New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

This Week’s Top New York History News

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Reminder: 2010 Adirondack Donegal Beard Contest

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A quick reminder that tomorrow (Wednesday, March 17th) is the day for this year’s Adirondack Donegal Beard Contest. A Donegal Beard (also called a chin-curtain or Lincoln) is a particular style of Irish beard that grows along the jaw line and covers the chin — no soul patch, no mustache.

In order to take part in the contest (and all are welcome) contestants should have a Donegal Beard grown since January 1st. Judging will be tomorrow (St. Patrick’s Day) at the Black Mountain Inn at the corner of Peaceful Valley Road and Route 8 in Johnsburg (North Creek), 4 to 7 pm.

Contestants are judged on the following criteria:

1. Length
2. Fullness
3. Style and Sophistication

To see pictures from last year’s contest, and to join the Facebook group, go here.

Photo: 2009 Adirondack Donegal Beard Contestants.

Website Offers Free Access to Census Records

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Footnote.com, one of the web’s most popular genealogy websites, is opening all of their U.S. census documents for free to the public for a limited time. Footnote.com’s “Interactive Census Collection” has the ability to connect people related to ancestors found on the historical documents.

Clicking the “I’m Related” button for a name on the document will identify you as a descendant and also list others that have done the same. To learn how to get started with the Interactive Census, visit: http://go.footnote.com/discover.

National Archives at New York City Planning Move

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The National Archives at New York City has announced that within the next two years they will move their office to the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House at One Bowling Green in New York City. Their new home will be located in the same building as the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian. The building is currently known as the Custom House building, designed by Cass Gilbert in the Beaux Arts style and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

After extensive renovation, the new space will be ready in the fall of 2011. They will announce the exact dates of the move as soon as possible.

According to an Archives Press release, “At One Bowling Green our patrons will continue to receive the same great service they have come to expect from the experienced National Archives staff. We will continue to provide access to all of our holdings. An increase in our public and outreach programs, and our new proximity to other important New York cultural institutions including the Museum of the American Indian and Ellis Island, will enable us to reach a wider audience.”

According to the Archives, at One Bowling Green they will:

* Occupy space on the 3rd and 4th floor of this historic building.

* Store our most used original records and most popular microfilm holdings.

* Provide access to all of our records (including records stored offsite).

* Continue to provide certified copies of National Archives holdings.

* Increase the number of public access computers so that patrons can access online resources.

* Continue to make available online subscription services including Ancestry, Footnote, Heritage Quest, ProQuest, free of charge.

* Provide additional outreach programs to increase awareness of National Archives resources in New York, the Northeast Region, and nationwide.

Two public meetings will be held on May 4th to discuss these and additional details about the move. Times and locations of these meetings will made available shortly.

For questions, contact Nancy Shader, Director of Archival Operations, National Archives at New York City by phone: 866.840.1752, fax: 212.401.1637, or email at nancy.shader@nara.gov.

NYC: Landmarks Conservancy Offers Preservation Grants

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The New York Landmarks Conservancy is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and reusing architecturally and historically important buildings in New York City. Much of the Conservancy’s work takes place in low and moderate income neighborhoods, providing a positive effect of historic preservation on community development and revitalization. Through its Neighborhood Preservation Programs, the Conservancy has provided millions of dollars in grants and low-interest loans, as well as countless hours of project management and technical assistance, to owners of all types of buildings.

There are funds available in our Neighborhood Preservation Programs to help finance exterior (and interior structural) capital work and related costs on older buildings. The properties need not be designated landmark buildings in all cases, as the funding programs have different guidelines. All of the programs are accompanied by project management assistance to foster landmark quality work and facilitate public approval processes. The Neighborhood Preservation Programs are:

1. Historic Properties Fund – a revolving loan fund for any type of property or owner. Low interest, collateralized loans for preservation work on buildings that are officially landmarks, within historic districts, or eligible for listing in the State or National Register of Historic Places. (Conservancy staff can help you to obtain this determination from the State Historic Preservation Office; it involves little further public regulation or compliance cost.) Loans range from $20,000 to approximately $300,000 per project.

2. City Ventures Fund – a grant program for nonprofit owners/developers of properties that serve lower income people. Although there is a priority for projects that provide affordable and special needs housing, properties that provide services to lower income people, such as employment training, socials services, and other educational purposes, are also eligible for funding. Capital grants of up to $30,000 are available for preservation work on older buildings that generally do not have any landmark status but have good architectural quality and integrity; consulting grants of up to $10,000 are available for professional services.

3. Emergency Preservation Grants – capitalized by The New York Community Trust, a grant program for nonprofit owners of historic properties for emergency repair work. Grants of up to $25,000 are available for immediate work that addresses public safety, water penetration, or other issues that threaten the preservation of the property.

