Month: September 2010

Museumwise Meet-Up at the Adirondack Museum

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Adirondack area museum professionals and those involved with local historical societies will have a chance to network with colleagues at the Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, New York on Monday, September 20, 2010.

Museumwise (formerly Upstate History Alliance) will hold a meet-up, an informal after work reception, in the museum’s Visitor Center from 5:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. This is a great chance to get together with professional peers! The Museum Store will also be open until 6:30 p.m.

The reception is free, but pre-registration is requested. Please call 1-800-895-1648 or email [email protected] with your name, organizational affiliation, and full contact information including address, phone number, and email.

Museums, historical sites, and heritage societies are a vibrant and essential element of New York’s cultural life. Museumwise is a statewide membership organization dedicated to providing resources, training, and expertise to help New York’s museums and historical societies strengthen their capacity to better serve their communities and institutional missions.

This Weeks New York History Web Highlights

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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 400 people get New York History each day via E-Mail, RSS, or Twitter or Facebook updates.

Ellis Island Museum Celebrates 20 Years

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September marks the 20th anniversary of the historic restoration of Ellis Island and the opening of its Immigration Museum on September 10, 1990, which was funded by the American people through The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. This world class museum has quickly become one of the most popular tourist destinations in New York City, welcoming over 35 million visitors to date.

Just half a mile from the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, the museum’s exhibits highlight the growth of America during the peak immigration years of 1880-1924. The galleries illustrate the Ellis Island immigrant reception process, the immigrants’ arrival and settlement throughout the United States and feature their “Treasures From Home” – the cherished personal objects, photographs and papers they brought with them from their homelands. And the American Immigrant Wall of Honor celebrates the immigrant experience with the inscription of the names of over 700,000 individuals and families who have been honored by their descendants.

The Ellis Island Oral History Archive, created by the Foundation, contains the reminiscences of over 1700 individuals who either immigrated through or worked at Ellis Island during its heyday as the country’s largest immigration processing center. Excerpts from these oral histories are incorporated throughout the museum’s popular audio tour, which allows visitors to vividly relive the immigrant experience as if they were the &#8220new arrival.&#8221

The American Family Immigration History Center, which opened in 2001, offers easy access to the arrival records of more than 25 million immigrants, travelers and crewmembers who entered through the Port of New York and Ellis Island between 1892-1924, and is also available online at www.ellisisland.org.

The restoration of Ellis Island—the largest in U. S. history—began in 1984 as the second part of a multi-million dollar project by the Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service/U.S. Department of the Interior, which included the Centennial restoration of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. All funds came from private donations, with more than 20 million Americans contributing to the cause.

The Museum is currently undergoing a $20 million expansion to be called The Peopling of America Center. Designed by ESI Design, this exciting new Center will enlarge the story currently told of the Ellis Island Era (1892-1954) to include the entire panorama of the American immigration experience, with exhibits dedicated to those who arrived before Ellis as well as those who arrived after it closed, right up to the present. “The Foundation is proud of what it has accomplished over the last 28 years with the support of the American people in raising over $550 million for the ongoing restoration and preservation of these two most beloved monuments to freedom and opportunity,” said Stephen A. Briganti, President and CEO of The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. “With the Peopling of America Center scheduled to open in 2012, we will bring the ever-growing story of the populating of America to life, making the Ellis Island Museum both more relevant and a truly living testament to this Nation of Immigrants.”

For more information on the Ellis Island Immigration Museum visit www.ellisisland.org.

NYSHA to host Tools of History Launch Party

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The New York State Historical Association’s Research Library will celebrate the introduction of the South Central Regional Library Council’s new website &#8211 “Tools of History.” The library will host a &#8220launch party&#8221 at their location, next to the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, on Saturday, September 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The website is a collaborative digitization program providing access to digital collections of historical manuscripts, photographs, maps, drawings, books, and artifacts that have been contributed by libraries, archives, historical societies, museums and cultural organizations comprising the membership of SCRLC.

