Champlain Canalway Trail Plan Unveiled

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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 – [email protected]

Central Champlain Canalway Trail representative:
Marlene Bissell – [email protected]

Northern Champlain Canalway Trail representative:
Jeanne Williams – [email protected]

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.

Buffalo: Through Their Eyes Exhibit

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In collaboration with Journey’s End Refugee Services and CEPA Gallery, Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society presents &#8220Buffalo: Through Their Eyes,&#8221 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 &#8220their&#8221 Buffalo.

Twenty-five images from the &#8220Buffalo: Through Their Eyes&#8221 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.

Brooklyn Museum Celebrates Rockwell Exhibit

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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 Cafe 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 Bronte’s classic novel, the inspiration for the exhibition Sam Taylor-Wood: &#8220Ghosts.&#8221 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

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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.

Fort Montgomery 2011 Lecture Series

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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.

Upcoming Events in Old Saratoga

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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 [email protected], 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 &#8211 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.

This Weeks Top New York History News

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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 1,000 people get New York History each day via E-Mail, RSS, or Twitter or Facebook updates.

Coverage of 1911 Triangle Factory Fire

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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: &#8220[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.&#8221

&#8220Many 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.&#8221

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 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 1,000 people get New York History each day via E-Mail, RSS, or Twitter or Facebook updates.

Cayuga Museum Celebrating 75 Years

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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.