In addition to the Neighborhood Preservation Programs, the Conservancy also provides city and statewide matching grants specifically for houses of worship. Visit their website at www.nylandmarks.org for more information about their programs.

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State Library Puts Revolutionary War Materials Online

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The New York State Library has a new web page that highlights and links to materials relating to the American Revolutionary War that have been scanned from print copies in the State Library’s collection.

One of the items recently digitized is “The Balloting Book and Other Documents Relating to Military Bounty Lands in the State of New York,” which contains copies of several acts relative to Revolutionary War bounty lands and the payment given of officers and soldiers for service in the War. An alphabetical listing of the names of soldiers and officers in each regiment is provided and includes the rank and company of the soldier, the township number, the lot number, the acreage, and date of patent.

Another item recently digitized is “New York in the Revolution as Colony and State,” a compilation of papers that relate to the services performed by New York in the Revolutionary War, including muster and pay rolls of men serving in the Line, Levies, Militia, and Navy (Privateers).

In addition, several manuscript documents have been digitized. For example (shown above), “A Representation of Major John Andrè, Adjutant General to the Kings Forces in North America, Going From the Vulture Sloop of War to the Shore of Havershaw [sic] Bay in Hudsons [sic] River the Night of the 23d. of September 1780, in a Boat Which Was Sent For Him […]” is a digital copy of an engraving from a drawing sketched by Major Andrè on the morning on which he was executed.

NY Awarded $9.5M to Exapand Library Broadband

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The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has been awarded $9.5 million in a matching grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to expand computer access in public libraries across New York State. The funding is being provided through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

The grant will support the State Library’s Broadbandexpress@yourlibrary project to help low-income, unemployed, underemployed, and other vulnerable populations in upstate New York. High unemployment rates, a distressed economy, and a lack of affordable public access to high-speed broadband services, education, training and technical support have been particularly acute in geographically isolated upstate communities. The grant will enable the State Library and its public library partners to purchase equipment to expand the public’s access to computers and teleconferencing.

Broadbandexpress@yourlibrary will provide more than 860 computers in 30 libraries and five mobile training centers across 41 economically distressed upstate New York counties with populations totaling 6,655,824 (2008 census). This grant will allow libraries to extend hours, provide 24/7 access to job search resources, and serve an estimated 50,000 additional users per week system-wide.

New York State Education Commissioner David Steiner said, “Libraries are vital to our communities and our economy. The increased broadband capacity, training and online resources funded through this grant will provide more New Yorkers with access to essential online information for work, healthcare, education, and citizenship as well as E-government resources.”

“What librarians and libraries do everyday is vitally important work,” said State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner for Libraries Bernard Margolis. “Yet, even though New Yorkers turn to their public libraries more in difficult economic times, libraries themselves have suffered cuts and reductions to their valuable services. This grant will enable our libraries to continue to do critically important work and to expand the opportunities, education, and services that high speed Internet provides to the unserved and underserved in our communities.”

The New York State Library, within NYSED, worked with partner libraries throughout the state and the New York State Office of the Chief Information Officer/Office for Technology (CIO/OFT) to submit the proposal for the grant. In order to participate in this matching grant, partner libraries must make an in-kind contribution to support the project. The total in-kind match is $5.4 million. (A list of partner libraries accompanies this release.)

“CIO/OFT is very proud to continue supporting the innovative Broadbandexpress@yourlibrary project,” said Dr. Melodie Mayberry-Stewart, New York State CIO, Director of the Office For Technology, and Chair of the Broadband Development and Deployment Council. “In these tough economic times, access to free resources is critical for New York’s citizens. Many times, computers located in libraries are the only point of broadband contact for many citizens. Those who do not own a computer or have access to the internet often go to the library, where it is available for free. And for those who have never used a computer help is available. These grants will help ensure our libraries can continue to provide high-speed, reliable internet services and digital literacy training programs for our communities.”

The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, funded by ARRA, provides matching grants to support the deployment of broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas, enhance and expand public computer centers, and encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service. Funded at $4.7 billion, BTOP will also advance ARRA’s objectives to spur job creation and stimulate long-term economic growth and opportunity.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided a total of $7.2 billion to fund projects that will expand access to and adoption of broadband services. NTIA plans to announce all grant awards by September 30, 2010.

The New York State Library is the largest state library in the nation. In addition to its research collection of more than 20 million items, the State Library provides leadership and support to libraries and library systems throughout the state, maintains a Talking Book and Braille Library serving more than 39,000 New Yorkers, offers 24-hour access to an online catalog, and provides residents with 24/7 access to NOVELNY, New York’s first virtual library. The State Library is located in the Empire State Plaza in Albany. For information call 518/474-5355 or go to www.nysl.nysed.gov.