Nazareth College is hosting the Rochester-Monroe County Freedom Trail Commission's seventh annual tribute to the nearly 200,000 men of color and 7,000 white officers that constituted the United States Colored Troops (USCT) (USCT) on Tuesday, April 5, at noon in Nazareth's Linehan Chapel of the Golisano Academic Center. On Behalf of Those Who Lie in Yonder Hallowed Ground is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. David Anderson at danders8@naz.edu or (585) 389-5140.
The event will include dramatic readings of events that were tearing the nation apart during the Civil War, and will be posed against President Lincoln's executive order that provided for arming men of color, and the eventual Union victory. Frederick and Anna Douglass, parents of two Union soldiers, will also be honored. Frederick's advocacy was crucial to the Union's belated decision to enlist men of color.
These commemorative events result from a collaboration of the Rochester-Monroe County Freedom Trail Commission and Nazareth College Service Learning Center, and support from several community organizations.
Founded in 1924, Nazareth College is located on a close-knit, suburban campus in the dynamic, metropolitan region of Rochester, N.Y. The College offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional programs in health and human services, education, and management. Nazareth's strong cultures of service and community prepare students to be successful professionals and engaged citizens. The College enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduate students and 1,000 graduate students.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Rochester Honoring African-Am Civil War Soldiers
By Editorial Staff
New Season at Boscobel House and Gardens
By Editorial Staff
Whether you crave chocolate or relish history, Boscobel has a special event just for you. The early 19th-century house museum on 45 acres in Garrison (Putnam County) swings its gate open for the 2011 season this April 1st, and the entire month promises a variety of unique offerings.
New this year will be special Themed House Tours. In April, think quickly for the April Fool’s: What’s Wrong in This Room? house tours. Join in on the search for off-period items in Boscobel House. Would Elizabeth have one or two sugar cubes in her tea? Did Peter wear a wrist watch on his left or right arm? Careful – Boscobel is trying to fool you. Daily tours throughout the month of April will include a wrong-era object in each room. See the Boscobel website for special themed tours in July & November, too. There is no additional cost for themed tours. (Regular house admission rates apply.)
Eagerly anticipating chocolate from the Easter Bunny? No need to wait that long…come to Boscobel Saturday, April 2 for a luscious lecture and tasting: Wine & Chocolate Pairings with Oliver Kita. According to Chocolatier and Chef Oliver Kita, wine & chocolate are a natural combination. Both have complex flavors and notes, and both have similar components and nuances. Join us for this tasty lecture, and learn how to team up wine and chocolate together in a variety of delicious ways. A sampling of wines and chocolates will be offered. Unique chocolates will also be available for sale, as well as Oliver’s line of “Great Estate Chocolates” which include Boscobel. (Great gifts for Mother’s Day and Easter!) Wine & Chocolate Tasting Plus a Tour of Boscobel House: $35/person at 1pm. Wine & Chocolate Tasting Only: $25/person at 2:30pm. Space limited. Reservations Required. (21 years+) Tickets can be bought online at Boscobel.org. Look for a link on the April event page.
This year's Seminar Series sponsored by the Friends of Boscobel is titled, “18th & 19th Century Industries in the Hudson Valley.” It all starts April 9 with Ms. Ina Griffin-Guilzon, Museum Teacher at Columbia County Historical Society who will present, "Whaling Industry Based in The Hudson."
The series will continue on April 16 with Travis Bowman of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation who will give an illustrated talk on "Bobs' Folly," how Robert Fulton & Robert Livingston introduced the first steamboat service on the Hudson River.
Finally, on April 23 stop by for: Dr. Tom Carroll, Professor at RPI and associated with "Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway" who will give a modified version of "The Hudson as Silicon Valley of the 19th Century" with coverage of the West Point Foundry and Burden Mining near Linlithgo. All lectures are free and do not require reservations; space is limited. House tours are additional.
Are you a garden buff? Rest your spade, and come to Boscobel on Friday April 29 at 2pm for a Garden Tour & Book Signing by the authors of “Gardens of the Hudson Valley.” This stunning, new coffee table book focuses on the Valley’s historic landscape and how gardens have been integrated into it. Photographers Steve Gross and Susan Daly selected twenty-five gardens between Yonkers and Hudson that included famous estates, including Boscobel, as well as private gardens that combine sweeping views and lush plantings. Writers Susan Lowry and Nancy Berner describe each of the gardens in full detail with focus on the history of the site and the strategies for design and plant materials. Join us at Boscobel on Arbor Day where Ms. Lowry and Ms. Berner will lead visitors on a guided garden tour, discuss their book and sign copies purchased in the gift shop. Grounds admission applies.
Due to popular request, Costumed House Tours at Boscobel have been expanded are being offered all day long on the last Friday of every month. Step back in time when Boscobel's docents dress in period costumes and guide visitors through Boscobel House on an interactive, interpretive tour. They will explain life and times of the 1800s and perhaps share "inside stories" of the Dyckman family. There is no additional cost for costumed tours; regular house admission rates apply.
Live in Orange County? Be sure to visit Boscobel on Sunday, April 17 when it’s Orange County Day. Simply show your proof of Orange residence and your grounds admission is free. It’s a terrific way to discover Boscobel and take in some breathtaking views. Check Boscobel’s website calendar for your free county day.
For a fabulous spring opening sale on many unique home & gift items in the Gift Shop at Boscobel, stop by the first two weeks in April. There’s even a 50% off table sure to please the bargain shopper in you.
For further details on all events and programs, including rain dates & pricing, visit Boscobel.org or call 845.265.3638 after April 1. Boscobel is located on scenic Route 9D in Garrison New York just one mile south of Cold Spring. From April through October, hours are 9:30am to 5pm., the last tour at 4:00pm. The house museum and distinctive Gift Shop at Boscobel are open every day except Tuesdays, May 15, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Mohawk-Hudson Artist Call for Entries
By Editorial Staff
The Albany Institute of History & Art has issued a call for entries for the 2011 Exhibition by Artists of the Mohawk-Hudson Region, which the museum will host from July 9 through September 4. Entries are due by April 25, 2011. Established in 1936 and celebrating its 75th year, the Mohawk-Hudson Regional is one of the longest-running regional exhibitions in the country. This annual, juried exhibition occupies a major role in the history of contemporary art activity in the Upper Hudson Valley.
Highlighting the work of artists working within a 100-mile radius of Albany and Glens Falls, The Regional rotates every three years among the Albany Institute, the University Art Museum at the University at Albany, and The Hyde Collection. The Regional has become a barometer of contemporary art, as well as a means of support for emerging and established artists in the Capital District. Local arts patrons and businesses provide cash prizes and gift certificates that the juror awards to selected artists.
The juror for the exhibition is Holly Hughes, an artist, working in painting, printmaking, and ceramics, with studios in New York City and Columbia County. Hughes is a Professor at the Rhode Island School of Design and has extensive visiting-artist experience at other institutions, and as a teacher, lecturer, critic, juror, and curator. Her work––represented in numerous public collections––has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and reviewed in publications such as ARTnews, Art Forum, Art in America, and The New York Times.
For more information about the exhibition, call (518) 463-4478 or visit www.albanyinstitute.org. Downloadable entry forms are available on the website.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Seven Years' War College Teacher Scholarships
By Editorial Staff
Fort Ticonderoga is has announced the winners of teacher scholarships to attend the Sixteenth Annual War College of the Seven Years’ War May 20-22, 2011. They are: Wendy Bergeron, of Winnacunnet High School, Hampton, New Hampshire; Steven Hammerman, Falcon Cove Middle School, Weston, Florida; Judd Kramarcik, Commack Road Elementary School, Islip, New York; and Bill Sullivan, Northwestern Regional High School, Winsted, Connecticut.
