The New Windsor Cantonment and Knox's Headquarters will present a weekend filled with Revolutionary War activities July 3rd and 4th, 2010. Throughout the celebration, authentically dressed soldiers and civilians will share stories of life from that exciting time. In addition, at the New Windsor Cantonment, there will be cannon and musket firings each day at 2:00 P.M. as well as blacksmithing and children's activities. At Knox's Headquarters, visitors may tour the beautiful 1754 Ellison House and watch as a small cannon is fired at 1:30 P.M. and 3:30 P.M. each day.
On the 4th, at 3:00 P.M., New Windsor Cantonment invites the audience to help read the Declaration of Independence, the revolutionary document that inspired the holiday. Following the reading, the 7th Massachusetts Regiment will fire a "feu-de-joie," a ceremonial firing of muskets in honor of independence.
Knox's Headquarters, the Ellison House, honors the site's namesake General Henry Knox, Washington's Chief of Artillery, with the firing of a 4 1/2 " bronze coehorn mortar at 1:30 P.M. and 3:30 P.M on Saturday July 3 and Sunday July 4. This mortar, designed to be carried by two men, fired a grenade size exploding ball. John and Catherine Ellison were gracious hosts to three Continental Army generals at different times during the Revolutionary War.
Admission is free.
Both New Windsor Cantonment and Knox's Headquarters will be open Saturday July 3rd, 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. and Sunday July 4th, 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.
For more information, please call New Windsor Cantonment at (845) 561-1765 or Knox's Headquarters at (845) 561-5498.
New Windsor Cantonment is located with the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor on Route 300 (374 Temple Hill Road) in the Town of New Windsor, four miles east of Stewart Airport. It is three miles from the intersection of I-87 and I-84 in Newburgh, New York. Knox's Headquarters is located, a mile away from the New Windsor Cantonment, at the intersection of Route 94 and Forge Hill Road in Vails Gate.
Photo: 2nd Continental Artillery Soldiers Load a Replica British Cannon
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
New Windsor, Knox's Headquarters Independence Days
By Editorial Staff
Abenaki Focus of Vermont July 4th Event
By Editorial Staff
On the anniversary of American independence, a historical re-enactor will visit one of the historic sites from that period and detail its connections to the Native Americans who also inhabited the area.
Wes “Red Hawk” Dikeman of Ticonderoga, New York, will be coming to the Mount Independence State Historic Site on Saturday, July 3, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. to share his extensive knowledge about the Abenaki connections to the area in the American Revolution and as first inhabitants.
“Dikeman is a riveting storyteller who has been studying and interpreting this history for many years,” said Elsa Gilbertson, Regional Historic Site Administrator with the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. “He often takes part as a re-enactor in the annual Revolutionary War living history weekends at the Hubbardton Battlefield and Mount Independence.”
She said the program will be an informal afternoon with Red Hawk, and a special discussion at 2:00 p.m.
"He will show some of his artifacts, as well as Revolutionary War attire and gear,” Gilbertson said. “Native Americans have had a very long history at Mount Independence, first digging chert quarries for making stone tools, and then participating in the American Revolution.”
Mount Independence, a National Historic Landmark, was built in 1776-77 by American troops as a defense against British attack from Canada, and named after the Declaration of Independence.
On the night of July 5 and 6, 1777, the American Army under General Arthur St. Clair withdrew from Mount Independence and nearby Fort Ticonderoga after British General John Burgoyne sailed down Lake Champlain in an effort to cut New England off from the rest of the United States.
Since a British force more than twice his size had occupied higher ground from which they could bombard his positions with impunity, St. Clair abandoned the fortifications without a fight.
Two days later at the Battle of Hubbardton, soldiers from Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire fought in a decisive rear guard action to halt Burgoyne’s army.
The fact that his decisions preserved the army and ultimately led to the American victory in October at the Battle of Saratoga didn’t stop an outraged Congress from officially censuring St. Clair for the loss of the forts. He argued that his conduct had been honorable, demanded review by a court martial, and was ultimately exonerated
Admission is $5.00 for adults and free for children under 15, and includes a visit to the museum and access to all the trails.
The site is located nearly the end of Mount Independence Road, six miles west of the intersections of Vermont Routes 22A and 73 near Orwell village. Regular hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily through October 12. Call 802-948-2000 for more information.
Photo: Wes Dikeman.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Free Kid's Programs at Schuyler House in July
By Editorial Staff
The Friends of Saratoga Battlefield present a series of Children’s Programs at 1pm on Thursdays in July at the historic Schuyler House located on Route 4 in Schuylerville. These free programs are open to children ages 5 and up and offer fun ways to experience what children’s lives were like during the time of the American Revolution.
July 1: “We’re Cooking Now!” — What did children eat at the time of the American Revolution? Was it really cooked on an open-fire? Find out, as participants discuss open fire cooking, fire safety, and food practices.
July 8: “Fun and Games and Toys!” — Learn about games children enjoyed and toys they played with - after their chores were done, of course.
July 15: “Come Dancing!” — Dancing was an important social skill for adults and children alike. Participants will experience fwhat dance looked like over 200 years ago.
July 22: “Let’s Dress Up!” — Dress like girls and boys did during America’s Revolution. Try on a ball gown, long coat, a soldier’s regimental uniform, or a camp follower’s clothes, and see how you look. You can also try laundry with out a washing machine!
These programs are presented by educator Shari Crawford, a certified K-12 teacher who is also an experienced re-enactor. She has been involved in living history and children’s historical programs a numerous schools and historical sites.
Programs will be held rain or shine. Parents: have your children dress in clothes you don’t mind if they get dirty. The Schuyler House is located on Route 4 at the south end of the Village of Schuylerville.
For more information on these and other events at Saratoga National Historical Park, the National Park in your backyard, call the Visitor Center at 518-664-9821 ext. 224 or check the park website at www.nps.gov/sara.
Madison Rediscovered Through Lost Law Notes
By Editorial Staff
The unearthing of law notes made by a young James Madison sheds new light on the shaping of the mind of the man. Rediscovered by Mary Sarah Bilder, Professor of Law at Boston College, the 39 sewn-together pages of notes on common law cases were found among the papers of Thomas Jefferson at the Library of Congress.
Long thought to be Jefferson’s notes, Bilder’s painstaking study of the handwriting, style of language, summarising technique, paper watermarks and numbering system has led her to conclude that the notes were in fact Madison’s. Madison served as the 4th United States President; his Vice President was New YOrk State's first Governor, George Clinton.
Bilder’s account of the discovery, and what it reveals about Madison, is published in the latest edition of the legal history journal Law and History Review, published on behalf of the American Society for Legal History by Cambridge University Press. Bilder contends that the law notes demand a reassessment of Madison who, unlike other important early national leaders such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and John Marshall, had been thought to have had little interest in law beyond some desultory early studies.
The notes cover a wide range of topics including criminal law, the make-up of courts, elections, how to accurately measure time and even sex and relationships.
The error of assuming the notes were made by Jefferson is not surprising, writes Bilder, as the two men’s handwriting was very similar: “Late in life, Madison successfully ‘faked’ Jefferson’s handwriting in altering a letter....and the two men exchanged numerous letters.”
Provenance is also supportive of Madison’s authorship of the notes, which came to the Library of Congress in 1931 from Mary M. McGuire of New York City, grandchild of James C. McGuire, the administrator of the Dolley Payne Madison estate and the largest collector of Madison manuscripts.
In revealing something of the ‘mind of Madison’ Bilder admits that there is disappointment for any reader, “looking for a protoconstitutional mind”. But she does find a foreshadowing of the Fifth Amendment in Madison’s notes on a case of an indictment for treason: “you shall not ask a witness or a juror any question yt wd make a man discover what tends to his shame, crime, infamy or misdemeanor.” He also made notes on cases relating to Habeas Corpus, legislatures and elections.
Many of the notes relate to Madison’s contemporary concerns during his work in the Virginia legislature, including the possible make-up of court systems. He avoided anything that was not relevant to post-revolutionary America such as uniquely English forms of property law.
