Illustrated Talk On The Seals Of New York State

Author Marvin Bubie will present an illustrated talk, “On the Trail of Henry Hudson and Our Heritage through the Municipal Seals of New York State,” on Monday, August 2, to the Stephentown Historical Society. Because of a current renovation project at the Heritage Center, the meeting will be held at the Stephentown Fire Hall, 35 Grange Hall Road, Stephentown. It begins at 7:30 pm and is free and open to the public. The building is air-conditioned and handicapped accessible. For directions, telephone 518-733-5675.
Mankind has always developed symbols that relate to location, nationality or family. Europe developed rules of heraldry to denote rank and privilege and especially monarchy. When people came to America and the monarchy was overthrown, centuries of heraldic “rules” became irrelevant. There was no central authority for municipal symbol design. Towns could choose their own emblems freely. Sometimes the art work is stunning. Sometimes the meaning is straightforward, and sometimes the symbolism is complex and intricate. Bubie will relate how these designs tell the history of New York State.
Marvin Bubie was born and raised in the Capital District, graduating from Averill Park High School and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a retiree from GE and has lived in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Virginia. Over the years he has collected the seals from various cities, towns, counties, boroughs and villages in this country as well as from travels in Europe. Each seal is a mini-history lesson. He is the author of two books – one on municipal seals and one on the Hudson River Valley’s Dutch heritage.
There will also be an opportunity to sign up for the September 21 Historical Society field trip to Olana and the Firefighters’ Museum in Hudson.