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Staten Island

The Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine

September 24, 2023 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The Witch of New YorkOn Christmas night, December 25, 1843, in a serene village on Staten Island, shocked neighbors discovered the burnt remains of twenty-four-year-old mother Emeline Houseman and her infant daughter, Ann Eliza. In a perverse nativity, someone bludgeoned to death a mother and child in their home — and then covered up the crime with hellfire. [Read more…] about The Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine

Filed Under: Books, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, New York City Tagged With: Crime and Justice, Journalism, Legal History, Manhattan, New York City, Newburgh, Newspapers, Orange County, Pegasus Books, Staten Island, Vice, womens history

The Great Depression in New York City: A Primer

September 11, 2023 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Crowd in front of the New York Stock Exchange, October 1929As the 1920s advanced, the economy soared. But with that dramatic expansion came irrational exuberance and unchecked speculation: stock prices reached levels that had no basis in reality; margin purchases were rampant; banks handed out loans lavishly and imprudently; and giddy product production resulted in a vast oversupply of goods.

On Tuesday, October 29, 1929, it all came crashing down. This is the story of the Great Depression in New York City. [Read more…] about The Great Depression in New York City: A Primer

Filed Under: Arts, History, New York City Tagged With: Black History, Brooklyn, Economic History, Education, Financial History, Fiorello La Guardia, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Great Depression, Harlem, Herbert Hoover, Hispanic History, Housing, Jimmy Walker, Labor History, Manhattan, New Deal, New York City, New York Stock Exchange, poverty, Public Health, Queens, Staten Island, Wall Street, WPA

Teachable Moments Launch A New Book

May 13, 2023 by Noel Sherry Leave a Comment

Autobiographies are by far the most popular genre in literature. My experience mentoring over 150 adults in completing and sharing a “Life Map” project in a supportive group reinforces this fact. For many of these adults, their Life Map turned out to be one of their best learning experiences. And that in spite of the fact that for about eight percent of adults this “experiment” in self-writing and exploration came up against a “darkside event” or difficult life-chapter that put up a real roadblock. [Read more…] about Teachable Moments Launch A New Book

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Arts, Capital-Saratoga, New York City Tagged With: Adirondacks, Big Moose, Herkimer COunty, Literature, Religion, Rensselaer County, RPI, Staten Island, Troy, Twitchell Lake, Vietnam War, Writing

Steam-Powered Lighthouse Tender Lilac in Dry Dock

March 30, 2023 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

lilac tender in drydockLilac, America’s only surviving steam-powered lighthouse tender, is turning 90 this year. Its birthday celebration is being launched with a dry docking. [Read more…] about Steam-Powered Lighthouse Tender Lilac in Dry Dock

Filed Under: History, New York City Tagged With: Coast Guard, lighthouse, Manhattan, Maritime History, Museum Ship Lilac, Museums, New York City, Staten Island

Italian Heroes In New York: What Purpose Did Statues Serve?

December 14, 2022 by Jaap Harskamp 1 Comment

Bust of Italian Patriot Giuseppe MazziniNationalism of the nineteenth century represents very different values to those of our era. With the present rise of frenzied flag-waving and militant xenophobia, it is hard to understand the cult status achieved by foreign revolutionary figures such as Lafayette, who was honored as the “French Hero of the American Revolution.”

In 1878 a bust of Giuseppe Mazzini was unveiled in New York City‘s Central Park. A decade later, on the sixth anniversary of his death, Giuseppe Garibaldi was memorialized with a bronze statue in Washington Square Park. Why were these relatively unknown Italian insurgents given such a prestigious presence in New York? [Read more…] about Italian Heroes In New York: What Purpose Did Statues Serve?

Filed Under: History, New York City Tagged With: Art History, Central Park, French History, Greenwich Village, Immigration, Italian History, Manhattan, Monuments, New York City, Revolutions of 1848, sculpture, Staten Island

Remembering Historian & Historic Preservationist Billy McMillen

December 1, 2022 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

Billy McMillen (courtesy Historic Richmond Town)On November 9th noted historian and historic preservationist William “Billy” McMillen of Glenmont, New York, passed away quietly at home at the age of 81. Born on Staten Island, McMillen lived there his entire life until retiring to Glenmont in 2003.

