- » Astroland Rocket Donated To City
- » 'Unprecedented' Dutch Delegaton
- » Nearly Gone: Staten Island Infirmary
- » Champlain Journal: Spying on the Spanish
- » Canal System Historic District Favored
- » Rockwell Kent Exhibit Extended
- » Gillibrand's Long Political History
- » NYC's Ethnic Churches Struggle
- » Algonkian Church History: NY Indians
Saturday, January 31, 2009
This Week's Top New York History News
By Editorial Staff
Friday, January 23, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
ORDA Creating New Sliding Sports Museum
By Editorial Staff
The New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) is looking to create the North American Sliding Sports Museum at Lake Placid’s historic Olympic Sports Complex. At this time, ORDA would like to call on all former bobsledders, lugers and skeleton athletes or family members of deceased athletes to come to Lake Placid during competition weekends in February. ORDA is calling on all former track workers or family members of deceased track workers who have kept their story and history alive. The Olympic Sports Complex is in the preliminary planning stage of creating a North America Sliding Sports Museum and ORDA would like to record the history, memories, stories and experiences of everyone affiliated with the Lake Placid tracks.
The goal of the North America Sliding Sports Museum is to tell the stories of athletes, to educate the public and inspire future athletes of these fast paced sports. Along with oral histories, ORDA is also accepting artifacts, programs, all images, uniforms, posters, club logos, club trophies, and more. By donating these items to the Olympic Museum, not only is the public memorializing special experiences but also contributing to a unique piece of history and everyone will be given a deed of gift to use at tax time.
The dates will be February 6-8, 20-22 and Feb. 26- March 1. Each person who donates or records an oral history will receive free admission to the world championships.
For more information on how to donate historical memorabilia, or to schedule an interview, please contact ORDA Corporate Development Assistant Alison Casey at (518) 523-1655 ext. 343 or email her at acasey@orda.org.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Preserve New York Grant Deadline in May
By Editorial Staff
Applications are now available to eligible municipalities and not-for-profit organizations to compete for funds through Preserve New York, a grant program of the Preservation League of New York State and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). A total of $96,400 is available for historic structure reports, historic landscape reports and cultural resource surveys. Grants are likely to range between $3,000 and $10,000 each. The application deadline is May 4, 2009.
Examples of eligible projects include: historic structure reports for public buildings; historic landscape reports for municipal parks; and cultural resource surveys of downtowns and residential neighborhoods. For Preserve New York Grant Program guidelines, visit the League's website. Prospective applicants should contact the Preservation League to discuss their projects and to request an application form.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Adirondack Museum Receives Special Exhibit Funds
By Editorial Staff
The Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake, New York has received an anonymous gift from "someone who loves the Adirondacks" in the amount of $50,000 in support of a very special exhibition that will open this summer. The new exhibit, A "Wild Unsettled Country": Early Reflections of the Adirondacks will open on May 22, 2009. Paintings, maps, prints, and photographs will illustrate the untamed Adirondack wilderness discovered by the earliest cartographers, artists, and photographers.
The new exhibit will showcase more than forty paintings from the museum's exceptional collection, including works by Thomas Cole, John Frederick Kensett, William Havell, and James David Smillie.
Engravings and lithographs of Adirondack landscape paintings will also be
featured. Prints brought these images to a wider audience and provided many
Americans with their first glimpse of the "howling wilds" that were the
Adirondack Mountains.
A "Wild Unsettled Country" will include photographs - stereo views and albumen prints - sold as tourist souvenirs and to armchair travelers. William James Stillman took the earliest photos in the exhibition in 1859. These rare images are the first photographic landscape studies taken in the Adirondacks.
A dozen significant maps from the collection of the Adirondack Museum's research library will demonstrate the growth of knowledge about the region.
Acknowledging the generosity of the gift that has made A "Wild Unsettled Country": Early Reflections of the Adirondacks possible, Chief Curator Laura S. Rice said that, "Through this exhibit, museum visitors will be able to discover, the Adirondacks through the eyes of late 18th and early 19th century artists as a place of great beauty."
