New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Brooklyn

Did George Washington Burn New York City?

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the great new york fireAugust 27, 1776, British troops under General William Howe attacked American forces commanded by George Washington in the Battle of Brooklyn. Assailed from three sides, Washington and the main body of the Americans escaped across the East River to Manhattan and then fled north, ultimately crossing the Hudson River, then known as the North River, to New Jersey.

If Washington and his troops had been captured either in Brooklyn or Manhattan, the American Revolution would likely have ended soon after it began. [Read more…] about Did George Washington Burn New York City?

Watchable Wildlife: Brooklyn’s Prospect Park

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bird watchers courtesy Virginia Freire, Prospect Park Audubon CenterOne of the largest parks in Brooklyn, Prospect Park, offers the chance to see just about any bird that travels through New York City. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, Prospect Park is ideal for birding, with more than 250 species spotted each year, including migrating songbirds in spring and fall, and a large diversity of waterfowl and resident birds throughout the year. [Read more…] about Watchable Wildlife: Brooklyn’s Prospect Park

Major General William Alexander, Lord Stirling: A Short Biography

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Detail of Lord Stirling's last stand around the Old Courtelyou House (now known as the Old Stone House in Park Slope) during the battle of BrooklynWilliam Alexander was born on December 25, 1726 in the city of New York to well-known lawyer James Alexander and his wife Mary. Mary and James had emigrated from Scotland in 1716. When they married, Mary was already a widow with six children and she and James had seven more. William was the second son of Mary and James, but when his older brother died in 1731, William became the male heir to the Alexander clan. [Read more…] about Major General William Alexander, Lord Stirling: A Short Biography

The Early NYC Automobile Accident Photos of Eugene De Selignac

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Manhattan Bridge Damaged Car 1936Eugene De Selignac (1861–1943) was born in Boston into an eccentric family of exiled French nobility, de Salignac had no formal training in photography. In 1903, at the age of 42, his brother-in-law found him a job as an assistant to the photographer for the Department of Bridges in New York City, Joseph Palmer. After three years of apprenticeship, Palmer suddenly died, and in October 1906, de Salignac assumed his duties. [Read more…] about The Early NYC Automobile Accident Photos of Eugene De Selignac

Vannie Higgins: ‘Brooklyn’s Last Irish Boss’

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Brooklyn Rum Runner and Gangster Vannie HigginsVannie Higgins (1897-1932) was a notorious Brooklyn gangster and rum-runner. He was born Charles Van Wyck Higgins in 1897 in Bay Ridge, son of Daniel and Helen (Nellie) Higgins. As a young boy he was involved in street corner brawls, then moved up the ladder to assaults, robbery and grand larceny. Although he had an extensive police record, he was usually able to squeeze out of any jail time. [Read more…] about Vannie Higgins: ‘Brooklyn’s Last Irish Boss’

NYS Nominates 13 Places for State, National Registers of Historic Places

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An information table set up by the Gay Liberation Front on the University of Rochester’s Eastman Quadrangle in 1970 (Photo by Anthony Boccaccio)The New York State Board for Historic Preservation has recommended adding 13 properties to the State and National Registers of Historic Places and submitting one request to the Columbia Turnpike East Toll House to the National Park Service.

The nominations include a key site associated with Rochester‘s LGBTQ+ history, a historic synagogue in Manhattan‘s Upper West Side, a public park in Ithaca, a church connected to Yonkers’s civil rights history, a re-built Lustron House in Erie County, the Oneida County History Center, and more. [Read more…] about NYS Nominates 13 Places for State, National Registers of Historic Places

New York City Historic Districts Council Names ‘Six to Celebrate’

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Addisleigh ParkThe Historic Districts Council (HDC) has announced its Six to Celebrate, an annual listing of historic New York City neighborhoods that merit preservation attention. Six to Celebrate is New York’s only citywide list of preservation priorities. [Read more…] about New York City Historic Districts Council Names ‘Six to Celebrate’

Adirondack Environmental Priorities in Governor Hocul’s Budget

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New York State CapitolGov. Kathy Hochul’s FY2023/24 budget proposal includes significant funding and policy proposals for municipal clean water and wastewater projects, environmental jobs training, an Environmental Protection Fund of $400 million, and “Cap and Invest” program expected to generate $1 billion for programs to fight climate change, according to the Adirondack Council. [Read more…] about Adirondack Environmental Priorities in Governor Hocul’s Budget

Marjorie Sewell Cautley: Renowned Landscape Architect

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aerial view of Bolton Landing’s Rogers ParkMarjorie Sewell Cautley (1891–1954) was the first woman landscape architect to design state parks, the first to plan the landscape of a federally funded housing project, the first to lecture in a university’s city planning department – and the first person to design a plan for D.L. Rogers Memorial Park in Bolton Landing on Lake George. [Read more…] about Marjorie Sewell Cautley: Renowned Landscape Architect

Marsha P Johnson State Park Gateway Design Unveiled

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gateway to Marsha P. Johnson State ParkThe preliminary design for a new gateway to Marsha P. Johnson State Park in Brooklyn was unveiled this summer. The park honors Marsha P. Johnson, a transgender woman of color who was a pioneer of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. [Read more…] about Marsha P Johnson State Park Gateway Design Unveiled