The private Madison also emerges from the notes as he appears to seek enlightenment on matters in his personal situation. As an eldest son, he would become his father’s executor and the two lengthiest notes involve the settling of estates. Given his dependence on the Virginia legislature for a living, he was, not surprisingly, interested in cases about salaries for various offices.
That the Notes have survived at all Bilder describes as ‘serendipitous’, for, at the end of his life, Madison destroyed many of his papers. She argues that the restoration of the notes to the authorship of Madison reveals the inaccuracy of the long-held view that he had little interest in law: “These notes have been missing for over a century, and their loss contributed to the sense that Madison must not have been that interested in law. Now located, these notes reveal Madison’s significant grasp of law.
Madison also made a surprising number of notes on cases relating to sex and relationships. Perhaps recalling erstwhile love, Kitty Floyd, who broke off their engagement, he made notes on breaches of promise to marry. He also made notes on cases involving cohabitation and seemed particularly interested in bastards. Bilder concludes wryly: “What motivated his fascination with the subject has to remain purely speculative.”
David B. Mattern, Research Professor and Senior Associate Editor of the Papers of James Madison at the University of Virginia, refers to the research as "a remarkable feat of detective work".
The entire article is available free of charge at http://journals.cambridge.org/bilder.
Portrait of James Madison from the White House Collection.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Venison and Potato Chips:
Native Foodways in the Adirondacks
By Editorial Staff
During the nineteenth century, a number of Adirondack Indians marketed their skill as hunters, guides, basket makers, doctors, and cooks.
On Monday, July 5, 2010 Dr. Marge Bruchac will offer a program entitled "Venison and Potato Chips: Native Foodways in the Adirondacks" at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake. Bruchac will focus attention on what might be a lesser-known Native skill - cooking.
The first offering of the season for the museum's Monday Evening Lecture series, the presentation will be held in the Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. There is no charge for museum members. Admission is $5.00 for non-members.
Nineteenth century white tourists paid good money to purchase wild game from Native people, to hunt in their territories, to buy medicines and remedies, and to eat in restaurants or lodgings where Indians held sway in the kitchen.
Dr. Bruchac will highlight stories of individuals such as Pete Francis, notorious for hunting wild game and creating French cuisine; George Speck and Katie Wicks, both cooks at Moon's Lake House and co-inventors of the potato chip; and Emma Camp Mead, proprietress of the Adirondack House, Indian Lake, N.Y., known for setting an exceptionally fine table.
Bruchac contends that these people, and others like them, actively purveyed and shaped the appetite for uniquely American foods steeped in Indigenous foodways.
The Adirondack Museum celebrates food, drink, and the pleasures of eating in the Adirondack Park this year with a new exhibition, "Let's Eat! Adirondack Food Traditions." The exhibit includes a 1915 photograph of Emma Mead as well as her hand-written recipes for "Green Tomato Pickles" and "Cranberry Puffs."
Marge Bruchac, PhD, is a preeminent Abenaki historian. A scholar, performer, and historical consultant on the Abenaki and other Northeastern native peoples, Bruchac lectures and performs widely for schools, museums, and historical societies. Her 2006 book for children about the French and Indian War, Malian's Song, was selected as an Editor's Choice by The New York Times and was the winner of the American Folklore Society's Aesop Award.
Photo: Dr. Marge Bruchac
Albany Institute's Free, Discount Admission Days
By Editorial Staff
The Albany Institute of History & Art has announced that it will offer a special discount admission program on Fridays and Saturdays in July and August 2010, as part of an ongoing effort to reach out to members of the Capital District community.
On each Friday in July and August, the Albany Institute will offer free admission to all visitors during regular museum hours, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be no charge for any visitors to enter the museum and see the galleries on these dates: July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, and August 6, 13, 20, and 27. Additionally, the Institute will offer buy-one-get-one-free admission on Saturdays during July and August during regular museum hours from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Any adult or child visitor purchasing one admission will be entitled to one free admission of equal or lesser value. Buy-one-get-one-free Saturday dates are: July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 and August 7, 14, 21, and 28.
“We understand, especially in difficult economic times like these, that not everyone is able to include a visit to the Albany Institute in their entertainment and education budgets,” said Chris Miles, Executive Director of the Albany Institute. “However, economic ability should never be a barrier to learning. That’s why we’re thrilled to offer this opportunity for people who might not otherwise be able to see all that the Institute has to offer.”
This program is not available in combination with any other discount or coupon offers and does not apply to group tours, facilities rentals, or special events. For more information about the summer discount admission program, call (518) 463-4478. To learn more about current exhibitions and events, visit www.albanyinstitute.org.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Get New York History Delivered Every Day
By Editorial Staff
More than 400 people get the New York History blog each day via various subscription services. It's a convenient way to get the latest New York History news, information, and events.
There are a number of ways you can subscribe:
Get New York History By E-Mail
RSS Feed - Subscribe!
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Facebook (occasional updates).
Saratoga Battlefield Celebrates July 4th, Immigration
By Editorial Staff
Independence Day on Sunday, July 4 will be celebrated at Saratoga National Historical Park on Routes 4 and 32 in Stillwater, with a 10:00am Citizenship Ceremony and traditional readings of the Declaration of Independence with free lemonade toasts at 1 and 3pm.
10:00am - On the anniversary of our nation and upon the grounds where independence was won, 20 immigrants from countries all over the world will become new citizens of the United States of America. Fife and drums, color guard, musket and cannon firings frame this special event organized by Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution, Friends of Saratoga Battlefield and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
1:00 and 3:00pm - As a messenger from 1776, park ranger Joe Craig reads from the Declaration of Independence with authentic 18th century toasts reflecting the insightful wit of the document signers. Enjoy free lemonade to share in the toasts, followed by celebratory musket and cannon firings.
Saratoga Monument in Victory and the General Philip Schuyler House in Schuylerville, both located 8 miles north of Saratoga Battlefield, will also be open from 9:00am to 5:00pm. The Battlefield is open daily from 9am to 5pm.
Saratoga National Historical Park, located on Routes 4 and 32 in Stillwater, offers a variety of special events throughout the season. For further information, please call (518) 664-9821 ext. 224, or visit www.nps.gov/sara.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
'Baghdad ER' Doc Coming to NYS Museum
By Editorial Staff
On July 1, the New York State Museum will present the Emmy award-winning HBO documentary “Baghdad ER,” followed by a reunion and discussion between the producer and the first wounded soldier to appear in the film.
Following the 6:30 p.m. film presentation, producer/director Matthew O’Neill will be reunited with Staff Sgt. Craig Macy from Buffalo, a New York National Guard Soldier who was wounded in Iraq in 2005. Macy will speak about his experiences as a wounded veteran, appearing in the documentary and his continuing membership in the National Guard.
The program is being held in conjunction with the new Museum exhibition “Citizen Soldier: New York’s National Guard in the American Century,” open in Exhibition Hall through March 2011.
When it was released in 2006, “Baghdad ER” was the most honored documentary of the year, winning four Emmy Awards for its “unflinching” look at the cost of war. It also won a Peabody Award, the Overseas Press Club Award and the Alfred I. duPont Columbia Award. The groundbreaking documentary chronicles the day-to-day lives of doctors, nurses, medics, soldiers and chaplains in the Army's premier medical facility in the combat zone. O’Neill and producer Jon Alpert were given unprecedented access to the Army’s 86th Combat Support Hospital during a two-month period in 2005.
The film captures the experiences of the military medical professionals as they work to save lives from their trauma center in the middle of war-ravaged Iraq. The film is not suitable for children. It includes graphic scenes that are at times disturbing and when the film first came out, the Army was concerned about the emotional impact it might have on troops and military families. Instead, the film became almost required viewing for all members of the military medical community and went on to receive critical acclaim from both inside and outside the U.S. military.
Macy was serving with the National Guard’s 1st Battalion 69th Infantry in Iraq in 2005 when he was struck by a sniper as he was handing out candy to Iraqi children. Thanks to his comrades who rushed to his aid, and the expert medical care he received at the trauma center, Macy survived his ordeal, recovered and returned to duty with the National Guard. He volunteered for a deployment to Afghanistan in 2008 with nearly 1700 New York National Guard troops. While still a member of the National Guard, Macy is now a police officer with the City of Buffalo. He recently became a new father and has named his son after one of the soldiers who pulled him to safety in 2005.
