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Christmas

A Special Christmas At Saratoga County’s Poorhouse

December 24, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Saratoga County PoorhouseThe end of 1873 ushered in change at the Saratoga County Poorhouse in the form of a brand-new building, along with a novelty the residents had never before enjoyed – a Christmas tree.

The county’s original poor house was a modified farmhouse that had been purchased from Hugh Hawkins in 1826 and sat where the current county jail and animal shelter are today in the Town of Milton.

With the influx of people to the county throughout the 19th-century, the poor house was no longer adequate to care for the number of people who needed assistance. In 1873, a new two-story brick building was constructed with separate wings for men and women. By the end of the year, it was move-in ready. [Read more…] about A Special Christmas At Saratoga County’s Poorhouse

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Christmas, Milton, Saratoga County, Saratoga County History Center, Saratoga County History Roundtable

Christmas On The Home Front: Corinth During The Second World War

December 24, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Town of Corinth World War II Roll of Honor stood at Schoolhouse Hill on Palmer Avenue and was later removed, stored for some time and later disposed ofThe Christmas Season is one of sharing and giving. During the Second World War the generosity of the Corinth community in Saratoga County, NY was much like that of small towns around the country. Children as well as adults were active participants in supporting activities on the home front. [Read more…] about Christmas On The Home Front: Corinth During The Second World War

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Christmas, Saratoga, Saratoga County, Saratoga County History Center, Saratoga County History Roundtable, womens history

1849 Christmas In Burnt Hills’ New Gothic Church

December 24, 2021 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

Carpenter gothic Calvary Episcopal Church in Burnt Hills, Saratoga County, New YorkChristmas is a time for great celebration, but 1849 was a year of a very special celebration for the new members of the congregation of Calvary Episcopal Church in Burnt Hills, Saratoga County, NY.

December 25, 1849 was the first time they were all able to meet together in their own church building, a carpenter gothic style edifice which had just been constructed at a cost of $2,500 The building was located right in the heart of Burnt Hills and situated on Lakehill Road, a street that in later years was renowned for its overarching trees that formed a canopy above the street. [Read more…] about 1849 Christmas In Burnt Hills’ New Gothic Church

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Architecture, Burnt Hills, Christmas, Historic Preservation, Religious History, Saratoga, Saratoga County, Saratoga County History Center, Saratoga County History Roundtable

Holiday Gift Ideas for Anglers

December 16, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Christmas lights at sunset.The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) polled their Fisheries staff across the state for their recommendations for non-traditional holiday gifts for anglers and received a bunch of great ideas.

Here are some of them: [Read more…] about Holiday Gift Ideas for Anglers

Filed Under: Nature, Recreation Tagged With: Christmas, DEC, fishing, Gift Ideas, Holidays

A Guide to Green Gift Giving and Decorating

December 8, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

green gift givingThis is the perfect time of the year to add the environment to your gift giving list and implement simple holiday habit changes.

Here is a guide to “green” gift giving and decorating: [Read more…] about A Guide to Green Gift Giving and Decorating

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: Christmas, DEC, environment, Holidays, nature

Yule Logs: Some History & Science

December 4, 2021 by Paul Hetzler 1 Comment

A 19th century painting by Robert Alexander Hillingford showing the Christmas tradition of preparing the Yule log at Hever Castle, Kent, EnglandThe tradition of burning a Yule log has largely fizzled out in most parts of the world. While holiday cards often feature cute, picturesque birch rounds in the hearth, old-time Yule logs in 6th and 7th century Europe were monster tree trunks that were meant to burn all day, and in certain cultures for twelve continuous days, without being entirely used up.

Apparently, if you didn’t have a leftover bit of this log remaining after the marathon burn, you were doomed to misfortune in the upcoming year. The remnant piece of charred wood was tucked away in the ceiling and was used to light the following year’s Yule log. I assume it was extinguished before being squirreled away in the rafters or some really bad luck would ensue. [Read more…] about Yule Logs: Some History & Science

Filed Under: History, Nature Tagged With: Christmas, energy, Forestry, Holidays

Balsam Fir: A Native New York Christmas Tree

December 4, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Ballsam Fir cone courtesy Wikimedia Cephas Every year my husband and I cut a Christmas tree on family land. We look for a young balsam fir growing in the power line right-of-way or in a forest clearing.

Fir is our favorite type of Christmas tree because of its delightful, pungent fragrance. While Christmas tree farmers cultivate a variety of fir species, balsam fir is the only type of fir native to Northern New York. [Read more…] about Balsam Fir: A Native New York Christmas Tree

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: Christmas, Forestry, Holidays, nature, trees, Wildlife

Recycling Electronics This Holiday Season

December 30, 2020 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

holiday recyclingWith holiday cheer and gifts galore, many will give or receive new electronic equipment. As you switch out of the old and welcome the new, remember to recycle your old electronics responsibly. [Read more…] about Recycling Electronics This Holiday Season

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, Nature, New York City, Western NY Tagged With: Christmas, Holidays, solid waste

George Washington At Christmas

December 24, 2020 by James F. Sefcik Leave a Comment

George Washington and Family by Thomas Pritchard Rossiter, 1858-1860Christmas conjures up images of festivity, family, and especially sumptuous dinners but it wasn’t that way for George Washington during the Revolutionary War. He served as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from May 1775 to December 1783 or about 104 months.

During that time, he visited his beloved Mount Vernon just once, in 1781 following the victory at Yorktown before returning to his home for good in 1783. [Read more…] about George Washington At Christmas

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, New York City, Western NY Tagged With: American Revolution, AmRev, Christmas, George Washington, Holidays, Military History, winter

Elliot Roosevelt’s Christmas Tree Sales At Val-Kill

December 24, 2020 by A. J. Schenkman Leave a Comment

Elliott Roosevelt and 3 Year Old in NYC 12-11-1948“Last week I acquired from my husband’s estate about two-thirds of the land which he owned here in Hyde Park. My son Elliott and I have gone into partnership and we are going to farm the land on a commercial basis,” Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in her “My Day” column on August 19, 1947.

This would be the beginning of a joint venture with her third child Elliott to turn a profit from the estate lands of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. [Read more…] about Elliot Roosevelt’s Christmas Tree Sales At Val-Kill

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, Nature, New York City, Western NY Tagged With: Agricultural History, Christmas, Eleanor Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt NHS, FDR, Forestry, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Holidays, Val-Kill, winter

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