New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Western NY

Rangers Rescue 15 Rafters; Recover Body; Make Rescues at Fish Creek, OK Slip Falls, Whiteface, Colden, Phelps, N-P Trail

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Whiteface Mounatin rescue over Labor Day Weekend in 2023New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents throughout New York State. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people.

What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers. [Read more…] about Rangers Rescue 15 Rafters; Recover Body; Make Rescues at Fish Creek, OK Slip Falls, Whiteface, Colden, Phelps, N-P Trail

Adirondack ‘Forest Megaphone’ Amplifies Natural Sound

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Paul Smiths Forest MegaphoneThe Paul Smith’s College’s Visitors Interpretive Center (VIC) in the Adirondacks has a Forest Megaphone on its accessible Barnum Brook Trail. The Forest Megaphone, an oversized wooden megaphone large enough for adults to sit or laydown in, amplifies surrounding natural sound for those seeking a deeper sensory experience in the outdoors. [Read more…] about Adirondack ‘Forest Megaphone’ Amplifies Natural Sound

The Fox Sisters and the “Great American Hoax”

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Fox SistersOn this episode of the A New York Minute in History Podcast, Devin Lander and Lauren Roberts tell the story of the Fox sisters of Rochester, NY, who rose to fame as early practitioners of modern spiritualism in the 19th Century. [Read more…] about The Fox Sisters and the “Great American Hoax”

Recent Wildlife Rescues & Encounters: Rattler, Owl, Eagle, Turtle & Rabid Fox

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Timber rattlesnake discovered at auto shop in Steuben County in July 2023In 1880, the first eight Game Protectors began serving to protect the natural resources of New York State. In 2022, Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators across the state responded to more than 25,600 calls. What follows are recently reported incidents involving wildlife rescues: [Read more…] about Recent Wildlife Rescues & Encounters: Rattler, Owl, Eagle, Turtle & Rabid Fox

Erie Canalway Heritage Corridor Awarded $750k For Mohawk Valley Preservation

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Aerial view of the Erie Canal and Mohawk River at Little Falls (provided by Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor)The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has received a $750,000 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant from the National Park Service to support economic development through the preservation of historic buildings in rural communities in the Mohawk Valley. [Read more…] about Erie Canalway Heritage Corridor Awarded $750k For Mohawk Valley Preservation

Rifles Being Allowed in Onondaga County This Hunting Season

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Whitetail Deer hunting rifleAt the end of July, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law allowing big game hunters to use rifles in Onondaga County. The change will take effect this coming hunting season. Use of rifles for big game hunting remains restricted in Erie, Niagara, Monroe, Dutchess, Putnam, and Rockland Counties. Suffolk, Westchester, and portions of Albany and Monroe Counties remain bow only. [Read more…] about Rifles Being Allowed in Onondaga County This Hunting Season

Schumer: $1.6 Million Secured for New Finger Lakes Museum Building

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Finger Lakes Museum New Building Rendering (August 2023)U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer has announced a $3.6 million boost in federal funding in pending legislation for two Yates County, NY, organizations: the Finger Lakes Museum and Keuka College. [Read more…] about Schumer: $1.6 Million Secured for New Finger Lakes Museum Building

The French and Indian War: A New York Perspective

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Miniature of Fort Prince George under attack by French troops (diorama in the Fort Pitt Museum, Pittsburgh)In the early 1750s, the French were establishing trading posts and building forts along western the frontiers of the British colonies. In the fall of 1753, in part to protect his own land claims, Virginia Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie had sent 22-year-old George Washington (then a militia leader and surveyor) to deliver a letter to Fort Le Boeuf at what is today Waterford in northwest Pennsylvania, demanding they stop.

When Washington returned without success, Dinwiddie sent a small force to build Fort Prince George at the confluence of the Allegheny  and Monongahela Rivers (today Pittsburgh). Soon a larger French force arrived, torn down the small British fort, and began and built Fort Duquesne, named for then Governor-General of New France, Marquis Duquesne. [Read more…] about The French and Indian War: A New York Perspective

The Forgotten War of 1812 at Old Fort Niagara

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War of 1812 soldier - drummer (courtesy Old Fort Niagara)On Labor Day weekend, Old Fort Niagara presents 1812: The Forgotten War, a living history program about the fort’s role in the War of 1812. Special programs include early 19th century soldier life, an 1812 field surgeon, military music, blacksmithing, laundry, dress making and tailoring, silversmithing, cooking and foodways, children’s games, musket and artillery firings and tactical demonstrations. [Read more…] about The Forgotten War of 1812 at Old Fort Niagara

Forest Rangers Find Fugitive, Recover Body, Make Helicopter Rescue & More

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Wittenberg Mountain Rescue in August 2023New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents throughout New York State. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people.

What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers. [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Find Fugitive, Recover Body, Make Helicopter Rescue & More