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
Martin V. Melosi’s new book Fresh Kills: A History of Consuming and Discarding in New York City (Columbia University Press, 2020) tells the story of Fresh Kills ― a monumental 2,200-acre site on Staten Island ― that was once the world’s largest landfill.
Bill Miller, knwon as “Mr. Ocean Liner,” is set to give a talk, Floating Palaces: The Great Atlantic Liners, on Thursday, January 30th, from 6 to 8 pm, at the National Lighthouse Museum in Staten Island.
This episode of the podcast Someone Lived Here explores Sailors’ Snug Harbor on Staten Island, for more than a century a charity operated retirement home for sailors.