New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

peru

Northern New York Landscape Artist Daniel Folger Bigelow

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Daniel Folger Bigelow painting in his Chicago studioDaniel Folger Bigelow, the nationally known landscape painter, was born on a farm in Peru, Clinton County, NY, on July 20 1823. As a child, Daniel stood on a chair and studied a wall painting. Between farm chores, he would sit on a fence and look across Lake Champlain, watching the magnificent change of colors on Mount Mansfield.

His pencil sketches pleased his parents, but they did not take his talent seriously, believing it was an impractical way to make a living. [Read more…] about Northern New York Landscape Artist Daniel Folger Bigelow

The Geology of Clinton County and History

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Map of Clinton CountyThe geology of Clinton County has shaped the county’s history in complex ways. There are five major geologic rock types in the county, each mined for its beauty and strength. You can see them in the buildings. [Read more…] about The Geology of Clinton County and History

Northern New York’s Shrine to Mother Cabrini: Some History

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St. Patrick Church and Shrine enclosure by John RyanNestled in the hills of West Peru in Clinton County, NY, called “the Patent,” with its small yet sturdy steeple prominent among the trees, lies St. Patrick’s Church. Solemnly beside the Church, amid a park-like setting with fourteen Stations of the Cross, is a Shrine to the founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini. [Read more…] about Northern New York’s Shrine to Mother Cabrini: Some History

The Battle of Valcour Island Memorial: A Short History

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Ruth Alice Ladue and John Clay Agnew unveil the monument on Oct 11 1928Each year since 1895, the Saranac Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution commemorate the October 11th, 1776, Battle of Valcour. Each year’s event features a speaker and a ceremonial reverence given to honor the patriots who fought in the first naval battle of the American Revolution at Valcour Island on Lake Champlain. [Read more…] about The Battle of Valcour Island Memorial: A Short History

1973 Clinton County Missing Child Case Still Under Investigation

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Linda Lee St Germain in circa 1973 and in an age-progression photo at age 57 (circa 2017)On February 13, 1973, around 6:20 pm, New York State Police responded to Lake Edge Motel located on State Route 9, in the town of Peru, Clinton County, NY, for a missing child. State Police are still investigating this missing person, who was at the time a 12-year-old Linda Lee St. Germaine, born June 10, 1960. [Read more…] about 1973 Clinton County Missing Child Case Still Under Investigation

NYS Awards $8M in Clean Water Project Grants to Adirondack Communities

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Entering Adirondack Park signThe NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) has awarded $638 million in grants to municipalities statewide for water infrastructure projects and Town of Indian Lake in Hamilton County was the biggest winner among Adirondack communities. [Read more…] about NYS Awards $8M in Clean Water Project Grants to Adirondack Communities

Ausable River Clean-Up Set For Sept 8th

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Ausable River Clean-Up provided by AsRAThe Ausable River Association (AsRA), in partnership with Adirondack River Rentals, has announced an Ausable River Clean-Up, set for Tuesday, September 8th in Peru, Clinton County, NY.

The clean-up is open to all community members and visitors who want to volunteer their time to help restore and protect the Ausable River. [Read more…] about Ausable River Clean-Up Set For Sept 8th

The Babbie Rural and Farm Learning Museum

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BabMus01In the northeast corner of New York State, the first weekend in June features Museum Days, during which 16 facilities in Clinton County offer free admission. We were among many who appeared as special guests on both days, offering our books for sale and visiting with attendees, which meant talking a lot about “the good old days.” From that experience, I can assure everyone that a trip to the Babbie Rural & Farm Learning Museum in Peru, where we spent Saturday, is a great idea from several perspectives.

As a museum, it’s a real pleasure, and for children and adults alike, it’s fun and entertaining. But it occurred to me that it’s also a priceless gift to people in their sixties or older, and to the offspring of those folks who have heard stories about childhood chores, tools of yesteryear, and appliances that preceded modern devices. [Read more…] about The Babbie Rural and Farm Learning Museum