This program is the first in a series of special programs that the State Museum is hosting in conjunction with the “Citizen Soldier” exhibition. The exhibition recounts the history of the New York National Guard and those who carried out its mission through wars and battles, natural disasters and national emergencies. The National Guard is based on a tradition dating back to colonial times in a state that has always been guided by the principle that its defense lies in the hands of its citizenry. Citizen soldiers are everyday people who put their lives on hold to defend, aid and protect their communities and their country.
Oral History Books: Lost Voices from the Titantic
By Editorial Staff
On April 15, 1912, the HMS Titanic sank, killing 1,517 people and leaving the rest clinging to debris in the frozen waters of the North Atlantic awaiting rescue. In a new Oral History of the disaster, historian Nick Barratt provides a narrative of the disaster in the words of those involved -- among them the designers and naval architects at the White Star Line; first-class aristocratic passengers and the families in third class and steerage; and the boards of inquiry.
Lost Voices from the Titanic: The Definitive Oral History combines tales of folly and courage. Barratt has gathered the aspirations of the owners, the efforts of the crew, and of course, the eyewitness accounts from those lucky enough to survive. Barratt was lucky enough to interview the last surviving passenger of the Titanic about the way the disaster had shaped her life.
The majority of the book however, relies on letters, newspaper articles, memoirs, correspondence, and a few large collections, such as those collated by the historian Walter Lord. In part because the work rests on the words of witnesses rather than a technical account of the sinking, the book uses a surprising amount of original heretofore unpublished material.
Nick Barratt is a columnist for the Daily Telegraph and writes for Ancestor magazine. He is a director of Firebird Media and is on the National Executive Board of the Federation of Family History Societies. He lives in London.
Note: Books noticed on this site have been provided by the publishers. Purchases made through this Amazon link help support this site.
Friday, June 25, 2010
This Week's New York History Web Highlights
By Editorial Staff
- Fenimore Art Museum: Haida Totem Pole Dedication
- Bowery Boys: Staten Island Ferry From Sail to Steam
- In Transit: The History of Amsterdam’s Canals
- Ruth Rosen: Gender Apartheid Online
- Upstate NY Genealogy: Palatines to America Conference
- Syracuse B-4: May 25, 1974
- Franklin County Historian: Verplanck Colvin Humor
- Clermont State Historic Site: The Bathroom
- Brooklynology: The Loyal Order of the Moose
- Mary Robinson Sive: Town Meetings in New York
- YouTube: Nightmare On Elm St House Destroyed!!
Preservationists Decry Proposed Cuts to Tax Credits
By Editorial Staff
The Preservation League of New York State joined economic development, smart growth and environmental groups in denouncing the Legislature's plans on tax law amendments that it says will "undermine years of work to revitalize the upstate economy, protect open space and foster green initiatives."
The New York State Senate and Assembly are considering tax law amendments that would temporarily defer certain state tax credit incentives for up to six years. Among the targeted credits are the recently expanded (2009) NYS Rehabilitation Tax Credit programs. Just last week, the Senate and Assembly passed legislation designed to bolster these programs by bringing new private investment to redevelopment projects.
"The New York State Legislature is considering tax law changes that will gut this program one week after they passed legislation that allows it to attract significant new national investment to distressed communities throughout New York State," said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League. "Just as redevelopment projects are set to launch in cities throughout the state, this proposed change pulls the rug out from beneath their financing plans."
According to Robert Simpson, CEO of the CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity in Syracuse, "This rehabilitation tax credit has been anticipated by many as one of New York's most effective economic development programs, but before we can begin to realize its long-sought economic and community redevelopment benefits, the Legislature is about strip the program of the incentives that make it work."
Deferring incentives of the New York State Rehabilitation Tax Credit program are expected to prevent some projects from securing financing, as partners will no longer be assured of a timely return on investment.
"When the expanded Rehabilitation Tax Credit program was adopted in 2009, a number of modifications were made to reflect New York State's difficult financial situation," said Daniel Mackay, Director of Public Policy for the Preservation League. "This program has already been adapted to work in a tough fiscal climate. If further changes are imposed upon the program, it will lose all effectiveness as an economic development tool."
In 2009, the rehabilitation tax credit programs were limited to distressed census tracts in New York State, commercial rehabilitation project credits were capped at a maximum value of $5 million, and the credits were limited to a five-year pilot program, set to sunset in 2014. Despite those limitations, an economic benefits assessment for the program commissioned by the Preservation League showed a $12:1 return on state investment, noting significant job creation and increased local and state tax revenue returns in addition to community redevelopment benefits.
Twenty-eight other business tax credits were also mentioned in legislative discussions, a number of which address environmental clean-ups, promote alternative fuel and energy development, stimulate affordable housing and green building development, and conserve open space.
The tax credits under threat include the Rehabilitation of Commercial (Historic) Properties Credit (expanded in 2009, 2010 enhancement bill is Governor's program bill, and has passed Senate and Assembly), and the Historic Homeownership Rehabilitation Credit (expanded in 2009, 2010 enhancement bill is Governor's program bill, and has passed Senate and Assembly).
The proposal under consideration would defer 50% of allowable credits accrued by a project from 2010 – 2013 until 2013 -2016. Rules for allocation in 2013-2016 will be promulgated by the Commissioner of Tax & Finance, so there is not yet any suggestion as to how the credits will be issued in that three year period.
This Week's Top New York History News
By Editorial Staff
- Remains of 72 People Found at Ground Zero
- Nurse in Iconic WWII NYC Photo Dies
- Steinbeck Archive Auction Underwhelms
- 1880s Troy Lumber Company Closes Doors
- Historic Park Fountain to Return to Village
- Feds Assessing Risk Of Sunken Tugboat
- Recession Takes Toll on AHA Membership
- Tenement Museum Online Photo Database
- Champlain Valley Hospital Celebrates 100th
- Bill Dixon, A Voice of Jazz, Dies
- Questions Over Civil War Era Rail Bridge
- Nightmare On Elm St House Threatened
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Northeast Public Radio Launches History Program
By Editorial Staff
WAMC Northeast Public Radio and the New York State Archives Partnership Trust present the Power of Words, a new series of programs that follows American history through some of the most memorable and inspiring political speeches of our time. The series of 26 programs kicks off tomorrow Friday, June 25th at 1 p.m. and a new program will air every other week on WAMC.
On the debut program, WAMC's Alan Chartock and Dr. David Woolner, senior fellow and resident historian at the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, will set the scene and provide context and analysis of Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inaugural address. In addition, listeners will have an opportunity to actually hear the speech as it was delivered on March 4th, 1933. Other speeches in the year-long series include Barack Obama's inaugural address, Ronald Reagan's speech at the Berlin Wall, John F. Kennedy's "I am a Berliner" speech, and more.
WAMC's President Alan Chartock says, "It is imperative that everyone remember and learn where we came from and what this country has gone through in tough times. Great leaders are hard to come by and these great speeches can teach us a great deal about courage and leadership. WAMC is very proud of this series."
Support for the series is provided by the Archives Partnership Trust; Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture & Engineering P.C.; the New York Council for the Humanities, a local affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities; and Assemblyman Jack McEneny.
"We could not be more indebted to WAMC for their leadership on this series and to our sponsors for their support," said Robert E. Bullock, President of the Archives Partnership Trust. "It is our hope that this series will encourage citizens to truly understand the role of great ideas and transformational language in our everyday lives."
WAMC Northeast Public Radio broadcasts 24 hours a day with information and cultural programming from stations reaching parts of seven Northeastern states. WAMC is an award-winning producer of regionally based programming. WAMC is a member station of National Public Radio and is affiliated with Public Radio International and American Public Media.