Friday, January 16, 2009
This Week's Top New York History News
By Editorial Staff
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Theatre Production Explores Rise of Free Press in NY
By Editorial Staff
Theatre Askew’s production of William M. Hoffman (As Is; Ghosts of Versailles) and Anthony Holland’s Cornbury: The Queen’s Governor is more than an entertaining romp. In relating the story of Lord Cornbury, one of New York’s first governors and a rumored cross-dresser, Theatre Askew is leading an in-depth exploration of how the rise of a free press in colonial New York affected the cultural framework in the city and how the dynamic of that early press compares to the recent rise in new media. A panel entitled "The Buzz in Olde New York" will be hosted in collaboration with The New York Historical Society and will feature public historian Kathleen Hulser, Nicholas F. Benton, publisher and editor of the alternative newspaper The Falls Church News-Press, and new media scholar Chris Anderson.
The panel will discuss the role of a free press in establishing a cultural milieu of NY, while simultaneously perpetuating rumors and political viewpoints, particularly the myth of Edward Hyde, Lord Cornbury, the English governor of New York and New Jersey, from 1701-1708. A controversial figure, Cornbury was remembered for centuries for his rumored habit of dressing as his first cousin, Queen Anne. The rumor of Cornbury’s cross-dressing was perpetuated through the recently de-regulated press of the day and bears remarkable similarity to the way rumors are now spread about modern political candidates online.
The panel will take place on January 25 at 3:00 p.m., preceding the 5:00 p.m. performance of Cornbury: The Queen’s Governor. Two other panels will include a conversation with a group made up of multiple generations of Queer NY Writers and a discussion about questions of gender inspired by the play. For more information visit: www.cornburytheplay.com
Details of the gender panel and show:
Cornbury: The Queen’s Governor
At the Hudson Guild Theatre 441 West 26th St., New York, NY
January 24 - February 8, 2009 (no performances 1/27 & 2/3)
Mon., Wed – Sat.: 8:00 p.m.
Sat. Matinee: 2:00 p.m.
Sun. Matinee: 5:00 p.m.
Panel Description: The Buzz in Olde New York – January 25; 3:00 p.m.
The first take on history is defined by the press, which often focuses the lens through which future generations will interpret events and public figures. This panel discusses the impact of an early free press on shaping the myth of Lord Cornbury, the political and cultural evolution of the young city of New York, and how the rise of that early press parallels the advent of alternative media and online journalism practiced today.
About the panelists:
Kathleen Hulser: Kathleen Hulser’s background includes work as a public historian, college teacher, museum administrator, exhibitions curator, public programs director, writer, editor, and media producer. Recent museum projects include such programs & exhibits as: Grant and Lee in War and Peace; Legacies: Contemporary Artists Reflect on Slavery; The Rosenbergs Reconsidered: The Death Penalty in the Cold War Era; Up on the Roof: New York on the Rooftops and Reading Uncle Tom's Image. Ms. Hulser recently produced New Captivity Narratives, a video installation that juxtaposes modern testimony from the enslaved with classic narratives of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs. In 2007, she produced “The French Revolution, Lafayette and the Guillotine” for the exhibition French Founding Father: Lafayette’s Return to Washington’s America. On iTunes University, you may view her latest production of an iPod tour, “Frederick Douglass and the Underground Railroad in New York.” Ms. Hulser maintains an active leadership role in the public history field by delivering many papers at professional meetings, organizing conferences, guest lecturing, and leading collection initiatives and community collaborations. Ms. Hulser can be seen making public history appearances on CBS, BBC, PBS, History Channel, NY1, Discovery Channel, Paxton Network, and NPR.
