Remarkable North Country Multiple Births

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Cover Twins MagazineIn days of yore (pre-Internet times), I once subscribed to more than a dozen different magazines. Further back, in the 1960s and 1970s, there seemed to be a magazine for just about any subject that anyone was ever interested in. I was reminded of this last year when a saw a cover titled TWINS. The subject matter was everything related to twins: having them, being one, doctoring them, parenting them, and so on.

What really surprised me was the subtitle: The Magazine for Multiples Since 1984. I’d never heard of it, but it has been around for nearly three decades. It also reminded me of some twin-related North Country stories I’ve collected over the years. Here’s a sampling. Read more →

This Weeks New York History Web Highlights

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Exhibits: Lincoln Autopsy Reports, Dred Scott Painting

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Dred ScottThe New York State Museum has added two important artifacts to its current exhibition commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, An Irrepressible Conflict: The Empire State in the Civil War.

The artifacts include the notes taken by two physicians who attended President Lincoln on his death bed and the only existing oil painting of Dred Scott, the African American slave whose 1858 Supreme Court trial pushed the nation to the brink of Civil War.
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Adirondack Rail-Trail: Railway Preservation Society Responds

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49511What follows is a press release issued by the Adirondack Railway Preservation Society in response to a decision by the state to reopen the plans for the Adirondack Scenic Railroad route, formerly part of the New York Central Railroad, through the Adirondacks. The state acted following activism by the group Adirodnack Recreational Trail Advocates who seek to have the rails torn up for a rail-trail.

The New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced on June 6th that the State will initiate a public process to review the Unit Management Plan for the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor, part of the 141 miles of track on which the Adirondack Scenic Railroad operates.  Although the Railroad does not feel that revisiting the UMP is necessary in determining the future of the rail corridor, the Railroad remains confident that the State will once again determine the best use of this public asset is to maintain its designation as a multi-use corridor with a completed rail line and blended recreational and trail opportunities along the completed line. Read more →

The Social Fabric: To Knit or Not to Knit?

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1885 Delaware River WatershedsThe Delaware Company’s president John Conway (Sullivan County Historian), invited me to speak at the newly formed nonprofit’s inaugural fundraising gala this week at the historic Ardmore Mansion/Mountain View Manor, in Glen Spey, the day after the NYSHA annual conference in Cooperstown ended.

The mission of The Delaware Company is to promote and support the history and historic landmarks of the Upper Delaware River Valley through education, outreach, and fundraising. Also speaking were U.S. Representative Chris Gibson and NYS Legislator Aileen Gunther. The audience consisted of various county and local officials, municipal historians, historic organizations, and at least one teacher, a true sampling of the history community in the region. Read more →

New Online Resources For New York History

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Apple ComputerHere’s a quick look at some of the latest New York History resources to hit the web:

  • The Syracuse University Archives has completed the processing of the George Fisk Comfort Family Collection, dating from 1822 to 1956, which contains a significant amount of material from George Fisk Comfort (1833-1910), the first dean of the (now defunct) College of Fine Arts at Syracuse University, and was involved in the establishment the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as what is now the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse. The collection also includes material associated with Silas Comfort, a Methodist minister and Anna Manning Comfort. Various items, such as letters and family photographs, were digitized and are available in the online finding aid. Read more →

Warren County Bicentennial Event in Lake George

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Warren County BicentennialA Special Meeting of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, celebrating Warren County’s 200th Anniversary, will be held at the Old Warren County Court House on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. in Lake George Village.

Wednesday’s Bicentennial event includes the Special Board Meeting, Lawn Reception, Postal Cancellation and more. Events will conclude at 3:00 p.m. All are invited to attend. The event will also be broadcast live in a special tent on the grounds outside the Courthouse. There will be seating and audio-visual services for those attending. Read more →

Upcoming State Grant and Funding Opportunities

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gr-main-logo_0Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 12th, 2013 the Hudson River Valley Greenway meeting will feature presentations from various New York State Agencies on upcoming grant and funding opportunities available through New York State.

The Hudson River Valley Greenway will provide an overview of Greenway Grants. NYS Empire State Development will provide an update on the upcoming Consolidated Funding Application round. Representatives from NYS Department of Environmental Conservation- Department of Transportation- Department of State, and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation- will provide updates on funding opportunities that their agencies have available or will have available. Read more →

State To Consider Removing Historic Adirondack RR

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NYC Railroad from Lake Clear LodgeThe state has announced that it intends to revisit the management plan for a controversial historic rail corridor that traverses the Adirondacks, but don’t expect a quick decision.

The Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Transportation have only just begun to prepare for a lengthy review that will include plenty of opportunity for public input.

A decision on the best use of the 119-mile corridor, previously operated by the New York Central Railroad but now operated as by the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, will take at least a year, according to DOT spokesman Beau Duffy. Read more →