Lecture: Familiar Faces, Forgotten

Familiar Faces, Forgotten:

Identifying the Mary Powell Crew

Date: August 13th, 2025

In-Person Event
$10/person | HRMM Members $5/person

Program Topic:

Mary Powell was a beloved day steamboat who cruised the Hudson between 1861 and 1917, transporting passengers between Kingston and NYC. Both a giant palace and mini-vacation on the water, the “Queen of the Hudson” holds a magical place in Kingston’s collective memory. HRMM holds many historic photographs of Mary Powell and the dozens, if not hundreds, of crew members who made her journeys possible. These photographs live in HRMM’s archive and on the walls of the museum. Their faces have gazed back at us for years, but who are they? Many faces remain unidentified.

This lecture focuses on one particular 1908 photograph of Mary Powell crew members that currently hangs in the Mary Powell hallway at HRMM. A search for their identities using genealogical research methodology was undertaken and successfully identified multiple individuals. Join to learn about their lives, before and after Mary Powell, and how their lives were tied - in more ways than one - to the Hudson River. Tips on how to identify unknown individuals in photographs you may have in your attic will also be discussed.

Presenter:

Sara Russell is a Museum Educator at HRMM. New to the Hudson Valley, Sara previously worked as a history-focused Museum Educator in NYC. She is also a Genealogist who has been researching her own family tree and the trees of many others for the last 10 years. It was her love for genealogical research that inspired a pivot from a career in community health to public history. She is currently participating in ProGen, a rigorous, yearlong study group for professional genealogists, and is also a Case Administrator with the volunteer research group Unclaimed Persons, identifying next-of-kin for unclaimed, deceased persons in the care of coroners offices across the country. 

This program is being presented in-person at the Hudson River Maritime Museum's Wooden Boat School. The Wooden Boat School is located at 86 Rondout Landing, Kingston, NY 12401.

Members can receive their registration discount by logging in. Please note that you must be a current member the date of the event to receive your discount.