History, Natural History & the Arts
For about a week in 1871, New Yorkers were in a quandary about Thanksgiving. On October 25, New York Governor John T. Hoffman designated Thursday, November 23 as Thanksgiving Day for the state.
In his Thanksgiving Day proclamation, the Tammany Hall Democrat urged New Yorkers to spend time on that day to declare “their gratitude to God for all his mercies” and to “remember especially the poor.” [Read more…] about Turkey Day History: The Two Thanksgivings of 1871
“Let us talk about turkey,” proclaimed a New York Tribune humor column republished Nov.23, 1888 in The Granville Sentinel. Not Turkey in Europe, nor yet Turkey in Asia. But turkey in America – the esteemed bird that goes so well with cranberry sauce.”
The bald eagle, national bird of the United States, gets prominent attention for months at a time once every four years, when there is a presidential election, but the turkey is heralded every year, the columnist quipped. [Read more…] about Talkin’ Turkey: 19th Century Thanksgiving Newspaper Reports
America’s first national Thanksgiving holiday was declared by the Continental Congress to commemorate the victory of the American army of General Horatio Gates over British forces commanded by General John Burgoyne in Saratoga, New York on October 17, 1777.
The triumph at Saratoga, America’s turning point in the eight-year War of Independence was the first time in world history an entire British army had been captured. What’s more, the victory reversed a long string of humiliating defeats for the 13 rebellious colonies, including the loss of the revolutionary capital in Philadelphia. [Read more…] about Revolutionary Thanks: America’s First National Thanksgiving Holiday
Historic Richmond Town will host a Hearth and Harvest Festival, featuring Native American culture and traditional 19th century harvest celebrations through food, dance, storytelling, and crafts, on Saturday, November 19th.
Historic Richmond Town is a town and farm museum complex in Richmondtown on Staten Island in New York City. It’s located near the geographical center of the island, at the junction of Richmond Road and Arthur Kill Road. [Read more…] about Hearth & Harvest Festival at Historic Richmond Town
Cafe de la Culture, a global community that connects artists, activists, academics and audiences through intimate, immersive literary salons, will host an immersive Speakeasy Literary Salon in the Woodstock area on Saturday, November 19th. [Read more…] about Parisian-Style Speakeasy Salon Arts & Foodie Event in Woodstock
Cornell Cooperative Extension has announced that applications are now being accepted for their Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program, set to be held virtually in January 2023. [Read more…] about Virtual Master Gardener Training Being Offered in Warren County
Recent improvements in the texture and flavor of plant-based meat analogs have meat-lovers as well as vegetarians flocking to buy them. While it’s normal to think the quest for mouth-watering faux meat is a recent trend, it dates back almost a thousand years.
According to first-hand written accounts, European religious and political leaders in the Middle Ages and early Renaissance period spent decades searching for meat substitutes. [Read more…] about Beyond Meat: A Short History of Vegetable Animals
Since it foundation, German settlers had been present in New Amsterdam (Peter Minuit was a native of Wesel am Rhein), but the significant arrival of German-speaking migrants took place towards the middle of the nineteenth century. By 1840 more than 24,000 of them had made New York their home.
In the next two decades, when large parts of the territory were plunged into deep socio-political and economic problems, another hundred thousand Germans crossed the Atlantic turning New York into the world’s third-largest German-speaking city, after Berlin and Vienna. [Read more…] about When Manhattan Spoke German: Lüchow’s, Würzburger & Little Germany
A Delaware County, NY man reported missing over the summer may not have wanted to be found. Reported missing on August 31st after failing to return home, multiple law enforcement agencies searched for the man and his vehicle. [Read more…] about Missing Man Found Unlawfully Harvesting Wild Ginseng
The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation has announced the return of the Pints for Preservation Pub Crawl on Saturday, October 29th. This event features stops at bars located in historic buildings throughout downtown Saratoga Springs. [Read more…] about 10th Annual Pints for Preservation Pub Crawl in Saratoga