Public History

Taking New York History to the Next Level

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Regular readers of this online newsmagazine about New York State’s history should be happy to learn that we’re stepping it up a notch. The state has one of the richest histories in the United States, a tremendous opportunity for education, economic development, and creating social, cultural, and political links to our shared past.

This site’s aspirations are to provide what Bruce Dearstyne has called New York’s &#8220historical enterprise&#8221 an opportunity to collaborate and connect with history lovers and practitioners in order to help foster a sense of shared mission and purpose among New York historians of every stripe.

&#8220Too many programs are struggling with unclear missions, undefined audiences, and inadequate resources,&#8221 Dearstyne recently wrote on these pages. &#8220There are several state programs in the history arena, but coordination among them is limited and there is little sense of common purpose in the state’s history community.&#8221 I couldn’t agree more.

For the past several years I’ve edited New York History as a daily journal of news and events. That serves as a good base, but the more important goal is to explore the hard issues that trouble New York’s historical enterprise, from a variety of perspectives.

Regular readers may not be aware that I founded Adirondack Almanack in 2005. The site has been very successful by featuring some 20 contributors intimately familiar with life in the Adirondacks and drawing one of the largest online readerships in the Adirondack region. In 2010, Adirondack Almanack was honored by the Adirondack Mountain Club for &#8220outstanding talent and journalistic achievement in building an online, independent news source for the Adirondacks.&#8221 I expect nothing less for New York History. Hopefully, if you’ll join us, we’ll begin today to take our first small steps toward Dearstyne’s &#8220common purpose in the state’s history community.&#8221

Taking New York History to the next level will mean more commentary around public history issues, cultural resource economics, legislative efforts, and the concerns of the various disciplines (cultural history, political history, economic history, preservation, etc) the stat’s rich history deserves. It will require those with something important to say about New York’s historical enterprise to stand up and be counted.

Our audience are those interested in New York History, including lay people interested in learning more about the history of the state, history professionals interested in keeping up with what others around the state are doing, educators and academics interested in making connections to state and local history, and those concerned with historical cultural resource management more generally.

Beginning this week we’ll see new contributors and an increasing number of commentaries comparing and contrasting state history issues, exploring the problems of local historians, state historic sites, academia, and more. No doubt some toes will be stepped on, there will be some critical comments and commentary. Hopefully some old machinery will be taken apart to study is wheels and gears, to suggest some new fuels or encourage new operators to run that machinery in new ways.

Shortly we’ll I’ll be introducing our first new contributor, Peter Feinman, founder and president of the Institute of History, Archaeology, and Education. Over the next weeks and months we’ll be rolling out new contributors from a variety of disciplinary and regional perspectives.

I’m confident the site has great potential and I welcome those interested in contributing regularly or a single guest essay to contact me ([email protected]).

Strengthening NYs Historical Enterprise

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Anyone who follows this website, New York History: Historical News and Views From The Empire State, knows the close to astonishing amount of historical activity going on in our state. New York’s history, I believe, has more variety, interest, and potential for us to draw insights today, than the history of any other state. We have hundreds of historical programs and officially designated local historians. But we also know that the state of the historical enterprise is not as strong as it ought to be. Read more →

New Leadership at Huguenot Street

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Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) has announced the appointment of Tracy Doolittle McNally as the new Executive Director, effective August 29, 2011. Tracy is an 11th generation descendant of the Huguenot founders of New Paltz. “Ms. McNally has a proven track record professionally in both corporate and non-profit organizations with strong expertise in marketing, development, special events, public relations, and financial management” HHS Board Chair Mary Etta Schneider said in a prepared statement.

McNally has a B.A. from St. Lawrence University and an MBA from SUNY New Paltz School of Business. Most recently McNally was head of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce and was widely recognized as one of Greene County’s top businesswomen. When asked what she thought might be the greatest opportunity in her new position, Tracy said, “Many people think Historic Huguenot Street is about stone houses and a quiet street, but it is so much more than that. We need to continue to make the exciting stories, extensive archives and valuable collections come alive in unique ways. I look forward to working with the Board in accomplishing this.”

Historic Huguenot Street has also announced that Susan Stessin-Cohn has joined the organization to fill the newly created position of Director of Exhibits, Educational and Public Programs. Susan has been involved with HHS for several years in a variety of curatorial, research and education-related roles. Ms. Stessin-Cohn has a Masters of Science in Elementary Education and a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education and Anthropology from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Susan has an extensive background as a professor, exhibit curator, archives specialist, curriculum developer and historical consultant as well as being an active volunteer in the community.

Rejoining HHS is Rebecca Mackey, Manager of Programs, Tours, Volunteer Care and the Museum Shop. Rebecca, who has both a B.A. in Women’s Studies and in History, will be responsible for the implementation of educational and public programs.

