Historic Preservation

Preserving Camp Santanoni Great Camp Tour

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There will be a tour of Adirondack Great Camp Santanoni in Newcomb (Essex County), NY this Thursday, June 28, 2012. Santanoni was built for Robert and Anna Pruyn of Albany beginning in 1892. The estate eventually included 12,900 acres and nearly four-dozen buildings.

Led by AARCH staff, the tour will include stops at the Gate Lodge, Santanoni’s 200 -acre farm, and the Main Camp on Newcomb Lake where we’ll see the ongoing restoration of the camp complex and learn first hand about the conservation planning and restoration work.

The Santanoni Preserve is a State Historic Site, on the National Register of Historic Places, and a National Historic Landmark. AARCH has long been associated with the protection, interpretation and restoration of this regional treasure.

The round-trip walk is 9.8 miles on a gently sloping carriage road. The tour begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. The fee is $20 for members and $30 for non-members. There will be another tour on September 14.

Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) is the nonprofit historic preservation organization for New York State’s Adirondack Park. AARCH was formed in 1990 with a mission to promote better public understanding, appreciation and stewardship of the Adirondacks unique and diverse architectural heritage.

Photo: Camp Santanoni Gate Lodge in Newcomb, NY, built in 1905 and restored in 2007.

Roller Coaster Landmark: The Comet Marks 85 Years

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Summer means warm weather and visits to the amusement parks. This year, The Comet, a classic wooden roller coaster and without a doubt the most beloved ride at the Six Flags Great Escape in Queensbury, NY, turns 85. The Comet is such an icon that it was named a Roller Coaster Landmark three years ago by the American Coaster Enthusiasts.

“The Comet is truly a special roller coaster that was able to get a ‘second lease on life’ (or in this case, a third as it was part of a previous roller coaster at Crystal Beach). The coaster is fast paced from beginning to end, featuring tremendous ‘air-time’ (that ‘out of your seat feeling’) that coaster lovers craze the most,” explains Dave Hahner, the Historian with American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) organization. “We are indeed fortunate to be able to still ride the Comet years after its original park had closed forever.”

“The Comet continues to be our most popular attraction at the Park,” explains Rebecca Close, Communications Manager for the Six Flags Great Escape. “Each year there are over 400,000 rides on the Comet, above all other rides. Another measure of the Comet popularity is that it has been the setting for many weddings for park goers and coaster enthusiasts.”

The Comet was first constructed in 1927 by legendary coaster builder Harry Traver. It was first named the Cyclone, and was thought by many to be the most intense coaster ever. “A nurses station was built near the exit of the ride to assist riders who may have been overcome by some of that ride’s intensity!” said Hahner. It had a laminated wood track and a steel superstructure, but was considered to be a wooden coaster by definition. The Cyclone’s first home was Crystal Beach Amusement Park, a short distance from Buffalo, NY in Ridgeway, Ontario, Canada. The Cyclone enjoyed a robust life until 1946 when decreased park patronage and increased ride maintenance led the Park to dismantle it.

Crystal Beach then contracted with the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) and Herbert Schmeck, considered one of the best coaster designers of all time, for the design and construction of a new, larger coaster. To save money, the new coaster was built with steel salvaged from the Cyclone. It featured a low-profile layout, which saved on materials, and produced the unbridled speed that riders crave. Unveiled in 1948 as The Crystal Beach Comet, the new coaster was thought by many to be the best of its kind because of its classic profile and thrilling interplay of G-forces.

When Crystal Beach Amusement Park closed in 1989 after its 101st season, enthusiasts mourned the loss of The Comet. A month later, the coaster was rescued from destruction when legendary Charles R. Wood, owner of The Great Escape Fun Park in Lake George, NY, purchased The Comet for a record $210,000.

After a lengthy approval process and several years of storage, reconstruction of this world-class wooden coaster began in earnest in October, 1993. More than 49 tractor-trailer loads of steel crossed New York state, while more than 1,000 concrete footers were poured at The Great Escape. The complex process of sandblasting, restoring, priming, and reassembling thousands of steel subassemblies was handled entirely in-house by park personnel. Hahner explains, “the ride reopened to the public in June of 1994 and is considered a great act of historic coaster preservation, which is also one of the reasons that ACE chose to classify it as a landmark roller coaster.

“This is our signature attraction and each year we invest significant dollars to keep it running smoothly,” said Close. “In the last two years we have replaced a significant portion of the wooden track to maintain its fantastic ride.”

