History, Natural History & the Arts
As we come toward the end of our lucky 13th year of the New York Almanack, I want to say thank you for reading and for your support.
It’s also time to ask for your help in raising the last $6,600 to reach our 2021 fundraising goal.
Please make a contribution online at our new Rally.org page: https://rally.org/f/4LBVKo9zYjO Or, send a check to: [Read more…] about Please Support New York Almanack’s Year-End Fundraising
The Ausable River Association (AsRA) will host the virtual on tour Wild and Scenic Film Festival, featuring an evening of visual storytelling through inspirational films, on Friday, October 29th from 7 to 9 pm.
This event celebrates the beauty and significance of wild places throughout the world, and the important work being done to protect them. [Read more…] about Wild and Scenic Film Festival Virtual Screening Oct 29th
Ten men were killed during John Brown’s anti-slavery raid in Virginia in October 1859. All but two were buried in a common grave on the Shenandoah River, Harpers Ferry.
The body of Jeremiah Anderson, who was bayoneted in the final storming of the engine house, was handed over to a local medical school – his last resting place remains unknown. Watson Brown’s body was given over to Winchester Medical College where it remained until Union troops recovered it during the Civil War and burned the school in reprisal. [Read more…] about The Last Days of John Brown: Prisoners And Fugitives
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently completed several improvement projects at Ashland Flats Wildlife Management Area (WMA), located in the towns of Lyme and Cape Vincent in Jefferson County, NY.
Improvements at the WMA include an accessible wildlife observation tower, along with a designated accessible parking area, and educational sign. [Read more…] about Access Improvements Made at Ashland Flats Wildlife Area
The Lake George steamer Sagamore may hold a unique record. At 224 feet and able to carry 1,500 passengers, the Sagamore was largest of the steamboats plying the lake for the Champlain Transportation Company – it also had a dubious record of groundings and collisions. [Read more…] about The Accident Prone Lake George Steamboat Sagamore
Right on cue, Autumn has once again made its swift return to the Adirondacks. With it comes a list of work to ready ourselves for winter, including yard and garden cleanup. Well, we’re here to help alleviate your workload and share a “radical” concept. When prepping your yard for winter, do less! [Read more…] about Reconsider ‘Fall Clean-Up’ and Leaf it Be
What Adirondack mammal did President Grover Cleveland chase while fishing with his outdoor guide, “Dave,” at Upper Saranac on June 4th, 1887?
A black bear. “The guide said it was a burned log, but the president thought otherwise, and keeping his eye on the object soon after saw it was a black bear,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on June 7th, 1887. “The two men followed the bear, which was a large one. The race was exciting, and ended by the bear shaking the water from his shaggy sides and disappearing in the depths of the forest.” [Read more…] about Some Anecdotes From Political History
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has protected 150 acres of Bolton, NY uplands in Warren County through the use of a conservation easement, a tool used by land trusts that keep land in private ownership while protecting the land’s conservation values.
The property includes one mile of stream corridor and 10 acres of wetland within the Indian Brook tributary of Lake George. [Read more…] about 150 Acres Protected At Lake George
The Doc Kudish Natural Forest at Paul Smith’s College will be formally inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network on Saturday, October 23rd.
Joan Maloof, founder and Executive Director of the Old-Growth Forest Network, will present a plaque to Dr. Michael Kudish, to celebrate the dedication of this protected forest. [Read more…] about Paul Smith’s To Designate ‘Doc Kudish Natural Forest’ Saturday
NYS Governor Kathy Hochul has selected business owner and philanthropist John Ernst as the new chair of the Adirondack Park Agency board. The last person to serve as APA chair was Karen Feldman of Hudson, NY, who resigned in May of 2019.
Ernst owns and operates Elk Lake Lodge in North Hudson, Essex County. He also owns a home in New York City. Like Feldman, Ernst was initially appointed to one of three APA board positions reserved for state residents who reside outside of the park boundary. The APA board has five seats for park residents and three more reserved for state officials, for a total of 11. [Read more…] about Elk Lake Lodge Owner Appointed To Chair Adirondack Park Agency Board