Jan Melchior will be stepping up from her role as Communications, Design and Development Coordinator to an expanded role as Manager of Promotion and Marketing. Jan brings over twenty five years of experience in marketing, advertising, development and promotion of non-profits.

Mary Etta Schneider, who has been acting as Interim Executive Director, will be resigning that position and will continue in her role as President and Board Chair of HHS.

Adirondack Museum Offer Free Days For Locals

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This year, the Adirondack Museum has introduced two new programs just for year-round Adirondack Park residents. The museum invites year-round residents of the Adirondack Park to visit free of charge every Sunday, and on all open days in May and October. Proof of residency such as a driver’s license, passport, or voter registration card is required.

The Adirondack Museum has also introduced a new &#8220Friends and Neighbors&#8221 Adirondack Park Resident Membership Program. Year-round Park residents can now enjoy all the museum has to offer every day of the season through a very special program that makes museum membership more affordable than ever before &#8211 half the regular price at the Individual, Companion, and Family

levels. Call the membership office for more information: (518) 352-7311 ext. 112 or email [email protected].

The museum is open 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., 7 days a week, including holidays, from May 27 through October 17, 2011. There will be an early closing on August 12, and adjusted hours on August 13- the museum will close for the day on September 9.

Adirondack Museum Welcomes 4 Millionth Visitor

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The Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake, New York welcomed its 4 millionth visitor, Katie Alexander of Ewing, N.J., on August 16, 2011. Katie was accompanied by her parents, Daniel and Jean, and sisters, Emma and Hannah. To recognize this milestone in their fifty-four year history, the museum provided its special and significant visitor with a membership for her family and a $100 gift certificate to the Museum Store.

The Adirondack Museum, which opened to the public in 1957, is a regional outdoor history museum that has been sharing the stories of the region with more than 70,000 visitors each year. The museum has grown from one building in 1957 to more than 22 indoor and outdoor exhibit spaces today. Offerings include continuously changing exhibits, public programs, lectures, field trips, and school programs.

The Adirondack Museum welcomed its one millionth visitor in 1976, two millionth in 1987, and three millionth in 1998.

The Adirondack Museum, accredited by the American Association of Museums, tells stories of the people &#8211 past and present &#8212- who have lived, worked, and played in the unique place that is the Adirondack Park. History is in our nature. The museum is supported in part by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency. For information about all that the museum has to offer, please call (518) 352-7311, or visit www.adirondackmuseum.org.

Photo: Left to right: Michael Lombardi, Interim Director, Adirondack Museum- Emma, Hannah, Jean, Daniel, and (in front) Katie Alexander. Katie Alexander was the 4 millionth visitor to the Adirondack Museum in it’s 54-year history.

New-York Historical, NYC Media Offer Video Shorts

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The New-York Historical Society and NYC Media, the official network of the City of New York, have partnered to produce When &#8220Did the Statue of Liberty Turn Green? & Other Questions about New York City,&#8221 a special series of 90 one-minute videos that feature the staff of the New-York Historical Society answering some of the most captivating questions ever posed to them about the City’s unique history. The video series airs every evening at 7:30pm on NYC life (Channel 25) in anticipation of the reopening of the New-York Historical Society’s Museum galleries on November 11, 2011. The series can also be viewed online on the NYC Media Video on Demand player.

“Inquisitive viewers will get the answers they’ve been looking for as the New-York Historical Society shares its vast knowledge and archive in our new series,” said Diane Petzke, general manager, NYC Media. “As part of our ongoing efforts to partner with local cultural organizations, we’re delighted to bring this fun and engaging perspective of City history to New Yorkers.”

“We are pleased to partner with NYC Media as we count down toward the re-opening of our galleries 90 days from now,” said Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of the New-York Historical Society. “As the oldest cultural institution in New York City, we have a history that is closely tied to the history of the City as a whole. What better way to celebrate than by exploring the fascinating, sometimes surprising questions put to us by curious New Yorkers and visitors?”

On Veterans’ Day, Friday, November 11, 2011, the New-York Historical Society will throw open its doors as never before after completing a three-year renovation of its Central Park West building. The face of the institution—the first museum established in New York—will be transformed as visitors of all ages are welcomed to this great cultural destination. Visitors will experience brand-new gallery spaces that are more open and hospitable, both to major exhibitions and to a vastly expanded public. Highlights include, a multi-screen presentation of American history seen through the lens of New York City- the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, the first of its kind in New York, where the past comes to life through the stories of real children- a new museum restaurant operated by Stephen Starr Restaurants in a light-filled, modern space- and a permanent exhibition taking visitors on an interactive journey from colonial times to the September 11th attacks, incorporating high-definition digital screens and original artifacts. For more information about the New-York Historical Society’s re-opening, visit nyhistory.org.

