"The Banks of Binnekill": The History of the Stockade through Short Fiction

The Stockade District holds a unique place in both local and state history as the first historic neighborhood in New York State. In order to present this history to a larger audience, I composed a historical short story set in the Stockade during the 1830's. To gain background knowledge for the setting, I studied both biographies of the area and primary source documents, including one from a Stockade resident of the 1800’s, courtesy of the Schenectady Historical Society. Throughout my research, I paid special attention to including various perspectives, mainly concerning gender, race, and class. I dedicated two terms towards this project, using the Winter 2024 term for research and planning, including frequent visits to the Stockade, and creating an Annotated Bibliography and plot outline. I dedicated the Spring 2024 term for composition, editing, and presenting my fiction. The story follows a Union College student navigating the changing society and economy of the Stockade during a transformative period. Through this project, I intended to make the rich cultural history of the Stockade accessible, entertaining, and educational.