New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

History

Museum Acquires Revolutionary Era Powder Horn Reproduction

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Horn craftsman Hank Yost presents the powder horn to Old Stone Fort MuseumThe Old Stone Fort Museum and Schoharie County Historical Society have received a donation of a Revolutionary War era powder horn.

Skillfully created by horn craftsman Hank Yost, the piece presented reflects the architecture and engraving styles of the Revolutionary period and was specifically designed to represent the life and times of the Hartmansdorf House’s original occupant Philip Bartholomew. [Read more…] about Museum Acquires Revolutionary Era Powder Horn Reproduction

British Brigade Reenactors in Kingston on Saturday

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Matthewis Persen House MuseumSince its founding in 1689, the British 24th regiment has been in every major conflict Britain been involved in, from the fields of Blenheim (1704), Saratoga (1777) to being the only Welsh regiment to land on D-Day (1944).

Since receiving permission by the Royal Regiment of Wales in 1995 to establish a living history organization of the 24th, everything they do comes straight from the pens of British officers, soldiers and contemporary sources, from the clothing and equipment they wear (mostly handmade) to the maneuvers they use to recreate the battles. [Read more…] about British Brigade Reenactors in Kingston on Saturday

Georgia O’Keefe At Wiawaka On Lake George

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a new york minute in history podcastOn this episode of A New York Minute in History, Devin Lander and Lauren Roberts discuss how the poor conditions of female textile workers in Capital Region cities led to the creation of a retreat on Lake George where women could “escape” the cities. [Read more…] about Georgia O’Keefe At Wiawaka On Lake George

New Amsterdam & New York: What’s In A Name?

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detail of the Figurative Map of 1614, with a triangular island labeled ManhatesThe small colonial town that the Dutch founded in North America was called New Amsterdam. We now know it as New York City. The story of how the name evolved has many twists and turns and is, in fact, a tale of war and peace. [Read more…] about New Amsterdam & New York: What’s In A Name?

The Architecture of Joseph Urban: Mar-a-Lago & The New School

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Joseph UrbanJoseph Urban may be a somewhat forgotten figure in America’s annals of culture, but during his lifetime he enjoyed an almost legendary reputation. An all-round creative talent, Urban was a prolific Gilded Age illustrator, set designer, and architect of private dwellings, theaters, and a university building in the city of New York. His Gingerbread Castle was built for a fairy tale themed amusement park in Hamburg, New Jersey.

His feeling for color and choice of materials did much to revitalize American stage design and architecture. The contrast between two of Urban’s extant buildings shows the range of his talent as an architect. It goes beyond that: the marked stylistic difference seemed to foreshadow the divisiveness of contemporary society. [Read more…] about The Architecture of Joseph Urban: Mar-a-Lago & The New School

Mapping World War II: Archival Resources

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71st Infantry Division - World War IIMaps and charts have always played an important role in the planning and execution of military operations. Military maps, nautical charts, and fortification plans form a significant part of the holdings in the Cartographic Branch of the National Archives.

Among these records include a recently digitized series of World War II Records from the Adjutant General’s Office of the War Department (Record Group 407). These records are available to view and download from the National Archives Catalog. [Read more…] about Mapping World War II: Archival Resources