Unearthing Henry Burden

For folks who know the history of Troy, the name Henry Burden is associated with an affluent past built on the industrial might of the Industrial Revolution. In the 19th century, Troy was considered to be the fourth wealthiest city in the country and the local production of iron and steel products contributed materially to the nation's Industrial Revolution. A captain of Industry, Henry Burden led the way to this expansive prosperity. But who was he? How did this Scottish-born engineer come to be this Trojan Titan?

Susan Ouellette is a Professor Emeritus of History at Saint Michael's College and the Executive Director of the Burden Iron Works Museum in Troy, NY. She has studied, written, and given presentations on labor history, immigrant history, and the period of the American Revolution.