Please join us in welcome our newest contributor here at New York History, Rabbit Goody. Goody is a nationally recognized textile historian who has served as a consultant to major museums, private collections, and the film industry. Her reproduction fabrics appear in many movies, including Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Master and Commander, Amistad, The Titanic, Cinderella Man, Polar Express, The Prestige, Transformers, and the new Indiana Jones movie.
Goody has extensive experience working as a consultant to museums including dating and identifying textiles in specific collections- making recommendations about exhibits, storage, and conservation- helping museum staff to develop appropriate and workable furnishing plans that include historically accurate soft furnishings, from carpet to loose covers to window treatments- and developing plans for textile rotation. She has worked with many living history sites to coordinate the use of historically accurate reproductions with original items in the museum’s collections.
Public History
Bruce Dearstyne: Strengthening the Historical Enterprise
Several recent posts on this site have demonstrated the robustness and diversity of New York’s historical programs but also pointed to the limitations, challenges, and potential for much greater achievement. The special issue of the Public Historian on “Strengthening the Management of State History: Issues, Perspectives, and Insights from New York” last August analyzed these same issues.
That discussion needs to continue. In fact, we are overdue for an examination of the state’s historical enterprise and discussion of ways of boosting its effectiveness and impact.
New York is one of the nation’s oldest states, with a history stretching back more than 400 years. Read more
Finger Lakes Boating Museum Appoints Exec Director
The Finger Lakes Boating Museum has announced the appointment of Dr. David C. Danahar, a retired college president, as Executive Director of the Boating Museum. Danahar, who now lives in Canandaigua, was President of Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MI, from 2001 to 2011.
“We are delighted to announce the engagement of Dr. Danahar as Executive Director of the Boating Museum,” said William Oben, president of the Museum. “He brings a wealth of valuable knowledge in resource development and organizational administration gained from his extensive academic career.”
The Boating Museum reached agreement with the City of Geneva in the fall of 2009 to establish a permanent home on the Geneva waterfront in association with the city’s Visitor Center. The building, which will be located on the current Geneva Chamber of Commerce site, is being enabled by a $2 million grant provided to the city by state Sen. Michael Nozzolio.
Also named to the staff of the Boating Museum as assistant to the executive director is Bobbi Clifford of Romulus. Clifford is retired after 35 years of teaching in various local school districts, including Geneva, North Rose-Wolcott, Naples, Lyons, Clyde-Savannah and Newark. She coordinated and directed programs for Gifted and Talented Students and Arts-In-Education programs. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association, Inc.
As president of Southwest Minnesota State, Danahar was the chief executive officer of the university responsible for leading the faculty, staff and students in developing and accomplishing the university’s mission.
His administrative experience also includes serving as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Loyola University in New Orleans from 1992-2001, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University in Connecticut from 1985-1992, Director of General Education at the State University of New York at Oswego from 1979-1985 and Acting Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences at the State University of New York at Oswego in 1983 and 1984-1985.
In another development related to the appointment of an executive director, the Boating Museum has engaged Danforth Development of Rochester to lead the creation of a fundraising plan for capital needs for the organization.
The Boating Museum’s collection of more than 100 historic boats and vessels built in the Finger Lakes also includes numerous related artifacts and extensive reference material. Besides the story of boat manufacturing, the Boating Museum also researches and informs on the impact that marine transportation has had on the development of the region.
The collection of boats and artifacts is being moved to a storage facility in the Geneva Enterprise Development Center on North Genesee Street arranged by the Geneva IDA. Portions of the collection will be displayed on a rotating basis within the new facility, which will also feature boat rides on Seneca Lake, active on-water programs including sailing and small boat handling, interactive workshops and displays to engage visitors in the design, construction and use of the boats and boating history materials and programs.
The Boating Museum is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation and was chartered by the New York State Department of Education in 1997 to “research, document, preserve and share the boating history of the Finger Lakes region.”
History Projects Get Development Monies
Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced the recipients of $785 million in economic development funding awarded through his Regional Economic Development Council initiative, an effort designed to drive economic growth and create jobs. A number of projects with significance for New York State history were included and are listed below.