Located in Ithaca, NY, South Central Regional Library Council is one of nine multi-type library consortia (NY 3RS Association) in New York State that encourage collaboration and resource sharing. SCRLC reaches over 500 libraries in its service area located in the counties of Allegany, Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, and Yates.

Use the new website to complete an online quiz and you could win a prize. Download the quiz sheet and answer questions based on the “Smith and Telfer Photograph Collection” and the “Murder Pamphlet Collection Exhibit” on the “Tools of History” website. Winners will receive prizes consisting of USB flash drives. You can download the quiz sheet and find more information at: Library.NYSHA.org/Contest.html

Bring the completed sheet to the “Tools of History” launch party between 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Your answers will be checked and correct solutions will count towards the prizes to be awarded at 12:45 p.m. (You must be present to claim your prize at that time.)

Alien Resident Files Opened to Public

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For the first time, more than 300,000 case files on alien residents of the United States who were born 1909 and prior are now open to the public at the National Archives at Kansas City. These files, known as “Alien Files” (commonly referred to as “A-Files”) were transferred to the National Archives from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and are only a small part of the millions of case files that will eventually be transferred and opened to the public.

“The A-files are a key to unlocking the fascinating stories of millions of people who traveled to the United States in search of opportunity, including my own grandfather” said Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero. “They include information such as photographs, personal correspondence, birth certificates, health records, interview transcripts, visas, applications and other information on all non-naturalized alien residents, both legal and illegal. The snapshot of American life that develops from each file can, in some cases, serve as a one-stop-shopping for researchers.”

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the predecessor agency of USCIS, began issuing aliens Alien Registration numbers in 1940, and on April 1, 1944, began using this number to create the A-Files. A-Files document the famous, the infamous, the anonymous and the well-known, and are an historical and genealogical goldmine. These files contain an abundance of relatively modern immigration documents in one file, making them a rich source of biographical information.

A-Files are eligible for transfer to the National Archives when 100 years have passed since the birth date of the subject of a file. These transfers to the National Archives ensure that these records will be saved and made available to the public. The National Archives at Kansas City will maintain A-Files from all USCIS district offices except San Francisco, Honolulu, Reno, and Guam. These files will be housed at the National Archives at San Francisco because of the significant research use of related immigration files there. Files to be housed at the National Archives at San Francisco are currently being prepared for transfer.

A-Files may be viewed in person by appointment at the National Archives at Kansas City or copies of files may be ordered for a fee. Additional information on requesting A-Files may be found here.

For more information about these records, contact Elizabeth Carrington, archivist, at 816-268-8093 or [email protected].

Hudson Crossing Park to Host Global Work Party

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On Sunday, October 10th between 2pm and 6pm, visitors to Hudson Crossing Park, at Lock 5 in Northumberland, NY will join in the world-wide 10:10:10 Global Work Party – green gardening,
climate solution activities and eco-fashion show.

Participants can start NOW with a Countdown to 10:10:10 Denim Recycling Drive and be part of the solution by donating your old denim clothing to be repurposed for the
10:10:10 Fashion Show and activities. Current drop off locations are The Ice Cream Man in Greenwich, Schuylerville Public Library and Greenwich Public Library. Email [email protected] subject denim drive or call Valerie Munson at 518.695.3104 to plan individual, business or organization collections.

Then, on Sunday October 10th there will be a 10:10:10 Global Work Party event. It’s a ”Day of doing.” When you arrive be a part of planting over 1,000 bulbs in the HCP gardens. See Master Gardener Martha Haynes demonstrate ‘green’ gardening and putting the garden to bed while she works. Help out if you’d like. Learn about Clothing Choices for Climate Solutions. There will also be interactive projects such as designing a t-shirt or apron to promote climate solutions. Displays, speakers and vendors will offer solutions as to how we can all take part to reduce our carbon foot print. Entertainment will include the premier of a music video inspired by the Park. The event comes to an end with the 10:10:10 Eco-“Jeanious” Runway Fashion Show on the Labyrinth at 5:30.