The program will be broadcast over WAMC-FM 90.3 FM, Albany; WAMC, 1400 AM, Albany; WAMK 90.9 FM, Kingston; WOSR, 91.7 FM, Middletown; WCEL, 91.9 FM, Plattsburgh; WCAN, 93.3 FM, Canajoharie; WANC, 103.9 FM, Ticonderoga; WRUN, 90.3 FM, Remsen-Utica; WAMQ 105.1 FM, Great Barrington, MA; 93.1 FM, Troy; 99.3 FM, Oneonta; 97.1 FM, Hudson; 107.1 FM, Warwick; 107.7 FM, Newburgh; 103.9 FM, Beacon; 96.5 FM, Ellenville; 106.9, Middletown; 102.1, Highland, NY and 90.9 FM, Milford, PA.; 97.3 FM, Cooperstown and on-line at http://www.wamc.org/.
History Canceled:
Regents Eliminates History Assesments
By Editorial Staff
The New York State Board of Regents voted to approve two sets of strategies to achieve cost reductions in the state assessment program at its full Board meeting in Albany this week. History educators will no doubt be appalled at the elimination of 5th and 8th grade Social Studies examinations, which include the history curriculum. The two plans were laid out in a press release:
* If the State budget includes the $7 million that the Regents have requested for the assessment program, the Board approved a cost reduction of $4.25 million to be achieved through reduced reliance on educational specialists in developing tests ($1.25 million), discontinuance of paper-based scoring materials for examinations ($.60 million), elimination of component retesting for high school Math and English exams ($1.6 million), and elimination of 5th and 8th grade Social Studies examinations ($.80 million).
* If the State budget does not include the $7 million that the Regents have requested, or a final State Budget is not in place by August 1, 2010, the Board approved additional reductions of $6.1 million to further offset the deficit. These reductions would be achieved by eliminating Grade 8 second language proficiency exams ($2.0 million), eliminating August administration of Algebra II/Trigonometry and Chemistry high school Regents exams ($.8 million), eliminating all high school Foreign Language exams except for Spanish and French($1.2 million), an immediate end to translation of state assessments into Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Korean, and Russian while continuing translation into Spanish ($.75 million), and eliminating January high school Regents exams ($1.4 million).
Should additional funds be included in the P-12 budget the reductions listed last in the priority order above would be the first to be restored.
"These were tough decisions made in light of the State’s difficult financial situation" Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch said, "Foremost in our consideration was the concern we heard from stakeholders across the State that the cuts to the assessment program made to achieve savings should not have an impact on high school graduation."
Background on these decisions was also provided in the press release, as follows:
The State Education Department’s expense to operate the assessment program continues to rise in light of the State’s fiscal crisis as a result of several factors including: inflation, the addition of examinations, increased cost of testing vendor contracts, and the need for more test security. Based on the Executive Budget, SED projects a deficit of approximately $11.5 million in available funding in 2010-11 for P-12 programs, including the assessment program. The Regents have requested $7 million in additional State funds for the assessment program from the Legislature. The State Education Department has limited ability to address the P-12 deficit by redirecting federal or state funds dedicated to specific purposes by title or statute. SED will explore further internal cost reduction strategies to eliminate the remaining deficit of $1.1 million in the P-12 budget.
Full details of the cost reduction strategies the Board of Regents approved are on the web.
A webcast of the full board meeting of the Board of Regents is also available online.
35 Places Recommended to State, National Registers
By Editorial Staff
The New York State Board for Historic Preservation recommended that 35 properties and historic districts be added to the State and National Registers of Historic Places, including Manhattan's iconic Park Avenue and the nationally significant Crotona Play Center in the Bronx and the Hotel Lafayette in Buffalo.
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. There are approximately 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. Property owners, municipalities and organizations from communities throughout the state sponsored the nominations.
Once the recommendations are approved by the state historic preservation officer, the properties are 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.
State and National Historic Register listing can assist property owners in revitalizing the structures, making them eligible for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits. Listing will oblige state and federal government agencies whose projects would adversely impact the properties to consider other options. Private projects are not subject to state or federal review after a property is listed, and private property owners – or in historic districts, a majority of property owners – must consent for the listing to move forward.
STATE REVIEW BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS
Allegany County
Ceres School, Ceres – the 1893 one-story frame structure is a surviving example of a late 19th century schoolhouse which served students from both Pennsylvania and New York.
Bronx County
Crotona Play Center, Bronx – the Art Moderne complex was one of eleven immense outdoor swimming pools opened in 1936 by then Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and Parks Commissioner Robert Moses, built through the Depression-era Works Progress Administration.
Cattaraugus County
School House #10/Ivers J. Norton Elementary, Olean – the 1909 school is a rare example of an early 20th century public school constructed with architectural references to the Prairie School style of architecture.
Chemung County
John Brand, Sr. House, Elmira – the intact 1871 large-scale Italianate home is a reflection of the prosperity and prominence of its owner, John Brand, Sr., a late 19th century brick manufacturer, grocer and tobacco farmer.
Chenango County
Rockwell Mills Historic District, Rockwell Mills – laid out along the Unadilla River is an intact example of a 19th century water-powered manufacturing hamlet.
Columbia County
Van Salsbergen Home, Hudson – built as a two-room limestone house around 1700 and expanded around 1860, the noteworthy home was built by early European settlers of the Hudson Valley.
North Hillsdale Methodist Church, North Hillsdale – built between 1837 and 1838, with the portico and steeple added in 1859, the Greek Revival church is a significant example of 19th century rural meetinghouse architecture.
Delaware County
Erskine L. Seeley House, Stamford – the distinctive Queen Anne style house was built in 1900 for Erskine Seeley, a well know leather manufacturer, merchant and prominent citizen of Stamford.
Dutchess County
Second Baptist Church of Dover, Dover Plains – built around 1833, the oldest religious building in the hamlet is an outstanding example early 19th center Protestant meetinghouse design.
Erie County
Hotel Lafayette, Buffalo – the 1902 French Renaissance style hotel is the most important building still standing designed by Louise Bethune, a Buffalo architect who was the first woman in the United States to be recognized as a professional architect by the American Institute of Architects and the Western Association of Architects.
Greene County
Torry-Chittenden Farmhouse, Durham – erected by Revolutionary War veteran William Torrey around 1799, it is distinct intact example of the type of late 18th century farmhouse built by settlers of New England origins.
Moore-Howland Estate, Catskill – built in 1866 by painter Charles Herbert Moore, the cottage with fine views of the Hudson River and Catskills was expanded in 1900 by the members of the wealthy Howland family.
Herkimer County
Thendara Historic District, Webb – a collection of five surviving late 19th and early 20th century associated with development around the Adirondack Division of the New York Central and Hudson Railroad that brought thousands of tourists to the region.
Monroe County
Edward Harrison House, Brockport – today the Brockport Alumni House, the French Second Empire home was built in 1877 by successful Brockport merchant tailor and civic leader Edward Harrison.
East Side Presbyterian Church, Rochester – today the Parsells Avenue Community Church, the simple Romanesque Revival church reflects the growth of the Beechwood section of Rochester in the early 20th century, where the church was built in two stages in 1909 and 1926.
Montgomery County
Caspar Getman Farmstead, Stone Arabia – a significant and highly intact example of family farm buildings from the late 18th to mid 19th century, operated by descendents of the Palatine Germans who settled the region.
Margaret Reaney Memorial Library, St. Johnsville – the 1909 Beaux Arts library and museum donated to the village by local textile manufacturer Joseph Reaney is an excellent example of civic architecture.
New York County
Park Avenue Historic District, New York – the linear corridor from 79th to 96th Street is a repository of some of the finest 1910s and 1920s apartment buildings in New York City, mostly built after a landscaped center mall was erected over an open railroad tunnel, making the avenue more desirable for residential development.
133 East 80th Street, New York – a distinct 1929-30 luxury apartment house designed in the French Gothic and Tudor Revival styles by not architect Rosario Candela, where several citizens nationally prominent in the arts, law, business and government have lived.
Niagara County
The Chilton Avenue-Orchard Parkway Historic District, Niagara Falls – the district includes a rare collection of contiguous, largely intact residential building from the late 1800s and early 1900s that reflect the appearance and character of the city in its heyday.