Fort Ticonderoga’s teacher scholarships are supported by generous War College patrons and have been awarded to 53 teachers since 2001. Teacher scholarships are also offered for the annual Fort Ticonderoga Seminar on the American Revolution, held this year September 23-25, 2011. The seminar brochure and teacher scholarship application form are both available on the fort website at www.fort-ticonderoga.org by selecting the “Education Program” tab and then clicking on “Revolutionary War Seminar.”
Photo: Fifteenth Annual War College of the Seven Years’ War, May 2010.
April Fools Tour of Stone Tolan House Museum
By Editorial Staff
A rustic 19th century kitchen complete with an open hearth – and a plate of sushi?
A beautiful 19th century canopied bed, with a chamber pot peeking out from under the bed – next to a pair of flip flops?
On Saturday, April 2, visitors will enjoy a special event tour that has never before been offered in the 40 years that Stone-Tolan House Museum in Brighton (the oldest house in Monroe County) has been open to the public - an April Fools Tour. The “April Fools” have visited the Stone-Tolan House – and have really messed things up for the museum staff! There are all sorts of things in there that don’t belong – and they need the public’s help to figure it out.
Adults and kids will hunt for things that are out of place in the 200 year old rooms, including the tavern room, kitchen, parlor bedroom, hallway and pantry. Some may be obvious – like the sushi. Others will be a bit more challenging (hint: what is the date on that coin?) You’ll get a sheet to record their discoveries. After your hunt is done, take your completed sheet to the education center in the late 19th century Tolan barn. You’ll score your results, see how many you got right – and discover what you missed. There will be prizes!
The April Fools Tour will be open from 11 am to 3 pm. Admission is $5 per adult. For this event, children up to age 16 are welcome free of charge. The Stone Tolan House Museum is located at 2370 East Avenue, with free parking onsite.
The April Fools Tour will take place on this one day only. After all, we’ll need to get everything back to its appropriate, historically correct settings in time for the spring school tours!
The Stone-Tolan House Museum is owned and operated by The Landmark Society of Western New York. Through this site we encourage visitors to explore the formation of an early 19th century community and the lives of the Stone family, who operated a tavern and farm in the early 19th century. It is the oldest house in Monroe County, with the original wing constructed circa 1792.
The Landmark Society of Western New York, Inc. is one of the oldest and most active preservation organizations in America, serving nine Western New York counties. Now in its 74th year, The Landmark Society continues to protect the unique architectural heritage of our region and promote preservation and planning practices that foster healthy, livable, and sustainable communities. For additional information on preservation issues in the Rochester area and surrounding communities, contact Cindy Boyer or visit www.landmarksociety.org.
Artistic Visions Exhibit at Iroquois Museum
By Editorial Staff
“Iroquois Artistic Visions: From Sky World to Turtle Island” is an exhibition featuring new works by contemporary Iroquois artists in addition to art from the Museum’s permanent collection that will run from April 1 through December 31, 2011 at the Iroquois Indian Museum in Howe's Cave, NY.
Paintings, sculpture, pottery, beadwork, textiles and other media in the exhibition will focus on the important symbols in the Iroquois Creation Story, which is fundamental to understanding Iroquois culture and society because it expresses what is valuable in Iroquois culture.
The story contains ideas that define the Iroquois role relative to the universe and confirms their attachment to a land on which their ancestors have lived for at least ten thousand years. It helps to explain their survival as a distinct ethnic group participating in a multicultural world. This exhibition takes a concept that was traditionally oral and translates it by using a number of exciting and contemporary visual forms.
Many of the artists featured in the exhibition are expected to attend the Gallery Opening . A full color companion book for the exhibition will also be available for sale in the Museum Shop.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Newspaper Archive Summit Announced
By Editorial Staff
On April 10-12, 2011, a diverse group of stakeholders will meet at the Reynolds Journalism Institute located at the University of Missouri School of Journalism to have a conversation about preserving news content. They're calling it the Newspaper Archive Summit: Rescuing Orphaned and Digital Content.
More than 160 U. S. newspapers have either quit business or stopped publishing a print edition during the past three years. How can we make sure that a community's history and cultural record does not cease to exist? How can we make sure that digital news products currently being created by online news organizations are preserved and accessible for citizens and scholars in the twenty-second century?
In 2010, a Blue Ribbon Task Force on Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access, created and funded by the Library of Congress, NSF, Mellon Foundation, National Archives and a few other organizations, published their final report. Some of their recommendations were:
* To convene expert communities to address the selection and preservation needs of commercially owned cultural content
* To discuss methods for providing financial and other incentives to preserve privately held cultural content in the public interest
* That stewardship organizations (libraries, museums, historical societies) should model and test mechanisms for flexible long-term public-private partnerships that foster cooperative preservation of privately held materials in the public interest
These issues will be addressed at the conference which will bring six groups of diverse stakeholders together to have a conversation about how we can create public/private partnerships and define incentives for commercial entities to hand off public interest content to stewardship organizations for preservation.
Stakeholders will include:
* Stewardship organizations (libraries, museums, digital archives)
* Print and Online News content publishers and organizations
* Experts in news copyright
* Academic and community scholars who depend on news content for their research
* Genealogy community
* Commercial vendors and content aggregators
On the first day, participants will hear stakeholder panelists talk about how it is in the public interest to preserve and provide access to news content. They'll talk about copyright and third party vendor issues; hear from scholars and genealogists about the need for preservation and access of this content and listen to the needs and concerns of news content creators and publishers. Attendees will also hear from stewardship organizations and successful commercial and non-commercial digitization projects.
On the second day, conference goers will work together in diverse groups developing a plan for creating partnerships and incentives to preserve and provide access to analog and digital news content.
The event will be held on Monday, April 11, 2011, at the Reynolds Journalism Institute on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia, Missouri.
Visit their regularly updated conference website. Registration is free, go here to sign up.
Champlain Canalway Trail Plan Unveiled
By Editorial Staff
At the Historic Saratoga-Washington on the Hudson Partnership meeting yesterday, Hudson Crossing Park announced the release of the Champlain Canalway Trail Action Plan for the 62-mile corridor between Waterford and Whitehall in Saratoga and Washington
Counties.
The Action Plan is intended to help focus and coordinate locally-based efforts to complete the Champlain Canalway Trail. It uses narrative, maps and photographs to describe the existing conditions, issues and opportunities along the proposed trail route. Each segment of the Action Plan can be used as a stand-alone by an individual community, to help focus attention and prompt constructive dialog.
The 62-mile Champlain Canalway Trail, together with the 9-mile Glens Falls Feeder Canal Trail, comprise one leg of the planned statewide Canalway Trail system. The 348-mile Erie Canalway Trail between Albany and Buffalo is the longest trail in the system. Now more than three-fourths complete, it is actively used by people in local communities, and is rapidly becoming a world-class recreational trail, attracting visitors from across the country as well as from abroad.
In the Champlain Canal corridor, about 17 miles of trail are complete, and another 14 miles are either in planning stages or expected to be completed within the next few years. Similar to the Erie Canalway Trail, the Champlain Canalway Trail is envisioned as an off-road trail wherever possible, with some on-road linkages. Once completed, the trail will provide connectivity between residential areas, business districts,
schools, parks and communities while reducing emissions and fuel consumption.
The Champlain Canalway Trail will be used by bicyclists, walkers, historical tourists, cross-country skiers and others. Sections will also be used seasonally by snowmobilers.
The completed Action Plan was produced by the LA Group of Saratoga Springs. It was funded by a grant awarded to Schuylerville-based Hudson Crossing Park, Inc, (www.hudsoncrossingpark.org) from the Rails to Trails Conservancy, a national organization that supports trail development.
