Stories in Stone: New Paltz Graveyard Walk and Talk

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So much of Huguenot Street in New Paltz seems quiet, almost as if time has stopped. No place on the street is this more true than in the Old Burying Ground that surrounds the reconstructed 1717 stone church. Stories in Stone, a walk and talk to be held on Saturday, May 22nd at 10am.

Some may consider it tiny, but small plot contains over 100 markers. In all likelihood, even more people are buried here, but with time, decay and change, their headstones have disappeared. Still, what remains is a remarkable burying ground that contains many interesting stories from the community’s earliest years.

One such story is that of young Ann Eltinge, whose small marble stone rests under one of the majestic trees that ring the burying ground today. Her stone tells the story of a young couple, Roelof and Dina Eltinge, who lost their infant daughter. Next to Ann’s stone is the stone marking the burial of another of Roelof and Dina’s children, this one a boy who died just eleven days after birth.

“What is fascinating to me are the many stories that can be found in this burial ground,” says Richard Heyl de Ortiz, Director of Marketing and Community Relations for Historic Huguenot Street. “Stories such as the Dutch and Huguenots intermarrying. The courageous widows who outlived their husbands by decades. The ‘newer’ immigrants that arrived here after the Revolution and how they integrated into the town.” Heyl de Ortiz will be leading the program on the 22nd.

Stories in Stone will leave from the DuBois Fort Visitor Center at 81 Huguenot Street. The program is approximately 90 minutes in length. Admission is $10 per person ($8 for Friends of Huguenot Street). Reservations, while not required, may be made in advance at www.huguenotstreet.org or by calling 255-1889.

This Weeks New York History Web Highlights

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State Parks, Historic Sites Make 11 Most Endangered

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The National Trust for Historic Preservation named America’s State Parks and State-Owned Historic Sites to its 2010 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. This annual list highlights important examples of the nation’s architectural, cultural and natural heritage that are at risk for destruction or irreparable damage.

America’s state parks and state-owned historic sites are threatened – perhaps more than at any other time in recent history – with deep funding cuts and uncertain futures. In response to record-breaking deficits, state governments are cutting funding for state-owned and -managed parks and historic sites from coast to coast. State park systems welcome an estimated 725 million visits every year and include places of national significance – from Native American historic sites to Revolutionary War forts to Civil War battlefields to country estates.

This year nearly 30 states have experienced cuts to parks’ and sites’ budgets, and a recent survey estimates as many as 400 state parks could close.

While providing some short-term budget relief, this approach is expected to actually cost states far more in the long term. Before they can re-open, state-owned and managed resources will require massive investments to undo the damage suffered from abandonment, neglect and deferred maintenance. Although at least 26 states across the country are grappling with this issue, the National Trust cited six prime examples, including New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

* In New York State, Governor Paterson announced the closure of 41 state parks and 14 historic sites, including landmarks like the farm and gravesite of abolitionist John Brown, in North Elba, and the beautiful Georgian-era Philipse Manor Hall, in Yonkers, a vibrant center of local community gatherings and activities.

* In New Jersey, state parks and state-owned historic sites have been on life support for years. Now Governor Christie is slashing the budget of the state agency responsible for parks and historic sites—reducing its funding from $11.6 million to $3.4 million. Christie’s stark budget also eliminates all funding for the Battleship New Jersey, the Old Barracks Museum in Trenton, Morven Museum in Princeton, and the Save Ellis Island organization.

* In Pennsylvania, a drastic 37 percent budget cut forced the closure of Old Economy Village—an exceptionally well-preserved religious colony constructed between 1824 and 1830 and the Commonwealth’s first historic site—along with 11 other sites that will close to the public. With Pennsylvania’s next budget projected to be even more severe, the future of Pennsylvania’s historic resources is in jeopardy.

* In Arizona, $19 million in revenue from the operation of state parks and lottery proceeds was cut in half, and thirteen of the state’s 31 parks were forced to close. Ironically, a recent study shows how Arizona state parks—when open—attract 2.3 million visitors annually, generating $266 million of direct and indirect economic impact.

* In California, twice in the last two years, budget challenges have put the state’s 278 parks at risk, prompting their placement on the 2008 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Chronic underfunding has already impacted 150 parks with reduced services and part-time closures. In a politically-charged climate, a ballot measure slated for November will determine if voters approve a long-term, stable funding solution.

