New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Capital District Civil War Round Table

Civilian View of War: Civil War Round Table in Canton

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St Lawrence County Historical AssociationThe next North Country Civil War Round Table is set for Sunday, February 17th, 2 pm at the St. Lawrence County Historical Association. Dr. Thomas Baker, Zacharey Blackmer, and Emma Woolley and will look at the life of John Raymond, a civilian during the Civil War.

John Raymond of Potsdam was not a soldier: he sold lumber and farmed, and was a little too old for enlisting when the Civil War broke out. However, his position as a prosperous merchant allowed and required him to travel, making his surviving correspondence an illuminating source of a civilian’s view of the events unfurling around the country. [Read more…] about Civilian View of War: Civil War Round Table in Canton

Latest Capital District Civil War Round Table Podcast

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capital district civil war round table podcastThe latest episode of the Capital District Civil War Round Table Podcast features Appomattox National Historical Park historian Patrick Schroeder. Patrick talked about the 5th New York, the Appomattox campaign, and Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House. [Read more…] about Latest Capital District Civil War Round Table Podcast

Albany’s Sheridan Statue Sculptor Daniel Chester French

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capital district civil war round table podcastThe latest episode of the Capital District Civil War Round Table Podcast features Harold Holzer discussing his book Monument Man: The Life & Art of Daniel Chester French.

French was “one of America’s most prolific sculptors of public monuments,” who created The Minute Man in Concord, Harvard University’s John Harvard, and the statue of Abraham Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial. [Read more…] about Albany’s Sheridan Statue Sculptor Daniel Chester French

NY Military Museum Director to Speak

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Michael Aikey, Director of the New York State Military Museum, and a founding member of the Capital District Civil War Round Table, will give a talk on November 13th at the Schenectady County Historical Society. His topic is the collections of the New York State Military Museum housed in the historic Saratoga Armory building. The museum preserves the military history of New York State, and the history of New York State’s National Guard. Aikey’s talk will be a special introduction to the museum located in Saratoga Springs.

The museum was started in New York State in 1863, during the Civil War, and moved to several locations before finding a permanent home, in 2001, in the Saratoga Armory at 61 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs, New York. The museum houses over 10,000 artifacts from the Revolutionary War period to the present, including historic weapons, artillery pieces, uniforms, flags and artwork. The museum has a gallery, a library, a gift shop and offices for the Veteran Research Center, an oral history program. Aikey’s talk will be of particular interest to anyone interested in the military history of New York State, and the place in history of New York State veterans, including the history of the New York Army National Guard.

Michael Aikey has been working for the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA) since 1996 serving as the Director of the New York State Military History Task Force, Librarian/Archivist, and Deputy Director, before moving to the directorship of the New York State Military Museum/Research Center in 2002. He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany’s School of Information Science and Policy, with experience working in both public and academic libraries before going to DMNA.

Mr. Aikey was a founding member of the Capital District Civil War Round Table, has published articles on military history, guest curated several museum exhibits and worked as an NEA grant consultant. He lectures on New York State military history and the Civil War. Currently he serves on the Capital District Library Council’sboard of directors. His spare time is frequently involved in historical research, and tinkering with classic British cars.

This program is free and open to the public. There will be refreshments at 1:30 pm on Saturday prior to the talk at 2:00 pm. The Schenectady County Historical Society is located at 32 Washington Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12305. The building is wheel chair accessible with off-street parking. For more information contact Katherine Chansky at (518) 374-0263 or email librarian@schist.org. Find directions to SCHS at www.schist.org.