New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Otsego County

Grants for School Travel to Cooperstown Museums

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The Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, New York, have received a donation from KeyBank for $5,000. The gift was given to support travel grant opportunities that will cover transportation costs for fourth grade students, in Otsego County and the surrounding region, planning to visit the Museums. These grants will pay partial or total transportation costs depending on the school’s location and need.

The programs are currently available for the fourth grade only. For Otsego County fourth grade students, both bussing and admissions can be covered by this grant. For students outside of Otsego County, NYSHA is offering matching grants to PTOs or schools who are providing most of the costs of the field trips.

“We know that school budgets are tighter than ever, and we thank KeyBank for their part in supporting this much needed program to bring students to our museums,” said John Buchinger, Associate Director of Education at the New York State Historical Association and The Farmers’ Museum.

Summer Kids Program at Farmers Museum

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The Farmers’ Museum, one of the nation’s premier rural history museums, is currently recruiting for this summer’s Young Interpreter program. Boys and girls between the ages of 12 to 14, as of May 1st, are invited to apply by May 15th.

Young Interpreters have the opportunity to work in various selected sites throughout The Farmers’ Museum including: Peleg Field Blacksmith Shop, Lippitt Farmhouse, Dr. Thrall’s Pharmacy, The Middlefield Printing Office, Todd’s General Store, the Children’s Barnyard, or developing spinning and weaving skills. “This program is so popular because the boys and girls who participate enjoy working one-on-one with our experienced staff to learn new and unique skills,” says program manager Gwen Miner. “Plus, the leadership and presentation skills they gain over the summer are life-long benefits.”

A limited number of students will be accepted for the program; the application process is competitive. To apply, submit by May 15th a one to two page letter expressing your interest and reasons for wanting to be a Young Interpreter, as well as, an explanation of which apprenticeship you would like and why. Mail to: Young Interpreter Program, The Farmers’ Museum, P.O. Box 30, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Letters of reference are not necessary.

A committee of museum staff will review the applications. Applicants will be chosen based on their commitment and interest, maturity, willingness to learn, and ease with the public.

Young interpreters are expected to work one day a week for a period of eight weeks, beginning the last week in June and ending the last week in August. Students applying for the Young Interpreter Program must have parental permission and transportation to the Museum during the course of the program.

The program takes place at The Farmers’ Museum, a premier rural history museum established in 1943. The Museum presents the trades and crafts common to ordinary people of rural 19th-century New York State in its historic village and farmstead.

Applications for Fenimore’s ‘Art By The Lake’ Due

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Fenimore Art Museum is still accepting submissions for its outdoor, juried art competition – which attracted over 800 visitors last year from all over the region. The 4th annual Art By The Lake will be held Saturday, August 6, 2011 on the Museum’s grounds overlooking Otsego Lake.

Art by the Lake is a juried art invitational celebrating artists and landscape. An artist’s information packet and application is available on the Museum’s website at FenimoreArtMuseum.org/lake.

Selected artists will have the opportunity to display, demonstrate, and sell their art. Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

• Best Interpretation of New York Landscape

• Most Outstanding Use of Color

• Most Original Style

• Audience Favorite

Judges’ decisions will be based on creativity, craftsmanship, and relationship to the landscape theme.

Applications must be postmarked by May 2, 2011. (Late applications may be accepted at the discretion of the jury if space is available.) Artists will be notified of their acceptance by May 16, 2011, at which point they will receive detailed event information and an artist’s contract.

In addition to showcasing outstanding artists in all genres of landscape art, Art By the Lake features interactive demonstrations, educational programming, live entertainment, and tastings of some of the best food, wine, and beer from across the state, all with the backdrop of the spectacular Otsego Lake.

Farmers’ Museum Spring Workshops Begin

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Beginning April 9, The Farmers’ Museum will offer a series of spring workshops on topics ranging from making the freshest butter to blacksmithing. These fun, hands-on workshops will not only give you opportunities to learn new, novel skills, but will also feature current trendy hobbies—like heirloom gardening and raising chickens. [Read more…] about Farmers’ Museum Spring Workshops Begin

New York State Historic Preservation Awards Announced for 2010

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The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has announced the recipients of the 2010 New York State Historic Preservation Awards. Established in 1980, the State Historic Preservation Awards are given each year to honor excellence in the protection and rejuvenation of New York’s historic and cultural resources.

