Georgi Family History
William C. H. M. Georgi, was a mining engineer and Foreign Office official in Britain for many years, spending the years before World War I as a mining engineer in Edinburgh and Newcastle. During the war he became head of Intelligence for the Eighth Army, serving in France. In 1929 he retired and, ten years later, emigrated to America with his wife, Maria, and children.
Upon the death of his father, Henry Georgi inherited a portion of his father’s art collection which passed to his wife, Jesse Glenn Georgi, upon his death. In 1989, Jesse Glenn Georgi, who used the building as a summer home, bequeathed the 9-acre Property and Collections to the people of Salem and Shushan, with the agreement that it would become a Museum and Community Park for residents to enjoy. The Town of Salem accepted this amazing gift, and, through the hard labor dedication and commitment of scores of community volunteers over decades, the Georgi Museum & Park Center has grown to become a beloved community gathering place.
The Collections
The Art collection assembled by William Georgi in the mid-twentieth century is comprised of Italian, Dutch, Flemish, German, and French paintings from the fourteenth through the eighteenth centuries, Chinese and Asian tapestries and Oriental figurines. Only a small portion of the Collection is on display at any time and pieces are exchanged over time.
The Mineral Collection, pieced together by Henry Georgi during his travels as an engineering geologist, contains an extensive collection of samples from around the world. Featured objects are mostly South American in origin and include diamond embedded in Kimberlite, Cassiterite, and an Amethyst tunnel over twelve inches long. Curated by Bill Cotrofeld, member of the Capital District Mineral Club, there are over twenty-five unique samples described as “irreplaceable,” comparing the Georgi Collection to those at the Smithsonian or Museum of Natural History.
Buildings And Land
As you enter the Park, the first building you’ll find is the former garage – now home to The Community Room (available for event rentals) and the public restrooms. The grounds consist of nine acres of open lawn, access paths to the Battenkill for swimming, fishing, tubing, and kayaking, and lush gardens – part of which were originally landscaped by the Georgi family. The Park is open daily dawn to dusk – May through October.
Maria and William Georgi lived in the large home at the entrance to the park and bought the river property in 1952 from a local resident, Clarence Jackson, who used the land for pasturing cows. They built the museum house in 1955 for their son Henry, who used it for a summer camp. The house was not lived in until the mid-1980’s after Henry’s death; his widow Jessie was the only Georgi family member to establish residence on this site.
The Art Gallery Room was the bedroom of the original house, and the Great Room was the former living room, where Jessie entertained friends and family. The large central fireplace, with ‘Lady in a Starched Collar’ overseeing daily comings and goings, is made of green Vermont marble. Look carefully and you may notice her eyes are following you!
The small room behind the double French doors is where Henry Georgi’s mineral collection was displayed. Now, a selection of many unusual and beautiful mineral specimens and porcelain objects can be enjoyed behind glass in the tall cabinets around the room.
In the Battenkill Room, browse through Georgi Family artifacts and local Shushan history and photos. Jessie Georgi referred to this as her ‘dog room’ – she was known to rescue stray dogs, her favorite being German Shepherds, and the slate floors were cool on a warm day!
Today
The Georgi Museum & Park Center and Town of Salem have entered into MOU/Lease agreement, and The Georgi Museum & Park Center operates independently under a NYS Provisional Charter with a volunteer Board of Directors and has been approved for 501c3 status. The Board is committed to keeping the Museum Collections and Park in good condition using only monies from the trust established through Jessie Georgi’s will along with donations and grants.
We invite you to stay up to date! Follow on FB, learn more www.thegeorgi.com. Message us: 518-854-3773, info@thegeorgi.com, Donate online via Xpress Pay or Mail to PO Box 124, Shushan NY 12873