Planning assistance was provided by the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program of the National Park Service.
For further information contact:
Southern Champlain Canalway Trail representative:
Nelson Ronsvalle – nronsvalle@townofhalfmoon.org
Central Champlain Canalway Trail representative:
Marlene Bissell – info@hudsoncrossingpark.org
Northern Champlain Canalway Trail representative:
Jeanne Williams – jpw.fca@gmail.com
The New York State Canal System is comprised of four historic waterways, the Erie, the Champlain, the Oswego and the Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Spanning 524 miles across New York State, the waterway links the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes and the Niagara River with communities rich in history and culture.
New President of Farmers' Museum, NYSHA
By Editorial Staff
The election of Dr. Paul D’Ambrosio as President of The Farmers’ Museum/New York State Historical Association was announced yesterday by Jane Forbes Clark, Chairman of The Farmers’ Museum, Inc. and Dr. Douglas E. Evelyn, Chairman of The New York State Historical Association, effective April 1, 2011.
Dr. D’Ambrosio succeeds D. Stephen Elliott as President and C.E.O. Mr. Elliott, who served nearly six years as President, has been appointed Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Minnesota Historical Society.
In a joint statement, Jane Forbes Clark and Douglas Evelyn said, “although we are sorry that Steve Elliott is leaving Cooperstown after six very productive years, we have a most capable successor in Paul D’Ambrosio. Paul’s leadership, experience and creativity have been on ample display at The Farmers’ Museum and The Fenimore Art Museum, and we are fortunate to have such a worthy and skilled museum professional within our ranks to promote to our highest administrative position.”
Mr. Elliott stated that “it has been an honor to work with the very capable and dedicated staffs of the New York State Historical Association and The Farmers’ Museum and I look forward to applying what I have learned from my colleagues in Cooperstown to my forthcoming work with another of America’s premier history institutions.”
Paul D’Ambrosio has been associated with The Farmers’ Museum, The New York State Historical Association and its Fenimore Art Museum for 26 years. He has been Vice President and Chief Curator since 1998 and has been responsible for organizing and traveling exhibits, acquisitions, publications, research, academic study and the care of objects. Dr. D’Ambrosio has also taken the lead role in the adoption of the many new forms of social media at the Museums, thereby making their collections and programs open and accessible (see his blog). In addition, he is an Adjunct Professor of Museum Studies at the Cooperstown Graduate Program, a Member of the American Folk Art Society and has served as a Museum Panelist for the New York State Council on the Arts.
A nationally recognized expert of American Folk Art, Dr. D’Ambrosio is the author of Ralph Fasanella’s America, numerous exhibition catalogs and articles, and co-author of Folk Art’s Many Faces. He holds a B.A. from SUNY Cortland, an M.A. from SUNY Oneonta’s Cooperstown Graduate Program and a Ph.D. from Boston University. Dr. D’Ambrosio, his wife Anna and their family reside in New Hartford, New York.
The Farmers’ Museum, founded in 1943, is an educational organization devoted to presenting the lives of ordinary people and the agricultural and trade processes of rural 19th century New York State; it is one of the oldest and most popular continuously operating outdoor museums in the United States. Founded in 1899, The New York State Historical Association preserves and exhibits objects and documents significant to New York history and American culture. The Association is home to The Fenimore Art Museum that features collections of American folk art, 19th century American fine art, and the acclaimed Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art.
Photo: Paul D’Ambrosio with students form the Cooperstown Graduate Program.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Brooklyn Museum Celebrates Rockwell Exhibit
By Editorial Staff
The Brooklyn Museum's Target First Saturday attracts thousands of visitors to free programs of art and entertainment each month. The April 2 event is a celebration of the different techniques artists employ to create a final product, as showcased in the special exhibition Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera.
Throughout the evening, a cash bar will offer beer and wine, and the Museum Café will serve a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, and beverages. The Museum Shop will remain open until 11 p.m.
Some First Saturday programs have limited space available and are ticketed on a first-come, first-served basis. Programs are subject to change without notice. Museum admission is free after 5 p.m. Museum galleries are open until 11 p.m. Parking is a flat rate of $4 from 5 to 11 p.m.
Highlights include:
5-7 p.m. Music
The Fat Cat Jazz Club presents the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance and the New York City All-Star Youth Big Band.
6 p.m. Film
Wuthering Heights (Peter Kosminsky, 1992, 105 min., PG). Juliette Binoche stars in this adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic novel, the inspiration for the exhibition Sam Taylor-Wood: "Ghosts." Free tickets available at the Visitor Center at 5 p.m.
6:30 p.m. Performance
Beat boxer Kenny Muhammad (pictured) teams up with the Cocoro Strings for a new, percussive twist on classical music. Free tickets available at the Visitor Center at 5 p.m.
6:30-8:30 p.m. Hands-On Art
Sketch a charcoal portrait from live models as they emulate poses found in Rockwell's illustrations. Free timed tickets available at the Visitor Center at 5:30 p.m.
7 p.m. Curator Talk
Catherine Morris on Lorna Simpson: Gathered. Free tickets available at the Visitor Center at 5 p.m.
8-10 p.m. Dance Party
DJ duo AndrewAndrew use their iPads to spin a zigzag history of pop.
9 p.m. Young Voices Talk
Student Guides on Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera.
9-10 p.m. Performance
The Upright Citizens Brigade presents a series of improvisational skits based on visitors' suggestions.
10-11 p.m. Late Night in the Galleries
All galleries open.
Photo: Kenny Muhammad. Photo Courtesy of the Artist.
Saratoga Automobile Museum Auto Show
By Editorial Staff
The Saratoga Automobile Museum is in preparations for the third annual Saratoga Spring Invitational and Spring Auto Show. Set for Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15, the Saratoga Spring Invitational 2011 is perfectly described by its sub-title, “A Gathering of Fine Automobiles.”
The Invitational field will be joined on Saturday by entrants in the “Euro Show” while Sunday’s co-feature will be the museum’s long-standing Spring Auto Show with judging in some two-dozen divisions. Enthusiasts will enjoy an entire weekend filled with unique, perfectly turned out vehicles representing all aspects of the automotive world and can count on seeing different cars each day.
“We sent out some 350 invitations to participate in the Saratoga Spring Invitational, which is growing into a destination event year by year, and responses are coming in steadily,” commented SAM Board Chairwoman Jean Hoffman. “Invitational participants will enjoy a wide variety of activities highlighting the area’s attractions, among them an evening in downtown Saratoga Springs, a visit to the outstanding automotive collection of Jim Taylor, a drive around Lake George with a visit to the historic Lake George Club and the opening of the museum’s new exhibit, “Forza Italia,” with remarks by our highly respected exhibit curator, Ken Gross.”
A nationally recognized author and expert on everything automotive from antiques to classic cars to hot rods, Gross will acquaint the audience with the details and seldom heard facts that make the various automobiles worthy of being included in the exhibit. The “Forza Italia” exhibit will be highlighted by a half-dozen automobiles on loan from nationally known collector Oscar Davis, a frequent winner in Pebble Beach judging over the years.
Enthusiasts visiting the Invitational, which will open at 10:30 am both Saturday and Sunday, will be able to inspect a wide variety of classic and special interest automobiles. Early entrants include a 1931 Pierce-Arrow and 1947 Cadillac owned by Tony Zappone, Bill Cook’s 1962 Daimler SR 250, a 1966 Yenko Corvair owned by Bill Cotrofeld, Bill and Marie Burke’s 1949 Packard and Joe Verillo’s 1965 Corvette Convertible.
But by show day, judges Al McEwan, Peter Hageman, Ken Gross, Tom Cotter and Grand Marshall Ed Herrmann, all Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance veterans, will have scores of perfectly turned out automobiles to consider before the winners are revealed on the red carpet at the Sunday afternoon awards ceremony.