* In Missouri, over 120 state park jobs were eliminated due to the downturn in the economy, making a bad situation even worse. With an existing backlog of deferred maintenance totaling more than $200 million, the state park system’s 1,845 structures—700 of which are historic—are put at even greater risk.

For more information about the states and historic sites facing budget cuts across the country, visit www.PreservationNation.org/11Most.

America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places (in alphabetical order):

America’s State Parks and State-Owned Historic Sites—This year, nearly 30 states have experienced cuts to parks’ and sites’ budgets, and a recent survey estimates as many as 400 state parks could close. These state park systems include places of national significance—from Native American historic sites to Revolutionary War forts to Civil War battlefields to country estates—and welcome an estimated 725 million visits every year.

Black Mountain, Harlan County, Ky. —Nestled at the base of Eastern Kentucky’s rugged Black Mountain, the historic mining towns of Benham and Lynch are working hard to define a future beyond coal. The towns, which have created well-respected heritage tourism sites and are working to revitalize their main streets, now face the threat of multiple surface and deep mining permits on and around Black Mountain—a move that would be tremendously harmful to Black Mountain’s natural beauty, fragile ecology and growing tourism industry.

Hinchliffe Stadium, Paterson, N.J. —Once the pride of Paterson, N.J., Hinchliffe Stadium is one of the last surviving ball parks of baseball’s Negro League. Today, the 10,000-seat, poured-concrete Art Deco stadium that was home to the New York Black Yankees and legendary player Larry Doby, is closed and dangerously deteriorated.

Industrial Arts Building, Lincoln, Neb.—For nearly a century, this dramatic trapezoidal exposition space with natural skylights, intricate roof trusses and a four-story fountained interior, has showcased the best of Lincoln, Neb. Despite its long, proud history, the Industrial Arts Building will soon meet the wrecking ball unless a developer steps forward to rescue and reuse the building.

Juana Briones House, Palo Alto, Calif.—In the heart of Silicon Valley stands the oldest structure in Palo Alto, built by one of the original Hispanic residents of San Francisco, a pioneering woman who was a rancher, traditional healer and entrepreneur. The 1844 adobe home is a rare reminder of California’s rich Spanish and Mexican history. Today this California State Historic Landmark sits abandoned, deteriorated, exposed to the elements and threatened by demolition.

Merritt Parkway, Fairfield County, Conn.—Spanning 37.5 distinctive miles and celebrated for its diverse collection of decorative bridges and lush, natural landscaping, Merritt Parkway remains, 70 years after it was constructed, one of America’s most scenic roads. To accommodate increased traffic on the parkway, the cash-strapped Connecticut Department of Transportation is not performing necessary maintenance and has moved to realign roads, replace bridges and redesign interchanges, all at the cost of the parkway’s unique character.

Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, Washington, D.C.—A major landmark of African American heritage and one of the most important religious institutions in the United States, Metropolitan A.M.E. Church’s red brick Victorian Gothic-style building, completed in 1886, hosted the funeral of congregant Frederick Douglass in 1895 and Rosa Parks a century later. Years of water infiltration and damage caused in part by adjacent construction projects have compromised the structure, prompting the dedicated congregation to launch a national capital campaign to rescue and restore this irreplaceable house of worship.

Pagat, Yigo, Guam—The island of Guam, the westernmost United States territory in the Pacific, is home to the Chamorro people who maintain a thriving culture dat
ing back thousands of years. With the United States military’s announced plans for a massive buildup on the island, many residents are concerned about the potentially devastating impact on the island’s cultural resources, including one of Guam’s most treasured sites, the ancient Chamorro settlement of Pagat.

Saugatuck Dunes, Saugatuck, Mich.—Along the shores of Lake Michigan, the 2,500 acres that comprise the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Area boast a spectacular, sparsely-developed landscape of sand dunes, water, woods and wetlands. Home to several endangered species and a large number of significant historic and archeological sites, Saugatuck Dunes and its surrounding community are threatened by a proposed 400-acre, residential development, to include a marina, hotel, restaurant and retail complex.

Threefoot Building, Meridian, Miss.—For 80 years, this 16-story Art Deco, lavishly decorated, granite-clad skyscraper has been a mainstay of downtown Meridian, Miss. Although a developer expressed interest in rehabilitating the deteriorated building, the City of Meridian has been unable to provide gap financing or other incentives and locals fear that Threefoot’s bright future may end in demolition.