Nicholas F. Benton: Nicholas F. Benton is the founder, owner and editor-in-chief of, and national affairs columnist for, the Falls Church News-Press, a Northern Virginia weekly that since 1991 has gained a widespread reputation as the most progressive newspaper in the state. Circulated inside the “Washington D.C. beltway,” it was the only newspaper in Northern Virginia to endorse Barack Obama last year, and its core distribution area provided more than the total margin of victory for Obama statewide, as Virginia went Democratic in a presidential election for the first time since 1964. A native of California and graduate of Westmont College (A.B.) in his Santa Barbara hometown, and the Pacific School of Religion (M.Div.) in Berkeley, Benton was a leading San Francisco Bay-area activist in the earliest post-Stonewall days of the gay liberation movement. As an openly gay and politically active newspaper owner, Benton was named “Businessman of the Year” for 2007 by the Falls Church City Council, which also twice been named his newspaper “Business of the Year” (1991 and 2001). He’s served two terms as president of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, named the recipient of its “Pillar of the Community” award twice (1992 and 2003). Last year, the City Paper in Washington, D.C., named his paper the “Best Remnant of the Liberal Media” in its annual “Best of D.C.” edition.
Chris Anderson: A long-time reporter and editor with New York City Indymedia and The New York Indypendent, Chris Anderson is in his final year of a PhD in communications at Columbia University, where he is studying journalistic authority, media history, and the emergence of new media technologies. Anderson's dissertation, "Networking the News: Work, Knowledge and Occupational Authority in the New Metropolitan Journalism," focuses on the impact new technologies are having on the media by examining newsrooms practices used by traditional news organizations, bloggers, and citizen media projects in Philadelphia, Pa. Anderson is the co-author of "News Production and Organizations: Professionalism, Objectivity, and Truth Seeking," published in the Handbook of Journalism Studies. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Indiana University, a MA and MPhil from Columbia University. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner Jessica and two mischievous cats.
About the playwright and company: William M. Hoffman (playwright) is best known for his groundbreaking play about the AIDS epidemic, As Is, for which he was nominated for the Tony and Pulitzer Prize and received the OBIE and Drama Desk awards. New York Magazine recently named it one of the most significant New York cultural works of the past 40 years. He also wrote the libretto for the Metropolitan Opera’s The Ghosts of Versailles with music by John Corigliano. Commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera in honor of its centennial.
Theatre Askew’s inaugural production, Bald Diva! earned unanimous critical acclaim over its several runs, including a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Off-Off Broadway Play and a “Best of 2004” nod from Theater Mania. Their follow-up show was the hit serial I, Claudius Live. Last year they received their second GLAAD Media Award nomination for the world-premiere production of Jason Schafer’s i google myself. For their work on that show, the company was named 2007 People of the Year by nytheatre.com.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Early American Economy, Society Fellowships
By Editorial Staff
The Program in Early American Economy and Society at the Library Company of Philadelphia invites applications for its dissertation and short-term fellowship awards to be granted for research during 2009-2010: Dissertation-level fellowship, carrying a stipend of $20,000, is tenable for nine consecutive months of residency from September 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010, or at a stipend of $10,000 for the period Sept. 1, 2009 to January 15, 2010, or January 15, 2010 to May 31, 2010. Four one-month fellowships, for scholars at any level, carrying stipends of $2,000 each, are tenable for a month of continuous research at the Library Company between June 1, 2009 and May 31, 2010.
Deadline for receipt of applications is March 2, 2009. These fellowships are designed to promote scholarship in early American economy and society, broadly defined, from its colonial beginnings to roughly the 1850s. Applicants for dissertation awards may submit proposals based not only on the collections at the Library Company, but also on the printed and manuscript materials of other institutions in the Philadelphia area. Short-term fellows should plan to spend a continuous month of research in the collections of the Library Company.