NOTE: A number of rehabilitative projects most geared to housing and streetscape, canalfront, or shoreline improvements, and adaptive reuse of historic buildings are not included in this list. A number of projects will require archeological and cultural resource surveys.
Cayuga County
Isabel Howland House Preservation ($400,000)
The Howland Stone Store Museum will stabilize and rehabilitate for re-use ‘-Opendore,’ a late 19th/early 20th century residence in the historic Hamlet of Sherwood for use as a museum and public meeting space. Also known as the Isabel Howland House, ‘Opendore’ was the gracious Howland family home where, a century ago, Isabel Howland and her family hosted numerous important public rallies promoting women’s rights and other social justice activities.
Chautaqua County
Grape Discovery Center ($200,000)
Final phase in the completion of a Grape Discovery Center in Chautauqua County. The Grape Discovery Center will educate visitors about the historic development of the region and the role that grape growing played in the region’s cultural landscape and communities. The plan proposes 19 exhibit panels in the Display Room and 14 exhibit displays, free standing and wall mounted, for the reception/gift shop space, as well as exterior exhibits and an orientation pavilion.
Broome County
TechWorks! Museum of Invention and Upstate Industry Parking Lot ($116,500)
The Center for Technology and Innovation will install pervious paving in the parking lot and
the Garden of Ideas at the TechWorks! Museum of Invention and Upstate Industry. Porous
pavement will enable o$cials, residents, and developers to see first-hand the benefits and costs of replacing traditional asphalt parking lots with pervious paving.
YWCA Binghamton Preservation ($244,946)
The YMCA of Binghamton and Broome County will restore the exterior masonry and cornice of
their architecturally signi#cant 1907 Beaux Arts/Classical Revival building The building serves as a community anchor providing housing and services for homeless women and children, space for community events and programs and meetings along with healthcare and childcare. This proposed exterior restoration represents one phase of the larger project to renovate the entire building. The work will reinforce and stabilize the exterior of the landmark building and contribute to the rehabilitation and revitalization of Court Street Historic District in the heart of downtown Binghamton.
Clinton County
Plattsburgh Strand Theatre Restoration ($397,000)
The North Country Cultural Center of the Arts will restore the Historic Strand Theatre, circa 1924, located in downtown Plattsburgh, continuing it as a performing arts center and preserving its historical legacy. The funds will be used to repair and point the exposed bricks and terracotta tiles which have signifcant areas of damage and repair or replicate railings and wood caps, balcony and the historic lighting fixtures.
Columbia County
Dr. Oliver Bronson House Restoration ($300,000)
Historic Hudson, Inc. will complete Phase II of the restoration of the Dr. Oliver Bronson House by completing the exterior stabilization of the house, securing the building envelope, and protecting the house from further deterioration and loss of historic fabric so it can be returned to use for public benefit. Sited on a bluff overlooking the South Bay of the Hudson River on 52 acres of open space, the Dr. Oliver Bronson House serves as a magnet for the city, providing a park-like setting and increased public access to this historic site as part of the ongoing revitalization of the City of Hudson.
Hudson Opera House Restoration Final Phase ($400,000)
The Hudson Opera House will complete a key part of the fourth and final phase of the Opera
House restoration – improvements to the first floor, including the badly deteriorated historic Common Council Chambers and anteroom, for community use. New York State’s oldest
surviving theatre (1855), located in the heart of downtown Hudson, the nonprofit multi-arts
center offers more than 1,000 programs, most of them free, to 52,000 visitors each year.
Olana North Meadow Restoration ($274,125)
The Olana Partnership will implement a major aspect of Olana’s Landscape Restoration Plan – the restoration of the historic North Meadow. Designed by Hudson River School artist Frederic Church (1826-1900) as a work of 19th-century landscape gardening, the historic 250-acre landscape is equal in historic and artistic importance to Olana’s house and collections. The completed project will provide a transformational change to the Olana landscape, restoring the historic meadows and pastureland and reopening views that have been lost over the last 100 years to second- and third-growth forest.
Erie County
Buffalo Central Terminal Canopy Restoration ($306,117)
The Central Terminal Restoration Corp., Inc. will rehabilitate and restore two entryway
canopies located at the historic Buffalo Central Terminal. The disrepair and instability of the exterior entryway canopies pose a safety hazard for patrons, tourists and volunteers and
requires immediate rehabilitation.