“The Historic Preservation Awards honor the efforts and achievement of individuals, organizations and municipalities that make significant contributions to historic preservation objectives throughout New York State,” said Ruth Pierpont, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Historic Preservation. “The range of awards this year reflects the many ways that historic preservation serves as an important tool for economic development, creating affordable housing, and providing an effective approach to sustainable building design while preserving the unique character and heritage of our communities.”

The awards follow:

OUTSTANDING NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION:

New York City’s Chinatown and Little Italy Historic District

Presented to: Two Bridges Neighborhood Council (Victor Papa, president and director) and architectural consultant Kerri Culhane, for a project that illuminates the common heritage and shared future of New York

New York City’s Chinatown and Little Italy Historic District was listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places in February 2010 as being nationally significant in the history of immigration. The project’s success was due to the inspired leadership of the sponsor, the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council; exemplary scholarship of their consultant – architectural historian Kerri Culhane; and the support of Chinese-American and Italian-American organizations. Key to the process was educating the public about the significance of two ethnic groups whose 150 years of interwoven immigrant experiences had been previously overlooked. This nomination has proven to be a catalyst for a planning process aimed at enhancing economic development opportunities while respecting the important history of these neighborhoods.

PROJECT ACHIEVEMENT:

The Montour House, Village of Montour Falls, Schuyler County, 1850

For Outstanding Adaptive Use and Commitment to Community Revitalization

Presented to: Bruce Nelson, Nelson Development, Village of Montour Falls and Schuyler County Partners for Economic Development

Set in motion by a Restore New York grant and assistance from the Schuyler County Partners for Economic Development (SCOPED), the Village of Montour Falls hired developer Bruce Nelson to bring the 1850 Montour House back to life. Nelson, of Nelson Development in Vestal, worked closely with SHPO staff to determine the best approach to adapting the former hotel for apartments and commercial spaces while adhering to historic preservation standards. Over 20 years of neglect had caused severe water damage and other deterioration, and the village was in danger of losing the central landmark. A mason employed on the job for 18 months and a millwright who restored 118 historic wood windows were joined by other team members who restored and replaced decorative plaster elements. The project fulfilled the Village’s goals of attracting new and long-time residents as tenants, and helped inspired other local rehabilitation projects.

PROJECT ACHIEVEMENT:

257 Lafayette Center (The Former Annunciation School), Buffalo, 1928

For Outstanding Adaptive Use and Commitment to Community Revitalization

Presented to: Karl Frizlen, The Frizlen Group Architects and Paul Johnson, Johnson and Sons Contractors

After having served as an integral part of the community for over 80 years, the school closed and the building stood vacant for several years. Karl Frizlen, of The Frizlen Group Architects, and Paul Johnson, of Johnson & Sons General Contractor, recognized that the well-designed school would be ideal for an adaptive, mixed-used development that would incorporate green building design and historic preservation. The partners attracted tenants for the commercial portion of the building before beginning the project, including a day-care center and several firms for the incubator offices. In converting former school rooms, the work exhibits a high degree of creativity in reusing historic elements in place, such as pivoting blackboards, or recycling materials for new uses in the building. The project is an outstanding example of how historic tax credits can be used for a mid-sized rehabilitation project. Having obtained LEED certification, the project demonstrates that historic preservation and sustainable design are mutually supportive approaches to development.

PROJECT ACHIEVEMENT:

44 West 87th Street, New York City, 1910

For Outstanding Adaptive Use and Commitment to Community Revitalization

Presented to: The West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, Inc. and Red Top Architects

In adapting the 1910 townhouse at 44 West 87th Street in New York City for senior and transitional housing and program services, the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, Inc. and Red Top Architects needed to upgrade the building to meet accessibility requirements; provide affordable rental units and smaller, transitional housing units; and also insert meeting and office space. Project partners worked through a highly collaborative process to solve design challenges. Preservation tax credits helped make the difference in the remarkable quality of workmanship and historic character preserved by the adaptive use project on a tight budget.

PROJECT ACHIEVEMENT:

P. S. 124, High School of Telecommunication Arts & Technology, Brooklyn, 1917

For an Outstanding Rehabilitation Project and Commitment to Community Revitalization

Presented to: New York City School Construction Authority and STV Group, Inc.

