The Anarchist Guide to Historic House Museums

May 14, 2013admin

The Rensselaer County Historical Society (RCHS) has announced the 2013 Thomas Phelan Endowed Lecture. Franklin Vagnone, Executive Director of the Historic House Trust of New York City, will present an illustrated lecture titled, “The Anarchist Guide to Historic House Museums”. The lecture will be held at 10:00am on Saturday June 22 at Bush Memorial Hall on the Russell Sage College campus. The lecture is free and open to the public.

In his presentation, Mr. Vagnone lays out a series of systemic changes that he thinks historic house museums need to enact in order to be around 20 years from now. Read more →

Pick-Up Trucks Focus Of New Farmers’ Museum Exhibit

May 14, 2013admin

The pickup truck is an icon of American values and virtues: it is honest, hard working, durable, and reliable. It is also the best-selling vehicle in the United States today. The Pickup Truck: America’s Driving Force, an exhibit opening Saturday, May 25 at The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, New York, examines the fascinating story of this uniquely American favorite. The exhibition runs through October 31.

The exhibit follows the route of the pickup truck from its beginnings when demand for pickup trucks actually preceded their supply. Until 1900, passenger vehicles were modified by dealers and buyers to create cargo wagons &#8211 replacing horse-drawn farm wagons. Read more →

Was Mary Johnson A Civil War Veteran?

May 13, 2013admin

In Lowell, Massachusetts in 1922, while working in a private home, Mrs. Mary Johnson was badly injured in a fall. At the age of 82, with few resources at her disposal, neither Mary nor her husband Peter could care for themselves. During the next two years, the couple resided in three different poorhouses, living at Fitchburg and Tewksbury before moving to the Worcester City Farm. At Fitchburg, Mrs. Johnson had begun telling stories about her secret war past, and at Worcester, folks began to take her seriously.

According to Mary, she had served honorably in two branches of military service, most notably a stint during the Civil War. Combat was reserved for men only, but Mary openly shared the details, insisting her story was true. Read more →

New Online Resources For New York History

May 13, 2013admin

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

NYPL has put an entire manuscript collection online for the first time in the library’s history. The Library’s Emmet Collection (now completely online at archives.nypl.org/emmetcollection) includes approximately 10,000 letters and documents available through a finding aid based on the original Emmet Guide published by the Library in 1900.

This Weeks Top New York History News

May 10, 2013admin

This Weeks New York History Web Highlights

May 10, 2013admin

Animal Fancy At The Armory Spring Show, NY

May 9, 2013admin

Rosewood Lion. India. Clinton Howell Antiques

Lions, toucans, dolphins, dogs, cocks, &#8212- critters galore tread the echoing halls of the Park Avenue Armory in this year’s annual Spring Show, NYC of Art and Antiques.

Made of glass, paint, leather, rosewood, bronze, silver and precious jewels these fanciful creatures are testimony to the enduring pleasures of the animal kingdom as a theme in art and design. And since the ASPCA is the sponsor and even beneficiary of a portion of some sales at this year’s event, tracking the artistic fauna forges a trail through the riches of an extravagant spring ritual. Read more →

Albany Film Screening of Thirst: A Civil War Story

May 8, 2013admin

The New York State Museum will host the upstate premiere of the 30-minute film Thirst: A Civil War Story (2013) on Saturday, May 11 from 1pm to 3pm in the Huxley Theatre.

The film is presented as part of the Museum’s exhibit An Irrepressible Conflict: The Empire State in the Civil War, a 7,000-square foot exhibition commemorating the sesquicentennial of the Civil War (on display through September 22). The free screening will be followed by a panel discussion with cast and crew. Read more →

Ulster County Philanthropist: Marion Borden

May 8, 2013admin

There is a mansion on a large bluff overlooking the Wallkill River Valley. It stands watch over what was once the Borden Farm, center of the Borden Condensed Milk empire. Sweeping views are forever tied to the mansion- from the Hamlet of Wallkill and farm fields, to the Lyon’s Dam on the Wallkill River and the Shawangunk Mountains. It was here that the daughter of John G. Borden, son of the founder of condensed milk, decided to make her home starting in 1900. Read more →

Brooklyn Museum Renovations Continue

May 8, 2013admin

A major new first-floor Brooklyn Museum gallery opened in March with Fine Lines: American Drawings, which will remain on view through May 28. The new 6,000-square-foot space is the latest step in a phased renovation that will, within the next two years, dramatically alter the entire first and second floors of the Museum’s McKim, Mead and White building.

This new space, designed by Ennead Architects, incorporates both a larger and a smaller gallery and two vestibule areas. It is named the Robert E. Blum Gallery&#8211as was the previous special-exhibition gallery on the first floor.
Read more →