Don Rittner is a man of many hats. In fact, if you look him up online chances are you will see him sporting his brown hat. A former Schenectady County historian, Rittner is known for writing many books on history.

He’s also been an anthropologist, archeologist, historian, activist, educator, author and filmmaker. He is very interested in science and originally thought he would be a biochemist.

So it makes sense when he explains himself by saying, “Do what you wanna do while you can.”

After learning about Rittner as a notable Schenectady person, I called him at his home to talk to him about his life.

Born in Gallitzin, Penn., Rittner moved to the Capital Region as a young person and grew up in Troy. He remarked in a 2021 Times Union article about the experiences that made him a life-long activist. 

“I came of age during a time when American society seemed to be crumbling and changing,” he told the Times Union. “My generation protested the Vietnam War. We were marching for civil rights and the rights of women. We wanted to protect the environment. We were trying to save the world and stop all the inequality we saw.” 

As founder of the Pine Bush Historic Preservation, he is responsible for Albany’s first nature preserve for endangered plants and an endangered butterfly.

He served as the Schenectady city and county Historian, and was also the Albany City Archeologist from 1973 to 1979. He also managed the Capital District Preservation Task Force.

He first became interested in archaeology and other sciences when he was in high school.

“My buddy Paul and I used to skip school almost daily and take a bus from Troy to Albany (to) hang out at the old Albany State Museum or the Albany Institute of History and Art.” he told the Times Union. “That’s where I first became interested in science, anthropology and archaeology.”

In high school in 1966, Rittner had refused to cut his hair off, which prompted the school to kick him out. He nevertheless went to the University of Albany and RPI, acquiring degrees in Anthropology, Environmental Science, and Urban and Environmental Planning.

On his own website, Don Rittner describes himself as, “The guy with the hat. Amazing how we get to be pack rats!  I suppose that is one reason why I am a historian. I can’t throw out anything that I own!” 

He continues, “I have a fear of being bored so in my short few years on the planet I have been a rock drummer, an archeologist, a historian, author, newspaper columnist, publisher, an actor, a college teacher, producer and radio & TV host, a pain in the ass to a few and a good friend to many.”

He is the author of 60+ books. Some of the most notable books he has written over the years are The Zodiac, Albany Through Time, Pine Bush, Troy Revisited, America at Night (iBook), Albany Then and Now, and way more. He told me in our interview that his favorite book he has written is Ecolinking.

He is very passionate about television, movies, and theater. As recently as 2014, he was active producing several documentaries, two of which won an award and appeared on the local PBS station WMHT.

He’s currently producing a TV show called “History on the Road.” There’s also an upcoming documentary about an early environmental activist, and a documentary about the Albany Pine Bush that he saved. 

While he is concerned about history and the planet, his philosophy is more about our time on the planet.  

“Follow your passion, you’re only on the planet for a short time,” he said.

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