New York State has been identified with the American gypsum industry from its start. The deposits in the central counties, where the gypsum [calcium sulfate] outcrops in places on the surface, were noted by the early settlers who began to take active possession of the lands… during the closing years of the eighteenth century.
The settlers were mostly from eastern New York and New England. They had some acquaintance, no doubt with the agricultural uses of gypsum, which at that time was imported and employed quite· extensively in the farming sections along the coast. This material came from Nova Scotia and France, for there were no local sources of supply in the coastal area. [Read more…] about A History of the New York Gypsum Industry, 1790-1930
In January, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $1.8 million in grants to support 27 not-for-profit organizations involved with the stewardship of state parks, trails, historic sites, and other public lands.