Olympic Museum Changes Name to Reflect Collection

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What’s in a name? Take the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Museum as an example. When guests visit the museum, located in the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, N.Y., they believe that they’ll only view and experience artifacts from both the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Winter Games, but there’s so much more. Not only does the museum feature items from the two Games held in Lake Placid, displays also include pieces from every Olympic Winter Games dating back to 1924. That’s why the museum worked with the U.S. Olympic Committee to obtain International Olympic Committee (IOC) approval to change its name to the Lake Placid Olympic Museum.

“Visitors to the museum often said the collection represented more than the two Games held in Lake Placid and we agree that the name should reflect that,” said New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) president/CEO Ted Blazer. “The museum’s collections have grown over the years to encompass representation from each of the Olympic Winter Games, as well as the Olympic Games. With that expansion we felt it was important that the name of the museum mirror the breadth of the museum.”

Established in 1994, the Lake Placid Olympic Museum is the only one of its kind in the United States. In fact, it holds the largest Winter Games collection outside of the IOC’s Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. It’s also the only museum to have received the Olympic Cup, which is the oldest award given by the IOC.

“As the collections have grown and the presentations have become wider in scope, so has the need to change the name,” added museum director, Liz De Fazio. “As we move forward in getting this museum to be a full member of the IOC’s Olympic Museum Network, I feel this will bring us closer to that international look and feel.”

While touring the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, guests can view the first Olympic Winter Games medal ever won, a gold medal, earned by speedskater and Lake Placid native Charles Jewtraw during the 1924 Winter Games. Displays also feature athletes’ participation medals from every modern Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games, as well as Olympic Team clothing and competition gear from several Games, including the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

The museum’s collection also includes costumes from Olympic figure skating legend Sonja Henie and several world cup and world championship trophies captured by U.S. bobsled and luge athletes, artifacts from the famed 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, as well as Olympic medals.

The Lake Placid Olympic Museum is located at the box office entrance of the Olympic Center at 2634 Main Street and is open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for juniors and seniors, while children six and under are free. For more information about the museum, log on to www.whiteface.com/museum.

New Executive Director Named for Adk Museum

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Kevin J. Arquit, Chairman of the Board of the Adirondack Museum has announced that the Board of Trustees has unanimously confirmed the appointment of David M. Kahn as the new Executive Director.

“The Board was very fortunate to identify Kahn as the museums next Director,” said Arquit. “This is an exciting time for the Adirondack Museum to bring in someone as accomplished as David because he has devoted his entire career to the museum profession. His skills, experience, and passion for history will undoubtedly continue to move the museum forward as a rich cultural resource and intellectually engaging place.”


A native New Yorker, David Kahn will be coming to the Adirondack Park from San Diego, C.A. He is currently Executive Director of the San Diego History Center, and prior to going to San Diego, Kahn was Director of three other institutions. He was Executive Director of the Brooklyn Historical Society from 1982 &#8211 1996. While he was there, the institution built a national reputation for its community history projects that focused on topics ranging from new Chinese immigrants to the Crown Heights Riots. From 1996 – 2006 David served as Executive Director of the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford, the seventh oldest historical organization in the United States. During his tenure, the Society’s annual operating budget grew from $1.7 million to $5 million and the institution quadrupled its audience to 70,000.

In May 2006 David assumed the directorship of the Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans. While in Louisiana he was responsible for 13 facilities and secured major grants including $1.4M from the National Science Foundation for an exhibition about Hurricane Katrina and $2M from the National Park Service for a jazz center.

Throughout his career, David has been involved in a wide variety of professional activities. He has served on peer grant review panels for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the New York State Council on the Arts, the New York Council for the Humanities, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Smithsonian Institution. He was Vice President of the New York State Association of Museums from 1992-1995 and is currently Vice President of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership. He has been an Editorial Board Member of the journal Curator since 1994 and he has served on two Ford Foundation Advisory Committees, “Documentation, Editing, and Archives” (1998) and “Expanding the Civic Role of the Arts” (1996 –1997). David has moderated panels and presented professional papers at numerous history museum conferences in San Francisco (2009), New Orleans (2008), Vienna (2007), Amsterdam (2005), Sao Paulo (2004), Luxembourg (2000), Istanbul (1999), Quebec (1999), Bonn (1996), and Harrogate (1996). He has published articles in Curator and Museum News as well as a series of travel pieces about Japan (a personal interest) in The New York Times. He earned both a B.A. Magna Cum Laude and a M.A. in Art History from Columbia University.

&#8220I am absolutely thrilled that the Adirondack Museum’s Board has chosen me to lead the organization into the future,” said Kahn. “The challenge for me will be to take what is obviously already a great institution and to find even more new and innovative ways for it to serve its many visitors and the community. I look forward to working with the museum’s dedicated board, its professional staff, and its many volunteers and donors.&#8221

David Kahn will assume the position of Executive Director, Adirondack Museum on September 5, 2011.