Applicants shoud first fill out a cover sheet at: www.librarycompany.org/Economics. One-month applicants should submit seven copies each of a brief résumé, a two- to four-page description of the proposed research, and one letter of recommendation. Long-term fellowship applicants should submit seven copies each of a résumé, a research proposal outlining the larger project and the work to be pursued during the fellowship term, a writing sample of about 25 pages, and two letters of recommendation. Dissertation award applicants should state clearly which of the tenable periods they seek, and whether they also wish to be considered for a short-term fellowship. All materials should be sent to:
PEAES Fellowships
The Library Company of Philadelphia
1314 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Camp Santanoni Historic Ski Tour with AARCH
By Editorial Staff
Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) will kick-off their 2009 educational series Sunday, February 8th with an interpretive cross-country ski into the 19th-century, Adirondack Great Camp, Camp Santanoni. Participants will learn about the history and architectural significance of the camp that make it a National Historic Landmark. The 10-mile round trip ski, along the preserve’s gently sloping historic carriage road, leads us into the majestic wilderness estate. Those taking part will visit the camp’s three complexes (the Gate Lodge, the Farm, and the Main Camp), and view the massive log retreat at the Main Camp, the work of architect Robert Robertson. Skiers will also see first hand, authentic Adirondack rustic interiors and learn about the restoration of the camp.
Steven Engelhart, AARCH Executive Director and John Friauf, former AARCH Board Member, will lead the tour. The group will depart Santanoni Preserve parking area, off Route 28N in the hamlet of Newcomb at 10AM, returning around 3 PM. This is a remote site. All participants are encouraged to bring a trail lunch and plenty of hydration. The fee is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Advance registration is required by calling AARCH at (518) 834-9328.
Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) is the private, non-profit, historic preservation organization for the Adirondack Park region. AARCH works in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Town of Newcomb to preserve and interpret Camp Santanoni. This tour is one of over fifty events in our annual series highlighting the region’s vast architectural legacy. For more information on AARCH including membership and a complete 2009 program schedule contact AARCH at (518) 834-9328 or visit our website at www.aarch.org.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Preservation League Seeks Award Nominations
By Editorial Staff
The Preservation League of New York State is seeking nominations for its 2009 Excellence in Historic Preservation Awards, which recognize notable achievements in historic preservation throughout New York State. The postmark deadline for nominations is February 12, 2009. The awards will be presented during the Preservation League’s Annual Meeting in May in New York City. The Excellence in Historic Preservation Awards program continues a tradition that began in 1979 to acknowledge excellence in the protection and revitalization of the Empire State’s historic architectural and cultural resources.
By honoring meaningful accomplishments in the field of historic preservation, the League hopes to further encourage standards of excellence and to increase public awareness of and support for historic preservation throughout the state. Nomination forms are available to download on the League’s website at www.preservenys.org.
The 2008 Excellence Award recipients were: Webb Lofts in Buffalo, Erie County; MacNaughton House Stabilization in Newcomb, Essex County; U.S. Post Office & Courthouse, Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn, Kings County; Downtown Revitalization Program in Canajoharie, Montgomery County; Eldridge Street Synagogue on the Lower East Side, New York County; Proctors in Schenectady, Schenectady County; Hotel Kirkland in Kingston, Ulster County; and the BID Model Development Block in New Rochelle, Westchester County. Preserving New York: Winning the Right to Protect a City’s Landmarks by Anthony C. Wood (Routledge, 2007) received a special citation. The Hudson Valley Chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors was honored for organizational excellence; and Trude Brown Fitelson of Rochester was honored for individual excellence.
For nomination forms and other information please contact the Preservation League office at 518-462-5658 x17; or by email at awards@preservenys.org.
The Preservation League of New York State, founded in 1974, is the not-for-profit organization dedicated to the protection of New York’s diverse and rich heritage of historic buildings, districts and landscapes. From its headquarters in Albany, the League provides a unified voice for historic preservation. By leading a statewide movement and sharing information and expertise, the Preservation League of New York State promotes historic preservation as a tool to revitalize our neighborhoods and communities, honor our heritage and enrich our lives.