Other weekend highlights will include a display of vintage open cockpit race cars on Sunday courtesy of the Atlantic Coast Old Timers and a number of sports cars, both historic and modern, from the Mo-Hud region of the Sports Car Club of America. And for those who have always wanted to get a taste of competition, a simulator that will recreate the experience of driving a race car around Connecticut’s famed Lime Rock Park road will be on hand. Also on tap are a variety of activities for children, including the Price Chopper Hopper” and the Tri-City Valley Cats pitching experience.
More information, including registration procedures for the car shows, is available online. Registration forms can also be filled out in person at the museum’s admissions desk during normal business hours.
Buffalo: Through Their Eyes Exhibit
By Editorial Staff
In collaboration with Journey's End Refugee Services and CEPA Gallery, Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society presents "Buffalo: Through Their Eyes," photography by international refugees living in Buffalo.
For their silver anniversary, Journey's End asked recently arrived refugees to document the experience of adjusting to life as Buffalo's newest residents. The participants received disposable cameras and training from CEPA Gallery. Their resulting images, reminiscent of early photographs of the ancestors of fellow Buffalonians, capture intimate moments in their homes, workplaces, communities; in essence the details of "their" Buffalo.
Twenty-five images from the "Buffalo: Through Their Eyes" project will be displayed from Friday, April 1 to Sunday, June 26, in the Historical Society's Community Gallery. Admission to the gallery is free with paid museum admission.
There will be an opening reception, which is free and open to the public, on Sunday, April 3 from 12 to 5 pm.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Fort Montgomery 2011 Lecture Series
By Editorial Staff
This Thursday Night Speaker Series, sponsored by the Fort Montgomery Battle Site Association, is seating by reservation only and is limited to the first 50 requests. You may reserve seats by calling 845-446-2134. Please leave your name, phone number, and number of people in your party.
Fort Montgomery is located at 690 Route 9W, one quarter mile north of the Bear Mountain Bridge. Call 845-446-2134 for more information.
Indians in the Ramapos
April 7 at 7 PM
Archaeologist Ed Lenik sifts through the layered evidence of human history in the Ramapo Mountains region to detect patterns that bear witness to the Native American presence there. Using archaeology, historical accounts, and oral tradition, Lenik develops a story that testifies to their presence, persistence, and survival.
From Mahicantuck to the Millenium:
400 Years of Hudson River Natural History
April 28th at 7 PM
Recently, the Hudson Valley celebrated the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s sail up the river that now bears his name. DEC Education Coordinator Steve Stanne will discuss the ecosystem that Hudson saw, it’s alterations since 1609, its biological richness today, and the challenges it faces in the future.
Claudius Smith: Revolutionary Rogue or Robin Hood?
May 19th at 7 PM
Due to demand “the Scourge of the Ramapos” is back! Author Patricia Edwards Clyne will present once more the harrowing tale of Claudius Smith, hailed by some as a champion of charity during the American Revolution, but eventually hanged as a thief and a profiteer. Come to your own verdict after this popular lecture. Book sale and signing to follow lecture.
Sterling Gardens
June 16th at 7 PM
Acclaimed educator and local historian Doc Bayne will present the little known tale of the Sterling Gardens, the world class botantical establishment that once thrived in Sterling Forest. Doc will chart the start of the gardens in 1960 and the changes it had to undergo to hold the public’s interest.
So Many Brave Men:
A History of the Battle at Minisink Ford
July 21st at 7 PM
For the first time in years a new history has been written about the only Revolutionary War battle to take place in the Upper Delaware River valley. Many participants of the Battle at Minisink Ford were veterans of the fight here at Fort Montgomery. This presentation by author Peter Osborne explores the history of the battle and the effect it had on the lives of the settlers who lived in the valley.
The Highland Adventures of William T. Howell
August 11 at 7 PM
Perhaps no one loved the Hudson Highlands as much as William T. Howell. Born in Newburgh in 1873, Howell tramped through the region one hundred years ago and witnessed improvements such as Route 9W and Bear Mountain State Park. Today his massive collection of photos and commentary, provided via a slide lecture by Lynette Scherer, offers the modern lover of the Highlands an interesting peek into life in the lower Hudson valley at the turn of the last century.
Sober, Industrious Women:
Wives of British Soldiers in America
September 29th at 7 PM
More than ten percent of the British Soldiers who fought in the American Revolution brought their wives and families with them to America. As nurses, laundresses, and sutlers the wives shared in the hardships and adventures of an army on service far from home. Historian Don Hagist will present an overview of the roles and experiences of British army wives in America.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Upcoming Events in Old Saratoga
By Editorial Staff
These events and items of interest are scheduled for the public in the Old Saratoga region (Schuylerville, Saratoga, Victory and nearby) for the month of April. All events are open to the public and wheelchair accessible. For more information contact oldsaratogahappenings@gmail.com, follow them on twitter @OldSaraHappenin, on facebook Old Saratoga Happenings or on the web.
Old Saratoga Happenings is a collation to promote cultural and heritage programs in the Old Saratoga region. The collation includes Hudson Crossing Park, Old Saratoga Historical Association, Saratoga National Historical Park, Schuylerville Area Chamber of Commerce, Schuylerville Public Library and the Town of Saratoga and Village of Victory Historian’s Office.
Photo Scanning Session on Tuesday, April 4 from 9:30 am to 10:30 am at the Saratoga Town Hall at 12 Spring Street in Schuylerville. Get your old photos of the Schuylerville area scanned, archived with the town, and receive a photo CD.
CANCELLED: Burgoyne’s Gold - You Solve the Mystery! on Saturday, Apr. 9 at 7 pm at the Saratoga Town Hall, Schuylerville. Someone has been murdered in Old Saratoga! Can you decipher the clues and solve the mystery? Costs: $17.77 per person to benefit Friends of Saratoga Battlefield. Reservations required by contacting megan_stevens@nps,gov or calling 518.664.9821 ext 219
Celebrate Earth Week! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink and Recreate! with Saratoga National Historical Park and Hudson Crossing Park Friday, April 15 through Saturday, April 23. Various events at Saratoga NHP Battlefield, Stillwater and Hudson Crossing Park, Route 4, Lock 5 Island, North of Schuylerville. For more information
www.hudsoncrossingpark.org
The Heritage Hunters of Saratoga County has their meeting on Saratoga County Genealogy: What Genealogists Can Learn From Funeral Home Directors on Saturday, April 16 starts at 1 pm. at the Saratoga Town Hall. The meeting features Mark Phillips, director of Burke Funeral Home, Saratoga Springs. Phillips will talk about Victorian funeral customs and what genealogists can learn from funeral home directors.
The Genealogy Group meets on Tuesday, April 19 at 10 am in the Schuylerville Public Library
Archive Scanning Working Session is planned for Thursday, April 28 at 4:30 pm at Saratoga Town Hall. Volunteers are needed to help the Historian’s Office to continue scanning documents and photos in the historical archive.
Farming Reminiscences is the topic of the Old Saratoga Historical Association meeting on Thursday, April 28 at 7:30 pm at the Saratoga Town Hall. Come and share your memories of growing up or working on a farm.
Friday, March 25, 2011
This Week's New York History Web Highlights
By Editorial Staff
- George Eastman House: 60 Years of Dryden Theatre
- NYS Archives: Triangle Fire Online Exhibition
- Tenement Museum: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
- BBC: Why Study Of Mice and Men?