For more information about world-wide 10:10:10 Global Work Parties go to
www.350.org. For more info about Hudson Crossing Bi-County Park, call Marlene Bissell at 518.859.1462 or visit: www.hudsoncrossingpark.org.

Hudson Crossing is a bi-county educational park project centered on and near the Champlain Canal Lock 5 Island of the Hudson River.

Farmers’ Museum Annual Harvest Fest

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The bounty of the harvest will be celebrated at The Farmers’ Museum’s 32nd annual Harvest Festival, taking place Saturday and Sunday, September 18 and 19 from 10:00 a.m. &#8211 5:00 p.m. with live music Saturday evening from 6:00 p.m. &#8211 8:00 p.m. This year, the Museum again welcomes members of the Southern Tier Alpaca Association. Owners and breeders will display their animals and participate in numerous activities throughout the weekend.

This popular event brings a wide array of performers, exhibitors, and farm animals to the Museum’s alluring 19th-century setting. Guests will enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides- historic games and craft activities for the family- artisan demonstrations- and delicious foods from the season’s harvest including samples of McCadam/Cabot cheese, roasted corn, ice cream, and much more.

Over 20 vendors and artisans will supply everything the season has to offer including beeswax candles, cedar hand carved decoys and birds, Early American tinware, quilts, stained glass, Windsor chairs, and more.

Activities include an alpaca obstacle course, a pie-eating contest with pies supplied by the Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard (Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Sign up until noon in the Main Barn), a canine agility course, and a free family concert with live bluegrass music by the band “Gravel Yard” on Saturday evening from 6:00 p.m. &#8211 8:00 p.m. To view a full listing of all the event’s activities, see our schedule online at FarmersMuseum.org/harvestfestival.

Admission to the event: $12 adults (13+), $10.50 seniors (65+), $6 children (7-12), children 6 and under and members of the New York State Historical Association are free.

NEH Seeks Proposals National Digital Newspaper Program

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The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is soliciting proposals from institutions to participate in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP). NDNP is creating a national, digital resource of historically significant newspapers published between 1836 and 1922, from all the states and U.S. territories, published in English, French, Italian or Spanish. This searchable database will be permanently maintained at the Library of Congress (LC) and be freely accessible via the Internet. See the website, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers &#8211 http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/.

33rd Annual New Netherland Seminar

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Many people know that Pieter Stuyvesant surrendered the Dutch colony of New Netherland to the English in 1664. Fewer know that the Dutch regained control of their former possessionalmost as easily as it had been lost nine years earlier. “The Colony Strikes Back: the 1673 Recovery of New Netherland” is the theme of the 33rd Annual New Netherland Seminar, Saturday, Sept. 25, presented by the New Netherland Institute (NNI). Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., in the Carole Huxley Theatre at the Cultural Education Center in Albany.

How could the Restoration of government by New Netherland take place against the world power of England? The seminarwill explain such themes as what was happening in the nations of Europe, the daring exploits of the Dutch fleet, the administration of Governor Anthony Colve and then the changes when New Netherland went back to being New York.

Eminent scholars will give presentations throughout the day. They are drawn from the roster of research fellows of the New Netherland Project, which continues under its expanded identity as the New Netherland Research Center to translate original 17th-century Dutch colonial documents.

Joyce Goodfriend, Ph.D., of the University of Denver, will give an overview of theconditions before and after the Restoration.

DennisMaika, Ph.D., will analyze the economic climate. His focus is on Dutch merchants in English New York City. Donald G. Shomette will describe the Dutch naval campaign of the combined fleets of the Zeeland and Amsterdamsquadrons.

David Voorhees, Ph.D., will talk about the Dutch Administration of
Governor Anthony Colve.

Daniel Richter, Ph.D., will draw connections between the Restoration
of New Netherland and the Restoration of the Stuarts in England.