Friday, January 9, 2009
This Week's Top New York History News
By Editorial Staff
- » NYS Writers Institute Spring 2009 Events
- » The 110th Congress: NPS Results
- » AHA Adopts 2010 LGBT Resolution
- » Schodack Island Park to Re-Open
- » Astroland Rocket Leaves Coney Island
- » Elwood Museum to Reopen
- » Historians and Facebook
- » Digitization 2008 Year in Review
- » AHA Blogging Round-Up
- » LPC Response to The NYT Series
New Online Web Resources for Martin Luther King Day
By Editorial Staff
The NY Council for the Humanities will be providing Martin Luther King, Jr. & Inauguration Day online programs to encourage community dialogue about the history of race in America. January offers two unique opportunities to host conversations about our nation's past, present, and future: Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day on January 19, 2009 and Inauguration Day on January 20, 2009. The New York Council for the Humanities is encouraging the use of these important occasions to organize community conversations focused on a short, shared text and a set of open-ended, thought-provoking questions. The Council will provide easy-to-use web pages, texts, and questions as well as suggestions for how to shape a respectful, engaging dialogue. All you have to do is provide a space and someone to facilitate the discussion-then invite the community.
Online resources available for MLK Day will include: An excerpt from Dr. King's speech The Drum Major Instinct in both text and audio formats along with a series of questions and guidelines for starting and sustaining good conversations.
Online resources available for Inauguration Day will include: A written transcript and audio of the Inaugural Address, a set of questions written immediately following the address (to be used for conversations held later that day), and guidelines for starting and sustaining good conversations.
If you'd like to host a community conversation on either MLK Day (January 19) or Inauguration Day (January 20), send the Council an email today at tvarites@nyhumanities.organd they'll notify you as soon as the online resources are available.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
27 Place Nominated for State, National Registers
By Editorial Staff
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash today accepted the recommendation of the New York State Board for Historic Preservation to add 29 properties to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Property owners, municipalities and organizations from communities throughout the state sponsored the nominations.
A number of well-known locations that were recommended for listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, including the Fraunces Tavern in New York City; the Spitfire gunboat wreck on Lake Champlain (Essex and Clinton Counties); the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District (Cayuga County); the Rushmore Memorial Library (Orange County); the Cornell Steamboat Company Machine Shop Building in Kingston; and the 1932 Olympic Bobsled Run in Lake Placid.
The New York State Board for Historic Preservation is an independent panel of experts appointed by the governor. The Board also consists of representatives from the following state organizations: Council of Parks; Council on the Arts; Department of Education; Department of State and Department of Environmental Conservation. The function of the Board is to advise and provide recommendations on state and federal preservation programs, including the State and National Registers of Historic Places, to the State Historic Preservation Officer, which in New York is the State Parks Commissioner.
The State and National Registers are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, landscapes, objects and sites significant in the history, architecture, archeology and culture of New York State and the nation. Official recognition helps highlight that state's heritage and can enhance local preservation efforts. The benefits of listing include eligibility for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits. There are nearly 90,000 historic buildings, structures and sites throughout the state listed on the National Register of Historic Places, individually or as components of historic districts.
During the nomination process, the State Board submits recommendations to the State Historic Preservation Officer. The properties may be listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated to the National Register of Historic Places where they are reviewed and, once approved, entered on the National Register by the Keeper of the National Register in Washington, DC. The State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of Interior, jointly administer the national register program.
For more information about the New York State Board for Historic Preservation and the State and National Register programs as well as a complete list of the properties recommended in June, contact the Historic Preservation Field Services Bureau at (518) 237-8643, or visit the state parks web site at www.nysparks.com.
The recommended properties listed by county:
Albany County
1. St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands – the property was acquired in 1867 to accommodate the Albany Dioceses, it is the largest Catholic cemetery in the region.
Cattaraugus County
2. Beardsley / Oliver House, Olean – constructed c. 1890.
Cayuga County
3. Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District, Sherwood – a collection of 24+ buildings and sites associated with numerous social reform movements during the mid- to late 19th century, including abolitionism, the Underground Railroad, women's rights and education.
Chemung County
4. Jacob Lowman House, Lowman – the farm was acquired in 1792 to Jacob Lowman (1769-1840), early settler, trader, farmer and founder of the hamlet of Lowman.