New Director of Albany Institute Named

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The Albany Institute of History & Art has announced that David Carroll has been selected as its next Director, succeeding Christine Miles who announced in January her intention to resign from the Institute once a new Director is in place.

“I am honored to have been selected to serve the Albany Institute of History and Art as its next Director,&#8221 says Carroll. &#8220The Institute has an impressive history of bringing exciting and relevant programs to this region and I look forward to working with the Board and talented staff to advance this important work.”

David Carroll has held the position of Executive Director for the Western Museum of Mining and Industry in Colorado Springs, Colorado since 2005. Prior to that, Carroll held positions of Director of Membership at the Art Institute of Chicago, Director of Development at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago and Associate Director of Administration at the Indiana University Art Museum, which provides him a range of valuable experience.

Most recently as the Executive Director of the Western Museum of Mining & Industry, Carroll has dramatically increased membership and attendance as well as transformed donor relationships which greatly increased grant support and annual giving. Under his leadership, this museum has expanded its educational programming and become a significant partner in the tourism of the Pike’s Peak region. He has served on numerous state and local commissions and committees involving heritage tourism, art, and history throughout his career. Carroll received his B.S. in Management Information Systems from Colorado State University in 1988, followed by a M.A. in Arts Administration from Indiana University in 1997.

“What really set Carroll apart beyond his energy was his passion for storytelling,” tells George R. Hearst III, Chair of the Albany Institute Board of Trustees. “In line with the Albany Institute’s own mission, Carroll understands how to integrate objects and exhibitions into the context of the local environment, which he has done successfully at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. As his skills complement areas where the Institute already has strength, there will be a very solid team in place under Carroll’s leadership.”

The process of recruiting a new Director commenced in January with the appointment of a Search Committee, comprised of Trustees and members of the community, and the hiring of a national recruitment firm. Ultimately, the Albany Institute Search Committee selected Carroll from a field of 38 candidates from across the country including Hawaii, Maine, Connecticut, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Colorado. Carroll impressed the Search Committee with his appreciation for the relationship between history and art, which is essential to the Institute’s mission. Additionally, he recognized the importance between an institution and its role in the community.

“We were very fortunate to have such a group of high-quality candidates from all over the country,” says Rosemarie V. Rosen, Chair of the Search Committee and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees. “David is very special and brings us a unique mix of technical and creative skills. In addition, he has a real enthusiasm and excitement and will be a tremendous asset as we build the future of the Institute.”

“Speaking for myself and our entire staff, I am delighted and excited about the Albany Institute’s choice of David Carroll as the next Director of the Albany Institute,” says current Director Christine Miles. “David brings with him a refreshing approach and vision, great people-skills, and the invaluable experience of knowing how to engage the many publics that this museum serves every day.”

The Search Committee, which was formed in January 2011 to begin the process of selecting a new Director for the Albany Institute of History & Art following the announcement by Christine Miles of her upcoming resignation, included: Phoebe Powell Bender, Michael Conforti, Denise Gorman, Barbara K. Hoehn, Robert Krackeler, David Allen Miller, Victor Oberting III, Rosemarie V. Rosen (Committee Chair), I. David Swawite, Christine Ward, and Judith White.

New Facilities Manager For Saratoga National Park

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Superintendent Joe Finan has selected National Park Service civil engineer Jason Huart as the new Facilities Manager for Saratoga National Historical Park (the Battlefield). In his new position, Huart will manage the cultural landscape, historic structures and park facilities at the Battlefield, Schuyler House, Saratoga Monument and Victory Woods.

“John has extensive knowledge in asset management in the National Park Service,” Finan said in a prepared statement. “His background will enhance the parks ability to secure funds for stewardship of the parks varied cultural and natural resources. “

Huart comes to Saratoga NHP from the Alaska region of the National Park Service. There he served as a contracting officer representative for multi-million dollar construction projects and performed inspections. He oversaw the Asset Management Program which includes training staff in the use of multiple software systems and providing technical assistance to parks seeking internal grants through project management software systems. He also developed strategic maintenance and budget plans for the Alaska Region.

Huart has a Master’s of Science Degree from Michigan Technological University and a Bachelor’s in Engineering. Prior to his work with the National Park Service, Huart worked for the Peace Corps in Honduras as a water and sanitation engineer and worked in the construction field during college. He enjoys hunting, fishing, skiing, camping and loves being on the water.

Saratoga National Historical Park was established in 1938 to preserve the historic setting of the American victory and surrender of the British Army in 1777. The park includes thousands of acres of open space in four separate units along the Hudson River. Saratoga National Historical Park is one of 394 national parks in the United States.