The Comet stands 95 feet tall and reaches speeds up to 60 mph never ceasing to surprise riders with its gut-wrenching hills and drops along its 4,197 foot long track. The Comet is an icon, a classic, a universal favorite that perennially is chosen as one of the top ten roller coasters in the world.

“There are currently 28 roller coasters designated as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark, with a 29th, Whizzer, an Anton Schwarzkopf steel coaster at Six Flags Great America, to be dedicated in August at our national ACE Preservation Conference,” said Hahner. “The purpose of the landmark award is to make the public aware of the historical significance of those rides that we feel are important to the evolution of roller coaster design or of special historical significance to the amusement industry.”

“We are honored to have such a high profile and historical attraction on our Park. The Great Escape loves to hear the feedback from park guests each year,” said Close. “Guests from all over the world come to ride the Comet and tell us about their first trip, when it was here or while it was at Crystal Beach. The Comet means a lot to The Great Escape and we look forward to providing many more years of thrills at The Great Escape.”

Sean Kelleher is the Historian for the Town of Saratoga in the Upper Hudson Valley.

27 Nominations for State, National Historic Registers

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The New York State Board for Historic Preservation recommended the addition of 27 properties and districts to the State and National Registers of Historic Places, including the nationally significant home of abolitionist James C. Beecher, the world’s oldest pet cemetery, and a modern housing community planned by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Read more →

Ulster County: The Many Lives of Selah Tuthills Gristmill

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In 1788, the same year as France was moving closer towards revolution and the United States Constitution was being ratified, a young man made his way to the area that would one day bear his name. His name was Selah Tuthill. He founded what would become known as the Tuthilltown Gristmill in Gardiner, New York. Once the mill started churning out stone ground flour, it would do so continuously for over two hundred years until its second life as a restaurant and distillery. Read more →

Utica Landmarks Society Holding Picnic in the Park

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The Landmarks Society of Greater Utica’s second Picnic in the Park will be held Saturday, June 2 from 10 a.m.-8:00 p.m. at the Society’s mansions at 1 and 3 Rutger Park, Utica. Day-long activities include guided tours of the mansions, live musical entertainment, face painting, a classical car show on the lawn, an art exhibit featuring local artists, book signings and sales by area authors, and basket raffles.

A food tent will provide wholesome foods, beverages and home made desserts. All Landmarks members will receive complementary ice cream. A “Vendor Village” will feature many area crafters and creators selling their wares.  There is no admission fee. All proceeds will be designated for the Mansions Restoration Fund.

Bungalows of Rockaway: Film Screening, Discussion

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The Historic Districts Council (HDC) will show the 2010 documentary film, “The Bungalows of Rockaway,” produced by Jennifer Callahan and Elizabeth Logan Harris follwed by a panel discussion.The film highlights the rich history of the Rockaway bungalows. Although of the more than 7,000 bungalows dotting the peninsula in 1933, fewer than 500 remain today. The documentary, narrated by Estelle Parsons, features rare archival footage, maps, and interviews with historians, prominent New Yorkers, and several of the longtime residents and vacationers.
In 2012, HDC named the Far Rockaway Beach Bungalows to its Six to Celebrate list, six historic New York City neighborhoods that merit preservation as priorities for HDC’s advocacy and consultation over a yearlong period. HDC is working with the Beachside Bungalow Preservation Association to get the remaining bungalows of Beach 24th, 25th and 26th Streets on the State and National Registers of Historic Places and to raise awareness about this irreplaceable part of New York City’s history.

The screening will be followed by a “Q & A” session and discussion with Richard George, executive director of the Beachside Bungalow Preservation Association- Nancy Solomon, director of Long Island Traditions and author of the National Register nomination- David Selig, owner of Rockaway Taco- Jeanne DuPont of Rockaway Waterfront Alliance, andthe filmmakers. The program will be moderated by journalist Eve M. Kahn.

The event will be held on Monday, June 11, at 6:30 pm at Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Avenue at East 2nd Street, Manhattan.  Fees: $10 for the general public, $5 for Friends of HDC, seniors and students. Advance reservations are required. Tickets can beordered via Paypal through hdc.org or by calling 212-614-9107. A limited number of complimentary tickets will be available to Far Rockaway residents. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Photo courtesy Historic Districts Council.