Cortland County
5. Cortland Free Library, Cortland – early 20th century library building.
Delaware County
6. Rock Valley School, Rock Valley – the one room school building was constructed in 1885 to meet the needs of a substantial population increase.
Dutchess County
7. Pulver – Bird House, Stanfordville – built in 1839 for Stanford farmer Henry Pulver by builder Nathanial Lockwood, Jr., a well known carpenter/builder active in the Hudson Valley.
Erie County
8. Concordia Cemetery, Buffalo – founded in 1859 as a collaborative effort by three German Lutheran churches and represents important aspects of Buffalo's heritage of German immigration.
9. Trinity Episcopal Church, Buffalo – built between 1884 and 1886, Trinity Episcopal Church is the second oldest Episcopal congregation in the city.
Essex and Clinton Counties
10. Spitfire, gunboat wreck, Lake Champlain – the shipwreck site represents the last intact vessel of Benedict Arnold's Revolutionary War fleet from the Battle of Valcour Island and has remained untouched at the bottom of Lake Champlain since 1776.
Essex County
11. 1932 Olympic Bobsled Run, Lake Placid/North Elba – the bobsled run at Mt. Van Hovenberg was one of the prime construction projects for the 1932 Winter Olympics and the first and only one and one half mile long bob run ever designed and built for Olympic competition.
Fulton County
12. Knox Mansion, Johnstown – built in 1898 for the prominent manufacturer Charles P. Knox (Knox Gelatin Company).
Herkimer County
13. South Ann Street – Mill Street Historic District, Little Falls – constructed between 1827 and 1911, the district represents industrial and commercial development that occurred in Little Falls adjacent to the Mohawk River and Erie Canal.
14. General Walter Martin House, Martinsburg – constructed in 1805 as the residence of financier, substantial landowner and civic leader General Walter Martin.
Monroe County
15. East Main Street Armory, Rochester – built in 1904-07 to house a local unit of the New York State National Guard.
New York County
16. Fraunces Tavern – constructed in 1719 and converted to a tavern in 1763 it was here that General George Washington gave his famous farewell speech to his officers on December 4, 1783. The building is a pioneering example of an early preservation movement and restoration project that used the most sophisticated techniques available at the time.
Onondaga County
17. Hotel Syracuse, Syracuse – the hotel was designed by George B. Post & Sons, one of the leading hotel designers of the day; ground was broken for the hotel in 1922 and it opened on August 16, 1924.
Ontario County
18. Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House, Geneva – built in 1888 and equipped with a 9.5" refracting telescope crafted by the Warner & Swasey Company of Ohio, it is a rare surviving example of a private, mid-size professional observatory.
19. Farmers' and Merchants' Bank, Geneva – built ca. 1914-1915, example of early 20th century commercial architecture in Geneva.
Orange County
20. Rushmore Memorial Library, Highland Mills (Town of Woodbury) – constructed in 1923-24 as the first public library in the town of Woodbury and financed by New York City attorney Charles E. Rushmore, recognized for his work in the Black Hill of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore was named after him in 1930.
21. Woodlawn Farm, Slate Hill – the earliest section of the house dates to c. 1790-1810 and was subsequently expanded and updated during the course of the 19th century.
Schenectady County
22. Enlarged Double Lock No. 23, Old Erie Canal, Rotterdam – constructed in 1841-1842, associated with the transportation history of the Old Erie Canal.
Steuben County
23. Hammondsport Union Free School, Hammondsport – the earliest section of the building was built as a private secondary school in 1858, converted to a public union school in 1875 and was expanded by three additions over the next 38 years.
Suffolk County
24. Jamesport Meeting House, Jamesport – the history of the meeting house dates to 1731, the building dates from 1859 when the original meeting house was rebuilt and served one of the first religious groups established in the town of Riverhead.
25. Brewster House, East Setauket – with a portion dating from c. 1665 and acquired that year by the Reverend Nathaniel Brewster, the first ordained minister in Setauket, the house is the oldest extant house in the town of Brookhaven.