Len Tantillo, history artist, will use his own paintings and drawing to illustrate images of New York 1660-1720. A framed original pencil portrait of Admiral Cornelis Evertsen of the Zeelander Squadron by Tantillo will be sold in a silent auction at the dinner Saturday evening to benefit the New Netherland Institute. In addition, a print of a painting commissioned by Dr.Andrew A. Hendricks will be raffled. The painting, which shows the land owned by Hendricks’ early Dutchancestors, is &#8220The Mesier Mill, Manhattan, c. 1695.” The settlement clustered around a landmark windmill, is on the land now known as Ground Zero in Manhattan.

Following the box lunch, the annual Hendricks Award will be presented to Dirk Mouw for his dissertation “Moederkerk and Vaderland: Religion and Ethnic Identity in the Middle Colonies, 1690-1772.” Dr.Hendricks endows the award of $5,000 for the best book-length manuscript relating to the Dutch colonial experience in North America.

“Re-visiting Wampum, and Other 17th Century Shell Games” will be the topic ofJames Bradley, Ph.D., speaker at the dinner meeting at the University Club. Dr. Bradley is the 2009 winner of the Hendricks Manuscript Award.

The NNI is a membership organization with the responsibility of support for the New Netherland Research Center (NNRC), located in the New York State Library inAlbany. The NNI raises funds and administers grants such as the matching gift of €200,000 presented in Albany in 2009 by Crown Prince Willem Alexander and the Crown Princess Maxima of the Netherlands.

The NNRC is based on the New Netherland Project of translating 17th-century Dutchdocuments as its core, with Charles Th. Gehring, Ph.D. as its director.

Registration for the daylong seminar is $50 or $25 for students with ID. Box lunches may be ordered in advancefor $10. Tickets for the welcome reception and dinner at the University Club are $65.

As an added incentive, participants in the Sept. 25 New Netherland Seminar should know that the Replica Ship Half Moon will be docked in Albany that weekend (at the OGS pumping station at the south end of the Corning Preserve) and will be open for tours from 10 AM to 4 PM on both Saturday and Sunday.

More information is available at the website www.newnetherlandinstitute.org. Questions may be directed to [email protected].

Illustration: Mesier Mill by Len Tantillo. The mill was located at the site of today’s Ground Zero.

September Is Vermont Archaeology Month

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Events ranging from a canoeing trip to the site of an ancient Native American village to a lecture on the sinking and discovery of the Civil War ironclad U.S.S. Monitor are on tap during Vermont Archaeology Month.

The Vermont Archaeological Society and Vermont Division for Historic Preservation are presenting events around the state to celebrate the importance of archaeology to the state.

“We’re very pleased that Governor Jim Douglas has proclaimed September Vermont Archaeology Month,” said Giovanna Peebles, director of the Division for Historic Preservation and Vermont State Archaeologist. “The role of archaeology in understanding Vermont’s past and charting its future can’t be overstated.”

Events taking place include boat tours of shipwrecks under Lake Champlain using a robotic camera- a Sept. 23rd lecture in Waterbury on archaeology finds at the site of the Champlain Bridge reconstruction- and the unique, two-day 15th Fifteenth Annual Northeastern Open Atlatl Championship at the Mount Independence State Historic Site Sept. 18-19.

“This slate of events really has something for everybody,” said Shirley Paustian, Vermont Archaeological Society President. “From active outdoor events like hikes and canoe trips, to lectures and hands-on workshops in pottery making and flint-knapping, people of all ages and interests can find something.”

Formed in 1968, The Vermont Archaeological Society (VAS) is a non-profit volunteer organization comprised of professional and avocational archaeologists and the interested public, and is committed to raising the awareness of Vermont’s past, while at the same time protecting its valuable cultural resources from injury and exploitation.

The Division for Historic Preservation is the public agency designated to be the advocate for historic and prehistoric resources in Vermont. It is located within the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.

For a full schedule of events or more information visit: http://vtarchaeology.org/ or www.Historicvermont.org.