This September and October mark the 249th anniversaries of the Battles of Saratoga and the surrender of British forces that followed. Saratoga National Historical Park preserves, protects and interprets the sites associated with the battles, siege and surrender. The park includes 3,579 acres over five sites: the Saratoga Battlefield, General Philip Schuyler’s House, Victory Woods, the Saratoga Monument and the Sword Surrender Site. [Read more…] about 249th Anniversary of Battles of Saratoga Events Planned
New York Almanack is following the commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution. See Upcoming Events and also our stories about the American Revolution, the Province of New York and Loyalism.
Battle of Brooklyn 250th Anniversary Spawns Battlefield App
Just six weeks after Patriots at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia declared independence on July 4, 1776, tens of thousands of troops clashed in one of the largest engagements of the American Revolution, across now-unrecognizable areas of New York City. [Read more…] about Battle of Brooklyn 250th Anniversary Spawns Battlefield App
Exploring the Revolution at the Long Island Museum
The latest Long Island History Project podcast takes listeners on a private tour of the exhibit “The Seat of Action: Long Island in the American Revolution and Beyond” at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook, New York.
Running through October 18th, the exhibit tells the stories of the lives of people affected by the conflict at all levels of society. Joshua Ruff, Co-Executive Director, Collections and Programming, is our guide. [Read more…] about Exploring the Revolution at the Long Island Museum
State Museum Opens Major ‘Revolutionary New York’ Exhibit
The New York State Museum has opened “Revolutionary New York,” a major new exhibition commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and exploring New York’s central role in shaping American democracy.
Remaining on display for several years, the nearly 7,000-square-foot exhibition brings together more than 200 artifacts, rare documents, immersive displays, interactive elements, and stories that connect the American Revolution’s founding ideals to the continuing pursuit of freedom, equality, justice, and civic responsibility across generations. [Read more…] about State Museum Opens Major ‘Revolutionary New York’ Exhibit
Newly Conserved George Washington Portrait On View
The New York State Office of General Services (OGS) has revealed a newly conserved 1813 portrait of George Washington by Albany artist Ezra Ames (1768 – 1836).
The painting, a significant piece of New York’s artistic and historical legacy, has undergone extensive conservation and has returned to its prominent location in the State Capitol‘s State Street Lobby. [Read more…] about Newly Conserved George Washington Portrait On View
Revolutionary New York City: America at 250
Revolutionary New York City: America at 250 (2026) is a five-borough collaborative multi-year effort by The Bronx County Historical Society, Historic Richmond Town, Center for Brooklyn History, and the Gotham Center, with contributions from Philipse Manor Hall, the Lott House, Queens County Farm, and others.
This book of essays moves beyond the iconic battles and founding fathers to reveal the complex, messy, and deeply human reality of the American Revolution in New York City. [Read more…] about Revolutionary New York City: America at 250
A Complicated Birthday: 10 Years of Stonewall National Monument
New York City’s Stonewall National Monument, the only site in the federal park system focused on LGBTQ history, is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
In a nod to the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, 250 rainbow flags were installed on the fence that surrounds Christopher Park, a tiny parcel at the heart of the monument in Greenwich Village. [Read more…] about A Complicated Birthday: 10 Years of Stonewall National Monument
‘Declaring America: 1776 and Beyond’ Exhibit in Manhattan
As part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the declaration of Independence, the New York Public Library has created a display of 250 sources from its archives for public viewing. [Read more…] about ‘Declaring America: 1776 and Beyond’ Exhibit in Manhattan
How Race Shadows the America’s Anniversaries
America, USA: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries (Crown Publishers, 2026) details a heart-wrenching exploration of America’s legacy. It is a complex combination of lessons and voices — from W.E.B. DuBois and John Dos Passos to Herman Melville and Martin Luther King, Jr.— that, together, paint a sprawling and honest tableau of the United States, its complicated past, and ever more tenuous future. [Read more…] about How Race Shadows the America’s Anniversaries
The American Revolution in the Champlain Valley, from A to Z
The Clinton County Historical Association (CCHA) has published an educational book, The American Revolution in the Champlain Valley, from A to Z, to be distributed to all fourth and fifth graders in the Clinton, Essex, Franklin County area, free of charge.
