible
link to the past, others remain only as fading memories, but anyone
that grew up here will recognize all of them immediately."

Von Hasseln said the calendar symbolizes the important aspects of
living in Amsterdam.

"Accompanying each month's picture is a brief paragraph providing
relevant information and historical facts," he said. "Scattered
through the monthly date listings, in addition to the usual holidays
and observances, are important, entertaining, and often little known
dates from local history."

Examples given include the first broadcast of WCSS, the first edition
of the Recorder's ancestor, the last trolley from Schenectady, the
victory of the Rugmakers over the New York Yankees, and many other
such tidbits of history.

The official opening day of sale will be Saturday at City Hall as the
"Deck the Doors" event continues from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., which
includes a tour of the Sanford Mansion by von Hasseln.

The event will wrap up a fundraising effort for flood recovery at the
Old For Johnson National Historic Landmark with visitors able to place
bids on the wreaths hung around the three floors of City Hall until
Dec. 6.

In addition to being sold at Amsterdam's municipal hub, the HAL
calendars can be purchased at Old Peddler's Wagon, The Book Hound,
Dolci Bake Shopee, GWIB Coffee House, St. Mary's Hospital Gift Shop,
and Amsterdam Free Library.

A news release issued by HAL on the calendars states, "Displaying one
at home or work is a great way to show your pride in Amsterdam. It's
also a gift that keeps on giving daily for those Amsterdamians who
have to be elsewhere due to school, work, service, retirement, or
infirmity, but still wish to feel an ongoing connection to their city
and their past."

Contact JARRETT CARROLL at

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-- 
Bob Sullivan
Schenectady Digital History Archive
<http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/>
Schenectady County (NY) Public Library