$600,000 in grants have been awarded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to implement the goals and objectives of the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda 2021-2026. The Action Agenda is a five-year plan advancing efforts to conserve, preserve, and restore the Mohawk River and its watershed and the grants will support local partnerships and initiatives throughout the region. [Read more…] about $600,000 in Mohawk River Watershed Grants Awarded
Rotterdam
Fallen Game Wardens of New York State
Thirty-two-year-old John Woodruff of Scotia, New York was a rugged outdoorsman and a crack shot with a firearm, so it was no surprise to those who knew him when he left his job at the real estate office of J.A. Lindsley on State Street in Schenectady to join New York’s Game Protector force. The prospect of an exciting career as a Game Protector was something that appealed to many men who sought to make a living in the outdoors.
John Woodruff’s goal was achieved when he was appointed by New York State Conservation Commissioner George D. Pratt on November 1st, 1919, having finished first on the competitive civil service exam. Had John Woodruff known how short-lived his career would be, and the fate that was about to befall him, he may have had misgivings about the road he had chosen to travel. In April 1921, after missing for a year and a half, the mysterious fate of Game Protector John Woodruff would culminate with the discovery of his remains buried in the bed of Rotterdam Creek in Schenectady County. [Read more…] about Fallen Game Wardens of New York State
Rotterdam’s New Town Historian (Interview)
This week on The Historians Podcast, James Schaefer, Rotterdam’s new town historian, discusses his Schenectady County hometown, his neighborhood along Schermerhorn Road and the town’s role in a New York hiking trail. [Read more…] about Rotterdam’s New Town Historian (Interview)
Rotterdam, NY, Celebrates Its Bicentennal
This week on The Historians Podcast, John Woodward tells us about the bicentennial of Rotterdam, NY, a town in Schenectady County. Woodward chairs Rotterdam’s bicentennial committee and previously served 25 years as Schenectady County Clerk. [Read more…] about Rotterdam, NY, Celebrates Its Bicentennal
Mabee Farm to Fork Celebrates Agricultural Traditions
The Schenectady County Historical Society and the Electric City Food Co-op are teaming up to host an evening of local food tastings and live jazz (featuring Roben Kosek Jazz & Blues) inside Mabee Farm’s historic Dutch Barn.
Mabee Farm to Fork will be held on Saturday, September 24, from 5 – 8 pm. Tickets are $25 per person and will include local food tastings prepared by chef Christopher Marney. A cash bar will be available for alcoholic drinks. [Read more…] about Mabee Farm to Fork Celebrates Agricultural Traditions
A Flood of History: New York’s History in Peril
In recent months New York State has been the victim of horrendous flooding and devastation as the result of both Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The path of devastation is both wide and long – reaching from Maryland and New Jersey up to Vermont.
Centuries of disaster records have fallen. We have seen the evacuation of major areas of New York City and entire towns cut off from contact with neighboring communities and the outside world. As news crews rush to film the spectacular scenes of water rushing through main streets as buildings rush toward certain destruction, there are other stories that are lost in the immediacy of the event. [Read more…] about A Flood of History: New York’s History in Peril
Schoharie Crossing to Host 1792 Batteau Landing
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will host a replica 18th century bateaux (flat-bottomed cargo boats) owned by the Mabee Farm Historic Site and crewed by Schulyers Company of New York Provincials and other reenactors, while in route from Rome to Rotterdam Junction.
The trip is roughly 87 miles long, and recreates similar journeys that occurred on the Mohawk River prior to the building of the Erie Canal. Captain David Manthey and the crew welcomes the public to witness their landing at the Yankee Hill Picnic Area between 5pm and 6pm on the evening of August 25, 2011 and to ask questions. [Read more…] about Schoharie Crossing to Host 1792 Batteau Landing
Oldest Dutch Farm in Mohawk Valley Seeks Interns
The Mabee Farm Historic Site on the Mohawk River in Rotterdam Junction, Schenectady County, is considered the oldest house in the Mohawk Valley. The Schenectady County Historical Society is continuing to develop the farm site as a museum and educational center for the community and holds Colonial events, workshops, tours and educational programs which reflect the historical significance of this early Mohawk River farmstead. [Read more…] about Oldest Dutch Farm in Mohawk Valley Seeks Interns