Ulster County
26. Cornell Steamboat Company Machine Shop Building, Kingston – the machine shop was built about 1901 by the Cornell Steamboat Company to accommodate maritime industrial transportation between the Erie Canal and New York City along the Hudson River.
Washington County
27. Town – Hollister Farm, North Granville – first developed by noted educator, author and Freemason Salem Town (1779-1864) and sold to Captain Isaac Hollister in 1833.
Westchester County
28. Hadden – Margolis House, Harrison – the house preserves architectural characteristics that spans three centuries (c. 1750-1930) associated with growth and patterns of settlement in Westchester County.
Wyoming County
29. First Universalist Church of Portageville, Portageville – built in late 1841, the church served as a meeting house.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
NY State Historic Preservation Awards Announced
By Editorial Staff
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash has announced the recipients of the 2007 State Historic Preservation Awards. The Historic Preservation Awards honor the efforts and achievements of individuals, organizations and municipalities that make significant contributions to the effort of historic preservation throughout New York State.
The State Historic Preservation Awards were established in 1980 to honor excellence in the protection and rejuvenation of New York's historic and cultural resources. The recipients were honored at a ceremony at Peebles Island, home of the State Historic Preservation Office, Bureau of Historic Sites.
Assemblyman Sam Hoyt
Public Sector Achievement Award
Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, who represents the 144th Assembly District (including Buffalo's west side and Grand Island on the Niagara River), is honored for his outstanding contribution to advancing historic preservation and community improvement activities across the state.
Eldridge Street Synagogue
Project Achievement Award, Bonnie Dimun, Executive Director, Roberta Gratz, Founder and President Emeritus
The Eldridge Street Project is recognized for its outstanding contribution to restoring and revitalizing the Eldridge Street Synagogue, one of New York's most prominent historic religious properties.
Universal Preservation Hall
Project Achievement Award, Mattthew Kopans, Director
The Universal Preservation Hall project in downtown Saratoga Springs is recognized for transforming a distinguished yet deteriorated historic church into a vibrant center for art, culture and community events.
Town of Roxbury
Community Achievement Award, Town Supervisor Tom Hynes, Town Historian Peg Ellsworth
The Town of Roxbury, located on the East Branch of the Delaware River, is being honored for its variety of creative approaches to integrating historic preservation into the everyday life of the community, especially in the hamlet of Roxbury.
Adirondack Architectural Heritage
Non-profit Achievement Award
This regional non-profit organization is honored for expanding and enhancing the public's understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the area's historic and cultural treasures.
The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which is part of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, helps communities identify, recognize, and preserve their historic resources, and incorporate them into local improvement and economic development activities. The SHPO administers several programs including the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit, state historic preservation grants, the Certified Local Government program, and the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places, which are the official lists of properties significant in the history, architecture, and archeology of the state and nation. There are more than 4,400 State and National Register listings in New York, including nearly 90,000 historic buildings, structures and sites.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Events
By Editorial Staff
New Year's Day marked the start of New York's Quadricentennial celebration commemorating 400 years of history on the Hudson River, New York Harbor and Lake Champlain. This year, New York honors the 400th anniversaries of the voyage of Captain Henry Hudson, who led (for the Dutch) the first European expedition to sail up the river that now bears his name, as well as the voyage of Samuel de Champlain, the first to discover the namesake lake. Communities from the Big Apple to the Canadian border are preparing events and projects to highlight New York's rich history of exploration and discovery.
To celebrate these simultaneous 400th anniversaries as well as the 200th anniversary of Robert Fulton's maiden steamboat journey up the Hudson River, New York State is planning a yearlong series of events, programs and projects that highlight the discovery of New York and the State's Dutch, French, and English roots and heritage.
The Quadricentennial slogan is: New York's 400th-Celebrating the past, planning for the future.