“This special project represents hours of volunteer work,” says CCHA Director Helen Allen Nerska, a regular contributor to the New York Almanack. [Read more…] about The American Revolution in the Champlain Valley, from A to Z
Revolutionary Clinton County: 250th Anniversary Efforts and Events
The American Revolution in what is now Clinton County, NY, was defined by its strategic position on Lake Champlain, a critical corridor for both Continental and British forces. The county’s history is deeply intertwined with the naval struggle for control of this waterway, which served as a gateway between Canada and the Hudson Valley.
Clinton County was a constant site of troop movements and tactical maneuvering. The region remained a front line of defense as an important line of communication and a barrier against northern incursions even after the war ended. [Read more…] about Revolutionary Clinton County: 250th Anniversary Efforts and Events
Massive Union Pacific Railroad ‘Big Boy’ Locomotive Traveling Through NYS
Union Pacific Railroad’s Big Boy No. 4014, said to be the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, will journey to the East Coast this summer for the first time as part of a historic coast-to-coast tour to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
The tour includes a Fourth of July celebration in Philadelphia, major display events in eight cities and more than 50 whistle-stops in 10 states, including stops for the first time in Indiana, Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania. [Read more…] about Massive Union Pacific Railroad ‘Big Boy’ Locomotive Traveling Through NYS
America’s 250th Anniversary Education Resources
America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations highlight and commemorate not just the roles of New York’s citizens during the American Revolution, but also the subsequent 250 years of action toward the ideals of our nation’s founding principles.
The New York State 250th Commemoration Field Guide and the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution Resource Guide for educators includes a variety of information, including classroom resources from the Office of Cultural Education at the New York State Education Department, in support of P-12 exploration related to this historic commemoration. [Read more…] about America’s 250th Anniversary Education Resources
Erie Canalway Launches “Revolutionary Experiences” Tours
As America marks its 250th anniversary, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is launching Revolutionary Experiences, road trips along New York’s historic waterways.
These self-guided itineraries invite participants to explore the people, places, and ideas that helped shape the nation. [Read more…] about Erie Canalway Launches “Revolutionary Experiences” Tours
State Parks Outlines New Investments Hoped for 2026
In support of the goals outlined in Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State and executive budget, New York State Parks has announced support for several initiatives they say are designed to create jobs, enhance state park experiences, improve access to outdoor recreation and preserve state history. [Read more…] about State Parks Outlines New Investments Hoped for 2026
Old Fort Niagara Marking A 300th Anniversary
Old Fort Niagara, one of North America’s most historic places, will host a year-long celebration in 2026 marking the 300th anniversary of its iconic “French Castle.”
Built in 1726 during King George’s War, the French Castle is believed to be the oldest building in the Great Lakes Basin. For three centuries, it has stood guard over the mouth of the Niagara River on Lake Ontario as a silent witness to the birth of nations, serving as a military stronghold, a bustling trading post, and a meeting ground for European and Indigenous cultures. [Read more…] about Old Fort Niagara Marking A 300th Anniversary
New York State 250th Commemoration Summit Set for Feb 11th
The Office of Cultural Education will host another New York State 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemoration Summit on February 11, 2026 at the New York State Museum’s Huxley Theater in Albany from 9:30 am to 11:30 am.
The event will include updates and presentations from a wide variety of state officials, cultural, history, and tourism entities and executives. [Read more…] about New York State 250th Commemoration Summit Set for Feb 11th
New York and the United States 1926 Sesquicentennial
We are beginning the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It may be interesting to recall how New York celebrated in the past, including the Bicentennial (reviewed in a previous post) and the Sesquicentennial a century ago. [Read more…] about New York and the United States 1926 Sesquicentennial
How States Are Planning the 250th
As we look ahead to the 250th anniversary — the semiquincentennial — of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, communities and commissions across the United States are asking big questions:
- How should we commemorate this historic milestone?
- What’s the right balance between celebration and education?
- And how can this moment bring people together across political divides, generational gaps, and complex histories?
From Crown Point to Boston: The 1920s Henry Knox Trail
In 1926, New York State Historian Alexander C. Flick recommended to the State’s Advisory Board on Battlefields and Historic Sites, created earlier in the 1920s to oversee the marking and potential acquisition of historic sites, particularly those related to the American Revolution, that the historic route of Henry Knox‘s “Noble Train of Artillery” be marked for the public.
A series of stone monuments with bronze plaques were planned by a committee from New York and Massachusetts to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Knox’s expedition. The project – dubbed the Henry Knox Trail – was one of the earliest heritage trails in the United States. [Read more…] about From Crown Point to Boston: The 1920s Henry Knox Trail