To the south of downtown Albany [1] stands the homey, Colonial-era Cherry Hill (523 S. Pearl St., at 1st Ave., 518/434-4791, www.historiccherryhill.org [2], 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tues.–Sat. and 1–4 p.m. Sun. July–Sept., last tour at 3 p.m., call for spring and fall hours, adults $4, seniors $3, students $2, children 6–17 $1). Built in 1787 by Philip and Mary Van Rensselaer, the house was home to five generations of the Van Rensselaer and Rankin families; the last member died in 1963.
The frugal Van Rensselaers had a hard time throwing anything away, so inside you’ll find an odd assortment of furnishings from all five generations. Among the highlights are early Dutch tiles, a striking sleigh bed, turn-of-the-20th-century swimming trunks, postcards from the 1920s, and an early Castro convertible. The kitchen is equipped with both a Colonial-era wall oven and a freestanding gas stove.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/albany
[2] http://www.historiccherryhill.org