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Folklore

New Yorkers Serving in Alaska Territory, 1908-1910

May 14, 2023 by Rebecca Rector 1 Comment

Schmitter_divorceWhile transcribing Alaska Territory records for the National Archives, I noticed two interesting men who were working with the native tribes. A little research revealed they were both from New York State. Here are their stories. [Read more…] about New Yorkers Serving in Alaska Territory, 1908-1910

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History, New York City Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Cultural History, Folklore, Herkimer COunty, Indigenous History, Montgomery County, Religious History

The Green Mountain Boys & The Evolution of Vermont’s State Flag

March 15, 2023 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Green Mountain Boys flagIf you walk into the Vermont Historical Society’s museum in Montpelier, you’ll a flag hanging from the wall behind the admission desk: the blue and green Green Mountain Boys flag.

It’s a flag that’s been wrapped up with a hefty dose of legend and mythology. [Read more…] about The Green Mountain Boys & The Evolution of Vermont’s State Flag

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: American Revolution, Battle of Bennington, Bennington Museum, Ethan Allen, flags, Folklore, Fort Ticonderoga, Green Mountain Boys, Hoosick, John Stark, Material Culture, Military History, New Hampshire Grants, Rensselaer County, Seth Warner, Vermont, Vermont Historical Society, Walloomsac River

Woodsman Willard Howland and his Amazing Critters

January 28, 2023 by Dave Waite 5 Comments

“Williard Howland from the Sun newspaper August 30, 1896,Lotsa Screes in here tonight,” Willard spoke low. “Puts me in mind of a he-scree I see up in Hawk’s Nest one fall when I was trappin’.”

And so began a story that would enliven the trailside or campsite for those who had the privilege to spend time with Willard Howland. Little has been written about the life of this woodsman beyond bits and pieces of the stories he told. It could even be said that his tales, everything from experiences in the woods, to amazing fantasy creatures that inhabited his wilderness, tell more of who Willard was than anything a written history could reveal. [Read more…] about Woodsman Willard Howland and his Amazing Critters

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Arts, History, Nature, Recreation Tagged With: Adirondack Guides, Adirondacks, Clifton, Cranberry Lake, fishing, Folklore, hunting, nature, Oswegatchie River, Roswell P. Flower, Russell, St Lawrence County, Wildlife

Sam Hill: Folklore & History Of A Saratoga Resident

January 22, 2023 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Sam Hill Painting - Laurence White PhotographyThough perhaps a dying proverb, “What in Sam Hill?!” used to be commonplace as an expression of exasperation. A quick internet search will point to several possible origin stories that explain where this phrase came from but the definitive truth remains elusive.

Could it be that a Saratoga County resident known by this common moniker contributed to this once-popular phrase? [Read more…] about Sam Hill: Folklore & History Of A Saratoga Resident

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Abenaki, Folklore, Greenfield, Indigenous History, Mohawk, Saratoga, Saratoga County, Saratoga County History Center, Saratoga County History Roundtable, Saratoga Springs

Witches and Warlocks of New York

October 31, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Witches and Warlocks of New YorkThe new book Witches and Warlocks of New York: Legends, Victims, and Sinister Spellcasters (Globe Pequot, 2022) by Lisa LaMonica is a collection of legends and historical accounts about witches and warlocks from the Empire State. [Read more…] about Witches and Warlocks of New York

Filed Under: Books, History Tagged With: Folklore, Halloween, Witch Trials

The Science of Fairy Rings, Free and Tethered

October 25, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

fairy ring courtesy Wikimedia user Mrs skippyMy German mother was a highly superstitious soul, especially when it came to the natural world. Case in point, one day a “fairy ring” of mushrooms appeared in our yard. My mother became agitated and told me not to disturb the ring, for it was a “hexenringe” – a place, she believed, where witches gathered and dire consequences would befall anyone entering or tampering with it.

Fairy rings have a rich history in European folklore and myth. Austrians claimed the rings were created where dragons rested, while the Dutch saw them as a place where the devil churned his milk. [Read more…] about The Science of Fairy Rings, Free and Tethered

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: Folklore, fungi, nature, Science, Wildlife

New Publication Focuses on American Folk Art and Americana

January 13, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Americana InsightsAmericana Insights, a new nonprofit e-journal and multi-faceted resource center, has been launched by Jane Katcher, Americana and American folk art collector, in collaboration with David A. Schorsch, an authority on American antiques and folk art.

The digital publication is supported by an advisory board of museum and art-world professionals and edited by independent scholar, author, and curator Robert Shaw. [Read more…] about New Publication Focuses on American Folk Art and Americana

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Arts, Capital-Saratoga, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, New York City, Western NY Tagged With: Academia, art, Folk Art, Folklore, Material Culture, Recent Publications

The Inspiration Behind Ichabod Crane And The Headless Horseman (Podacst)

August 21, 2020 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

a new york minute in history podcastIn the third episode of the podcast series Legends and Lore of the Empire State, A New York Minute In History explores the inspirations behind Washington Irving’s Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820). [Read more…] about The Inspiration Behind Ichabod Crane And The Headless Horseman (Podacst)

Filed Under: History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, New York City Tagged With: Folklore, Literature, Podcasts, Westchester County

NY Folklore Shop Reopens to the Public

July 10, 2020 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

New York Folklore shopNew York Folklore, the storefront of the New York Folklore Society in Schenectady, has reopened to the public. Face mask, social distancing, and occupancy guidelines are in effect. [Read more…] about NY Folklore Shop Reopens to the Public

Filed Under: Arts, Capital-Saratoga, History, Mohawk Valley Tagged With: Folklore, New York Folklore Society, Schenectady

Champy: A Legendary Lake Monster As History

May 1, 2020 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

a new york minute in history podcastA New York Minute In History is offering the first episode of a special series on folklore.

In this initial journey of the “Legends and Lore of The Empire State” series, co-hosts Devin Lander and Lauren Roberts explore the legend behind a storied lake monster in Northern New York. [Read more…] about Champy: A Legendary Lake Monster As History

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: Folklore, Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, Podcasts, sturgeon

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