Wilderness Battlefield, Orange and Spotsylvania Counties, Va.—One of the most significant and bloodiest engagements of the Civil War, the Battle of the Wilderness marked the first time that legendary generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant faced off against one another. It is here—in an area known for its rolling landscapes and distant Blue Ridge Mountain views—that Walmart intends to trample on American heritage by constructing 240,000 square feet of &#8220big box&#8221 commercial sprawl within the historic boundaries of Wilderness Battlefield and immediately adjacent to the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park.

Photo: Schoharie Aqueduct at the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site, also known as Erie Canal National Historic Landmark, a historic district that includes the ruins of the Erie Canal aqueduct over Schoharie Creek, in Montgomery County.

Wild Center Museum Puts Money Where Its Mouth Is

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The Wild Center, the innovative natural history museum in the Adirondacks, demonstrated its commitment again to sustainable practices by making components of the building part of the exhibition. A new heating and hot water systems, fueled by renewable resources and part of the ‘New Path’ exhibition, will explore and test the technology that decreases our dependence on fossil fuels. First announced in July 2009, the highly efficient wood pellet boiler is integrated with a solar hot water system that will supply much of the hot water required to heat the 54,000-square-foot facility in Tupper Lake.

The new boiler system is the first highly efficient, commercial-sized, gasification wood-pellet boiler of its kind and size manufactured and installed in New York State. Additionally, the solar hot water collection system is the first of its kind used in a commercial application in the Adirondack region. The project just won the Best Building Integrated/Innovative category in the 6KC Awards, recognizing the best and brightest solar projects and industry champions in the Empire State, by the New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA).

The project is supported by a $350,000 contract award by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) in response to a competitive solicitation, “Energy and Environmental Performance of High-Efficiency Wood-fired Heating Equipment.” Francis J. Murray, Jr., NYSERDA President and CEO, noted NYSERDA’s interest in this demonstration installation: “We commend The Wild Center for its commitment to incorporating renewable energy into its operations. Their use of pioneering made-in-New York technology will help promote high-efficiency, renewable-fuel boilers that reduce harmful emissions, burn local fuel, and further New York’s efforts to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, while helping to build New York’s clean energy economy. We look forward to the installation’s benefits, savings and economic efficiency,” he said.

A key component of the project is that Clarkson University will conduct a rigorous scientific evaluation of the energy-efficiency and emissions performance of the boiler as well as the integrated heating system and report its findings to NYSERDA. It is anticipated that this evaluation will provide objective scientific information to be used by decision makers developing renewable energy strategies. It will also serve as a model for others looking to evaluate ways to heat with renewable fuels in an efficient manner.

“We are eager to see the results of Clarkson’s evaluation,” said Stephanie Ratcliffe, Executive Director of The Wild Center. “We know that since the system has been online our propane consumption has decreased, but we’re very interested to see how much of our heating and hot water needs will be met by this system. Positive results could prove to be immensely beneficial for the Adirondacks, New York State and the country, encouraging others to implement similar technology.”

In New York State, renewable energy for heating is gaining increased interest as it addresses the goals of reducing fuel costs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, stimulating local economic development and reducing dependence on foreign sources by replacing imported fossil fuels with locally available renewable fuels. In the Adirondacks, the most abundant and inexpensive renewable fuel is wood. However, traditional wood burning stoves, some common commercial wood boilers and, more recently, outdoor wood boilers suffer from low efficiency and high levels of pollution from incomplete combustion. The planned project offers a very clean-burning, highly efficient alternative use of wood fuel.

The Wild Center is the first museum in New York to receive a LEED certification, with a Silver distinction, from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The LEED standard is considered to be the international benchmark for green building. In selecting The Wild Center as the site for this project, backers pointed to the Center’s position as a leader in sustainable operational practices.

The successful installation and usage of the boiler system has the potential for a positive economic impact on the Adirondacks. By harvesting the “waste” in logging and sawmill operations to create wood pellets and then selling that back to local institutions the money that is currently sent abroad for the purchase of fossil fuels is kept in the Adirondacks where it can potentially lead to job creation.

