Long before Harlem, Black New Yorkers were shaping the city’s history, neighborhoods, culture, and institutions. A multi-part series of free virtual lectures organized by Save Harlem Now and its partners are currently exploring those stories, beginning in 17th century New Amsterdam and continuing through centuries of resilience, community-building, creativity, and struggle. [Read more…] about Road to Harlem: The Forgotten History of Black Manhattan
Amsterdam
Capital District Radio History with Bob Cudmore & WAMC’s Ray Graf
Capital District radio great Bob Cudmore (and former New York Almanack contributor) hosted and produced WGY‘s nightly radio talk show “Contact,” from 1980 to 1993.
This summer he was a guest on “Vox Pop,” WAMC’s call-in program to talk about old time radio and the history of the region with host Ray Graf. [Read more…] about Capital District Radio History with Bob Cudmore & WAMC’s Ray Graf
The Educational Legacy of Lucretia Foot Booth
Lucretia Foot Booth was born in 1804 in Troy, NY, the only child of Ebenezer Foot and Betsey Colt Foot. She grew up in a household deeply committed to education. Lucretia inherited a dedication to learning and supporting educational equality for girls, ensuring they received a parallel education from those of their male counterparts. [Read more…] about The Educational Legacy of Lucretia Foot Booth
James Shanahan: Stone Mason & Railroad and Canal Builder
At Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site you can see all three of the major phases of the Erie Canal – from the original “Clinton’s Ditch,” to the enlargements of the mid-19th century to the Barge Canal of today. You can also see Lock E-12 operated by the New York State Canal Corporation between Tribes Hill and Fort Hunter in Montgomery County, NY.
This lock has a movable dam and is one of only two which also serve as an automobile bridge. It’s known as the “James Shanahan Lock.” [Read more…] about James Shanahan: Stone Mason & Railroad and Canal Builder
The Great Auto Race: 1908 New York to Paris
The 1908 New York to Paris Race crossed continents and was spoofed by Hollywood. The great international auto race traversed the United States and Asia, finally concluding the five-month contest in Paris.
At a time when the automobile industry was still in its infancy and superhighways were years in the future, this race was an event of epic proportions. [Read more…] about The Great Auto Race: 1908 New York to Paris
Mohawk Valley Preparations for the American Revolution
Samuel Adams, using the pseudonym “Valerius Poplicola,” wrote to the Boston Gazette on October 5, 1772: “Let Associations & Combinations be everywhere set up to consult and recover our just Rights.”
A few weeks later he presented his plan to oppose Britain’s “Plan of Slavery” at a meeting in Boston organized for that purpose. This was the birth of the “Committees of Correspondence” or “Committees of Safety” which spread throughout the colonies in early 1773. [Read more…] about Mohawk Valley Preparations for the American Revolution
Fox Attacks Multiple Children At Amsterdam Catholic School
On May 29, NYS Environmental Conservation Officer Lieutenant Jason DeAngelis responded to a call from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office regarding a fox that bit multiple children at St. Mary’s Institute on Kopernick Boulevard in Amsterdam, NY. [Read more…] about Fox Attacks Multiple Children At Amsterdam Catholic School
When Vikings Traveled The Hudson River & Erie Canal
In June of 1893, young and old alike came out in droves to see a strange-looking craft as it made its way westward along the Erie Canal. What had brought them out on those summer days was a replica of a Viking ship that had recently crossed the Atlantic on an epic journey whose story had begun one thousand years before.
Sometime around the year 900 a Norse ruler died and was buried in a king mound that over the hundreds of years that followed became known as Gokstadhaugen outside of Sandefjord, Norway. Though the name of the king was lost over the ages, legends concerning the site were passed down from generation to generation. [Read more…] about When Vikings Traveled The Hudson River & Erie Canal
The Mohawk River’s Eagle Trail: Fort Hunter to Amsterdam
The Eagle Trail is a project of the Friends of Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, in Montgomery County, NY.
