The Depuy Canal House has sat in High Falls since the 1790s when it was constructed by Simeon Depuy, “one of the most prominent citizens of High Falls, New York.” It opened, according to the Depuy Canal House’s website, as the Stone House Tavern. The tavern entered its heyday when work commenced on the Delaware &- Hudson (D&-H) canal to link the coal fields of Pennsylvania to the Hudson River in Kingston. This tavern sat on Lock 16, convenient to the canal men until the canal closed in 1899. Read more
Delaware County
Delaware County: Living History Cemetery Tour
Ten area residents will portray people from Middletown’s past in an unusual fundraising event to be held Saturday, June 30 by the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM), Delaware County.
In the “Living History Tour of Margaretville Cemetery,” costumed portrayers will bring to life artists and farmers, lawyers and raftsmen, doctors and editors who now lie beneath the sod. Docents will lead visitors through the picturesque grounds to meet each subject and hear about their occupations, their lives and their loves.
The one-hour, evening tour, offered every 20 minutes between 6 and 8 p.m., begins with a welcome at the cemetery gate from Undertaker Charles Gorsch. Other subjects include J. Francis and Adah Murphy, founders of the Pakatakan Artists Colony in Arkville- farmer George Hendricks- doctor, legislator, editor and anti-war advocate Orson Allaben- famed outdoorsman and animal trainer Niles Fairbairn- legendary log raft steersman Erastus Clute- beloved Margaretville Hospital founder Dr. Gordon Maurer- and attorney Ward DeSilva and his milliner wife Maragaret, whose bright futures were cut short in the 1919 flu epidemic.
Tickets are $10- $5 for children aged 8-15. Rain date is July 1.
For more information on HSM events and activities, visit www.mtownhistory.org, or email [email protected].
Roberson Museum Commemorates the Civil War
150 years ago shots were fired on Fort Sumter off the coast of South Carolina signaling the beginning of the Civil War. A century and a half later, Roberson Museum and Science Center has assembled hundreds of objects and stories to tell the story of how that conflict affected this area in a new exhibition appropriately named The Civil War. Read more
Two New History Sites For Delaware County
There are two new websites for those with an interest in Delaware County history. Websites for The Historical Society of Middletown and The Hobart Historical Society include links to local projects, news, events and more from the central Catskills communities.
The Hobart Historical Society is headquartered in its restored building on Cornell Avenue, Hobart, NY. The building, formerly the home of the St. Andrews Masonic Lodge, is now used to operate and manage the Hobart Historical Society’s community projects, keep records of village history, and provide the community with a Historical Society Center.
The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown was Formed in 2004, and has grown from 40 founding members to an organization of more than 100. The Margaretville Covered Bridge (above), which spanned the East Branch of the Delaware River on Bridge Street from the 1860s until 1933, serves as the society’s logo, considered symbolic of the ‘bridge’ they hope to make between the past and present.
NY State Historic Preservation Awards Announced
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash has announced the recipients of the 2007 State Historic Preservation Awards. The Historic Preservation Awards honor the efforts and achievements of individuals, organizations and municipalities that make significant contributions to the effort of historic preservation throughout New York State.
The State Historic Preservation Awards were established in 1980 to honor excellence in the protection and rejuvenation of New York’s historic and cultural resources. The recipients were honored at a ceremony at Peebles Island, home of the State Historic Preservation Office, Bureau of Historic Sites.
Assemblyman Sam Hoyt
Public Sector Achievement Award
Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, who represents the 144th Assembly District (including Buffalo’s west side and Grand Island on the Niagara River), is honored for his outstanding contribution to advancing historic preservation and community improvement activities across the state.
Eldridge Street Synagogue
Project Achievement Award, Bonnie Dimun, Executive Director, Roberta Gratz, Founder and President Emeritus
The Eldridge Street Project is recognized for its outstanding contribution to restoring and revitalizing the Eldridge Street Synagogue, one of New York’s most prominent historic religious properties.
Universal Preservation Hall
Project Achievement Award, Mattthew Kopans, Director
The Universal Preservation Hall project in downtown Saratoga Springs is recognized for transforming a distinguished yet deteriorated historic church into a vibrant center for art, culture and community events.
Town of Roxbury
Community Achievement Award, Town Supervisor Tom Hynes, Town Historian Peg Ellsworth
The Town of Roxbury, located on the East Branch of the Delaware River, is being honored for its variety of creative approaches to integrating historic preservation into the everyday life of the community, especially in the hamlet of Roxbury.
Adirondack Architectural Heritage
Non-profit Achievement Award
This regional non-profit organization is honored for expanding and enhancing the public’s understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the area’s historic and cultural treasures.
The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which is part of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, helps communities identify, recognize, and preserve their historic resources, and incorporate them into local improvement and economic development activities. The SHPO administers several programs including the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit, state historic preservation grants, the Certified Local Government program, and the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places, which are the official lists of properties significant in the history, architecture, and archeology of the state and nation. There are more than 4,400 State and National Register listings in New York, including nearly 90,000 historic buildings, structures and sites.