New York State Forest Rangers were called on twice this past weekend to recover deceased bodies from Upstate New York’s backcountry. [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Called On To Recover Two Bodies From Upstate Backcountry
Cayuga County
Skaneateles Lake Watershed Property Protected by Easement
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) have announced the permanent protection of 234 acres at Casa Farms in the town of Niles, Cayuga County, with a conservation easement.
[Read more…] about Skaneateles Lake Watershed Property Protected by Easement
Carpenter Falls Improved Access Opens
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the completion of construction on a $1.27-million project to improve public access at Carpenter Falls Unique Area in the town of Niles, Cayuga County. [Read more…] about Carpenter Falls Improved Access Opens
Central-Finger Lakes Segment of Statewide Birding Trail Opens
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the grand opening of the Central-Finger Lakes segment of the New York State Birding Trail to highlight the state’s world-class and wide-ranging birding opportunities.
The Central-Finger Lakes segment includes 54 locations throughout 15 counties, providing a variety of quality birding experiences for New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy. [Read more…] about Central-Finger Lakes Segment of Statewide Birding Trail Opens
Simeon DeWitt: America’s Surveyor General
Tjerck Claeszen DeWitt immigrated to New Amsterdam (now New York City) from Grootholt in Zunterlant in 1656. Grootholt means Great Wood and Zunterland was probably located on the southern border of East Friesland, a German territory on the North Sea only ten miles from the most northerly province of the Netherlands.
By 1657, Tjerck DeWitt married Barber (Barbara) Andrieszen (also Andriessen) in the New Amsterdam Dutch Church and moved to Beverwyck (now Albany). While in Beverwyck, he purchased a house. At this time Albany contained 342 houses and about 1,000 residents, about 600 of whom were members of the Dutch Church. [Read more…] about Simeon DeWitt: America’s Surveyor General
The Strange Life of James Jesse Strang, New York’s Other Mormon Leader
“I prophesy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the state of Missouri and punish the crimes committed by her officers that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left.”
So it was that Sharon, Vermont native Joseph Smith, who supposed himself a prophet of God and founded what is now the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (informally the LDS or Mormon Church), rather mistakenly announced the demise of these United States on May 6, 1843.
It would be Smith however, who met an untimely fate, murdered and mutilated by a mob of vigilantes in Illinois on June 27, 1844. In the feud that erupted after his death, native New Yorker James Jesse Strang would proclaim himself Smith’s appointed successor. [Read more…] about The Strange Life of James Jesse Strang, New York’s Other Mormon Leader
Construction Begins at Carpenter Falls Unique Area
Construction has started on a $1.25 million project to improve access at Carpenter Falls Unique Area in the Finger Lakes town of Niles, Cayuga County.
The site will remain closed for the duration of construction, which is expected to be completed in 2022. [Read more…] about Construction Begins at Carpenter Falls Unique Area
Owasco Lake Watershed Land Acquired for Protection
DEC and The Nature Conservancy have announced the acquisition of 161 acres in the town of Sempronius in the Owasco Lake watershed. The acquisition of the Ward property will help protect public water supplies and safeguard riparian buffers and wetlands. [Read more…] about Owasco Lake Watershed Land Acquired for Protection
Proposed National Marine Sanctuary Highlights Lake Ontario Maritime History
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released a draft proposal for a national marine sanctuary in eastern Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River. The proposed sanctuary designation celebrates Upstate New York’s unique maritime heritage and provides a national stage for promoting the region’s tourism and recreational opportunities. [Read more…] about Proposed National Marine Sanctuary Highlights Lake Ontario Maritime History
Cayuga Museum Seeks Input On Food Exhibit
The Cayuga museum of History and Art, in Auburn, NY, is working on a new exhibit based on the story of food in their community. Breaking Bread: Food, Culture and What’s on Your Plate will explore the history, culture and politics of food, and celebrate the myriad ways food brings people together. [Read more…] about Cayuga Museum Seeks Input On Food Exhibit