History, Natural History & the Arts
Whitehall‘s Patrick J. Harvey was lucky when it came to fishing and foraging. In late February 1928, spring-like weather had already arrived. With the milder temperatures, Harvey was fishing from a boat on Lake Champlain. Beneath lay the sunken wreck of the British battlecraft Confiance from the War of 1812.
The once-mighty warship lay near the mouth of the Poultney River. [Read more…] about 1928 Angler Catches Jug of Liquor Fishing Lake Champlain
New York saw its fair share of military action during the American Revolution. This spring, Dr. Daria Merwin, an underwater archaeologist by training and Co-Director of the Cultural Resource Survey Program at the New York State Museum spoke at the Museum about maritime military encounters that pitted Revolutionaries against full might of the British Navy.
What follows is extracted from her talk, which you can find here in its entirety. [Read more…] about Maritime Encounters Around Long Island During the American Revolution
The latest Long Island History Project podcast continues a tour of Long Island-based oral history collections. Robert Anen (Long Island Library Resource Council Project Archivist) and I sat down with the Long Beach Historical & Preservation Society. Anen helped digitize their extensive oral history collection. [Read more…] about Long Beach, Long Island Oral Histories
On May 28, 2025 NYS Environmental Conservation Officer (Officer Dickson arrived quickly to the location with a throw bag and proceeded to the river’s edge.
Once settled by the Massapequa people, the Carlls River (West Creek) is one of the many such streams flowing into Great South Bay. [Read more…] about Angler Rescued from Carlls River in Babylon on Long Island
Go for a spin this fall and discover the scenic biking trails at New York State Parks. Bicycling is a great, low-impact exercise to enjoy with family and friends and a picturesque way to experience fall foliage in New York State. With so many trails to choose from, here are a few destinations from around the state worth exploring. [Read more…] about Bicycling Adventures in New York State Parks
Eelgrass meadows, the dominant seagrass species in the Northeastern United States, provide food and habitat for countless marine organisms, as well as erosion control and many other benefits to humans and the ecosystem. [Read more…] about Seagrass Research Could Aid Restoration Efforts
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) has announced that 18 maritime heritage projects across New York State will be supported by almost $400,000 in federal grants through the New York State National Maritime Heritage Grant Program. [Read more…] about New York State Maritime Heritage Projects Get $400k in Grant Funding
The National Wildlife Refuge System began on March 14, 1904, when President Theodore Roosevelt established the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Since then the system has expanded to include more than 570 different refuges. There are 13 National Wildlife Refuges in New York State: two in Western New York, two in the Lower Hudson Valley/Catskills region, and nine on Long Island. [Read more…] about National Wildlife Refuges in New York State: A Guide
Construction has begun on a marsh restoration project at Fireplace Neck Tidal Wetlands in the town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County on Long Island. In coordination with New York State Office of General Services (OGS), DEC will complete the nearly $1.7-million restoration project to help stabilize the marsh system, improve ecological functions, and create a more resilient marsh prepared for the effects of climate change and global sea level rise. [Read more…] about Fireplace Neck Tidal Wetland Area Restoration Begins
New York’s most abundant seal is the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), which can be found in the state’s marine waters from late fall to late spring. Harbor seals can range in color from brown, tan, or gray to silvery-white. [Read more…] about Watchable Wildlife: Harbor Seals
Long Island’s barrier beaches are fascinating places. Stretched along the south shore of the island, they persist through much of Long Island history as wild natural landscapes constantly shifting and remolded by the Atlantic Ocean. And despite the storms and shipwrecks and isolation, people have persisted in thinking “I want to live there.” [Read more…] about Long Island’s Barrier Beaches: Gilgo Culture & History
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the deployment of two steel vessels, the Chickadee on the McAllister Grounds Reef and Barge 226 on Smithtown Reef, as part of the State’s ongoing efforts to expand New York’s network of artificial reefs.
These final deployments for 2021 continue to build on DEC’s efforts to develop a stronger, more diverse marine ecosystem and provide shelter for fish and other marine life off New York’s shores. [Read more…] about 1940s Tugboat, Barge Sunk For Artificial Reef
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