History, Natural History & the Arts
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) released the Draft Addendum II to Amendment 7 to the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass (PDF) for public comment.
This Draft Addendum presents background on ASMFC’s management of striped bass commercial fisheries. the addendum process and timeline, and a statement of the problem. This document also provides management options for public consideration. [Read more…] about Striped Bass Public Hearings in New York
During the autumn months, many birds migrate from their summer breeding grounds in the Northeast to warmer wintering areas south of our region. Migratory birds include many species of raptors and waterfowl, which we often notice because of the birds’ large size and their tendency to travel in groups.
Sometimes, as is the case with geese, these migratory groups are also quite vocal. Variations in their physiology relate directly to how different bird species migrate. [Read more…] about Muscling Through Migration: A Thanksgiving Story
The following text is from the 1819 letters to his father by Henry Meigs (1782-1861), who served as Congressman from New York from 1819 to 1821, describing his life in then rural Greenwich Village. It was transcribed by Hudson River Maritime Museum volunteer George A. Thompson and lightly edited for clarity and annotated by John Warren.
1819: New York, February 6th, 1819
Dear father. Since I last wrote you, Julia and I have decided on placing our tent in the Country [at what is now Greenwich Village] as we call it for the ensuing summer. Where we can live much more economically and deliciously. [Read more…] about 1819 Letters From Greenwich Village
Emma Futhey of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences University will present a virtual seminar, “‘For the entertainment of her friends’: Working Actresses, Society & Performance in Boston 1790-1830,” on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, from 5 until 6:15 pm. Elizabeth Maddock Dillon of Northeastern University will provide comment. [Read more…] about Working Actresses in Boston 1790-1830
The fourth annual Albany Film Festival on Saturday, April 6, 2024, is expected to draw thousands of film lovers of all ages and highlight the work of major and regional filmmakers. The all-day event by the New York State Writers Institute at SUNY Albany, will feature screenings and discussions and a ceremony to honor Ironweed Award winners for their achievements in film.
One of the highlights of the film fest is the screening of short films. [Read more…] about Albany Film Festival Short Film Contest Call for Submissions
The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation will host “Classic Bars of Yesterday” at 7 pm on Tuesday, November 28, with Carol Godette.
This virtual program will highlight popular Saratoga Springs establishments D’Andrea’s, The Hub, and The Rafters. [Read more…] about Saratoga’s Classic Bars of the 1970s and1980s
Deborah Sampson was born in Plympton, Massachusetts, in 1760. She was hired out as an indentured servant to a family in Middleborough, MA. Upon gaining independence at age 18, she worked as a weaver and briefly as a schoolteacher.
In 1782, Sampson disguised herself in men’s clothing and enlisted in the Continental Army under the name “Robert Shurtliff.” [Read more…] about Call Me Robert: Deborah Sampson, Continental Army Soldier
There are many recreational resources at the 4,507-acre James Kennedy State Forest, including snowmobile trails, a portion of the Finger Lakes Trail, and a cross-country ski trail. The Forest, named in memory of the District Forester James D. Kennedy, is located in Harford, Lapeer and Virgil, in Cortland County, NY.
The towns of Virgil, Lapeer, and Harford, in which the James Kennedy State Forest is located, were developed under the Military Tract that was established in 1789. The Governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton, plotted land from Oswego to the southern border of present day Cortland County. This land was dedicated for the payment of New York’s Revolutionary War soldiers. [Read more…] about James Kennedy State Forest: History & Recreation
Writer and adventurer Erik Schlimmer dedicated two years of research and was assisted by a platoon of historians to produce Deep History: Place Names of Lake Champlain (Beechwood Books, 2023).
Described as “the only book dedicated to this unique aspect of Lake Champlain antiquity,” 440-page Deep History investigates the lake’s 392 toponyms – 124 in New York and 268 in Vermont. For those unfamiliar with the term, toponyms are the names of natural features such as bays, islands, points, and reefs. [Read more…] about Deep History: Place Names of Lake Champlain
The Delaware Highlands Conservancy’s winter 2024 Eagle Watch volunteer training will take place on Saturday, December 9 from 10 am until noon at the Settlers Inn in Hawley, PA. [Read more…] about Eagle Watch Volunteer Training with Delaware Highlands Conservancy