The 1.7 million BTU boiler unit is in The Wild Center’s basement boiler room, next to the Museum’s existing propane boiler. The pellets are stored in an outdoor recycled shipping container next to the Administration wing of the Museum. The storage vessel also supports the solar thermal array to preheat water for the system. Pellets are augured through a series of pipes into the basement and directly into the boiler. Hot water from the solar thermal array is piped into the boiler through underground pipes.

The Wild Center’s high rate of visitation means the new project will be explained to a large audience that will be able to see the heating technology up close. Visitors will be able to see the pellets on their journey from the storage vessel to the boiler. The interpretation of the system will be added to the Museum’s ‘New Path’ Exhibit, which showcases elements of green design and how these features benefit the health of the human and natural world.

The wood gasification boiler was fabricated by Advanced Climate Technologies of Schenectady, NY. The solar thermal heating system was designed and installed by E2G Solar and APEX Thermal Services. Similar projects, supported by NYSERDA, are taking place within the Saranac Lake Central School District and North Country School.

VT Seeks Public Input On Historic Preservation Plan

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As the state prepares to update its plan for preserving Vermont’s unique historic character, officials are hoping to hear from Vermonters about their vision for the historic resources in their communities.

The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation is in the process of revising Vermont’s State Historic Preservation Plan and is holding public meetings in Burlington tonight, and in Rutland on May 25.

“We’re asking the public to provide us with their thoughts on historic preservation,” said Giovanna Peebles, State Historic Preservation Officer and director of the division. “What historic resources are important to them? How is historic preservation relevant to them and how does it contribute to the economy? What should we do, and what can they do?”

Peebles said the state hoped to hear from various stakeholders such as homeowners- developers- municipalities- state and federal agencies- non-profits, educators, and other interested partners.

The state’s historic preservation plan was last updated in 1997, and the plans are done in accordance with guidelines from the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Tonight’s meeting is in The Firehouse Gallery’s Meeting Room LBG at 149 Church Street in Burlington from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and is sponsored by the City of Burlington and the Lake Champlain Basin Program.

The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 25 at the offices of the Green Mountain National Forest at 231 North Main Street in Rutland, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 and is sponsored by the Green Mountain National Forest & Downtown Rutland Partnership.

Further information is available online at www.historicvermont.org or by calling (802) 828-3211.

The River That Flows Both Ways: New Netherland Novel

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The earliest known written record of travel in the New York interior west of the Hudson River appears on an early map of Nieuw Nederlant (New Netherland). In 1614 a trader named Kleyntjen went west to the Mohawk along the river that now bears their name and then turned south along the Susquehanna River. If he or those who followed ever kept journals they haven’t survived, and it’s believed any records of early travels may have been tossed out when the Dutch West India Company archives were purged during a reorganization in 1674. Michael Cooney’s novel The River That Flows Both Ways recaptures some of that time, of Dutch traders, native Mohican and Mohawk people, and the fur trade that held them together in commerce.

Cooney’s novel is based on the one very early New York travelogue that has survived since the first half of the 1600s. Written by Fort Orange (Albany) barber-surgeon Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert, it had somehow fallen into private hands and was discovered in an attic in Amsterdam, New York in 1895. His small party, which also included two other Dutchmen (Jeronimus dela Croix and Willem Thomassen) left in the middle of December 1634 in an effort to reach the Oneida tribe and renegotiate the price of beaver. They Oneida had nearly abandoned their trade with the Dutch in favor of the French to their northwest and Van den Bogaert, at the age of 23 was sent to correct the situation in favor of the Dutch.

The journey last six weeks and according to Van den Bogaert took them nearly 100 miles to the west-northwest of Fort Orange where he spotted the Tug Hill Plateau – a harrowing journey to say the least. Van den Bogaert experienced much generosity from the Native People he met in his travels and in 1647, when he was charged with Sodomy committed with his black servant Tobias, he fled to the Iroquois he had visited thirteen years earlier- he was captured in an Indian storehouse by a Rensselaerwyck employee named Hans Vos and in the ensuring struggle the building was burnt down. Van den Bogaert was taken back to Fort Orange but escaped &#8211 as he fled across the frozen Hudson River the ice broke beneath him and he was drowned. That incident serves as the climax of The River That Flows Both Ways.

