The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) have announced that seven distinctive historic preservation projects received 2014 New York State Historic Preservation Awards. [Read more…] about NYS Preservation Awards Announced
OPRHP
NYS Barge Canal on National Register of Historic Places
The National Park Service has announced that it has listed the New York State Barge Canal on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation recognizes the New York State Canal System as a nationally significant work of early twentieth century engineering and construction that affected transportation and maritime commerce for nearly half a century.
The New York State Barge Canal National Register Historic District spans 450 miles and includes the four branches of the state’s canal system: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca canals– all much enlarged versions of waterways that were initially constructed during the 1820s. The nomination evaluated 791 features and included 552 contributing structures and buildings. [Read more…] about NYS Barge Canal on National Register of Historic Places
Report: ‘Great Estates Region’ Brings $65M in Economic Benefits
A new study has found that New York’s historic “Great Estates Region” brought approximately $65 million in economic benefits to Dutchess County. The study, “The Economic Importance of the Great Estates Historic Sites & Parks,” focuses on the positive economic impacts that 12 federal, state and private nonprofit historic sites and parks bring to Dutchess County and other parts of the Hudson River Valley region.
Expanding the picture beyond Dutchess County’s borders, the study finds that in 2012, nearly 1.7 million paid visitors came to the region’s historic sites, spending about $60 million in the area, including $47 million from non-local visitors. The study, which was organized by the Taconic Region of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, was completed pro-bono by Urbanomics, Inc., a Manhattan-based consulting firm. [Read more…] about Report: ‘Great Estates Region’ Brings $65M in Economic Benefits
NYS Open Space Conservation Plan Comments Sought
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) have released the 2014 State Open Space Conservation Plan for public comment. The plan guides State Environmental Protection Fund investments in open space protection. Public comments on the draft plan will be accepted from until December 17 and a series of public hearings will be held across the state from October 21 to October 23.
What follows is a recently issued press release: [Read more…] about NYS Open Space Conservation Plan Comments Sought
Paul Bray: Help Abandoned State Heritage Areas
A few years ago a delegation of environmentalists and officials from the Adirondack Park visited Lake Baikal in Russia. So large that it is often mistaken for a sea, Lake Baikal is the deepest and largest (by volume) freshwater lake in the world, and thought to be the world’s oldest as well. Famous for its crystal clear waters and unique wildlife, the lake is under threat by pollution, poaching and development.
An Adirondack lawyer on the trip told me that they had a boat ride with a group of Russians. One of the Russians said to him “Why are we wasting our time with Americans? Russia has a culture that produced great writers like Dostoyevsky, Pushkin, Turgenev and Chekhov, great musicians like Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, and Rimsky-Korsakov and great dancers like Baryshnikov, Nureyev, and Nijinsky. What has America contributed to the world?” [Read more…] about Paul Bray: Help Abandoned State Heritage Areas
Updated Model Preservation Law For NY Municipalities
The New York State Historic Preservation Office (OPRHP) and New York State Department of State, in partnership with the Preservation League of New York State, have developed an updated model local preservation law to help municipalities preserve historic resources in their communities. The model law is available on the agency’s website here.
The new model law details procedural steps for local landmarking decisions and review of proposed alterations to historic properties, and new standards for municipal process and public participation in the protection of historic resources. New York Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales said that the Department of State has worked closely to ensure that the Model Law can be used by towns, villages and cities of any size. [Read more…] about Updated Model Preservation Law For NY Municipalities
Should the History Community Lobby?
Should the New York State history community lobby in Albany and if so, for what? These questions occurred to me as I recently participated in two days of lobbying. The events were arranged by Parks & Trails New York and the Open Space Institute’s Alliance for New York Parks on Park Advocacy Day, and by the Tourism Industry Coalition for Tourism Action Day. The former is works essentially on behalf of NYS Office Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYSOPRHP) while the latter consists of 23 organizations including 9 counties, 2 cities, New York and Syracuse, one region, the Finger Lakes, and hospitality organizations. [Read more…] about Should the History Community Lobby?
Senate Budget Plan Hits NY State Historic Sites
The one-house budget resolution passed by the Republican controlled NYS Senate last week denies $92.5 million in funding for state park and historic site repairs and upgrades included in the Executive and Assembly budgets.
Advocates say the funding, which builds on the $200 million provided over the past two years, is critical to revitalize New York’s beleaguered system of state parks and historic sites, which saw a record 60 million visitors last year. [Read more…] about Senate Budget Plan Hits NY State Historic Sites
NYS Parks, Historic Sites Visitation Tops 60 Million
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) today announced that more than 60.1 million people visited New York state parks and historic sites in 2013, and campgrounds had the busiest year on record.
Visitation topped 60 million for the second year in a row despite the fact that some of state’s most popular parks were temporarily closed for repairs due to Superstorm Sandy. [Read more…] about NYS Parks, Historic Sites Visitation Tops 60 Million
Take The Online Survey:
NYS Historic Preservation Plan Input Sought
The New York State Division for Historic Preservation, including the State Historic Preservation Office, is updating the state’s historic preservation plan, which provides a blueprint for strengthening and expanding preservation efforts across the Empire State.
Public input is an important component of the planning process and they are taking a two-pronged approach. They have developed an online survey (available through the survey link) as well as a more in-depth questionnaire (see below). Those with an interest in New York’s history can take the public survey online here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/