- Mirror Magazine: On Naming Lake George
- City Room: Elizabeth Taylor's New York
- Dana Silano: Liz Taylor, Big Moose Lake
- NCPR: Tour of Croghan Island Mill
- Triangle Fire: Landmark Labor Anniversary
- Adk Almanack: Lake Pacid Figure Skating History
Each Friday afternoon New York History compiles for our readers a collection of the week's top weblinks about New York's state and local history. You can find all our weekly round-ups here.
Subscribe! More than 1,000 people get New York History each day via E-Mail, RSS, or Twitter or Facebook updates.
Coverage of 1911 Triangle Factory Fire
By Editorial Staff
The New York Times City Blog has been running a series of posts commemorating the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, which happened 100 years ago today on March 25, 1911.
There are links to the posts below, but first, here's a brief description of what happened from Wikipedia: "[The Triangle Fire] was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city of New York and resulted in the fourth highest loss of life from an industrial accident in U.S. history. The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers, who either died from the fire or jumped to their deaths. Most of the victims were recent immigrant Jewish and Italian women aged sixteen to twenty-three."
"Many of the workers could not escape the burning building because the managers had locked the doors to the stairwells and exits. People jumped from the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors. The fire led to legislation requiring improved factory safety standards and helped spur the growth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, which fought for better working conditions for sweatshop workers."
Here is a round-up of the City Room's outstanding coverage:
Liberating Clothing Made in Confinement
A Half Hour of Horror
A Frontier in Photojournalism
Editorial Cartoons
One Woman Who Changed the Rules
New Leaders Emerge
Labor Laws and Unions in the Fire’s Wake
In a Tragedy, a Mission to Remember
Garment Work in New York 100 Years After the Triangle Fire
The Building Survives
Remembering the Triangle Fire, 100 Years Later
Remembering Triangle Fire’s Jewish Victims
Clinging to Memories
In Search of Today's Sweatshops
This Week's Top New York History News
By Editorial Staff
- Catskill Resident Named Baseball Historian
- Rare Babe Ruth, Gehrig Film Revealed
- Staten Island Museum Breaks Ground
- Historic Croghan Mill Threatened
- New Push for Medal for Henry Johnson
- Manhattan’s Street Grid Turns 200
- New Landmarks Include NYC's Youngest
- APA OKs Development On Historic Carry
- Daily Dispatch Leaves Utica Presses
- Irish Cultural Center Planned For Utica
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
Ulster County Groups Offer 'Trivia Night'
By Editorial Staff
The Ulster County Historical Society and Historic Huguenot Street are joining forces to bring trivia to New Paltz. Tomorrow night, Friday, March 25th, the two organizations will offer “Trivia Night.”
The program in New Paltz is a continuation of the Trivia Nights the Ulster County Historical Society (UCHS) has offered previously at the Bevier House Museum, their headquarters in Stone Ridge. Recently, UCHS Administrator Suzanne Hausperg contacted Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) to see if they would like to collaborate. Richard Heyl de Ortiz, Director of Marketing, Development and Visitation for HHS, explains, “Suzanne called me to say that they wanted to take Trivia Night on the road and asked if we’d be interested in collaborating. I had thought the idea was a great one when they launched it last year and was happy to work together to make this happen.”
Trivia Night is a combination of national and local history, with perhaps even a bit of New Paltz history added in for this event. Individuals play in teams and all skill levels are welcome. The night also includes drinks, delicious hors d'oeuvres and prizes.
Trivia Night will be offered on Friday, March 25th from 6 to 9pm at Deyo Hall, 6 Broadhead Avenue, between North Chestnut and Huguenot Streets, in New Paltz. There is a $10 charge per person. For more information about this or about Historic Huguenot Street, visit www.huguenotstreet.org or call (845) 255-1660. For more information about the Ulster County Historical Society, visit www.bevierhousemuseum.org.
Photo: The Bevier House Museum, home of the Ulster County Historical Society.
Catskill Resident Named Baseball Historian
By Editorial Staff
Major League Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig has announced that author and Catskill, NY resident John Thorn has been named the Official Baseball Historian for Major League Baseball.
Thorn is the author and editor of numerous baseball books, including the forthcoming Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game, which will be published on March 15th by Simon & Schuster. His other books include Treasures of the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Total Baseball encyclopedia series. Thorn, a member of the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR), was the senior creative consultant for Ken Burns' Baseball series.
As Official Historian, Thorn will lead various research endeavors and special projects on behalf of Major League Baseball.
Thorn succeeds the late Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times baseball writer Jerome Holtzman, who served as Official Baseball Historian from 1999 until his passing in 2008.
The Woodstock Times has a profile of Thorn online.
Cayuga Museum Celebrating 75 Years
By Editorial Staff
2011 is the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the Cayuga Museum of History and Art. The Museum’s celebration kicks off with a gala dinner dance at the Holiday Inn in Auburn, NY on Saturday, May 7.
The Cayuga Museum opened its doors in the former Willard-Case Mansion on October 16, 1936. It was the culmination of a vision by founding director Walter Long, an art professor at Syracuse University, and representatives of many of the leading families of Auburn, to create a permanent home for the arts in Cayuga County.
The Museum was started with four divisions: Art, History, Industry and Children’s Activities. These four divisions have given rise to other great arts institutions in our community. The Merry-go-Round Playhouse started in the Children’s division of the Cayuga Museum; and the Art division was critical in the founding of the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center. Over the years, the Cayuga Museum has played a vital role in celebrating, preserving, and defining the history and culture of our area. Tens of thousands of people have visited the Museum exhibits; and thousands of families and businesses have donated objects to the Museum collection.
The Museum is coming full circle back to its earliest years, when the mansion’s carriage house was transformed into a community theater through a collaboration between the museum and the Community Players. Known then as the Cayuga Museum Annex, the theater was a popular venue for a variety of programs from the early 40’s through the early 70’s. Used primarily for storage for the past several decades, the carriage house is presently undergoing a major restoration that will return it to life. The second floor sound studio, where Theodore Case filmed some of the world’s first sound movies, will be open to the public for the first time. The main floor theater will be available for shows, concerts, and parties year ‘round, as well as being one of the venues of the summer Musical Theater Festival.
The Museum’s 75th Anniversary Dinner kicks off a celebration of this important milestone. The dinner will be May 7, at the Holiday Inn. Guests can dine on filet mignon, crab-stuffed sole or stuffed Portobello mushroom, and dance to the music of the Soul Traders. Tickets are $75 each and benefit the Museum’s operating fund.
This Fall, the Museum will host an exhibit on its own 75 years in the community, from the earliest discussions about creating a museum to the present, and showcasing treasures from the Museum collection. The Museum is asking the public to share their own memories or photographs of the Museum over the years. To reserve tickets to the dinner, or to share your memories, call the Museum at 253-8051.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Major Hudson River School Exhibition Opens
By Editorial Staff
Questroyal Fine Art in New York City has announced the beginning of its eleventh annual Hudson River School exhibition, An Untamed Nation. The show, which opened to the public March 10, features examples by America’s most beloved landscape artists of the nineteenth-century. Highlights include a sublime landscape by the 19th-century forefather of American art, Thomas Doughty, a marine masterpiece by Luminist painter Francis Augustus Silva, a vibrant Hudson River scene by Jasper Francis Cropsey, and a dramatic composition by George Inness.
Questroyal owner Louis M. Salerno said of the paintings: “After months of searching, I am happy to say that I have gathered a unique and high-quality group of paintings for this year’s exhibition. I have specialized in finding and offering Hudson River School works for over two decades now and have never displayed such a distinguished collection of nineteenth-century art as what we have for this year’s show. We have created one of our strongest Hudson River School catalogues to accompany the exhibition with thirty-two illustrations, but plan to display well over seventy-five works.”
An Untamed Nation will be on display until April2,2011. Questroyal is willing to offer a complimentary exhibition catalogue to any interested parties. Please contact the gallery via email (gallery@questroyalfineart.com) or phone (212-744-3586) to request your copy.
