A new exhibit, Bear Witness: Incorrigible Girls of New York, which will feature the works of artists Alison Cornyn and Beth Thielen, and document the history of girls’ incarceration in New York State over the last 100 years has opened at the Charles P. Sifton Gallery. [Read more…] about Incorrigible Girls: An Exhibit at Brooklyn Federal Courthouse
New York City
Rockefeller, Harriman and 1958’s Battle of the Millionaires
One candidate was the incumbent, owner of a glittering resumé featuring roles in the Franklin D. Roosevelt and Truman administrations and a veteran of two tries for the Presidency, most recently with former President Truman’s overt backing. The other candidate, 17 years younger, was an electoral neophyte but a past holder of positions in the FDR, Truman and Eisenhower administrations.
One was the angular man in the back of the famous Yalta Summit photo taken in the dying days of the Second World War, an ear-whispering counselor to power and man of gravitas – a “wise man” role he would continue to play into his 90s. The other was a broad-shouldered bundle of energy and wide interests, a brash self-promoter who never met an issue he didn’t want to study, a public policy challenge he didn’t yearn to tackle. [Read more…] about Rockefeller, Harriman and 1958’s Battle of the Millionaires
New Amsterdam’s Reputation for Religious Tolerance
The New Amsterdam History Center Lecture Series is set to continue with “Was New Amsterdam’s Reputation for Religious Tolerance Earned? An Atlantic Perspective,” presentations and discussion on New Amsterdam and religious toleration, featuring historians Noah Gelfand and Danny Noorlander, on Thursday, November 8th. The event will take place from 6:30 to 8 pm at the The Netherland Club of New York, Warwick Hotel NY – Warwick Room, 65 West 54th Street, New York. [Read more…] about New Amsterdam’s Reputation for Religious Tolerance
Chronicles of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow
Edgar Mayhew Bacon’s Chronicles of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow (1897, reprinted by HVA Press in 2018) tells of the many myths and legends that surround the Sleepy Hollow area in Westchester County, NY, from the Headless Hessian, known to grab at travelers in the night, to the sightings of the ghostly ship The Flying Dutchman.
This new edition features a foreword by Hudson Valley Master Storyteller, Jonathan Kruk. [Read more…] about Chronicles of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow
Harlem WWI Armistice 100th Anniversary Observance Set
A 100th Anniversary Observance of the armistice ending the First World War has been set for Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 11 am at Dorrance Brooks Square Park on Edgecombe Avenue in Harlem.
The segregated 369th United States Infantry, also known as the “Harlem Hellfighters,” assigned to fight in the French Army’s 161st Division, served 191 days in front line trenches in France, more than any other American unit, and also suffered the most losses of any American regiment with approximately 1,500 casualties. Soldiers fought on two fronts, domestically and internationally, to show both their bravery and patriotism to defend America as well as their efforts to have the respect and rights as full citizens free from racial discrimination. [Read more…] about Harlem WWI Armistice 100th Anniversary Observance Set
Long Island Endangered Historic Places Sought
Preservation Long Island has announced a call for nominations for their 2019 Endangered Historic Places Program (EHHP).
Preservation Long Island’s Endangered Historic Places Program (EHPP) offers Long Islanders an opportunity to advocate for preservation priorities in their communities while learning how to use tools like landmark designation, tax incentives, and public outreach. [Read more…] about Long Island Endangered Historic Places Sought
Culper Spy Day Set For September 15th
The 4th Annual Culper Spy Day, celebrating the members of the Long Island patriot spy ring that helped change the course of the American Revolutionary War, has been set for September 15th, at Sherwood-Jayne Farm, 55 Old Post Road, in Setauket on Long Island.
While most Culper Spy Day events highlight the exploits of George Washington’s patriot spies, the Sherwood-Jayne House will give visitors a Loyalist’s view of this time period in Long Island’s history. Local Long Island Tory, William Jayne II, also known as “Big Bill the Tory”, will hold court at the Jayne family home at 55 Old Post Road. [Read more…] about Culper Spy Day Set For September 15th
Charles Zimmy’s 1937 Swim from Albany to Manhattan
On August 23, 1937 a physician checked out Charles Zimmy at the Albany Yacht Club, which was located at the bottom of State Street hill. The doc’s approval having been given, some young men from Albany applied a thick layer of grease to Zimmy’s body, he lit a cigar, and hopped off a pier into the water of the Hudson River. As he bobbled a bit in the water, he lost his cigar. That wasn’t a problem, though, as there was a supply of 200 aboard the Penguin, a 50-foot boat which would shadow him as he made his way south towards New York City. The cigars, Zimmy told a reporter, were as much a necessity as the watertight goggles he wore during his swim.
According to an article in the Times-Union on August 24, Zimmy anticipated losing about 80 pounds during the challenge, which he thought would require him to swim the equivalent of 200 miles – more than the actual distance from Albany to Manhattan – because tides would sometimes push him back upstream, through water he’d already swum. He’d be swimming day and night, catching sleep an hour at a time while floating on his back. [Read more…] about Charles Zimmy’s 1937 Swim from Albany to Manhattan
Lower Manhattan History On Historians Podcast
This week on The Historians podcast, attorney James Kaplan discusses the history of Lower Manhattan where he worked for many years. A contributor to The New York History Blog, Kaplan is president and one of the founders of the Lower Manhattan Historical Association. [Read more…] about Lower Manhattan History On Historians Podcast
East Hampton Exhibition: 150 Years of Parties and Picnics
The East Hampton Historical Society has announced a new exhibit, “150 Years of Parties & Picnics in East Hampton.”
This exhibit explores the celebratory exploits of the East End hamlet, from Main Street Promenades, simple date nights at the cinema, to family weekends at the beach. The fabled summer happenings of East Hampton are brought to life through a rare collection of fashionably curated vignettes of costumes, and rare objects, including textiles and photos. [Read more…] about East Hampton Exhibition: 150 Years of Parties and Picnics