In planning a new wing for the overcrowded school building, the School Construction Authority staff and STV Group architects had to design a structure that would fit on the limited land available, would be compatible with the materials, massing and scale of the existing building and that would also meet with the approval of both SHPO and the community. The end result included a well-designed new wing and restoration of the school’s original auditorium, portions of which had previously been converted to classroom space. In returning the auditorium to its former grandeur, the team recreated missing decorative elements and restored stained glass windows.

PROJECT ACHIEVEMENT:

Dunderberg Creek Walls and NY Route 51 Stone Arch Bridge over Dunderberg Creek, Village of Gilbertsville, Otsego County

For an Outstanding Rehabilitation Project and Commitment to Community Revitalization

Presented to: Village of Gilbertsville and New York State Department of Transportation, Region 9

The historic Village of Gilbertsville’s picturesque setting was threatened in June 2006, when storm waters overflowed the Dunderberg Creek banks and came roaring through the village. The historic stone walls lining the creek were washed away, debris carried by the waters destroyed one of the piers supporting the historic Gilbert Building, and the NY Route 51 Bridge was damaged. Village officials, committed to preserving the historic character of the village, worked closely with the NYSDOT to coordinate repairs to the 1919 bridge and creek walls in a manner that retained the historic pattern of the stonework.

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT:

Anne H. Van Ingen, former director of the Architecture, Planning and Design and Capital Program of the New York State Council on the Arts.

Recently-retired as director of the Architecture, Planning and Design (APD) and Capital Aid Programs at the New York State Council on the Arts, Anne Van Ingen was recognized for her extraordinary leadership in and commitment and contributions to the field of historic preservation, both as a public servant and a private citizen.

For 27 years, she served as NYSCA’s representative on the New York State Board for Historic Preservation, reviewing and approving nominations to the State and National Registers for Historic Places. Her focus as APD director was on what quality planning and design work – including historic preservation – could do for arts organizations and the communities they serve. She is a founding director of the Deborah J. Norden Fund of the Architectural League, established in memory of a talented NYSCA colleague, the Lower Manhattan Emergency Preservation Fund, and is president of the St. Regis Foundation, a land trust in the Adirondacks.

More recently, she purchased a traditional “shotgun” house in New Orleans’ Hurricane Katrina-ravaged Ninth Ward and invited friends and family down to help undertake the extensive rehabilitation needed to turn the property into affordable housing.

Recognition for OPRHP Agency Best Practices in Historic Preservation

Taconic Regional Headquarters Adaptive Use Project

The Preservation awards program initiated a new component this year to recognize projects undertaken within the OPRHP agency that demonstrate best practices in historic preservation. Ruth Pierpont, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Historic Preservation explained, “by highlighting high-quality rehabilitation and restoration projects, we hope to encourage similar approaches throughout all state parks.” The project chosen this year was the adaptive use of the former Staatsburg School for the OPRHP Taconic Regional Headquarters.

The project was initiated with a gift from Dr. Lucy R. Waletsky, chair of the New York State Council of Parks, who stipulated that the project use sustainable, green building practices and become LEED certified. In order to retain the proportions of the 1930 school, the wide corridors were retained and glass walls were inserted in former classrooms to divide the work spaces and allow the distribution of natural light. On the exterior, instead of separating the accessible entrance from the main door, a “universally accessible” entry was created by redesigning the building site and locating the main entrance at the former rear of the building. This approach also avoided alterations to the stately, historic façade which was restored.

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which is part of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, helps communities identify, recognize, and preserve their historic resources, and incorporate them into local improvement and economic development activities. The SHPO administers several programs including the state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credit program, state historic preservation grants, the Certified Local Government program, and the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places, which are the official lists of properties significant in the history, architecture, and archeology of the state and nation.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 178 state parks and 35 historic sites.. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com.

Fenimore’s Art by the Lake Set for Saturday

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The Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown announces its third annual juried art event celebrating the relationship between artists and the landscape – Art by the Lake, taking place Saturday, August 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the Museum’s expansive back lawn. The event offers plein-air painting demonstrations, exhibits of works by contemporary landscape artists, music, educational programs, and samplings of New York State foods and beverages – all in a lavish setting overlooking Otsego Lake.