Shea’s O’Connell Preservation Guild Theater ($400,000)
Shea’s O’Connell Preservation Guild will restore the interior of the theatre auditorium, located at 646 Main Street, Buffalo. The ceiling, walls and facades will be restored to their original condition. Cleaning, minor repair and painting of the molded plaster ceiling and dome together with restoration on the proscenium arch, front wall, balcony underside, walls, and chandeliers will complete the project.
Essex County
Fort Ticonderoga Historic Preservation Planning Report ($20,320)
Fort Ticonderoga Association, Inc. will prepare a structural condition evaluation that will be used to make long-range decisions regarding the facility. This evaluation will establish the structural priorities of the Fort and identify options for repair.
Lewis County
Constable Hall Restoration ($21,668)
The Constable Hall Association will restore this 200-year-old historic home in Constableville, ensuring that it remains open and accessible to the community and its visitors. This project includes restoration work on four Doric pillars, pointing/flashing of chimneys, repair of water damage in two bedrooms, repair of carriage house floor, and painting of the servants’ quarters.
General Walter Martin Mansion Restoration Plan ($18,750)
The Lewis County Historical Society will prepare a Comprehensive Building Condition Assessment report for restoration of the General Walter Martin Mansion in accordance with federal Historic Preservation Standards.
Monroe County
Genesee Country Museum Training ($4,864)
Training for 12 employees in Continuing Education for CFO, Crystal Reports Commercial Electric Wiring, Small Gasoline Engine Troubleshooting and Repair, Commercial Pesticide Certi!cation, and Modern Plumbing- IT technology , Point of S
ale System, QuickBooks 2011.
Montgomery County
Schoharie Crossing Flood Relief ($95,000)
To replace signage and repair parking lot flood related damage to a prominent historic site and regional visitor attraction.
New York County
General Society Mechanics and Tradesmen Hall Report ($63,000)
The General Society Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York will develop a Historic
Structure Report, a planning document for the renovation, restoration and preservation of The
General Society 1890 building. The 70,000 sq. ft. landmark —- at 20 West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan, housing one of the oldest and the only continuously operated mechanics’ institute in the United States —- must accommodate modern functions. The goal is to preserve the historic characteristics of the building while complying with current building codes, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and reconciling energy codes with preservation requirements.
Niagara County
Niagara Wine Trail Signage ($30,000)
Purchase and installation of signs on designated Niagara Wine Trail route. Project also includes marketing and training.
Ontario County
Finger Lakes Boating Museum ($450,000)
Continuing redevelopment of its lakefront, the City of Geneva will design and construct the Finger Lakes Boating Museum and Visitors Center on Seneca Lake.
Ganondagan Art and Education Center ($400,000)
The Friends of Ganondagan will construct and help operate a 15,654 square-foot, year-round Seneca Arts and Cultural Center at Ganondagan State Historic Site in Victor. Ganondagan was the location of the largest Seneca town in the 17th century. The Cultural Center will be located a short walk from the reconstructed full scale 17th Century Seneca Bark Longhouse—a traditional Iroquois dwelling that housed multiple families. The center will include a gallery for historic and art exhibits- orientation theater for educational films and multimedia- auditorium for lectures, films, performances, and events- classroom for education- and administrative spaces.
Sonnenberg Gardens Roman Bath Stabilization ($43,000)
Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park will replace clay tiles and install gutters on the interior of the Roman Bath. Located in the heart of Canandaigua’s historic district, Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park features an 1887 Queen Anne-style mansion and nine formal gardens on a 50 acre estate. Replacing the clay tiles on the Roman Bath’s roof and installing a gutter and drainage system will slow the deterioration process and prevent further loss.
Rockland County
Bear Mountain Inn Restoration ($400,000)
The Palisades Parks Conservancy, Inc. will continue ongoing renovations at the historic Bear Mountain Inn. Renovations will include constructing a new accessible vehicle entrance for the Inn, modifying the north end of the Bear Mountain parking area to improve parking for the Inn and improve accessibility, designing and installing new interpretive and directional signs, beautification of the grounds, and designing and constructing a new green storm-water
remediation system for the parking area.
