History, Natural History & the Arts
On August 25th, the Durham Valley Scenic Byway (DVSB) spanning 21 miles through the towns of Durham and Windham in Greene County was designated as part of the New York State Scenic Byways System (NYSSBP).
These 21 miles were designated scenic roads by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in 1991 before the creation of the NYSSBP. [Read more…] about Durham Valley Scenic Byway Designated
On the morning of December 31, 1909, Saratoga Springs philanthropist and financier Spencer Trask was just waking up after a night in a railroad sleeping car at the rear of the Montreal Express. The night before this southbound train had picked up Trask in Saratoga as it made its way toward New York City.
At 8:03 am, only moments after the express train had stopped unexpectedly on the mainline near Croton, Westchester County, New York, a train transporting bales of raw silk crashed into its rear, killing Trask, the porter in his sleeping car, and injuring several other of the passengers. While the direct cause of this deadly wreck pointed to a failure of signal equipment and railroad personnel, events leading up to the tragedy had been put into motion six thousand miles to the west seventeen days earlier. [Read more…] about The Silk Train That Killed Financier Spencer Trask
A $21.1 million, two-year project to replace the two I-87 Adirondack Northway bridges between Lake George and Warrensburg in Warren County with one single span is now underway. [Read more…] about Lake George Northway Bridges Being Replaced
New York State’s Empire State Development Corporation’s proposed Pennsylvania Station Civic and Land Use Project (the “Penn Area Plan”) would demolish multiple blocks of historic buildings in the vicinity of Penn Station in Manhattan.
All told, over 40 historic buildings and structures stand to be lost while displacing thousands of residents and businesses. [Read more…] about Under Threat: The Penn Station Neighborhood in Manhattan
The Adirondack Park Agency Board, at its May 2022 meeting, authorized a 60-day public comment period to solicit comments to help inform the Board’s interpretation of the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan’s “Wild Forest Basic Guideline No. 4” which calls for no material increase of road mileage on lands classified as Wild Forest.
The APA’s interpretation of Basic Guideline No. 4 could establish a new baseline for road mileage on Wild Forest classified lands. [Read more…] about Comments On Increasing Adirondack Park Road, Snowmobile Trail Mileage Sought
The NYS Canal System is scheduled to open on Friday, May 20th at 7 am for the 2022 navigation season.
Standard hours of operation will be 7 am to 5 pm until October 12th, but busier locks and lift bridges will be open on demand until 10 pm. If adjustments to the schedule are necessary, the public will be notified accordingly. There are no tolls or fees for recreational use of the Canal system this year. [Read more…] about New York State Canal System Opens May 20th
New York State Department of Transportation has announced that work is underway on a $8.3 million project to replace concrete barriers and portions of guide-rail along three segments of State Route 73 in the towns of Keene and North Elba, Essex County.
The project includes a stretch of Route 73 along Upper and Lower Cascade Lakes through the Adirondack High Peaks that is part of the annual Lake Placid Ironman course. Work will be completed by late fall, ahead of the Lake Placid 2023 International University Sports Federation World University Games coming this January. [Read more…] about DOT Replacing Route 73 Barriers In Adirondack High Peaks
Throughout the Hudson Valley, community volunteers are getting out their flashlights, reflective vests, and rain gear in anticipation of annual amphibian breeding migrations, which typically begin in mid-March. Volunteers will document the migration and help salamanders and frogs as part of DEC’s Amphibian Migrations and Road Crossings Project. [Read more…] about Volunteers Preparing for Annual Salamander, Frog Migration
The Ausable River Association’s (AsRA) has released a salt use survey for residents, businesses, and independent contractors in Lake Placid, with emphasis on Mirror Lake. Developed in partnership with the Adirondack Watershed Institute, the survey is essential to determining the amount of salt entering Mirror Lake and the Chubb River. [Read more…] about Salt Survey Being Conducted By Ausable River Association
The William G. Pomeroy Foundation has announced the newest grant round of its Historic Transportation Canals Marker Grant Program is now open. This program commemorates the historical significance of transportation canals in the United States with roadside markers. [Read more…] about Historic Transportation Canals Marker Grants Available