Park Place Historic District, Niagara Falls – the residential district features intact examples of American residential styles, spanning from late Italianate and Victorian-era Queen Anne to early 20th century craftsman and revival styles.
Morse Cobblestone Farmhouse, Wilson – constructed around 1840, the farmhouse is an excellent example of cobblestone masonry construction in New York.
Oneida County
Munson Williams Proctor Institute, Utica – the 1960 museum and arts center is a significant example of modern architecture designed by internationally-renowned architect Philip Johnson.
Onondaga County
Shepard Settlement Cemetery, Skaneateles – the rural cemetery founded in 1823 contains the graves of at least 30 armed forces veterans of all wars from the Revolutionary War to World War II.
Otsego County
Tunnicliff-Jordan House, Richfield Springs – one of the village's earliest buildings, it was built between 1810 and 1825 by the sons of an early settler, John Tunnicliff, who operated a saw and grist-mill industry at the site.
Rensselaer County
Chapel and Cultural Center, Troy – the 1968 example of Modernist quasi-religious architecture has been an important venue for the performing and visual arts in Troy.
Rockland County
Houser-Conklin House, Viola – the oldest sandstone portion of the 1775 house was built for Henry Houser, a veteran of the American Revolution.
William Ferndon House, Piermont – the high-style Neoclassical, also known as Ferndon Hall, was built in 1835 for William Ferndon, a successful Piermont woolen mill owner.
Schoharie County
Abraham Sternberg House, Schoharie – a distinctive and intact example of pre- and post-Revolutionary War Dutch and English building practices, built sometime in the late 18th century on land owned by the Sternberg family since the 1740s.
Steuben County
Gold Seal Winery, Hammondsport – originally the Urbana Wine Company, the 1865 Keuka Lake complex was the second winery established in the Finger Lakes region of New York.
Suffolk County
Frank W. Smith House, Amityville – the 1901 Queen Anne was built by prominent store owner Frank Smith during a period of rapid growth in the village due to the arrival of the railroad.
Saint Anne's Episcopal Church, Sayville – the distinctive 1887-88 English Romanesque/Norman Revival church and its 1879 rectory were designed by noted Long Island architect Isaac H. Green, Jr.
Tompkins County
Telluride House, Ithaca – the 1909 example of early 20th century American architecture at Cornell University was built by Lucien Nunn, who made his fortune mining in Telluride, Colorado, and founded the Telluride Association to encourage pursuit of technical careers, particularly engineering.
Ulster/Delaware Counties
Amelita Galli-Curci Estate, Fleischmanns – the 1922 Catskill mountain estate named Sul Monte was designed by renowned country house architect Harrie T. Lindeberg for acclaimed Italian-American opera soprano Amelita Galli-Curci.
Westchester County
Witthoefft Residence, Armonk – the 1957 articulated steel structure is a rare example of modernist architectural design in the New York City suburbs, designed by architect Arthur Witthoefft.
Buffalo & Erie Co. Historical Names New Director
By Editorial Staff
The board of managers of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society today named Melissa N. Brown, an expert in Western New York history and the Historical Society's director of research and interpretation, its new director.
Brown, 36, becomes the museum's 11th director and succeeds Cynthia A. Conides PhD., who will return to her full-time job with Buffalo State College, which "loaned" Dr. Conides and her expertise to the Society for the past four years. Dr. Conides will stay on part time as curator of special projects at the Historical Society's museum.
Brown, who helped drive the popular "Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Season" exhibit last fall, worked closely with Dr. Conides, the head of the college's Museum Studies Program, on a series of recent initiatives at the Historical Society. Brown is an expert in managing collections and has consulted on more than a dozen major exhibits at the Society and at other Western New York museums.
She will transition into her new position as Dr. Conides reverts to the college by Dec. 31. This will also give Brown time to complete work on a major museum initiative "John Mix Stanley's Trial of Red Jacket," opening in October at the Nottingham Court museum.
"This is a logical transition of expert leadership and the board of managers is delighted that Melissa can move seamlessly to carry on the work Cynthia initiated to grow and modernize the museum," said Joan M. Bukowski, president of the Society's board. "We are extremely gratified that Melissa has worked her way through the museum's hierarchy to this position of ultimate responsibility. We are impressed by her innovation and imagination and look forward to where she will take us."
"We are also cognizant that among Buffalo's leading cultural institutions, including the Albright-Knox, Science Museum and Zoo, the Historical Society also now has a vibrant young leader from a new generation of museum innovators," Bukowski said.
Brown returned to her native region from Boston to join the Society's staff in 1998 as a collections assistant. She received her M.A. in Historical Administration from Eastern Illinois University in 2000, adding to her 1995 B.A. in history with a museum studies minor from the State University of New York at Oswego.
"This of course represents a fantastic opportunity for me to build on the superior example and leadership of Cynthia Conides and continue our effort to modernize the museum and bring its exhibits up to and beyond current expectations," Brown said. "I'm grateful to the board of managers, and the excellent staff here at the museum for this opportunity and I pledge to use all my energy and expertise to make sure we reach our shared goals."
Dec. 31 also represents the end of the present four-year agreement between the museum and Buffalo State College. The "memorandum of understanding" allows the college, across Elmwood Avenue from the museum, to aid the museum, as it did with Dr. Conides' involvement. The board and the college are currently negotiating an extension, which will start Jan. 1, 2011.
A resident of Gasport, Brown has been involved in nearly all the major archiving and collections work at the Society in the last 10 years. Her responsibilities included providing commentary, developing interpretive materials, facilitating exhibit design, performing historic research and scripts, and furthering and maintaining the museum's collection.
More About The Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society
The Society's mission is to maximize the educational potential for our community's vast resources and abundant narratives through innovative programming, partnerships and collaborations; to share, preserve and add to our outstanding collections to tell the stories of Western New York, from the ordinary to the extraordinary. The Society's building, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, is the only permanent building erected for the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo's international fair attended by 8 million people from May to November 1901. The Exposition is best known for being the largest showcase to that time of the uses of electrical illumination. It celebrated the technological innovations that had recently harnessed the generating power of nearby Niagara Falls. During the Exposition, the building served as the New York State Pavilion and was the scene of an intensive schedule of receptions welcoming distinguished guests from around the world.
Awarded the design commission by a state-sponsored competition, young Buffalo architect George Cary (1859-1945), who had been classically trained in Paris, designed the building, faced and corniced with Vermont marble, in Doric style. The beautiful south portico, overlooking Hoyt Lake in Delaware Park, is a scaled-down version of the east front of the Parthenon, in Athens. Cary was able to complete his original design in 1927 when the building was enlarged to accommodate the present-day Library and Auditorium. Eleven relief sculptures, designed by Edmund Amateis, surround the building, each depicting a significant event in local history. The bronze entry doors, designed by J. Woodley Gosling and sculpted by R. Hinton Perry, show allegorical figures depicting "History" and "Ethnology."
After the Exposition closed, the building became the headquarters of the Buffalo Historical Society in 1902. The Society, founded in 1862, had previously displayed its growing collections in a series of rented spaces in downtown Buffalo. Today the building hosts the Historical Society's Research Library (collections include 20,000 books, 200,000 photographs and 2,000 manuscript collections), its Auditorium, long term exhibits BFLO Made! and Neighbors, galleries for temporary exhibits, and the Museum Shop. BECHS is a private not-for-profit organization tax exempt under Sec. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It receives operating support from the County of Erie, the City of Buffalo, the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA, a state agency), and from members and friends. BECHS is accredited by the American Association of Museums.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Warhorse’s Olympic Bronze at Olympic Museum
By Editorial Staff
The Lake Placid 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Museum has added another piece to its collection of artifacts from last February’s 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada, Andrew Weibrecht’s men’s Super-G bronze medal.
Weibrecht’s bronze medal helped spark the U.S. alpine ski team to a record eight medals in Vancouver. Overall, the U.S. Olympic squad celebrated its best Olympics ever, claiming the overall medal count with 37.
