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Westerlo celebrates its bicentennial

Sep 24, 2015 12:02 am
The Greenville Pioneer reports that the Town of Westerlo in southern Albany County will celebrate its 200th anniversary Sept. 25-27, with a series of events, including a look at the Anti-Rent Rebellion freed the area. Albany County began as Rensselaerwyck, 726,000 acres inherited by Stephen Van Rensselaer III from Dutch ancestors. Feudalism reigned over the region until the 1839 rebellion. Singers will retell the story of how, when Rensselaer died and split the land between two sons, and those sons attempted to collect back rent, rebellion ensued, starting from the Helderberg area in Albany County. Besides the concert Sept. 25 at Town Hall, there are fireworks and the grand opening of the Westerlo museum Sept. 26, and a community picnic Sept. 27.