Art by the Lake is a juried art competition featuring 12 selected artists. These artists, chosen this past May, include Jessica Dalrymple (oil), Evelyn Dankovich (Oil, Watercolor, Acrylic), Denise Dolge (Pastel), Grant Dolge (Pastel), Lois Holz (Watercolor), Tom Hussey (oil), Bill Mowson (Watercolor), Marilyn A. Roveland (watercolor), Elaine Wentworth (watercolor, acrylic), Meg Anderson Argo (Soft Pastels), Andrea House (Oil), and Susan Jones Kenyon (Oil). A panel of judges will determine awards for categories such as “Best Interpretation of a New York Landscape,” Most Outstanding Use of Color,” and others. There will be spectator voting for the “Audience Favorite” until 2:30 p.m. The award ceremony takes place at 3:00 p.m.

The Museum will provide tours of current exhibitions including Empire Waists, Bustles & Lace: A Century of New York Fashion with curator Chris Rossi (11:00 a.m.); Watermark with artist Michele Harvey (12:00 p.m.); In Our Time: The World as Seen by Magnum Photographers with curator Michelle Murdock (1:00 p.m.); and John Singer Sargent: Portraits in Praise of Women with chief curator Paul D’Ambrosio (2:00 p.m.). The Mohawk Bark House and Interpretive Trail will also be open in the afternoon.

Author Marian Mullet will be signing copies of her book, Richard Andrew: Called to Paint, throughout the day and Cynthia Marsh will have information available on the Oneonta Mural Project.

In addition to the art, there will be children’s activities from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. including lawn games such as bocce and croquet. Kids can also create their own postcard and partake in an afternoon tea (1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.).

Art by the Lake provides delectable culinary experiences including wine and beer tastings from Cooperstown Brewing Company and Four Chimneys Organic Winery (11:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.). The Museum’s food staff will create dishes incorporating ingredients from local sources – available for purchase from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 pm. Cabot/McCadam Cheese will offer samples and the Fenimore Art Museum Café will be open throughout the day.

Admission to the event is free with paid admission to the Fenimore Art Museum. Adults (13-64): $12.00 and seniors (65+): $10.50. Members of NYSHA, children 12 and under, as well as active and retired career military (must present card at admissions) are free.

Visit their website for more information at FenimoreArtMuseum.org/lake.

Fenimore Museum Lecture on John Singer Sargent

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Join Patricia Hills, Professor of Art History at Boston University, for an insightful lecture on John Singer Sargent’s male subjects titled “Sargent’s Men.” Known for his superb portraits of women, John Singer Sargent could paint equally stunning and brilliant portraits men. Whether they be informal sketches of his artist friends or stately portraits of American international financiers, French literary types, English aristocrats, or Bedouin chieftains, he knew how to collaborate with his sitters to fashion an attractive and commanding persona.

The lecture takes place Saturday, June 19 at 2:00 p.m. in the Fenimore Art Museum auditorium and is free with paid admission to the Museum. NYSHA members are free.

The lecture is just a portion of the programming that accompanies the new exhibition John Singer Sargent: Portraits in Praise of Women. Visit FenimoreArtMuseum.org for more information.

Lecture to Focus on Southern Otsego County

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Join Mark Simonson as he discusses the development of southern Otsego County as well as the preservation work of Hanford Mills and Hyde Hall – both co-sponsors of the lecture. Mr. Simonson is the Otsego City Historian and an interpreter at The Farmers’ Museum. The lecture will be held in the auditorium of the Fenimore Art Museum on Tuesday, June 8, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

The Fenimore Art Museum, located on the shores of Otsego Lake — James Fenimore Cooper’s “Glimmerglass Lake” — in historic Cooperstown, New York, features a wide-ranging collection of American art.

Fenimore Art Museum exhibits include: folk art; important American 18th- and 19th-century landscape, genre, and portrait paintings; an extensive collection of domestic artifacts; more than 125,000 historical photographs representing the technical developments made in photography and providing extensive visual documentation of the region’s unique history; and the renowned Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art comprising more than 800 art objects representative of a broad geographic range of North American Indian cultures, from the Northwest Coast, Eastern Woodlands, Plains, Southwest, Great Lakes, and Prairie regions. Founded in 1945, the Fenimore Art Museum is NYSHA’s showcase museum.

Farmers’ Museum Annual Benefit Horse Show, Clinic

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Hunt-seat riders are welcome to submit entries for The Farmers’ Museum’s 14th Annual Benefit Horse Show, scheduled for Sunday, June 13, at the Iroquois Farm Showgrounds on County Route 33, in Cooperstown. The show, which offers equestrians the opportunity to test their horsemanship skills, features a range of classes for beginner through open riders.

