The Stephentown Historical Society was formed in 1973 to bring together those interested in the history of the town. Since then, members have been gathering artifacts, documents, photographs, and historical and genealogical information to be preserved, displayed, and studied.
In 1988 the Society purchased the long disused Methodist Episcopal Church as a home for itself and its collections. The organization has worked to restore and preserve the 1870 structure, now called the Stephentown Heritage Center, and make it a repository for the collections, a library for genealogical and historical research, and a meeting place for the society.
The collections comprise artifacts of a rural farming community, items from the days when the Rutland Railroad served the town, several dioramas of scenes from the past, family history and genealogical documents and summaries, maps and more.
The Society holds monthly program meetings featuring a topic of local or regional interest. Several community-wide events are planned each year, both educational and for fund-raising. It publishes a newsletter and several volumes of town history.
The Society is a non-profit organization under the laws of the State of New York and holds a 501(c)(3) tax status. It is run by a board elected by the membership.