The rail line between Boston and Albany dates back to the birth of American railroading in the 1830s. Its construction was fueled by the economic rivalry between New England and New York exacerbated by the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825. Today, a new effort is underway to better link Albany and Boston by passenger rail. [Read more…] about Historic Boston and Albany Railroad Revival Efforts Underway
Berkshires
1956: A Historic Billboard Erected at Colonel Ephraim Williams’ Grave
In 1854, a white marble obelisk was erected at the grave of Colonel Ephraim Williams. The site is located three miles south of Lake George. The British provincial officer was killed on September 8, 1755 by French-led forces at the Battle of Lake George.
One hundred and two years after the stone pillar was installed at the Williams’ grave, Fort William Henry Corporation workers built a 20-foot high x 40-foot long wooden billboard near the site. The sign was positioned adjacent to Route 9. [Read more…] about 1956: A Historic Billboard Erected at Colonel Ephraim Williams’ Grave
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
Trekking After Thoreau in the Berkshires and Catskills
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), born in Concord, Massachusetts, is an unexpected yet fitting figure in New York’s literary landscape. Though New York seldom appears in his writings, his experiences in the state profoundly influenced his life and work, particularly his famed experiment at Walden Pond.
In July 1844, Thoreau embarked on a solo hike through Adams, Massachusetts — the birthplace of Susan B. Anthony — and ascended Mount Greylock via the Bellows Pipe Trail. [Read more…] about Trekking After Thoreau in the Berkshires and Catskills
Schaghticoke: An American Revolution Militia Rendezvous
At the juncture of well worn roads and trails, Schaghticoke became a hub of activity during September and October 1777. Schaghticoke is located east of the Hudson River in what was at the time Albany (now Rensselaer) County, opposite the hamlet of Stillwater. It was a stopping place for hundreds of militiamen who came and went to battle stations in the area.
Like other nearby communities, Schaghticoke was all but abandoned during late summer and fall of 1777. An 8,000 man British Army, invading the Hudson River Valley, was reason enough for most residents to flee to safer places. Many of these refugees went to Albany to escape the threats of war. This article describes the activities of New England militiamen in and around Schaghticoke during the Saratoga Campaign. [Read more…] about Schaghticoke: An American Revolution Militia Rendezvous