Hometown: Peru, NY
Family: Two grown sons, Alexander and Christopher; three grandchildren
Education: B.A., Liberal Arts,
SUNY Plattsburgh
Occupation: Peru, New York Town Historian; Director, Clinton County Historical Association
Community Involvement: President of the League of Women Voters of the North Country; Treasurer of the Saranac Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution;
Board member, Northern New York American Canadian Genealogical Society; Second Vice President,
The Women’s Rights Alliance of New York
Helen Nerska (Allen) spends her retirement rooted in the North Country, weaving a rich tapestry of history, advocacy and community involvement. As the town historian for Peru and director of the Clinton County Historical Association, her work honors the past while shaping the future. “Understanding our history is vital,” Nerska shared, “It connects us to our community and helps us plan for what is ahead.”
Nerska grew up on her family farm in Peru, where her ancestors settled in 1788. Today, she resides in the family’s 1815 homestead, situated on the road that bears her family name. After spending nearly 35 years working in insurance marketing and raising her children in Canada, she returned to her roots in 2004.
Since then, her active retirement has been anything but quiet. Whether preserving historical records, championing women’s rights or supporting local organizations, Nerska embodies a commitment to making her community stronger.
“Advocating for history and human rights through stories of resilience and progress is my way of contributing to the world I want to leave,” she explained.
Recently, Nerska shared stories from her own remarkable journey with SB, that highlight lessons learned in the past and her commitment to the North Country’s future.
SB: What important lessons did you learn early in your career?
HN: If you really try, you can achieve whatever you set out to do. I give credit to SUNY Plattsburgh for teaching me how to find answers. My college experience taught me it was more important to learn how to figure things out than to be brilliant. That lesson stuck with me, and I get so much satisfaction from solving problems.
SB: What do you believe contributed to your success and happiness in life?
HN: It goes back to my parents. They never argued in front of us, even though I’m sure they disagreed sometimes. My mother managed a household with limited money, and my father was a small dairy farmer who worked hard to keep things afloat. I was the eldest of four girls, and growing up, I didn’t see gender roles as barriers. We all just did what needed to be done. I was never told “You can’t do this because you’re a girl.” That shaped how I saw the world, and how I understood women in traditional roles later on.
SB: What advice would you give to someone starting out in their professional career today?
HN: I’d tell them to follow a path that they enjoy, because they’ll be more successful doing what they love rather than something they feel forced to do.
SB: What habits do you think contribute to your success?
HN: I’m definitely a morning person. I love waking up early with a to-do list. I joke that I need to live to be at least 100 to get through it all! Adding things to that list excites me—it doesn’t overwhelm me.
SB: You seem incredibly busy in your retirement. How do you stay motivated?
HN: While projects can add stress to my life, they also make me feel purposeful. For example, I write grants and articles, which always come with deadlines. The work itself isn’t stressful—just meeting those timelines. I also write about local history, which I love. My favorite topics include Plattsburgh’s cigar industry—it was huge around the turn of the 19th century—and also stories about the early settlers of Clinton County towns.
SB: Is there a local person you admire?
HN: Yes, Billy Jones. He does an incredible job as a politician, making his community feel important. He’s sincere and has such a positive influence—it’s something I really admire.
SB: What inspires you?
HN: Researching the human stories behind historical events fascinates me. Families, struggles and incredible resilience—that’s what drives me to uncover and share their stories.
SB: If you had to sum up your passion for history in one sentence, what would it be?
HN: History is about ensuring that the stories of the past are preserved, honored and used to teach us how to move forward in a way that’s respectful, informed and inclusive.
SB: Tell us a memorable story from your research?
HN: Last week I was in the County Historian’s office looking at old coroner’s reports. It’s fascinating to see how cause of death decisions were made in the 1900’s. A group of twelve men would regularly meet at an inn to decide what to report in the records. What they included often contained a minimal explanation of what happened. I also discovered a mystery in prison records from 1918. Four destitute siblings from Sciota, aged three to twelve, were sent away to an asylum in Troy. I traced the three year old girl to a Catholic orphanage in the 1920 census. She would have been five, and was listed there along with 100 or more other children. Her siblings weren’t with her there. I’m determined to find out what happened to them.
SB: What is something no one would guess about you?
HN: When I lived in Canada, I was a tennis fanatic. I played three to five times a week for more than two decades. I wasn’t particularly talented, but I enjoyed success by just sticking with it.
SB: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
HN: Honestly, all my time is “free” because I choose to do the things I love. That includes diving into local history and working on projects.
SB: How would you like to remembered?
HN: As someone who lived a life filled with love, hard work and curiosity. I’m grateful for all of it. I hope I’ve contributed positively to the communities I’ve been part of and that the work I’ve done, especially around history and human rights, has made a difference. And as I always say, if I leave here tomorrow, always remember I’ve had a good life!
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