“The medal was turned over for display and for safe keeping between appearances,” noted museum curator Liz Defazio. “It’s so nice for these athletes to have a place where they can share their accomplishments with others… sort of their home away from home.”
Nicknamed the “Warhorse” on the international alpine ski tour, Weibrecht began skiing at the age of five at Whiteface Mountain and began racing with the New York Ski Educational Foundation (NYSEF) program by the time he was 10. He had only been on the World Cup circuit since 2006 and Vancouver was his first Olympic Winter Games.
There are quite a number of artifacts on display in the museum from the 2010 winter games donated by several of the 12 area athletes who competed, as well as coaches and officials. The artifacts include race gear, Opening Ceremony clothing, official U.S. Olympic team clothing, event tickets, programs and pins.
Lake Placid’s 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Museum features the largest collection of winter Olympic artifacts outside the International Olympic Committee’s museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. Some of the artifacts include the first Winter Olympic medal awarded, gold in 1924 in Chamonix, France, to Lake Placid native and speedskater Charles Jewtraw, equipment worn by U.S. goalie Jim Craig during the 1980 winter games, parade clothing from the 1932 winter games, athletes participation medals and Olympic medals from every winter Olympics.
Admission to the museum is $6 for adults and $4 for juniors and seniors. Admission is also included when purchasing an Olympic Sites Passport. The Passport gives visitors access to each of ORDA’s Olympic venues—from Whiteface Mountain to the Olympic Sports Complex and everything in between. Sold for $29 at the ORDA Store and all of our ticket offices, the Passport saves you time, money, and gets you into the venues at a good value. For more information about the Olympic Sites Passport, log on to http://www.whiteface.com/summer/plan/passport.php.
Photo: Andrew Weibrecht's Super-G Bronze Medal. Courtesy 1932 and 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Museum, Lake Placid, NY.
SUNY ESF Students Launch Olana Nature Walks
By Editorial Staff
Olana State Historic Site interns Danielle and Jessica Zeller will launch three self-guided nature walks on Sunday, June 27th. Each of the three experiences will focus on a different part of Olana’s landscape; the lake, meadows and forests.
“Did you know Olana State Historic Site is one of only five known locations in the state where you can see Shrubby St. John’s Wort, a threatened species in New York? Or that Olana’s lake is home to invasive Chinese Mystery Snails?” ask the interns. “You can find out more about these species and others in the area on the nature walks.”
Starting on Sunday, visitors can pick up a map and guide in Olana’s Visitor Center or Wagon House Education Center, then venture out to learn more about the site’s natural history. On Sunday, June 27th, Danielle and Jessica will be at Olana’s Visitor Center between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. promoting the new guides and seeking feedback on their content.
Danielle and Jessica are 2006 alumni of Cairo-Durham High School and 2008 alumni of Columbia Greene Community College. Both are now enrolled in the Natural History and Interpretation program at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse.
Olana, the home and studio of Hudson River School artist Frederic E. Church, is a New York State Historic Site and a National Historic Landmark. It is located at 5720 Route 9G in Hudson. Olana is one of six historic sites and 15 parks administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation – Taconic Region. The Olana Partnership is a private, not-for-profit organization, which works cooperatively with New York State to support the preservation, restoration, development, and improvement of Olana State Historic Site. Call 518-828-0135, visit www.nysparks.com or www.olana.org for further information.
Photo: Danielle and Jessica Zeller exploring Olana’s Lake Road, Image courtesy Olana State Historic Site, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Dead Apple Tours Offers History of NYC's Deceased
By Editorial Staff
A new tour company is taking guests on a unusual look at New York City. The brainchild of Drew Raphael, a native New Yorker, Dead Apple Tours was inspired after watching fans gather outside the home of Heath Ledger immediately after the news of his death. Raphael figured with so many interesting locations in New York of famous and infamous accidental deaths, murders and suicides—why not collect a group of these experiences into one tour to get a fuller picture of the Big Apple? Why not present the “living history of New York’s deceased?” Dead Apple Tours gives passengers on its downtown tours a unique sightseeing experience in a rare, classic hearse that has been customized for a comfortable ride.
Highlights of the Dead Apple Tours include:
* The Soho spot where Heath Ledger spent his final hours.
* The secret of the “Hangman’s Elm” and “Dead Man’s Curve.”
* The Little Italy locale where mobster “Crazy Joe” Gallo ate his last bowl of pasta
* The spot where Sid Vicious allegedly killed girlfriend Nancy Spungen as well as the location where he eventually overdosed himself, and more.
The star of Dead Apple Tours is “Desdemona”; one of only 478 Cadillac Superior Crown Royale Hearses made in 1960 and believed to be one of only a handful left in existence today. This deluxe vehicle has been painstakingly restored and customized to provide a comfortable, modern ride in plush seats with the comfort of air conditioning, WiFi and video screens to help complete the story-telling adventure.
The downtown tour runs approximately two hours, starting at the Empire State Building and ending at the South Street Seaport. Winding through the streets of lower Manhattan participants learn “New York City Death Fun Facts” while Dead Apple Tours takes them to the exact locations the most famous deaths occurred.
New Paltz: Moonlight Historic Harcourt Preserve Walk
By Editorial Staff
Historic Huguenot Street and the Wallkill Valley Land Trust have come together with a unique and new offering in New Paltz, on Saturday, June 26th at dusk: a moonlight walk on the 54-acre Harcourt Preserve that borders Huguenot Street. As the sun sets and the moon rises, participants will enjoy a drink on the porch of the DuBois Fort before setting off to see the historic preserve as few do – by the light of the moon. Full moons were a much anticipated treat in the days before electricity – an opportunity for people to venture out at night and enjoy the ability to see by the light of the moon.
The tour will begin at 8:30pm at the DuBois Fort Visitor Center at 81 Huguenot Street in New Paltz with a toast to the rise of the full moon with a glass of sparkling cider or wine. The easy, flat one-and-a-half-mile walk is the perfect opportunity to experience the kind of summer nights the original inhabitants of Huguenot Street once did.
Advance reservations are not required, but are suggested. To make a reservation, visit www.huguenotstreet.org or call (845) 255-1889.
Historic Huguenot Street (HHS), located on the banks of the Wallkill River, is where small group of French-speaking Huguenots settled in 1678. Today, just steps from downtown New Paltz, the site features seven stone houses dating to 1705, a burying ground and a reconstructed 1717 stone church – all in their original village setting. HHS offers six acres of landscaped green space and public programming to the local community and visitors from around the world. For more information about Historic Huguenot Street, visit www.huguenotstreet.org or call (845) 255-1660.
Photo: Moonlight over the serene Harcourt Preserve along the Wallkill River in New Paltz.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Ranger Guided Evening Strolls at Saratoga Battlefield
By Editorial Staff
National Park Service Rangers will be leading walks through the historic landscape of Saratoga National Historical Park in Stillwater on July 10th, 17th and 24th, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Water bottles, bug repellant, and comfortable walking shoes are suggested. The programs are free of charge.
July 10th — Mud and Misery: Visit the newest site of Saratoga NHP—Victory Woods. Join Park Ranger Joe Craig to find out about the dismal final days of the defeated British army on the ground they occupied. Meet at Saratoga Monument, located off Rte. 338 (Burgoyne Road) in Schuylerville. 6:30-7:30pm
July 17th — “Brother, can you spare a dime?” The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) came at a time when our nation needed a major economic "shot in the arm." One of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's brilliant but controversial initiatives, the CCC didn't just put thousands of young laborers and professionals to work; it catapulted America's conservation movement far ahead of its time. What impacts did the CCC have on Saratoga Battlefield? Join Park Ranger Bill Valosin and find out more! Meet at the visitor center flagpole. 6:30-7:30pm
July 24th — “I don’t think he would accept second in command in Heaven.” Join Park Ranger Eric Schnitzer and learn about the significant role played by America’s most infamous traitor, Benedict Arnold, in the 1777 Battles of Saratoga. Meet at the visitor center flagpole. 6:30-7:30pm
Saratoga National Historical Park presents special interpretive events and programs
throughout the year. For further information about this and other programs, please call
(518) 664-9821 ext. 224 or check their Web site at www.nps.gov/sara.