40 NYC Historic Sites Vie for $3 Million, Vote Now

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Forty historic New York places representing all five boroughs have been named finalists competing for $3 million in grants through Partners in Preservation, a collaboration between American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The preservation effort powered by social media will allow the public to vote online through May 21, 2012 for the preservation projects most important to them at www.PartnersinPreservation.com. Participants can vote once a day, every day, for the same site or for different sites. The top four vote-getters, to be announced May 22, are guaranteed to receive grants for their preservation projects. A Partners in Preservation advisory committee of community and preservation leaders, will select sites that will receive the rest of the $3 million in grants.
To encourage voting, a “Preservation Station” vehicle will travel around New York City throughout the voting period, giving New Yorkers the opportunity to get their photos taken against the backdrop of their favorite sites and have those pictures projected onto buildings. To find out where the “Preservation Station” will be, follow @PartnersinPres and @AmericanExpress on Twitter.

The 40 historic places in New York City competing for the $3 million in grants are:

  • Alice Austen House Museum, Staten Island
  • Apollo Theater, Manhattan
  • Astoria Pool, Queens
  • Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, Bronx
  • Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library, Brooklyn
  • Brown Memorial Baptist Church, Brooklyn
  • Caribbean Cultural Center, Manhattan
  • City Island Nautical Museum, Bronx
  • Cleopatra’s Needle, Manhattan
  • Coney Island B&B Carousell, Brooklyn
  • Congregation Beth Elohim, Brooklyn
  • Duo Multicultural Arts Center, Manhattan
  • Ellis Island Hospital Complex, Manhattan
  • Erasmus Hall Campus, Brooklyn
  • Federal Hall National Memorial, Manhattan
  • Flushing Town Hall, Queens
  • Gateway National Recreation Area, Brooklyn
  • Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center, Brooklyn
  • Guggenheim Museum, Manhattan
  • Helen Hayes Theatre, Manhattan
  • Henry Street Settlement, Manhattan
  • High Line, Manhattan
  • Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Manhattan
  • Japan Society, Inc., Manhattan
  • Jefferson Market Library, Manhattan
  • Louis Armstrong House Museum, Queens
  • Lower East Side Tenement Museum, Manhattan
  • Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center, Bronx
  • Museum of the City of New York, Manhattan
  • New York Botanical Garden, Bronx
  • Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society of Rosebank, Staten Island
  • Queens County Farm Museum, Queens
  • Rocket Thrower, Queens
  • Rossville African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Staten Island
  • Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Manhattan
  • St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery, Manhattan
  • Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor, Staten Island
  • Tug Pegasus & Waterfront Museum Barge, Brooklyn
  • eeksville Heritage Center, Brooklyn
  • Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx

    • Guided Tours at the Shaker Heritage Society

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    The Shaker Heritage Society is offering guided tours of America’s first Shaker Settlement. Tours will run every Saturday beginning May 5th through September 29th. Participants will learn the story of the Shakers, a group that played important roles in shaping local and national history. The grounds also house a historic herb garden, chickens, turkeys, and oxen, the grave of Shaker founder Mother Ann Lee and other important Shakers in the Shaker cemetery.

    Guided tours begin the 1848 Shaker Meeting House at the site of America’s first Shaker settlement. The historic site is adjacent to Albany International Airport off of Heritage Lane. Tours begin at 1:00pm. There is a suggested donation of $5.

    For more information visit www.shakerheritage.org or call 518-456-7890.

    Cultural Landscape Workshop Set for Lorenzo SHS

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    Lorenzo State Historic Site, in Cazenovia, Madison County, NY, will host a one-day workshop for preservation planners, cultural resource managers and stewards of historic properties.

    The day’s agenda will include defining the types and characteristics of cultural landscapes- documenting historic and current conditions including preparation of period and contemporary plans- developing treatment plans within an historic preservation context- examples of cultural landscape reports and their various components- interpreting the cultural landscape- what resources to consult and what steps to take in establishing a cultural landscape preservation program- and touring the historic landscape at Lorenzo.

    Presenting cultural landscape experts:

    John Auwaerter, Co-director of the Center for Cultural Landscape Preservation, SUNY ESF, and a National Park Service Partner with the Olmsted Center in Boston

    Christine Capella-Peters, member of the technical staff for the NYS Historic Preservation Office, a division of OPRHP

    George Curry, Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Landscape Architecture, SUNY ESF and cultural landscape Project Director at SUNY ESF

    The registration deadline is May 15, 2012. The cost is $40 for MAAM members- $50 non-MAAM members (payment accepted by check or credit card). More information can be found online.

