Bill Merchant receives Museum Association of

New York Award of Distinction

D&H Canal Historical Society was among 14 awards made in 2023 that celebrate unique leadership, dedicated community service, transformational visitor experiences, community engagement and innovative programs that use collections to tell stories of everyone who calls New York home.

Museum Association of New York 2023 annual conference “Finding Center: Access, Inclusion, Participation, and Engagement” in Syracuse 12:30-1:30 p.m. Monday, April 17, at the Syracuse Marriott Downtown.

“New York’s museums and museum professionals are reimagining and reinventing their roles within their communities, how they interpret their stories and collections, and the visitor experience,” said Natalie Stetson, executive director of the Erie Canal Museum and MANY Program Committee co-chair. “This year’s award winners are outstanding examples for the museum field.”

“We were incredibly impressed with the quality and quantity of award nominations this year, which made the review process highly competitive,” said Clifford Laube, public programs specialist at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum and MANY Program Committee co-chair. “Museums and museum staff across the state are demonstrating creative thinking and are inspiring institutional change.”

Luke Johnson, Ada Martinez, Cora Martinez, Vivian McGuinness, Miles Molitoris, Ella Morse, Sophia Mykula, Oliver Nneji, Aiden Olivieri, Aidan Overbaugh, NovaLee Palmateer, Margaret Schatzel, Rowen Sickler Avery, Blake Suitter, Aliza Theetge, Bruce Ulrich, Morgan Vaughan, Graycie Walsh-Kompass, Shawna Whitaker, Jamison Wilhelm, Tesha Williams-Fein, Elinor Zalewski

Grade 8 Ethan Allen, D’Landre Anson, Ava Barba-Andujar, Caydance Borruso, Bridget Boyd, Kylee Carlson, Aiden Carroll, Amara Catizone, Jessa Clark, Noah Cody, Chloe Cooke, Oscar DiDonato, Izaak Donnelly, Ruby Focarino, Aiden Freer, Cy Gray, Jillian Gundberg, Tyler Harned, Ryan Helm, Kailee Hicks, Kadi Holt, Alicia Jackson, Juliana Lunstedt, Antonio Mason, Jacob Mastrocola, Zachary Mickelson Jr., Lucas Millrood, Adrianna Moran, Ugo Nneji, Gage Nogue, Addison O’Donnell, Syler Padusnak, Ava Quick, Hunner Quick, Samantha Reyes, Jaden Rion, Oliver Roosa-Dunphy, Colin Rowdycz, Julian Santosky, Noah Schrader, Stephen Schwartz, Laszlo Sterling, Georgia Weinstein, Layla Worden

Merchant

The award honors long-time Society staff member Bill Merchant, deputy director for collections, historian and curator, in the Individual Achievement category. The Individual Achievement Award honors a dedicated museum professional or volunteer that played a significant role in advancing their organizations. Award winners are selected for their valuable contributions to expanding audience reach, increasing the number and types of staff, successful campaigns for endowment or capital projects, or instilling financial stability at their organization. Nominations are accepted for a museum staff person or a museum trustee or volunteer.

Merchant has been a mainstay at the D&H Canal Historical Society for 12 years, starting out as a volunteer, serving as board president, and then five years ago moving into a staff role as deputy director for collections. In addition to expanding audiences through outreach and virtual programs, his foresight, guidance and sweat equity brought the Society to its new home in the DePuy Tavern. Over seven years ago, Bill encouraged the Society to consider the acquisition of the DePuy Tavern, a National Historic Landmark building constructed in 1797 and located along the route of the D&H Canal in High Falls.

Through his research, Merchant recognizes and shares the stories of historically marginalized peoples that were significant to the success of the D&H Canal. Additionally, he has broadened the reach of the Society through his work on the Society’s YouTube channel, D&H TV, which features over 100 videos sharing the history of the D&H Canal (https://www.youtube.com/@DandHTV). This engaging content includes a “Where Is Our Historian” series that features Merchant’s travels along the 108-mile route of the canal to explore existing remains and sites that might be lesser known to the public. So far, the channel has received almost 20,000 views since it was launched in spring 2020.

D&H Canal Historical Society will be recognized at the