Cooney, who writes the Upstate Earth blog, tells the story through the eyes of a young Mohican boy in a time when European diseases and war were creating chaos in the local native cultures. Using his wit and imagination, he wins over the Mohawk and finds a home with van den Bogaert. The novel brings together other historical characters like Arent van Corlaer, Adriaen van der Donck, and Isaac Jogues to weave a tapestry of life in the in the first half of the 17th century in the Upper Hudson and Mohawk valleys.

Note: Books noticed on this site have been provided by the publishers. Purchases made through this Amazon link help support this site.

HDC Presents Annual Grassroots Preservation Awards

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The Historic Districts Council (HDC) will present its Eleventh Annual Grassroots Preservation Awards to eight organizations and individuals tomorrow, Thursday, May 20th at 6p.m. at the garden and parish hall of St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery at East 10th Street and 2nd Avenue, in the St. Mark’s Historic District in Manhattan.

Every year, the Historic Districts Council honors and celebrates the activists and groups who work to preserve New York City’s valuable historic neighborhoods.“These advocates are the foundation of the preservation movement and their efforts benefit everyone who lives, works or visits New York City,” said Simeon Bankoff, executive director of HDC. “It’s an honor and pleasure to be able to shine the spotlight on these neighborhood leaders.”HDC is the citywide advocate for New York’s designated historic districts and for neighborhoods meriting preservation.

This year’s Grassroots awardees are:

Alice and Agate Courts Historic District

A quiet enclave of 36 intact Queen Anne style row houses on two cul-de-sac blocks — Alice and Agate Courts Historic District is honored for their effectiveness in fighting demolition threats and for their success in achieving landmark designation for their blocks in 2009.

John Antonides, Hubbard House

Proud owner of one the few remaining Dutch farmhouses in Brooklyn, John Antonides began campaigning for landmark designation for this 1830’s era Gravesend, Brooklyn house in 1990. Through his work gathering support from a diverse group of individuals and organizations including, citywide preservation groups, local elected officials, noted architectural historians, neighborhood residents, and Dutch-American historical groups, the house was designated by the LPC in 2009.

Coalition to Save West-Park Presbyterian Church

A group of dedicated individuals and organizations, including Landmark West!, Friends of West-Park, Manhattan Community Board 7’s Landmarks Committee, and Councilmember Gale Brewer, who have advocated for the preservation of West-Park Presbyterian Church, one of the most significant religious complexes on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts

In 2001, Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts began advocating for an extension of 74 buildings to complete and compliment the original Upper East Side Historic District. Their campaign included an interactive website documenting each property to be included in the proposed district, listing the extension on the National Register of Historic Places, and holding lectures, walking tours and community meetings to raise awareness. The district was designated in March 2010.

Two Bridges Neighborhood Council

Since the 1950’s, Two Bridges Neighborhood Council has served a distinct community in lower Manhattan between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. One of its recent major campaigns was the successful listing of the Chinatown and Little Italy Historic District on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, which provides a host of benefits including financial incentives for building restoration, boosting tourism of the area, and documenting the important history of these unique communities.

Friend in High Places &#8211 Council Member Rosie Mendez 2nd District, Manhattan

Council Member Rosie Mendez receives the Friends in High Places Award for her steadfast support of preservation efforts throughout her district and across the city. Mendez was elected to City Council in 2006 and represents the Lower East Side, East Village, Gramercy, Kips Bay and parts of Murray Hill.

Friend from the Media &#8211 Nicholas Hirshon, New York Daily News

Nicholas Hirshon is a reporter with the New York Daily News, covering community-based stories in Queens. Born and raised in Queens, he has made a priority of covering neighborhood preservation issues including a series entitled “History in Peril,” that highlighted significant neighborhoods and buildings threatened with demolition.

Mickey Murphy Award for Lifetime Achievement &#8211 Joyce Mendelsohn

An ardent and dedicated advocate for the preservation of many neighborhoods and buildings across New York City, Joyce Mendelsohn was an early and consistent promoter for the preservation of the historic Lower East Side. She is honored for her tireless work as a writer, lecturer and tour guide, working to preserve New York City’s historic neighborhoods.

The event is open to the public at a cost of $25, $15 for Friends of HDC. Community sponsorships for the event are also available. To purchase sponsorships or program book ads, please call (212) 614-9107 or e-mail [email protected]. Individual tickets will be sold at the door. Doors open at 6pm, and the award ceremony will begin at 6:30pm. For more information, go to www.hdc.org or call 212-614-9107.