Call For Papers: Latino Folk Culture and Expressive Traditions
By Editorial Staff
For over 65 years, the New York Folklore Society (NYFS) has held an annual conference, typically with guest speakers, such as master artists and academic scholars, who have addressed a particular theme. This year, in collaboration with NYU’s Latino Studies and Latin American Studies Departments, we invite graduate students to present their work on Latino Folk Culture and Expressive Traditions.
In this way, students will be given a platform at a local conference to share their work and connect with other young academics from around the state. The NYFS seeks to
encourage young scholars to continue their studies and become active contributors to the fields of folklore, ethnomusicology, anthropology and more.
Theme: Latino Folk Culture and Expressive Traditions - A cumbia group belting-out Colombian tunes at an outdoor cumbiamba, a Peruvian curandero diagnosing a patient through the use of animals, a Mexican family building a Diá de los Muertos altar
in their home, a décima verse sung by a Puerto Rican jibaro—all of these are examples of Latino Expressive Traditions.
While some of these forms have roots in African traditions and others have roots in Indigenous traditions, all are considered Latino Expressive Traditions or Folk Arts.
These traditions speak to what Latinos say, believe, make, know and do---things that they first learned from their families and community.
The length and breadth of Latino traditions literally covers two continents; and transnational migration to major US cities such as Miami, Chicago, San Antonio, Newark and New York have ensured that the impact of Latino culture continues to be profound. We support papers which explore the topic of Latino Expressive Traditions from both the homeland perspective and immigrant perspective. The organizers particularly encourage papers that address Latino traditions in New York’s tri-state area.
Students can cover any number of topics related to traditional performing arts, materials arts, vernacular culture, sacred arts, etc. as long as the research is with a particular Latino group. While attendees should be graduate students from any academic program; they do not have to major in folklore or Latino studies. Participants can be ethnomusicologists, anthropologists, historians, etc.
Proposals are due by September 30, 2010. For more information download the pdf here.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Harriman Family Palisades Founders Award Recipient
By Editorial Staff
On June 3, 2010, the Palisades Parks Conservancy hosted their eighth annual dinner along the Hudson River shoreline at the Ross Dock Section of the Palisades Interstate Park, Fort Lee, NJ. The dinner was well attended with over 250 guests.
The Conservancy's Board of Directors recognized 100 years of service and dedication by the Harriman Family. Elbridge Gerry Jr. accepted the Palisades Founders Award on behalf of more than sixty family members. A former Harriman camper, NY State Senator Jose M. Serrano, chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, and Parks and Recreation, was the keynote speaker. In addition, Samuel F. Pryor III, PIPC President and Carol Ash, Commissioner of the NYS Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation shared remarks.
A century ago, railroad executive Edward Henry (E.H.) and Mary Williamson Averell Harriman joined other Gilded Age families to reclaim our nation's scenic and cultural treasures. Since then, the Harrimans have been at the forefront of every Palisades Interstate Park initiative. From the conservation of land and creation of parks, lakes, and beaches, to their unwavering support for nature education and relief camps, their dedication to the preservation of our traditions and environment serves as a model for us all.
After railroad magnate E.H. Harriman's sudden death, his wife Mary carried on his vision to establish a grand park. Their gift of ten thousand acres and one million dollars safeguarded the scenic beauty of present-day Bear Mountain and the park that bears the family name. At the 1910 dedication ceremony, Mary and E.H.'s son, William Averell, presented the deed of land to the PIPC and thus started more than a century of family service on behalf of these 28 parks and historic sites.
W. Averell Harriman, the longest serving Palisades Commissioner, played an important role in the advancement of the Interstate Park. Always viewing himself as a volunteer to the PIPC and champion of nature, Harriman valued his service during his fifty-three year tenure (1915-1954, 1959-1973). To ensure access for all, Averell, with his brother Roland, himself a Commissioner for four years (1955-1958) contributed to the creation of transportation networks throughout the Palisades enabling millions the ability to easily travel deep into the wilderness and to connect with nature and our history via railroads, bridges, trails, and scenic byways.
In collaboration with the PIPC, Mary Harriman, who persistently encouraged education, suggested the creation of relief camps to aid underprivileged and homeless children and teach them about the power of nature. The family's charitable foundations continue to assist today's 32 camps allowing thousands of children the opportunity to learn lifelong skills each summer. Carrying on her grandmother's legacy, Mary Harriman Fisk, a Commissioner from 1974-1996, sponsored the Tiorati Workshop for Environmental Learning, a program that trains NYC's public schools to teach inner-city students the wonders of nature.
Photo: Edward Henry Harriman in his office 1899.
Peter Paine to Receive Adirondack Museum Award
By Editorial Staff
The Board of Trustees of the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake has announced the selection of Peter S. Paine, Jr. as the recipient of the 2010 Harold K. Hochschild Award.
The Harold K. Hochschild Award is dedicated to the memory of the museum's founder, whose passion for the Adirondacks, its people, and environment inspired the creation of the Adirondack Museum. Since 1990 the museum has presented the award to a wide range of intellectual and community leaders throughout the Adirondack Park, highlighting their contributions to the region's culture and quality of life.
The Adirondack Museum will formally present Peter Paine, Jr. with the Harold K. Hochschild Award on August 19, 2010.
Peter S. Paine, Jr., a retired partner of the international law firm, Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, has long served as Chairman of Champlain National Bank in Willsboro, N.Y. He has devoted much of his life to exemplary public service in the Adirondack region. He is Trustee and former Chair of the Adirondack Nature Conservancy, and also served on the New York State Nature Conservancy Board of Trustees.
In addition, he was a founding member and long-time General Counsel of the Lake Champlain Committee and also one of the founding Trustees of what is now Environmental Advocates.
Paine currently serves as President of the Board of Trustees of the Fort Ticonderoga Association and is also a Trustee of the Adirondack Community Trust.
Peter Paine has played a key role in numerous land conservation projects in the Champlain Valley. These include the preservation as a bird sanctuary of the Four Brother Islands in Lake Champlain, and the addition of the Split Rock Mountain Range to the NYS Forest Preserve.
He was also a major donor to and co-organized the Noblewood Park and Nature Preserve project in the Town of Willsboro with Assemblywoman Teresa R. Sayward, and helped create the Coon Mountain Preserve in Westport. At his instigation, the Paine family donated conservation easements to the Adirondack Nature Conservancy starting in 1978, protecting five miles of shoreline on Lake Champlain and the Boquet River and some 1,000 acres of farmland and forest.
Peter Paine, Jr. served as a member of the Temporary Study Commission on the Future of the Adirondacks (chaired by Harold K. Hochschild) from 1968 to 1970, and as a Commissioner of the Adirondack Park Agency from 1971 to 1995. In that capacity he was the principal draftsman of the Adirondack State Land Master Plan and New York State Wild Scenic and Recreational Rivers Legislation.
Paine received a North Country Citation from St. Lawrence University, Canton, N.Y. in 1974, the Ordre National du Merite from the Republic of France in 1984, and the Howard M. Zahniser Award for the Preservation of Wilderness in New York (shared with Peter A.A.Berle) in 2004.
A resident of Willsboro, N.Y., Paine is a hunter, fisherman, horseman and wilderness expedition leader.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Get New York History Delivered Every Day
By Editorial Staff
More than 400 people get the New York History blog each day via various subscription services. It's a convenient way to get the latest New York History news, information, and events.
There are a number of ways you can subscribe:
Get New York History By E-Mail
RSS Feed - Subscribe!
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Facebook (occasional updates).
Books: Historic Photos of The Hudson Line
By Editorial Staff
Henry John Steiner's new book, Historic Photos of The Hudson Line showcases more than 200 striking black-and-white images that take you on a journey up the Hudson River between the years 1850 and 1970 when the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad came to dominate transportation along this important American travel corridor. In the process the colonial-era river towns and landings were transformed in commercial, manufacturing, and political centers in their own rights.
