New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Architecture

A Schoharie Crossing Aqueduct Project Update

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work at Schoharie Crossing aqueductWorkers are shoring up the remains of the aqueduct at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, Montgomery County, NY.

With the water in the Erie Canal drawn down for the winter, the project is well into the construction phase. Workers are creating a large concrete wedge at the end of the piers and arches to act as a brace, so the arches won’t shift. Protections are being added around the base to prevent problems as the water rises in the spring. [Read more…] about A Schoharie Crossing Aqueduct Project Update

Remembering Historian, Preservationist Jeffrey Kroessler (1952-2023)

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Jeffrey KroesslerJeffrey Kroessler, a longtime board member of the Historic Districts Council (HDC) in New York City, preservationist, author, and historian, passed away on Sunday, February 5th at the age of 71.

Kroessler served on HDC’s boards of directors and advisers for 36 years, helping to craft the organization’s advocacy strategies and educational programs on preservation across the city. [Read more…] about Remembering Historian, Preservationist Jeffrey Kroessler (1952-2023)

Historic Preservation: Landmark Society Names Five to Revive

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Hotel CadillacThe Landmark Society of Western New York has announced its 2022-23 Five to Revive – a list that identifies opportunities for targeted, strategic revitalization. The announcement was made at a news conference last week at the Landmark Society headquarters in the Warner Castle in Rochester. [Read more…] about Historic Preservation: Landmark Society Names Five to Revive

Work Begins On Bayard Cutting Arboretum Visitors Center

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rendering of Bayard Cutting ArboretumA $9.3 million construction project has begun on a new Visitor Center, improved parking, and enhanced exhibits at Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park in Suffolk County on Long Island. [Read more…] about Work Begins On Bayard Cutting Arboretum Visitors Center

Lake George’s Canoe Island Lodge Privately Preserved

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Main Lodge, circa 1949 Canoe Island Lodge, the classic Lake George resort and a 2.7-acre island that was a 19th century campground for the American Canoe Association, has been purchased for $10.7 million by real estate preservationist Ginger Cannon Bailey. [Read more…] about Lake George’s Canoe Island Lodge Privately Preserved

Erie Canal Aqueduct Stabilization Project Begins

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Schoharie Crossing on Erie Canal showing 9 arches of aqueduct at Fort HunterThe New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) has announced that construction has begun on a $1.7 million project to stabilize the historic Erie Canal Aqueduct at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Montgomery County.

The aqueduct, which was built in 1841, is within the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor. [Read more…] about Erie Canal Aqueduct Stabilization Project Begins

Ticonderoga’s 1700s French Village Forge Survey Planned

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Smith Forge at Fort Ticonderoga French Village (provided by Fort Ticonderoga Association)Shortly after establishing Fort Carillon (later named Ticonderoga), the French Army began the construction of a series of ancillary structures, including the Smith’s Forge, to the south of the fort beginning in early 1756.

This area, known as the lower town, or the French Village, housed a number of proto-industrial structures that supported the military activities of the armies who garrisoned Ticonderoga in the 18th century. [Read more…] about Ticonderoga’s 1700s French Village Forge Survey Planned

Manhattan’s Great Art Dealers: Some History

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Mary Mason Jones’ marble mansionManhattan’s 57th Street, the world’s “most expensive” street, was laid out and opened in 1857 as the city of New York expanded northward.

With the Hudson and East Rivers on either end, the area was until then largely uninhabited and clustered with small factories and workshops. As late as the 1860s, the area east of Central Park was a shantytown with up to 5,000 squatters.

Half a century later it was Manhattan’s cultural heart and an intercontinental meeting place of artists, collectors and dealers. [Read more…] about Manhattan’s Great Art Dealers: Some History

Big Moose As A Lumber & Tourist Hub (1900-1920)

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wedding picture of Norman Burt Sherry with Lucretia Caroline Hayes,The spark that got me writing about Adirondack history was the personal question of how my family came into possession of a log cabin on Twitchell Lake in Big Moose, NY. Unraveling this mystery took a year’s research — searching newly discovered diaries and networking with genealogy contacts.

It turns out my connection began with a love story, which I told in the New York Almanack. That account included the accompanying photo of my grandparents’ wedding in Buffalo, NY, in 1908. This article will explore how the hamlet of Big Moose supported the growth of thriving summer communities on Twitchell and Big Moose Lakes, setting the stage for major logging operations on Big Moose Lake. Early in this era, 60 percent of Twitchell’s lakeshore was slated for major logging before going up for sale as summer lots. [Read more…] about Big Moose As A Lumber & Tourist Hub (1900-1920)

2022 Landmark Society Preservation Award Recipients

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Christ Church in RochesterEach fall, The Landmark Society of Western New York presents awards to projects, people, and organizations who, through their dedication and hard work, have contributed to historic preservation in their nine-county area.

The 2022 Awards were presented in a private ceremony in November. This year’s recipients include: [Read more…] about 2022 Landmark Society Preservation Award Recipients