Admission to the exhibition is free of charge. The gallery is located at 903 Park Avenue (at 79th Street), Suite 3A & B and is open Monday–Friday from 10–6 PM and Saturday, 10–5PM.
Visit their website for more information.
Former Northern NY Military Rifle Range Inspections Set
By Editorial Staff
The National Guard Bureau will surveying old National Guard rifle range in Ticonderoga, Malone, Glens Falls, and Saratoga Springs for the presence of environmental poisons this summer. The ranges are among 23 former New York Army National Guard training sites used between 1873 and 1994 that the National Guard Bureau will be inspecting for potential environmental hazards.
The program is being conducted worldwide to address human health, safety, and environmental concerns at former non-operational defense sites. This includes over 400 sites in 48 states and two territories formerly used by the National Guard. The training sites in New York vary in size from 3.7 to 939 acres.
Currently, the New York National Guard has three training sites located in Guilderland, Youngstown and at Camp Smith, near Peekskill. Soldiers also train regularly at Ft. Drum, near Watertown.
Current property owners are in the process of being asked to allow contractors on their property to conduct this check which although mandated by the Department of Defense Military Munitions Response Program, will only include soil samples from a depth "less than two to three inches." The survey will also a visual inspection and checks with hand-held metal detectors. According to a press release issued by the Guard, "the inspectors will collect the samples with disposable plastic spoons, which are about the size of an ice cream scoop."
A preliminary assessment to identify locations, research historical records, land usage and past incident(s) in the area was completed in 2008; this summer's site inspections are expected to collect additional information, data and samples necessary to determine if following actions are warranted.
About the sites:
The Malone Small Arms Range was used from about 1895 to 1985. The range was approximately 43 acres; the range layout and boundary are unknown, as are the types of ammunition used there. The former range is located on state land, redeveloped for a correctional facility, northwest of Malone.
An older Ticonderoga Small Arms Range measured about 406 acres and was used from about 1950 to 1973; the newer one measured 105 acres and was used from about 1986 to 1994. The layouts and boundaries of the ranges are unknown, as are the types of ammunition used at them. The former ranges are located between Vineyard Road and Corduroy Road.
The Glens Falls Small Arms Range was used from about 1878 to 1955. The range was approximately 876 acres; the range layout has been verified, but the types of ammunition used there are unknown. The former range is located on forested, municipal property north of Peggy Ann Road.
The Saratoga Springs Small Arms Range was used from about 1878 to 1951. The range was approximately 100 acres; the range layout has been verified, but the types of ammunition used there are unknown. The former range is located on residential properties and forested land east of Weibel Avenue.
Anyone who has documents, records or photographs of the range are encouraged to contact Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo at corine.lombardo@us.army.mil or (518) 786-4579.
Photo: New York Army National Guard Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry, conduct weapons training at the Guilderland Weekend Training Center.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Matilda Joslyn Gage Celebration at Gage Center
By Editorial Staff
The Gage Foundation will celebrate the 185th birthday of Fayetteville, New York's most famous women's rights activist Matilda Joslyn Gage on Thurs., March 24, from 4-7 p.m. with an open house at the newly restored Gage Center, 210 E. Genesee Street, Fayetteville.
The event is free and open to the public. It will feature music and poetry written in honor of Gage. Winners of the annual Matilda Joslyn Gage essay contest will be announced at 4:15. Musical entertainment will follow, with local activist-artist Colleen Kattau performing a song she composed about Gage. The Eagle Hill Middle School girls' chorus will perform music from Gage's time, and Ed Nizalowski will play period flute music. Martin Willitts will read from his new poetry chapbook, "Protest, Petition, Write, Speak: Matilda Joslyn Gage Poems" and sign copies of the book at 6 p.m.
Visitors will be invited to "Write on Our Walls": to share their ideas for programs and exhibits by writing on whiteboard walls in each room. All will be treated to birthday cake provided by Connie Decker of the Chocolate Truffle.
A place of ideas, the Gage Center relies on dialogue to explore the social justice issues that Gage found most important and that still challenge us today.
Beginning March 26, the Gage Center will be open to the public Saturdays and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and at other times by appointment. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. Group rates are available. Watch their website to learn about upcoming events at the Gage Center. For more information contact (315) 637-9511 or foundation@MatildaJoslynGage.org.
Auburn Founders Day Committee Seeks Input
By Editorial Staff
The committee in charge of Auburn’s Founders Day festival is asking the public for input on themes for future celebrations. Founders Day is an annual festival held in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, focusing each year on an influential person or institution from the area. The day’s celebration offers speakers, entertainment, vendors, artists, shopping, food and refreshments in an atmosphere of fun for the entire family.
Founders Day began in 2009, as a way of bringing attention to Auburn’s rich historical legacy. The 2009 festival focused on William Seward, and Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin was the guest of honor. Last year’s festival celebrated the work of Theodore Case, Auburn’s native son who made talking movies possible. The 2011 Founders Days was going to celebrate the work of Harriet Tubman, but the committee decided to wait until 2013, the 100th anniversary of her death, to focus on Tubman.
This year’s Founders Day, scheduled for Saturday, August 13, will celebrate History on Wheels. Auburn’s Antique Car Club will be the focus; more than 50 other car clubs have been invited to participate. Hundreds of vintage cars will line the streets of downtown, while live bands, food vendors, artisan crafters and children’s activities entertain visitors.
The Founders Day committee is looking for ideas on which individuals or institutions to celebrate in future years. “Founders Day is in its infancy,” said this year’s co-chair Eileen McHugh, “and we intend for it to get bigger and better every year. Someday, Founders Day can be for Auburn what Harborfest is for Oswego. We’re planning now for the next several years. And we want suggestions from the community.”
Whom do you think should be celebrated on Founders Day? The committee has settled on Harriet Tubman for 2013, but needs a theme for 2012 and beyond. Send your idea, along with a brief statement of why that person or organization should be celebrated, to the Founders Day Committee at Downtown Auburn BID. Phone in your suggestion at 252-7874, drop it off in person at 128 Genesee St., or email connie@auburndowntown.org.
Monday, March 21, 2011
State Capitol Fire of 1911 Commemoration
By Editorial Staff
In the early morning hours of March 29, 1911, a fire broke out in the New York State Capitol at Albany. By sunset, the vast collection of the New York State Library, then housed in the Capitol, had been reduced to ashes.
To commemorate the centennial of the fire, coauthors Paul Mercer and Vicki Weiss, both of the New York State Library, have published The New York State Capitol and the Great Fire of 1911 (Arcadia Press, 2011) including rare images and documents from the special collections of the modern library, which arose from the ruins of the 1911 fire.
The public is invited join Executive Deputy Chief Warren Abriel of the Albany Fire Department to mark the 100th Anniversary of this historic event on Tuesday, March 29, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the University Club of Albany. The reception will feature light fare and cash bar, and authors Mercer and Weiss will discuss and sign the book. Royalties from book sales benefit the Friends of the New York State Library.
The event will also feature a preview of a documentary set to air on March 31 on WMHT, The New York Capitol Fire. Robert Altman, President and CEO of WMHT Educational Communications, will introduce a clip of the video, which draws on interviews, archival materials and reenactments. This WMHT documentary was created in collaboration with the New York State Museum, the New York State Archives, the Albany Institute, the New York State Library, the City of Albany and the Commission on the Restoration of the Capitol.
The cost for the reception, book signing and video preview is $20 per person. Reservations are required and may be made by calling the University Club at (518) 463-1151.
A portion of the proceeds from this event benefit the University Club Foundation, formed to recognize and maintain the unique historic and architectural significance of the University Club building and property, its historic neighborhood and the city of Albany, where it has been located since its inception in 1901.