Among the Quadricentennial events planned are the Knickerbocker Ice Festival at Rockland Lake State Park, a panel discussion at the Museum of Natural History, and River Day, which will include the Commemorative Relay Flotilla on June 6. The flotilla will be led by boats out of New York City, tracing Henry Hudson's path to Albany. The flagships include the famous Onrust, Clearwater, Woody Guthrie, the Mystic and the Half Moon, with a Coast Guard escort. To celebrate River Day, there will be activities for everyone along the river, at boat and yacht clubs,
cultural institutions and museums.
The NYS Quadricentennial Legacy Projects include the full restoration of the historic Crown Point Lighthouse on Lake Champlain and the transformation of the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge into the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. Additionally, the State is installing eco docks along the Hudson River, to expand access to the river for boaters and fishermen. The State is also working on many collaborative projects and events with the Dutch Consulate in New York, including a planned visit by members of the Royal Family later in the year.
Many more events commemorating the Quadricentennial are planned for 2009, including the Hudson Valley 400th! Food Expo, Macy's Quadricentennial July 4th,Tulip Mania at the New York Botanical Garden, the Festival of Nations and Crown Point Historic Site Opening, Governors Island Dutch Festival, H209 Water Conference at Liberty Science Center, Four Freedoms Medals at FDR Historic Site, International Stamp Expo for New York's 400th, 2009 Voyage of Discovery, Commissioning of the USS New York, New Amsterdam Week, Barges from Holland, Dutch Royals visit, 400 Years of History Conference with Marist College, and New York Harbor Day.
For a detailed listing and description of these events and projects, visit the NYS Quadricentennial website at: www.exploreny400.com.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Songs and Stories of Adirondack Lumberjacks and Miners
By Editorial Staff
Begin the New Year with an afternoon of engaging tunes and tales. Join the staff of the Adirondack Museum for "Working for the Man: Songs and Stories of Adirondack Lumberjacks and Miners." The special program will be held at the Tannery Pond Community Center in North Creek, (Warren County) on Sunday, January 10, 2010 at 3:30 p.m. There will be no charge for museum members and children of elementary school age or younger. The fee for non-members is $5.00.
The historic work of loggers and miners was framed by dangerous conditions, back breaking work, long hours, and low pay. Although daily life was hard and often heartbreaking, it was also filled with music, laughter, stories, and strong community ties.
"Working for the Man" will feature musician Lee Knight singing traditional ballads of logging, mining, and rural life. Museum Educator Christine Campeau will join Knight to share historic photographs, artifacts from museum collections, and stories of work, family, and life in Adirondack logging and mining communities.
Born in the Adirondacks, Lee Knight now lives in Cashiers, North Carolina. He is a singer, storyteller, song collector, and teacher of folklore, folk life, and folk music. He performs regularly at concerts, folk festivals, and summer camps, where he tells stories, sings ballads, and calls dances. He has appeared with Pete Seeger, Jean Ritchie, Bill Monroe, Alan Lomax, and many others. He will play traditional hand-made instruments.
Following the program, Lee Knight will perform at the Copperfield Inn from 4:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Extend the afternoon and make it a party! Join friends and neighbors to enjoy good music and sample food and drink specials offered by the Copperfield.
Photo: Ruby Mountain Mine, North River Garnet Company. Collection of the Adirondack Museum.
Friday, January 2, 2009
This Week's Top New York History News
By Editorial Staff
- » Quadricentennial Events Update
- » Vanishing NY: 2008 Vanishings
- » Schoharie County Historian Recognized
- » Readying For AHA Annual Meeting
- » Lost Tradition: New Year's "calling"
- » Blog: The Algonquins of Schaghticoke
- » Amsterdam Mill Demolished
- » Lake George Shipwreck Added to National Register
- » New Map Retraces Explorer's Steps
- » After 40 Years, Kwanzaa Spreads
Thursday, January 1, 2009
NYPL Adds Maps To Online Collection
By Editorial Staff
From the New York Public Library comes an update to this "comprehensive listing of close to 2,700 maps showing buildings, old streets, farm lines, streetcar routes historical shorelines and more" in New York City.
Here is a link to the complete list.
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