His work at Historic Richmond Town, a site his father helped to found, began in 1963 and he became Supervisor of Restoration in 1967, serving in that position until his retirement.  A master of many trades, he was best known as a tinsmith who helped train many tinsmiths across the country. [Read more…] about Remembering Historian & Historic Preservationist Billy McMillen

Filed Under: Arts, Capital-Saratoga, History, New York City Tagged With: Glenmont, HIstoric Eastfield Village, Historic Preservation, Historic Richmond, Nassau, New York City, Public History, Rensselaer County, Staten Island

$1.4M For Hudson River Estuary Community Projects

October 22, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Students catch fish with seine nets at 'Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor' event in AlbanyNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced grants totaling more than $1.4 million for 23 projects to help communities along the Hudson River Estuary improve water quality and enhance environmental education and stewardship.

The announcement coincides with the 20th Annual ‘Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor,’ where 5,000 student scientists are gathering along the Hudson River and New York Harbor to collect data on the Hudson’s fish and invertebrates, track the river’s tides and currents, and examine water chemistry and quality. [Read more…] about $1.4M For Hudson River Estuary Community Projects

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Nature, New York City, Recreation Tagged With: Bronx County, clean water, Columbis University, CUNY, DEC, Dutchess County, Fisheries, Hudson River, Hudson River Estuary Program, Hudson River Park, Hudson River Watershed Alliance, Hudson Riverkeeper, nature, New York City, New York Harbor, Newburgh, Orange County, Ossining, Oysters, Pace University, Putnam County, Randall's Island, Rensselaer, Rensselaer County, Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, Richmond County, Rockland County, Sarah Lawrence College, Saugerties, Stanford, Staten Island, The Bronx, Ulster County, water quality, Waterfront Alliance, Westchester County, Yonkers

Early Distilling History: Puritan Bibles, Gin & Schnapps

September 12, 2022 by Jaap Harskamp Leave a Comment

nineteenth century English print of A Dutch Gin MerchantFor the first decade of its existence, New Amsterdam was a rough place. Located on the tip of Manhattan Island, it was a haven for pirates and smugglers. Many of the earliest rules and regulations were an attempt to control the unruly citizens of a backwater outpost, but officials proved unable to lay down the law. Intemperate drinking was one of the problems.

In 1640 permission was granted by Willem Kieft, Director of the New Netherland Colony, for liquor to be distilled on Staten Island – in contemporary Dutch: Staaten Eylandt – where what is believed to have been the first commercial distillery in North America was built (today Staten Island is home to the Booze History Museum). [Read more…] about Early Distilling History: Puritan Bibles, Gin & Schnapps

Filed Under: Food, History, New York City Tagged With: Brooklyn, Culinary History, Dutch History, liquor, London, Medical History, Netherlands, New Amsterdam, New Netherland, New York City, Prohibition, Spain, Staten Island, Vice

Coastal Green Infrastructure: The Staten Island Living Breakwaters Project

March 29, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Living Breakwaters ProjectLiving Breakwaters is a coastal green infrastructure project consisting of 2,400 linear feet of near-shore breakwaters — partially submerged structures built of stone and ecologically-enhanced concrete – currently being constructed off the southern coast of Staten Island.

The breakwaters are designed to reduce the impact of climate-intensified weather events on the low-lying coastal community of Tottenville, which experienced some of the most damaging waves in the region and tragic loss of life during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. [Read more…] about Coastal Green Infrastructure: The Staten Island Living Breakwaters Project

Filed Under: Events, History, New York City Tagged With: Environmental History, Hurricane Sandy, National Lighthouse Museum, Staten Island

Sailors’ Snug Harbor on Staten Island (Author Interview)

July 25, 2021 by Robert Chiles Leave a Comment

Bosom FriendsThe most recent episode of Empire State Engagements features a conversation with Dr. Thomas J. Balcerski of Eastern Connecticut State University about his New York History journal article “‘The Little Spark of Manhood I Have Left’: Governor Thomas Melville and the Aged Seamen of Sailors’ Snug Harbor,” and his recent monograph Bosom Friends: The Intimate World of James Buchanan and William Rufus King (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019). [Read more…] about Sailors’ Snug Harbor on Staten Island (Author Interview)

Filed Under: History, New York City Tagged With: Cultural History, Labor History, Maritime History, Podcasts, Social History, Staten Island

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