Originally served for the transportation of heavy machinery and equipment for Lock 11 repairs, the Eagle Trail begins at the east end of Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site at the Yankee Hill Lock and proceeds to the southside of the city of Amsterdam, a distance of about three miles. [Read more…] about The Mohawk River’s Eagle Trail: Fort Hunter to Amsterdam
The 115th New York: The Iron Hearted Regiment During The Civil War
During the Civil War, Colonel Simeon Sammons received authority to recruit a regiment in the counties of Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, and Saratoga, with headquarters at Fonda. On August 26, 1862, it mustered into the service of the United States for three years as the 115th New York Infantry Regiment, known as the “Iron-Hearted Regiment.” [Read more…] about The 115th New York: The Iron Hearted Regiment During The Civil War
An Eccentric Montgomery County Psychedelic Philosopher
This week on The Historians Podcast, Bob Cudmore provides a Focus on History podcast with topics including the life of eccentric Montgomery County, NY psychedelic philosopher Benjamin Paul Blood, the Demskys of Eagle Street including Isadore Demsky who became the actor Kirk Douglas, Amsterdam’s agile mayor Burt Deal and how boxing flourished in 1930s Amsterdam. [Read more…] about An Eccentric Montgomery County Psychedelic Philosopher
Amsterdam Composer Unveils ‘Requiem,’ Her Latest Work
This week on The Historians Podcast, composer Maria Riccio Bryce, an Amsterdam, NY, native, discusses her new choral work Requiem: What Remains Is Love. [Read more…] about Amsterdam Composer Unveils ‘Requiem,’ Her Latest Work
The Historic Amsterdam League
This week on The Historians Podcast, Jerry Snyder delves into the 12 year history of Historic Amsterdam League, founded by Snyder and city historian Rob von Hasseln. [Read more…] about The Historic Amsterdam League
Amsterdam’s Guy Park Manor: Some History
This week on The Historians Podcast, Bob Cudmore and Dave Greene take a look at Guy Park Manor, Amsterdam, New York’s, oldest house.
The colonial era stone building was originally a marriage gift for Guy and Polly Johnson. Guy was the nephew of British Indian agent Sir William Johnson and Polly was Sir William’s daughter. [Read more…] about Amsterdam’s Guy Park Manor: Some History
Amsterdam’s Polish Cowboy and Other Tales
This week on The Historians Podcast, Bob Cudmore’s history columns from Daily Gazette and Amsterdam Recorder provide information for this chit chat podcast with producer Dave Greene.
Hear stories about Amsterdam’s connections with Ukraine, World War II, Amsterdam’s link with singer Jeff Buckley’s popular version of “Hallelujah” by songwriter Leonard Cohen and the story of Jack Patton, the Polish cowboy from Amsterdam. [Read more…] about Amsterdam’s Polish Cowboy and Other Tales
Laddie Sanford: Polo Star & Carpet Mill Owner (Podcast)
This week on The Historians Podcast, Bob Cudmore and Dave Greene discuss several stories from Bob’s newspaper columns in the Daily Gazette and Amsterdam Recorder including a look at the life of Laddie Sanford. Laddie Sanford was a polo star, race horse owner and on the board of directors of Bigelow Sanford in 1955 when the carpet company left Amsterdam, Montgomery County, NY. [Read more…] about Laddie Sanford: Polo Star & Carpet Mill Owner (Podcast)
Amsterdam’s Arts: Visual Artists, Actors & Singers
This week on The Historians Podcast, Jerry Snyder of Historic Amsterdam League has stories from a new booklet called Amsterdam’s Arts, focusing on visual artists, actors, singers and more with ties to Amsterdam, New York. [Read more…] about Amsterdam’s Arts: Visual Artists, Actors & Singers
Amsterdam’s Racetrack and Other Mohawk Valley Stories
This week on The Historians Podcast, Bob Cudmore has stories from his Daily Gazette and Amsterdam Recorder Focus on History columns including Amsterdam’s horse racing track, the life of a volunteer nurse in the Civil War and Amsterdam radio announcers who served in Armed Forces Radio. [Read more…] about Amsterdam’s Racetrack and Other Mohawk Valley Stories
A Time Travel Novel Visits Amsterdam, NY
This week on The Historians Podcast, Linda Wisniewski discusses her book Where the Stork Flies (Sand Hill Review Press, 2021), a time travel novel about a librarian who meets a 19th century ancestor and the medieval Polish Queen Jadwiga. There are several scenes in the author’s home town of Amsterdam, New York, as well as scenes in Poland in 1825. [Read more…] about A Time Travel Novel Visits Amsterdam, NY
Author to Discuss New Amsterdam, NY, Centered Memoir
Book purchases made through this link support New York Almanack’s mission to report new publications relevant to New York State.
David Pietrusza, author of the new memoir, Too Long Ago: A Childhood Memoir. A Vanished World (2020), is set to discuss the book with Bob Cudmore, host of the The Historians Podcast on Tuesday, February 9th in a live Zoom event. [Read more…] about Author to Discuss New Amsterdam, NY, Centered Memoir