Saratoga County
Day Peckinpaugh Barge Museum Improvements ($191,000)
Improvements to the Day Peckinpaugh Barge Museum, a multi-regional educational and heritage tourism project, will improve its operations.
Schenectady County
Schenectady Proctor’s Theatre Preservation Work ($100,000)
The Arts Center and Theatre of Schenectady will complete historic preservation work at Proctors Theatre that will include repairs, restoration and improvements to the theatre’s ceilings, walls, side boxes, scagliola, balcony, mezzanine and orchestra areas, women’s and men’s lounges, and the Golub Arcade.
Suffolk County
Ships Hole Farm Restoration ($400,000)
Peconic Land Trust will acquire the Ships Hole Farm property, expand the farm operation, begin restoring the historic farmhouse and agricultural barn/outbuildings, connect the farm with the existing nature trail, and begin educational and historic programming.
Polo Stable Restoration at Caumsett State Historic Site ($400,000)
The Caumsett Foundation, in partnership with the state, the local community, other government entities, for-pro!t groups and private foundations, will restore from severe deterioration the masonry, carpentry and other exterior elements of the Polo Stable at Caumsett State Historic Site. This is the third and final phase of the exterior renovation project. The Polo Stable, the most architecturally important building at Caumsett, was designed by John Russell Pope, and is on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The Foundation has already replaced the slate roof and cupola.
Warren County
Lake George Underwater Trail Website and Marketing ($50,000)
The Village of Lake George will develop and maintain a website for the New York State
Underwater Blueway Trail that will publicize and market the individual dive sites that together make up the Underwater Blueway Trail.
First Wilderness Heritage Corridor Implementation ($463,116)
Warren County will advance recommendations of the First Wilderness Heritage Corridor
Action Plan, an intermunicipal revitalization strategy for nine communities along the Upper
Hudson River and Delaware & Hudson rail line in Saratoga and Warren counties. E”orts
will include: modernization of the Dynamite Hill Ski Area to allow it to serve as a day-use
destination area in winter months- streetscape improvements between the municipal center
and the North Creek Train Station Complex- enclosing existing platforms and providing
restrooms at the historic railroad stops in the towns of Thurman and Hadley- small business
development to !ll vacant storefronts in the hamlets of the First Wilderness Heritage
Corridor- construction of a boarding platform at the site of the old Corinth station- design and construction of a new 1,100-sq.ft. classroom, an ADA-compliant restroom and o#ce space
for administrative services at the Adirondack Folk School in Lake Luzerne- and the creation,
marketing and promotion of activities to enhance tourism.
Westchester County
Tarrytown Music Hall Restoration ($400,000)
The Friends of Mozartina Musical Arts Conservatory rehabilitate and restore the Tarrytown Music Hall, a highly distinctive 1885 Queen Anne-style local, state, and federal landmark. The project will include the replacement of deteriorated foundations, restoration and repair of walls and windows, rehabilitation of the roof, and restoration of exterior soft stucco and paint finishes and interior lobby plaster and paint finishes.
Bird Homestead Meeting House Rehabilitation ($250,600)
The Committee to Save the Bird Homestead will replace the roofs of the Bird Homestead’s
three buildings, make drainage systems and foundation repairs, replace the main roof and restore of the clerestory for the Meeting House. The Bird Homestead contains an 1835 Greek Revival house, a 19th-century barn and a woodworker’s shop with attached henhouse and woodshed, and the project will help preserve historic structures that retain a high degree of authenticity, but suffer from longdeferred maintenance.
Wyoming County
Letchworth State Park Signage ($3,000)
The Friends of Letchworth State Park will develop and install signage along the Clan Trail at the Council Grounds in Letchworth State Park. This signage will enhance the interpretation and understanding of the role of the Seneca Indian Nation in Western New York for the park visitor an
d especially the school children who study this local history in the 4th grade Social Studies curriculum in New York State.