Stiener, a local author and the municipal historian of Sleepy Hollow, captures the events from parades to politics, celebrations to sporting events, steamboats to airplanes - the people and places that contributed to the growth of this historic region. He uses fact-filled captions and chapter introductions to highlight the large format photographs culled from the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, and the New York State Archives.
The book is published by Turner Publishing.
Note: Books noticed on this site have been provided by the publishers. Purchases made through this Amazon link help support this site.
Friday, June 18, 2010
This Week's New York History Web Highlights
By Editorial Staff
- Franklin Co. Historian: Wilderness Guides, 1872
- Clermont State Historic Site: Philip "The Signer" Livingston
- Preservation Diaries: NYC’s Landmarks A House of Cards?
- Inside the Apple: Stanford White's Madison Square Garden
- Brooklynology: Empty Shelves, Empty Reference Desks
- The Bowery Boys: Newsboys Strike of 1899
- WNBZ: HMS Bounty Coming to St. Lawrence Seaway
- Buffalo Research: Underground Railroad Sites in Buffalo
- Syacuse.Com: 100 Years at Lock 24
Ransoming Mathew Brady:
Re-Imagining the Civil War
By Editorial Staff
This Saturday June 19th the Albany Institute of History & Art welcomes a new exhibit entitled, Ransoming Mathew Brady: Re-Imagining the Civil War, Recent Paintings by John Ransom Phillips. The exhibit will be on display through Sunday, October 3, 2010.
In a series of 25 vibrant oils and watercolors, Phillips portrays the paradoxes and complexity of the famed 19th-century photographer. Born around 1823 in Warren County, New York, Mathew Brady visited Albany as a young man to seek medical attention for an inflammation of his eyes. While in Albany, he met the portrait painter William Page, who befriended him and encouraged him to become a painter. However, Brady demonstrated great talent in the new medium of photography, and quickly became a sought-after auteur. His iconic portraits of illustrious giants like Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman replaced paintings as the standard means of documenting the image of notable public figures. Lincoln and Whitman figure prominently into Phillips’s paintings.
“Whitman, who served in a hospital as a nurse for the war wounded, said the Civil War could never be portrayed because it was just too horrible; it was beyond human capacity to understand,” Phillips says. “Yet Whitman, like Brady, attempted to do so.”
At the peak of his success, Brady chose to move his profession to the field of war, a decision that would ultimately cost him, psychologically and financially. At the Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, Brady was lost in the woods for three days and was nearly captured by Confederate troops. Although his images of the battle would become legendary as the first photographic depictions of war, Brady was badly shaken by the death, destruction, and violence he encountered in the field. Thereafter, he hired teams of photographers to work under his direction, unable to stomach the carnage that would be wrought in the years of fighting to come. As a result, many of the famous Civil War images attributed to Brady were actually taken by his employees.
“Brady in many ways reminds me of Andy Warhol,” Phillips said. “There are a lot of interesting parallels between the two artists. Both had huge studios in New York, on Union Square, not too far from each other. They occupied a similar geography. They also each hired about 50 to 60 people who would prepare the sitter or scene for a depiction. Both were uncomfortable with human feelings and poured their passion into celebrities,” Phillips said.
Plagued by vision problems throughout his life, Brady wore dark blue glasses to protect his eyes, and also employed blue-tinted skylights in his studios, for effect in his portraits but possibly to provide additional protection for his eyes. Many of the paintings in the Ransoming Mathew Brady series reflect this condition through the prominent use of the color blue. Heavily in debt when the post-war government declined to purchase his Civil War images, Brady died broke and virtually blind in the charity ward of a New York City hospital in 1896.
Phillips says he was inspired by Brady’s ability to reinvent himself, at a time when doing so was unorthodox. “Today, a lot of artists, and in fact people in all aspects of life, are very interested in reinventing themselves,” he says. “Mathew Brady was very much ahead of his time in this regard. He was an accomplished celebrity photographer in the studio, who then became known for battlefield photography.”
In his book-length essay in the illustrated 244-page catalog that accompanies the exhibit—Ransoming Mathew Brady (Hudson Hills Press, 2010)—photography expert and Yale professor Alan Trachtenberg writes, “Ransoming Mathew Brady tells a story at once sensuous and cerebral, esoteric yet enticing. An intellectual discourse in paint and words, this extraordinary cumulative work by John Ransom Phillips fits no existing genre (history painting may come closest). It’s an essay on history, on vision and blindness, on violence, on color and space, on death and rebirth. It asks from its viewers/readers not only eyes wide open but a heart willing to take on such immensity." The catalog will be on sale in the Albany Institute’s Museum Shop.
John Ransom Phillips’s work has been exhibited internationally at the David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art in Chicago, the Museo de Arte Moderno in Buenos Aires, and the Heidi Cho Gallery in New York. He has been a faculty member of the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Chicago, and Reed College in Portland, Oregon. He has a Ph.D. in the history of culture from the University of Chicago.
The Albany Institute exhibition will be complemented by a concurrent exhibition of Phillips’s work, entitled, Ransoming Mathew Brady: Searching for Celebrity, at the Opalka Gallery of the Sage Colleges in Albany. For more information about the Opalka exhibit, visit www.sage.edu/opalka or call (518) 292-7742.
Illustration: Photographing You, John Ransom Phillips, 2006, oil on canvas, 28 in. x 26 in.
This Week's Top New York History News
By Editorial Staff
- Angels Fail To Save The Catholic Museum
- Paterson Issues New Threat
- Native Canadians to Recall Abuse
- Edna St. Vincent Millay's Home Opens
- Kennedy Airport's I.M. Pei Terminal Endangered
- Lewis Co. Historical to Drop Director's Job
- Fulton Co. Historian in DOT Dispute
- Vermont Closes Chimney Point Site
- Hyde Celebrates Art of Andrew Wyeth
Thursday, June 17, 2010
John Brown Lives! Honors Juneteenth With Event
By Editorial Staff
June 19th commemorates “Juneteenth”, the oldest known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States, and is observed in more than 30 states. It is also known as Freedom Day, or Emancipation Day. Join us in honoring “Juneteenth” with an author reception for Scott Christianson, author of the critically acclaimed book Freeing Charles: The Struggle to Free a Slave on the Eve of the Civil War (University of Illinois Press, 2010).
Scott will speak about the life and dramatic rescue of a captured fugitive slave from Virginia, Charles Nalle, who was liberated by Harriet Tubman and others in Troy, NY in 1860.
Of note, Freeing Charles has been featured in The New York Times Book Review and excerpted in The Wall Street Journal. An award-winning writer, scholar, and human rights activist, Christianson’s interest in American history, particularly slavery, dates back to his boyhood in upstate New York, when he discovered some of his ancestors’ Civil War letters.
This event will be held on The Rooftop Terrace of The Northwoods Inn on Main Street in Lake Placid and is co-sponsored by the Lake Placid Institute for the Arts & Humanities, John Brown Lives! and John Brown Coming Home.
The reception begins at 4:00 pm and is free and open to the public. The Northwoods Inn will open a cash bar during the author reception and offer an optional Adirondack-style BBQ on the terrace for $10 per person (tax and gratuity included) following the event. Freeing Charles will be available for purchase and Christianson will be on hand to sign copies of the book.
This year, June 19th follows on the release of a new U.S. State Department report released yesterday citing - for the first time - that despite the end of slavery, human trafficking is a serious problem in the United States.
Secretary Clinton (June 14, 2010): "The 10th annual Trafficking in Persons Report outlines the continuing challenges across the globe, including in the United States. The Report, for the first time, includes a ranking of the United States based on the same standards to which we hold other countries. The United States takes its first-ever ranking not as a reprieve but as a responsibility to strengthen global efforts against modern slavery, including those within America. This human rights abuse is universal, and no one should claim immunity from its reach or from the responsibility to confront it."
The full report and announcement can be found online.
This is the first event in a series of anti-slavery conventions sponsored by John Brown Lives! and John Brown Coming Home.
For more information or to make reservations, call 518-962-4758 or 518-523-1312. Also visit http://www.lakeplacidinstitute.org/.