Riders and spectators alike will enjoy the course which features handcrafted jumps representing local landmarks in Cooperstown.

The 4th Annual Horse Show Clinic will be conducted by Timmy Kees from Westport, CT. With over 35 years experience on the “A” horse show circuit, W.T. (“Timmy”) Kees is one of the country’s most prominent hunter/equitation trainers. His riders have won the ASPCA Maclay, USEF Medal and USET equitation finals a total of 7 times. Kees has also trained hunters such as Holy Smoke, Watership Down and Castaway to championships at Devon, Harrisburg, Washington and The National Horse Show. He is a USEF “R” judge and conducts clinics throughout the country. Kees was recently inducted into the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame. He is based at Red Gate Farm in Newtown, CT, where he trains horses and riders for the hunter, jumper and equitation divisions with partners Olympic gold medalist Leslie Burr Howard and Grand Prix riders Molly Ashe Cawley and Chris Cawley.

The clinic will be held on Saturday, June 12, and is open to riders of all ages, levels, and abilities riding horses or ponies. (Participants must be able to jump at least 2’.) Overnight stabling off-site and a discount on entry fees is available for registrants who will be participating in the clinic and the show. Four sessions are available. Space is limited and registration is required by June 9. Registration forms are available on our website at FarmersMuseum.org.

The 14th Annual Benefit Horse Show will be held on Sunday, June 13. A warm-up over-fences class will be offered from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. The show begins at 9 a.m., rain or shine. Championships will be awarded as well as The Josef Neckermann Perpetual Trophy, presented to the best child rider; The John Moffat Perpetual Trophy, granted to the Champion in the Equitation Division; The Coral Island Leading Hunter Perpetual Trophy, awarded to the horse scoring the most points entered in the children’s, adult and/or open divisions; and The Good Sportsmanship Award, will be presented to a rider, trainer, or parent who exemplifies good conduct, character and overall good sportsmanship.

Judges for the show include Mason Phelps, Wellington, FL; Walter T. Kees of Westport, CT; and Susan B. Schoellkopf of Buffalo, New York. The course designer and show manager is Leo Conroy of Wellington, FL. The announcer is David Distler of Norwalk, CT. All classes are pointed by Chensego Hunter Association.

The Annual Patrons’ Luncheon will also be offered at noon. Enjoy a delicious champagne luncheon coupled with ringside seating under the tent. Coffees and teas will be available from 10:00 a.m. – noon; champagne and mimosas will be served starting at 11:00 a.m.; and afternoon refreshments will follow through the end of the show. Tickets are $45 per person (adult) and $10 (12 and under). Reservations are required by June 1st. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact Laura Gattoni at 607-547-1471 or email Development@nysha.org.

For a prize list, information on the horse show or clinic, please contact Meg Preston at (607) 547-1452 or visit our web site at FarmersMuseum.org. Admission to the show is free. Dogs are welcome at the show, but must be leashed at all times. Food and drinks will be available for purchase throughout the day.

Proceeds raised by the Benefit Horse Show will support the education programs at The Farmers’ Museum.

Cooperstown: Food For Thought Programs

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Food for Thought, the popular lunch and lecture series of The Farmers’ Museum and the Fenimore Art Museum, kicks off the 2010 season on Wednesday, May 12. All programs are held on Wednesdays beginning at noon at the Fenimore Art Museum or The Farmers’ Museum.

Food for Thought programs are a lunch and lecture series which offers visitors a more in-depth understanding of our exhibits and programs. All programs begin at noon on Wednesdays and include lunch ($15 for NYSHA members and $20 for non-members). Registration is required at least three days in advance. Cancellations without advanced warning will be charged. To reserve your spot, please call Karen Wyckoff at (607) 547-1410.

Food for Thought programs at the Fenimore Art Museum:

May 12 Virtual Folk: A People’s Choice Exhibition

June 2 Thirty Feet of Legend and Lineage

June 16 John Singer Sargent: Portraits in Praise of Women

June 23 In Our Time: The World as Seen by Magnum Photographers

July 7 Civil War Arms & Equipment: The New York Soldier

Food for Thought programs at The Farmers’ Museum:

June 9 New York State Barns

July 14 The History of Thrall Pharmacy

July 28 Phrenology in 19th-Century America