Steinway Village in Astoria, Queens was developed by William Steinway in ca. 1870. The community was intended to be a kind of Socialist utopia where his employees could simultaneously live in a rural, bucolic neighborhood and next to the Steinway & Sons factory. [Read more…] about Steinway Village: A Socialist Utopia in NYC
The Culture of Teeth in the 18th Century
The latest episode of the Massachusetts Historical Society’s “The Object of History” podcast features a story about the cultural significance of teeth in the 18th century. In this episode, experts examine a portrait of George Washington in which he does not resemble the familiar face on the one-dollar bill. [Read more…] about The Culture of Teeth in the 18th Century
The French-American Joint Reconnaissance Tour, Winter 1780-1781
Studying the terrain to analyze how the action unfolded on Revolutionary War battlefields isn’t just a modern pursuit. It was the first order of business when the French Army arrived on American soil, seeking to understand the war they had just joined.
Contrary to popular belief, French and American officers did not sit idle over the winter of 1780–81. Rather, the French organized a joint reconnaissance mission to previous battlefields of the American Revolution under the initiative of François-Jean de Chastellux, an overlooked figure who played a crucial role as a liaison officer between the French and Americans, and in the logistical and strategic planning of the allied army. [Read more…] about The French-American Joint Reconnaissance Tour, Winter 1780-1781
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Names New Director
The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum announced today the appointment of new executive director, Chris Sabick. Sabick has been the museum’s director of research and archaeology since 2013 and brings decades of experience and a career-long dedication to Lake Champlain, research, history and public access into this new leadership role. [Read more…] about Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Names New Director
Big Cheese Politics: Federalist Cows Need Not Apply
A huge cheese is said to have sealed the election of Thomas Jefferson, who occupied the White House on January 1, 1802, after a bitter contest with his rival, the incumbent president and Federalist leader John Adams. It is an oft-told tale.
Upset by Puritan denunciations of Jefferson, Elder John Leland of the Baptist Church of Cheshire, Massachusetts, organized a communal effort to demonstrate support for Jeffersonian Democracy. [Read more…] about Big Cheese Politics: Federalist Cows Need Not Apply
Benedict Arnold in New York
Researching my new book God Save Benedict Arnold, I came to appreciate the central role that New York State played in Arnold’s career and in the Revolutionary War itself.
The first shots of the American Revolution rang out early on the morning of April 19, 1775 in Lexington, Massachusetts. Only three weeks later, on May 10, Benedict Arnold managed to capture the most strategic fortification in the colonies at Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. [Read more…] about Benedict Arnold in New York
2023 East Hampton House & Garden Tour Features ‘Grey Gardens’
The East Hampton Historical Society will host the 38th annual House & Garden Tour, celebrating some of the finest examples of architecture on the East End of Long Island.
This year’s tour — consisting of five houses located in East Hampton Village and the Devon Colony — is scheduled for Saturday, November 25, from 1 to 4:30 pm. [Read more…] about 2023 East Hampton House & Garden Tour Features ‘Grey Gardens’
1829 Vanderbilt House on Staten Island Faces Development Pressure
An 1829 farmhouse at 1213 Clove Road, Sunnyside, one of the few surviving structures on Staten Island associated with early Vanderbilt family history, could be surrounded by a new housing development.
Constructed at a time when Staten Island was rapidly evolving from an isolated rural area to a community populated by new development the John King Vanderbilt House is a survivor of this transitional period. [Read more…] about 1829 Vanderbilt House on Staten Island Faces Development Pressure
Forest Rangers Recover Body, Rescue Hiker With Chest Pain, Another Having Panic Attack
New 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 Recover Body, Rescue Hiker With Chest Pain, Another Having Panic Attack
Protect the Adirondacks Releases New Report On NYS “30 by 30” Law
In 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed the “30 by 30” law that establishes a conservation goal for New York State of protecting 30% of the State’s “lands and inland waters” by the year 2030. [Read more…] about Protect the Adirondacks Releases New Report On NYS “30 by 30” Law