    The program is presented by the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums in cooperation with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science & Forestry (SUNY ESF), and the National Park Service Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation.

    Company Wants to Mine Fort Anne Battlefield

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    A battle is brewing in Fort Ann, Washington County. Troy Topsoil has purchased part of Battle Hill, the site of the Revolutionary War Battle of Fort Anne. The company hopes to mine the battlefield, where an estimated 100 to 200 men were killed, wounded, or captured.

    A group of historians and volunteers has planned a day of events to highlight the history of the Battle of Fort Anne, including an afternoon roundtable discussion on the current threat to the battlefield this Saturday, April 28th at Fort Ann Central School.

    &#8220This place has remained undisturbed for over 235 years, then Troy [Topsoil] obtained the property and has cleared out trees, built roads, installed culverts and drilled wells, in order to operate a sand and gravel pit,&#8221 Fort Ann Town Historian Virginia Parrott, who opposes the project, told me, &#8220To most people in town including the Fort Ann American Legion Post 703, this is a desecration of sacred ground as people have fought and died here in the name of freedom, and are buried on Battle Hill.&#8221 [You can read more about the history of Battle Hill here].

    &#8220That whole hill is a battle site,&#8221 Parrott had previously told the Glens Falls Post-Star. &#8220There was thousands of troops there. We’re not talking about a little group of soldiers &#8230- like Roger’s Rangers that went out with 10 or 12 people. We’re talking about Burgoyne’s entire army.&#8221

    Anthony Grande, speaking for the mining company, said an archaeologist report commissioned by his company showed no one was buried in the area targeted for the open pit mine. &#8220The battlefield is south of me where there is an issue,&#8221 Grande told the Post-Star. &#8220It’s definitely south of there, probably 3,000 to 4,000 feet. I’m not exactly sure.&#8221 The company is seeking to open a 30 to 40-acre mine on Battle Hill.

    Several historic sources report that at least six men are buried at Battle Hill according to Parrott, who has been town historian since 1975. The site has never been listed on state or national registers of historic places, although the Town of Fort Anne installed a plaque at the site in 1929 and the American Legion places flowers on one of the graves each year. The lack of established protection for important American battlefields is common. &#8220Of the nation’s 243 Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields, 141 have been severely impaired or destroyed&#8221 a recent report by the Department of Interior’s American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) concluded (2007).

    Battle Hill was classified as a Principal Battlefield, Priority 2, Class C site in that report, meaning that it was home to a “nationally significant event&#8221 and the &#8220site of a military or naval action that influenced the strategy, direction, or outcome of a campaign or other operation.&#8221 Furthermore, the report found that &#8220The endangered Class C sites in this category should be the focus of immediate and direct preservation measures by state and local governments and organizations. These sites may not survive without immediate intervention.&#8221

    Tanya Grossett, surveyed the battlefield in 2001 for that report and concluded, with help of Jim Warren of NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation and Chris Martin of NYS Archives and Records Administration, that the quarry does fall within the core of the battlefield. Paul Hawke, director of the American Battlefield Protection Program concurred with that finding after a tour of the site last Tuesday.

    The land is owned by Gino Vona. According to a story last week in Post-Star, &#8220Vona said he’s offered to donate a small sliver of the site, about 20 or 30 acres, for preservation and he questions whether stalling a project that could create jobs, for the sake of historic preservation, is an appropriate governmental move.&#8221

    &#8220These men fought against the king who was taking their things. Many of them were just regular, hard-working people,” Vona told Post-Star reporter Jon Alexander, “Aren’t we talking about doing the same thing?”

    The company had applied for a permit to mine the location in August 2009 which did not include a state Historic Preservation Office review and was denied. The company submitted a new application at the end of 2011. The public will be able to comment on the project officially after the application is ruled complete by the NYS Department of Conservation.

    The event on Saturday is sponsored by the Washington County Historical Society and will feature Author Karl Crannell, Fort Ticonderoga Chris Fox, Kingsbury historian Paul Loding, and Matt Zembo from Hudson Valley Community College.

    The event will begin run from 11 am to 4 pm. There will be a memorial service at Noon- the roundtable discussion will follow at 1 pm at the Fort Ann Central School Auditorium.