Yates County
Finger Lakes Museum Building Renovation ($2,281,000)
The Finger Lakes Museum is proposed as the premier natural and cultural resource dedicated to the enjoyment, education and stewardship of the Finger Lakes Region – and to fresh water conservation around the world. The first step in renovating a former elementary school building will be the installation of a green roof, covering the roof with vegetation and a drainage system to absorb rainfall and limit stormwater runoff, as well as restoring and protecting adjacent stream banks.
A full list of funded projects is available online [pdf].
Olana Partnership Elects New Trustee
Richard Sharp, Chairman of The Olana Partnership, has announced the election of Joseph A. Pierson to the board of trustees.
“We are delighted that Joseph has joined our board. He brings to the Partnership a keen visual sense and creative eye, along with a track record of commitment to historic preservation,” said Chairman Sharp. “Joseph continues the tradition of his family’s longstanding support of Olana.”
Pierson is president of Cypress Films, Inc., a successful, independent, New York-based film, theater and television production company. Most recently, he produced and directed EvenHand, an independent feature film shot on location in San Antonio, Texas. Currently in pre-production is a filmed adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s A Suspension of Mercy and an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man for the Broadway stage.
Pierson majored in Studio Art at Middlebury College, graduating with departmental honors. He has an avid interest in historic preservation, serving as a member of the Director’s Council of the Historic House Trust of New York City, the Trustees’ Council of the Preservation League of New York State, and as chair of the Fort Tryon Park Trust. In addition, Mr. Pierson serves on the board of the Greenrock Corporation and as president of Abeyton Lodge, Inc.
In 1994, Pierson was elected a trustee of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. He is a member of the Fund’s Pocantico Center and nominating committees. He and his family have a local residence in Columbia County, New York.
“From the first time Joseph came for a visit to Olana, we could tell that he noticed and appreciated everything, and with his strong background in historic preservation, had insights that we knew would be of great value to us,” said Sara Griffen, President of The Olana Partnership. “The fact that his grandfather Nelson Rockefeller had been responsible for saving Olana from the auction block in the early 1960s made it all the more fitting that Joseph might join the board.”
Humanities Council Irene Grant Deadline Extended
In the wake of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, cultural organizations throughout New York State experienced damage due to extensive flooding. With support from the National Endowment for the Humanities Chairman’s Emergency Fund, the New York Council for the Humanities has awarded 27 grants totaling over $26,000 to help affected groups. These grants are to be utilized by organizations to defray salary costs for staff members’ work associated with storm clean-up and recovery. A full list of grantees is available online.
While many of the grant recipients took preventive measures, the flooding still damaged the interior and exterior of buildings, as well as papers, books, furniture and technology. The basements and first floors of many buildings filled with water, mud and debris. Staff and volunteers have spent countless hours on clean up and remediation. The Council’s Hurricane Recovery Grants have helped organizations cover some of these additional staff hours, which average 77 hours per site.
For organizations still seeking support, the Council has extended the deadline for these grants until December 31, 2011 to ensure that these resources are made available to as many affected program partners as possible. Information and grant guidelines can be found online.
Photo: Material discarded from the basement at the Tioga County Council on the Arts.
Networking: Association of Public Historians of NYS
The August 2011 issue of The Public Historian focused on both the richness of the history of New York State and the diverseness of the systems in place to protect and promote that history. This same issue has been seen in recent blogs and articles on the online site New York History and elsewhere.
I appreciate the focus on our state’s history and the concern of many to ensure that our heritage is properly preserved for everyone. Unfortunately, too little attention has been paid to a system that already exists that links and networks with every other agency in the state – the Association of Public Historians of New York State. Read more
NY Genealogical and Biographical Elects New Fellows
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society announces the election of two leading New York genealogists as Fellows of the Genealogical and Biographical Society (FGBS), Suzanne McVetty and Meldon J. Wolfgang III.
The designation of Fellow of the Genealogical and Biographical Society, the oldest such designation in the genealogical field in the nation, is reserved for people who have contributed to New York genealogical research, writing, speaking, and advocacy at the highest level of proficiency. There are currently fourteen Fellows.
