Books by Don Rittner

There are few institutions in America that can claim that they have been servicing the needs of indigent children for over 185 years. Yet, Vanderheyden, formerly known as Vanderheyden Hall and before that the Troy Orphan Asylum, has been doing just that. Vanderheyden's rich history of serving the needs of young children goes unmatched in the Capital District of New York. To celebrate the 185 years of service as an incorporated institution, this book gives a history and overview on the history of orphans in New York and in particular the origins and growth of Vanderheyden and its many services it provides even to this day. Included in the book is several testimonials from former residents, now adults, of Vanderheyden telling their first hand experiences while living there.

EcoLinking is a how-to manual and from start to finish you will gain the tools to fight for your piece of the planet. This book is for the student, the housewife, the farmer, teacher, and anyone else who feels compelled to do something about the destruction of the environment, locally or globally.

Troy Chronicles is a collection of 25 essays on the history of Troy, New York written between 1999 and 2005 by Don Rittner in the Troy Record newspaper.

Troy New York's Mount Ida, now Prospect Park, is a relict of the last glacial episode in North America, and has a unique history of private to public ownership during Troy's 200 years of existence. Named for its Greek forbearer Mount Ida has a commanding view of the Hudson Valley. Overlooking the flood plain of the Hudson River and with a view of 25 miles on a clear day, Mount Ida was the private repose of some of Troy's earliest settlers including the Wilson Brothers, Samuel and Ebenezer. Samuel went on to become "Uncle" Sam, the nation's iconic caricature.This book traces the history of Mount Ida from its geological origins to its present condition with a call to restore the park.

Dutch captain Adriaen Block explored the Hudson Valley and American Northeast during the 17th century and led the way for eventual Dutch colonization of the Northeast. He built the Onrust, the first fur trading ship built in America in 1614. This book sheds light on Block the person and his struggles to build the Onrust.

Schenectady's Vale Cemetery was established in 1857 as part of the "Rural Cemetery Movement" of the early 19th century. When it was originally designed by Burton A. Thomas and John Doyle, it indeed was rural. Expansion of residential and commercial development eventually engulfed the area around the cemetery, and it is now an integral part of the city. Vale is not only a beautiful and well laid out cemetery-it is also a history lesson. Many of the residents buried at Vale made major notable contributions to American history in science, politics, military, literature, education, business and invention, and a host of other disciplines. Laid out among the 33,000 residents at Vale are many names found in history books. Among the millionaires and notables can be found the small business owner, tailor, soldier or iron worker. The book contains chapters on the burial practices during Schenectady's first 200 years of history, the development of The Vale over more than a century, and a description of the various plots, such as the Union College Plot and the African-American Burial Plot. Extensive appendices include short biographies of 101 notable people, as well as a listing of plantings throughout the acreage. Hundreds of photographs and illustrations make this an indispensable narrative to the history of the city that was once known as "The City that Lights and Hauls the World."

The New World, and especially New York, meant unparalleled opportunity for people in the 1600s with visions of expansion, colonization, and profit. Buying land from the Mohican tribe, the Dutch took control of much of the modern Empire State in the early part of this country''s development. Under the patroonship of Kilian van Rensselaer, many pioneer farmers settled in the fertile land along the Hudson River. With each passing year, the number of Upstate settlers increased, and two villages emerged: Lansingburgh and Vanderheyden, soon to become Troy.Troy: A Collar City History chronicles the transformation of the city from an untamed wilderness inhabited by the early Mohican tribe into a vibrant, modern industrial metropolis. Troy''s story is truly a complex drama, supported by a host of entrepreneurs, inventors, immigrant workers, labor leaders, scientists, athletes, and artists, against a changing backdrop of war, depression, industrial revolution, and prosperity. The city''s most significant characters come alive within these pages, such as "Uncle Sam" Wilson, an early-nineteenth-century meat packager who served as the model for this nation''s patriotic icon; Amos Eaton, the "father of geology" and founder of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Emma Willard, a pioneer in the field of female education; and Kate Mullaney, a leader in local female unionization. This unique volume explores the old cobblestone streets, the historic downtown district, and the many factories producing iron, stoves, paper boats, bells, and of course, detachable shirt collars.