The Historic Districts Council is New York’s only citywide grassroots advocate for historic buildings and neighborhoods. Since 1971 we have been committed to preserving New York’s rich architectural and historical heritage, working with communities to landmark and protect significant neighborhoods and buildings, as well as helping already-designated historic communities to understand and uphold the Landmarks Law.

War of 1812 North American Grand Tactical Gathering

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The Sackets Harbor Battlefield Alliance, Inc. and the Village of Sackets Harbor, New York are proud to host the War of 1812 North American Grand Tactical, July 31-August 1, 2010. The Grand Tactical is the annual gathering of all 1812 American and Crown Forces recreated units, showcasing a wide range of living history traditions including 1812 camp life, clothing, cooking, dance, etiquette, music, period games, military dress and tactics, and weaponry.

One of the largest living history weekends for re-enactors, this is the dress rehearsal for the 2013 Bicentennial living history event scheduled for Sackets Harbor. Grand Tacticals annually alternate between the United States and Canada, attracting large numbers of participants and spectators. This is the first War of 1812 Grand Tactical for New York State’s north country. The Sackets Harbor site was selected for its battlegrounds authenticity and ranking by the National Park Service as one of the top ten War of 1812 sites in the nation.

Experience life during the War of 1812 as living history re-enactors and sutlers (period merchants) gather at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site. A full schedule of demonstrations fills Saturday from 9am to 8pm and again on Sunday from 9am to 3pm. There is a nominal admission fee.

This gigantic Grand Tactical kick-off to the upcoming War of 1812 Bicentennial will give everyone a taste of what’s to come during the three-year cross-border observance starting in 2012.

For more information, contact the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site (NY) at 315-646-3634 or online at www.sacketsharborbattlefield.org

What Architectural Style Is It? Adirondack Workshop

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Adirondack Architectural Heritage will offer a workshop entitled &#8220What Architectural Style is It?&#8221 on Saturday, June 12, 2010 in Chestertown, Warren County. The workshop will use historic Chestertown as a classroom for learning about architectural styles and the vocabulary of architecture. Beginning at 10 a.m., the morning will be spent at the Town Hall where the group will learn about architectural styles from Ellen Ryan, AARCH Community Outreach Director and Susan Arena, AARCH Program Director.

After lunch, the group will walk around the village to look at buildings that exemplify a range of architectural styles from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The walking tour ends around 4 p.m. The fee is $30 for AARCH and Town of Chester Historical Society members and $40 for non-members. Complimentary ice cream cone will be given to all attendees, courtesy of the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor.

Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) is the private, non-profit, historic preservation organization for the Adirondack Park region. This tour is one of over fifty events in their annual series highlighting the region’s vast architectural legacy. For more information on membership and our complete program schedule contact AARCH at (518) 834-9328 or visit our website at www.aarch.org.

New Smartphone Experience For Lake Champlain History

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The Ethan Allen Homestead Historic Site and Museum has created “Ethan & the Boys @ Fort Crown Point” which uses smartphones to tell the tale of the Green Mountain Boys and their capture of the New York Forts Ticonderoga and Crown Point. The cannon “liberated” at those forts were delivered to George Washington in Boston to end the British siege.

The videos, in both English (with closed captioning) and Quebecois French, at http://www.ethanallenhomestead.org/ can be downloaded for viewing on an iPhone or iPod. One can see and hear our history as they tour throughout the region, using Google Maps to navigate to the historic sites. By integrating storytelling and navigation, both visitors and locals can enjoy a richer experience as they are guided to discover their own “sense of place”.

The project was funded by a Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership Grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program and is a partnership of The Ethan Allen Homestead Museum in Burlington and the Crown Point Historic Site in New York, with help from friends at the McCord Museum in Montreal, Canada.

Music was courtesy of Vermont musicians Atlantic Crossing, Jesse Bruchac, Renewal Chorus, Va-et-Vient, Hanaford’s Volunteers Fyfe and Drum Corps. and Pete & Karen Sutherland. The music can be found on “Thrufters & Through-Stones, the Music of Vermont’s First 400 Years”, produced by Burlington’s Big Heavy World.

Quebecois translation and narration were performed by staff and students at St. Francis Xavier School in Winooski, Vermont.

Program producer Barbara Smorgans Marshall intends this pilot program to be the first of a series of regional “Smartphones & Storytelling” mobile audio/visual interpretive stories.