Support for educational programming presented by the University Club of Albany Foundation, Inc. is provided by AT&T.
Photo: Fire-destroyed reading room in State Capitol, Albany, NY, 1911. Courtesy New York State Archives.
Women and Conservation History at Adirondack Museum
By Editorial Staff
March 2011 marks the centennial celebration of International Women's Day. Although women have long been dedicated and progressive history makers, their actions were slow to receive international attention. Adirondack Museum Educator Jessica Rubin will offer a presentation entitled "Women and the Conservation Movement" as part of the museum's popular Cabin Fever Sunday series on Sunday, March 27, 2011.
Rubin will discuss the role of women and female-centered organizations in the early conservation movement, excellent examples of historic female activism. Groups such as the National Federation of Women's Clubs and individuals like journalist Kate Field and botanist Lucy Bishop Millington will be highlighted in the presentation to illustrate the unique ways women interacted with and advocated for the American wilderness at a time when most were confined to the "private sphere."
Rubin will show that women were instrumental in the creation of state and federal conservation legislation and protections long before they had the right to vote. From the Adirondacks to California women were outspoken players in the national conservation crusade.
Held in the museum's auditorium, the program will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m. Cabin Fever Sundays are offered at no charge to museum members or children of elementary
school age and younger. The fee for non-members is $5.00. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, please call the Education Department at (518) 352-7311, ext. 128 or visit the museum's website.
Jessica Rubin holds a B.A. in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and will receive a M.A. in Public History from SUNY Albany in the spring of 2011. She joined the staff of the Adirondack Museum in 2008. She previously taught at the Conserve School, a college-preparatory school with an environmental and outdoor focus in northern Wisconsin. Her love for and interest in the environment was greatly influenced by four summers of work in Yosemite National Park.
Photo: Photo by female photographer Katherine Elizabeth McClellan, 1898. Collection of Adirondack Museum.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
New Windsor Cantonment Revolutionary War Encampment
By Editorial Staff
New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site will host a weekend of Revolutionary War military firing demonstrations and period activities on Saturday April 16, 10 AM – 4:30 PM and Sunday April 17, 1 – 4:00 PM. The event is presented by the Brigade of the American Revolution, an international organization dedicated to recreating the life and times of the common soldier of the War for Independence, 1775-1783.
A battle demonstration takes place at 2:00 PM each day with colorfully uniformed soldiers firing muskets and maneuvering to the music of fifes and drums. The soldiers will also set up tents, prepare cooking fires and demonstrate other aspects of 18th century life. For more information please call (845) 561-1765 ext. 22. Admission is free.
At 3:00 PM, on Saturday April 16, historian Norm Fuss will present a talk on The Battle of Great Bridge: the South’s Bunker Hill. At 3:00 PM, on Sunday April 17, historian Barnet Schecter will give a talk on his latest book George Washington’s America: a Biography through His Maps. After the presentation he will have copies of his book for sale. At 10:15 AM on Sunday April 17, Norm Fuss will give a presentation on Surviving Military Uniforms in North American Repositories. At 12:30 PM, on Sunday April 17, Eric Schnitzer, Park Historian, Saratoga National Historical Park, will present A primer to using artwork for living history clothing documentation. All lectures are open to the public. Members of the Brigade of the American Revolution use this weekend to teach the latest knowledge in recreating life from that era. The presentations are an enjoyable experience, something to be long remembered. Through lectures and demonstrations, a wide variety of 18th century period life is revealed. New Windsor Cantonment site staff is present to perform blacksmithing, woodworking and military medicine Saturday April 16, 10 AM – 4:30 PM and Sunday April 17, 1 – 4:00 PM.
The New Windsor Cantonment is co-located with the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor at 374 Temple Hill Road, Route 300, in the Town of New Windsor, four miles east of Stewart Airport and three miles from the intersection of I-87 and I-84 in Newburgh, New York.
Photo: Brigade of the American Revolution.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
CANCELLED: Burgoyne’s Gold, A Murder Mystery Event
By Editorial Staff
On Saturday, April 9 from 7pm to 9pm in Saratoga Town Hall on Spring Street (Rte 29) in Schuylerville, “Burgoyne’s Gold – A Murder Mystery” set in an 18th-century candle-lit “tavern,” with light refreshments, merriment, mystery, and murder. Tickets cost $17.77 with all proceeds benefiting the Friends of Saratoga Battlefield.
Shortly after the American victory in the Battles of Saratoga people are searching for the rumored fortune in gold that British General John Burgoyne buried before his surrender in 1777. Participants will be asked to put on their detective caps for an evening of unique entertainment by blending the lore of British General John Burgoyne’s hidden gold with portrayals of local historical figures, stirring in fictional characters and adding a dash of “homicide.”
Written by O’Connor’s Murder by Design, Diane and Steven O’Connor have produced interactive murder mystery fundraisers since 1989, raising over $200,000 for local non-profits.
Light refreshments using 18th-century recipes include meat and vegetable pasties made by BOCES Culinary School and cookies made by Doris Olszewski, plus tea, coffee and apple cider. For more information about the event call 664.9821 ext. 227.
Reservations must be made in advance by emailing megan stevens@nps.gov or calling 518.664.9821 ext 219. Sorry, no walk-ins allowed.
Saratoga National Historical Park and the Friends of Saratoga Battlefield work together to foster awareness, enjoyment and preservation of Saratoga Battlefield.
Books: 19th Century Murder Mystery
By Editorial Staff
Story ideas are the stuff of legend, and the idea for Ellen Horan’s debut novel 31 Bond Street came from a long forgotten mid-19th century Manhattan murder mystery.
31 Bond Street transports readers back to New York City in 1857, to a gripping murder case known as the ‘Bond Street Murder.’ Horan discovered a yellowed newspaper page in a print shop and her research soon uncovered one of the most sensational trials of the century, occupying front pages as the nation grappled with the perils of the impending Civil War.
The story begins during on a blustery January morning when a wealthy dentist, Dr. Harvey Burdell, is found brutally murdered in his sumptuous townhouse at 31 Bond Street in Manhattan. An attractive widow, Emma Cunningham, becomes the prime suspect. Emma Cunningham’s fate is placed in the hands of two lawyers: the idealistic defense attorney, Henry Clinton, and the District Attorney, Abraham Oakey Hall, who aspires to be mayor.
With Cunningham’s life on the line, Clinton applies the new science of forensic analysis in an attempt to spare her from the gallows. The murder case uncovers tensions and rifts in the upstairs-downstairs world of 31 Bond Street, as well the city at large. As a woman seeking security for herself and her daughters through marriage, Emma Cunningham made the fatal mistake of placing her trust in the unscrupulous Dr. Burdell, whose world included financiers who plot for land and power, corrupt politicians, a conspiracy of slavers and a courageous black carriage driver who has witnessed too much.
Incorporating historical material from trial testimony and newspaper accounts, Horan expertly researched 31 Bond Street and filled it with authentic details of life in New York City, great and small: the hoops and whalebone stays under a velvet gown, the lacing of cherry trees lining Washington Square, walnut catsup at Astor House, Lenape Indians in Hudson River Park.
The new paperback’s PS section includes an interview with author, the story behind the book, and more.
Ellen Horan has worked as a studio artist and as a photo editor for magazines and books in New York City. She lives in downtown Manhattan, the setting of her first novel. Her website is http://www.31bondstreet.com/.
Note: Books noticed on this site have been provided by the publishers. Purchases made through this Amazon link help support this site.