Suzanne McVetty, who became a Certified Genealogist in 1987, has been researching and writing family histories for over twenty-five years. She specializes in New York City and Long Island subjects. She also has experience searching for missing heirs in partnership with trusts and estates attorneys. She has written articles for leading genealogical publications, has written research guides for the New York Researcher and the Society’s website, and has spoken at many regional and national genealogical conferences. Her topics include Using Land Records in Genealogical Research, Using Probate Records in Genealogical Research- Bright Lights- Urban Research- and Vital Records: Building Blocks of Genealogical Research.
She has served as president of the Genealogical Speakers Guild, treasurer of the Association of Professional Genealogists, a volunteer at the National Archives Northeast Region, and for over twenty years was chairperson of the Nassau Genealogy Workshop. For 16 years she has served on the Education Committee of the NYG&B and regularly serves as an expert consultant at Society programs, including the biennial “Research in Albany” program.
Meldon J. Wolfgang III is a native of Albany, NY, and the founder-owner of Jonathan Sheppard Books. Mr. Wolfgang has been a genealogist since the 1960s and has a national reputation as a scholar and speaker on a wide range of genealogical topics. He has published articles on family history in national publications, and since 2005 he has written the genealogy column for New York Archives, the quarterly publication of the New York State Archives Partnership Trust. His wide-range of speaking topics includes Uncommon Research Tools- Deconstructing City Directories- Using Archival Collections in the 21st Century- Beyond the Basics for Using Newspapers in Genealogical Research- Prosopography, Cluster Studies, and Record Linkage Techniques- Tracing German Ancestors in Europe- Germans and German-Americans in 19th Century America- and Using Maps in Genealogical Research.
He served as Commissioner of Human Resources for the city of Albany, a member of the Albany Historic Sites Commission and a Trustee of the Albany County Historical Society. He also served as a trustee of the Albany Public Library, was president of the Upper Hudson Library System and was one of the original appointed trustees of the joint Albany City-County Archives.
Mr. Wolfgang received his undergraduate degree from McGill University in Montreal and completed further graduate study at Columbia University. He serves on the Education Committee of the NYG&B and on the Advisory Board of the New York Family History School.
John Warren: A New York History Site Update
It’s been two months since I announced that we’d be taking this site to the next level, and how far we have come! More than a dozen organizations and individuals from around the state have answered the call to contribute to this online effort to help foster a sense of shared mission and purpose among New York historians of every stripe.
Among those that have already joined us as regular contributors are State Historian and Chief Curator of the New York State Museum Robert Weible and President of the Association of Public Historian of NYS Gerald Smith– long-time public historians like Wanda Burch, who recently retired as site manager of Johnson Hall State Historic Site and Tompkins County Historian and AASLH columnist Carol Kammen– Northern New York historian Lawrence Gooley– and the two gentlemen who provided much of the impetus for this effort Bruce Dearstyne, who served as guest editor, for Public Historian‘-s NYS issue, and Peter Feinman, Director of the Institute of History, Archaeology, and Education.
An equally esteemed list of those who have agreed to begin contributing in the coming months includes folks from the New York State Historical Association, the New York Folklore Society, the Museum of the City of New York, the NYC Archivists Round Table, NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, and the North Star Underground Railroad Museum.
We’re still in need of contributors, and in the coming weeks I’ll be reaching out to some of the less represented sectors of New York history. Given the response so far, I’m confident we’ll be growing in some exciting new ways. Suggestions for new contributors can be sent to me via e-mail by clicking on my by-line above, or left below in the comments.
In the meantime, spread the word about what we’re up to, and contribute to the discussions. You can follow us the following ways:
Welcome New Contributor Bruce Dearstyne
Please join us in welcoming our newest contributor, Dr. Bruce W. Dearstyne of Guilderland. Dearstyne was the guest editor of a special issue of the journal Public Historian on “Strengthening the Management of State History: Issues, Perspectives, and Insights from New York” (August 2011). He has written a number of essays on New York State history for the “Perspective” section of the Albany Times-Union.
He is a former professor at the College of Information Studies, University of Maryland, where he is now an Adjunct Professor. Before joining the Maryland faculty, he held positions at the New York State Archives and the Office of State History. He is the author of Railroads and Railroad Regulation in New York State, 1900-1913, co-author of New York: Yesterday and Today, and author of a number of articles.