Friday, March 18, 2011
This Week's New York History Web Highlights
By Editorial Staff
- Clermont SHS: Rebuilding in the Rev War
- Brooklynology: Brooklyn's Vitaphone Studios
- Bovina History: When the Trains Almost Came
- Algonkian Church History: King Philip's War
- Active History: Heritage Orgs Open Source Tools
- Ian McKay: Right Reconceptualization of Canada
- Don Rittner: Shake, Rattle and Roll
- Woodstock Times: MLB Historian John Thorn
- Old Salt Blog: Legend of A Hudson River Pirate
- Scipio Center: The Philips, Civil War Colored Troops
Each Friday afternoon New York History compiles for our readers a collection of the week's top weblinks about New York's state and local history. You can find all our weekly round-ups here.
Subscribe! More than 600 people get New York History each day via E-Mail, RSS, or Twitter or Facebook updates.
This Week's Top New York History News
By Editorial Staff
- NBC Renews Who Do You Think You Are
- NARA Announces Reorganization
- Website Tracks At-Risk Historic Sites
- New Yorker Named Baseball Historian
- NYC Waterfront Plan Adds 50 Acres
- Art Historian Leo Steinberg Has Died
- Seaport Museum Closing Exhibits
- Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame Moving
- Voodoo Discovered at Historic Mansion
Each Friday morning New York History compiles for our readers the previous week's top stories about New York's state and local history. You can find all our weekly news round-ups here.
Subscribe! More than 600 people get New York History each day via E-Mail, RSS, or Twitter or Facebook updates.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Headquarters Pays Tribute to Martha Washington
By Editorial Staff
What better way to commemorate the culmination of Women's History Month than with a celebration honoring Martha Washington on Saturday, March 26, at 1:00 PM at Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site. The program will feature a presentation entitled “From Petticoats to Breeches: Unveiling 18th Century Clothing.”
Following the lecture and a "First Ladies" Trivia game, the eighth annual "Woman of History Award" will be presented to Ms. Mara Farrell, owner of Mara Farrell Communications, a Beacon-based public relations and marketing firm who was the co-founder of the historic preservation advocacy group, Friends of the Fishkill Supply Depot.
The non-profit advocacy organization is committed to the permanent preservation, stringent archeological review, and protection of the historic lands comprising the Fishkill Supply Depot, which is listed on the National Register. At present, she is a Senior Advisory Board Member of the same organization, actively involved in the major preservation initiatives of those lands, located within the Hudson Highlands ecosystem. Ms. Farrell is working on a master site plan entitled “Fishkill Living Historic Park” that would honor the Hudson Valley and its strategic importance during the Revolutionary War, while also paying homage to the heritage of Native Americans in the area.
This program is FREE; donations are accepted.
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site is a registered national landmark. It is located at the corner of Liberty and Washington Streets, within the city of Newburgh's East End Historical District.
For event information or directions, please call: (845) 562-1195.
Labor Event: 1911 Triangle Factory Fire
By Editorial Staff
FIRE! PLEASE HELP US WE ARE TRAPPED! These were the words screamed on Saturday afternoon on March 25, 1911. It was the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York's Greenwich Village that took the lives of 146 mostly young immigrant women and changed the course of history.
To mark the centennial anniversary and recognize the significance of the Triangle tragedy, members of the public are invited to a special free program, which will be presented at the New York State Museum Friday, March 25, at 4 p.m. to coincide with the date and time of the fire. Sponsored by the Capital District Triangle Fire Centennial Coalition, the event will honor those who lost their lives and focus on the wide range of labor, health and safety laws that required better worksites in the aftermath of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire.
State Assemblyman John McEneny will emcee the event. U.S. Representative Paul Tonko, WCNY - Syracuse News Director Susan Arbetter and Dr. Christopher Breiseth, a Frances Perkins scholar and former president of Wilkes University, and Paul Cole, Executive Director of the American Labor Studies Center will all be part of the program.
Albany Roman Catholic Diocese Bishop Howard J. Hubbard is also scheduled to participate and help close the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition annual 40-hour fast for social justice, as part of the Triangle Commemoration.
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was the greatest work place tragedy New York has seen, prior to the World Trade Center attacks in 2001. This tragedy changed the course of history by shining a bright light on the injustices that occur in the work place. It paved the way for the unyielding efforts to protect workers on the job and reminds us that we must not take work place safety for granted.
Frances Perkins was the first woman to hold a U.S. cabinet post when she served as secretary of labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s. Perkins witnessed the Triangle fire, which galvanized her commitment to reforming labor laws. She later served on the New York State Factory Investigating Commission, which recommended reforms in the aftermath of the Triangle fire.
The Capital District Centennial Coalition includes the NYS Department of Labor, NYS Department of Education (NYS Museum, NYS Library, NYS Archives), NYS Archives Partnership Trust, American Labor Studies Center, Catherwood Library-Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, University at Albany, Capital District NY National Association of Women in Construction Chapter, Coalition of Labor Union Women-Kate Mullany Chapter Capital District, NYS Labor-Religion Coalition, Occupational and Environmental Health Center of Eastern NY, OSHA-Albany Office, NYS AFL-CIO, New York State United Teachers, Public Employees Federation, and CSEA.
NYSUT, PEF, CSEA, the New York State Department of Labor and the American Labor Studies Center provided support for the program.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
War of 1812 Bicentennial Plans Announced
By Editorial Staff
From Sackets Harbor, NY, site of two big War of 1812 battles that are cause still today for gatherings of troops – of living history reenactors for festivals and educational events in the Lake Ontario shoreline village, Seaway Trail, Inc. has announced a full complement of War of 1812 Bicentennial plans to promote travel along the 518-mile National Scenic Byway that runs alongside New York’s and Pennsylvania’s freshwater coast.
“This project has federal funding to accomplish many planned tasks, so we are seeking both financial and historical knowledge partners in U.S. and Canada. Based on our success with the French & Indian War Bicentennial commemoration, we expect the War of 1812 plans to result in immediate and long-term tourism and economic benefit,” said Seaway Trail, Inc. President and CEO Teresa Mitchell.
The Great Lakes Seaway Trail 2011-2014 War of 1812 Bicentennial Plan includes provisions for:
· Adding 20 40 inch x 30 inch War of 1812 themed panels to the Great Lakes Seaway Trail “outdoor storyteller” signage system
· A short-term tourism impact brochure guide to War of 1812 sites along the byway in NY and Pennsylvania and in Plattsburgh, NY
· A new Seaway Trail War of 1812 guidebook to replace the 1987 edition that was among the Seaway Trail travel guides that received “Best of the Byways” honors from the American Recreation Coalition
· Incorporation of War of 1812 historic site into the Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail high tech treasure-hunting travel adventure
· A War of 1812 reproduction theme quilt show and challenge competition at the Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center in Sackets Harbor, NY, in March 2012
· War of 1812 public programming at the Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center in Sackets Harbor, NY
· A marketing campaign in historic and heritage travel publications
· War of 1812 themed travel itineraries for families and groups
· A series of War of 1812 feature stories in the annual Great Lakes Seaway Trail Travel Guide over next four years
· Great Lakes Seaway Trail War of 1812 travel focus at the US Travel Association annual international travel trade show.
Seaway Trail, Inc.’s current War of 1812 projects funding partners include the New York State Department of Transportation, Empire State Development, the Erie County (PA) Department of Planning (Seaway Trail Pennsylvania), the Plattsburgh Convention & Visitors Bureau, Key Bank, and the Federal Highway Administration National Scenic Byways Program.
Seaway Trail, Inc. plans to hold two spring 2011 meetings to provide 1812 Bicentennial promoters throughout the War’s northern theatre, including Canada, to share information and discuss opportunities for collaboration and the creation of War of 1812 “Signature Events” similar to those recognizing the 250th French and Indian War anniversary commemoration.
More information on the Great Lakes Seaway Trail — also a National Recreation Trail — is online.
