Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Illustrations for Birds of New York (1910-1914)
Natural History Illustration Collection
Housed in the historical archives in the Cultural Education Center are a series of bird paintings by Louis Agassiz Fuertes done for The Birds of New York by Elon Howard Eaton in 1910 (vol.1) and 1914 (vol.2). Although there are one hundred and six (106) plates in The Birds of New York, there are one hundred and eighteen (118) original paintings.
These are an important part of New York State's heritage not only because they were accomplished by a life-long resident of New York, but because historically, Fuertes is considered one of the world's greatest bird artists.
Ashley Bennett, SUNY Oswego, Leo, 2015, Mixed media
Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition 2016
The Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition presents artwork selected by a panel of jurors from the fall 2015 and the spring 2016 student art exhibitions at the State University Plaza in downtown Albany over the past academic year. The works on exhibit at the New York State Museum represent the wide range of media being studied by art students within SUNY and cover the traditional areas of drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, and sculpture, as well as digital imaging, photography, and mixed media installations.
The SUNY Student Art Exhibitions began in 2002 with the goal of bringing the accomplished work of SUNY’s student artists to a wider and more diverse audience. This mission continues with the ninth installment of the exhibition at the New York State Museum.
State Museum Scientists Publish New Research on Large Mammal Colonization and Extinction in New York After the Ice Age
New York State Museum scientists have completed research that reveals when and why large mammals—including caribou, mammoths, and mastodons—re-colonized and ultimately went extinct in New York State after the last Ice Age. This research may help scientists better understand how ecosystems formed and why certain species went extinct after the last Ice Age. Dr. Robert Feranec, the Museum’s curator of Pleistocene vertebrate paleontology, and Dr. Andrew Kozlowski, the Museum’s glacial geologist, co-authored the research that appears in the most recent issue of the journal “Quaternary Research” (Volume 85, Issue 2).
At the height of the last Ice Age, approximately twenty-five thousand years ago, the area that is now New York State was nearly entirely covered in ice. As the earth moved from a glacial climate to an interglacial climate and the ice melted, new land opened up to colonization by plants and animals. By carbon dating specimens in the State Museum collections as well as analyzing carbon dates of caribou, mammoths, and mastodons from other published research, Feranec and Kozlowski were able to determine the colonization and extinction patterns of those species following the last Ice Age.
Based on the carbon dates, a pattern in the timing of colonization emerges with caribou appearing first, about 17,000 years ago. Mammoths followed shortly thereafter, arriving when their preferred habitat, a tundra environment, was present in the state. A few thousand years later, mastodons then colonized the state when their preferred habitat, boreal forest, became present.
Interestingly, the scientists found that the pattern of extinction was opposite that of colonization. At the end of the Pleistocene epoch, about 12,000 years ago, mastodons went extinct in the state first, followed by mammoths. There are historical records of caribou in the state up to and during the Colonial period (about 200 years ago).
Paleontologists have long debated the cause of the end-Pleistocene extinction when over 50 species of large mammals went extinct in North America. Different arguments have focused on whether the extinction was caused by human-related impacts, such as over-hunting animals, by climate change and subsequent habitat change associated with the shift from a glacial period to an interglacial period, or by a combination of the simultaneous impacts of humans and climate.
Based on this study, at the time of their extinction in the state, the preferred habitats of both mammoths and mastodons were still present; therefore implicating that lack of food or preferred habitat alone could not have been significant contributors to their demise. However, about 1,000 years before these species go extinct, humans enter the state. Feranec and Kozlowski determined that while humans may not have been the only cause in the extinction of mammoths and mastodons in New York, and elsewhere in North America, they likely played a role in the extinction of many species.
Feranec and Kozlowski note that these results not only provide clues to life in the past, but also help provide a basis for understanding more modern concerns, such as the effects of current climatic change on species today and how those species will respond. This study illustrates the need and value of collections-based research to address modern societal issues.
The article is available for free through May 24, 2016 at: http://authors.elsevier.com/a/1Spf87eobDNef.
The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.
Department:
Phone: (518) 474-1201
George S. Barkintin, Illustrations for Devonian Crinoids of New York (1923)
Natural History Illustration Collection
The Devonian Crinoids of New York was a much-needed study undertaken by paleontologist Winifred Goldring (1888-1971) as part of the State Museum's continuing effort to complete a comprehensive description of New York's ancient life. Begun in 1916, the work was published in 1923. Sixty plates drawn by artist George S. Barkentin illustrated the volume. Five of these plates are shown below.
To view all of the plates, The Devonian Crinoids of New York is accessible online courtesy of the New York State Archives.
Ellen Edmondson & Hugh Crisp, Illustrations for Fresh Water Surveys (1926-1939)
Natural History Illustration Collection
This collection consists of 160 extremely beautiful fish illustrations by Ellen Edmunson and Hugh Crisp done for the Department of Environmental Conservation Fresh Water Fish Surveys 1926-1939. Both artists were said to be drawn to scientific size and accuracy.
The illustrations represent the collective effort of field crews, an individual artist, and an ichthyologist. Field crews from the Biological Survey were responsible for collecting, transporting, and sustaining specimens until the artist and ichthyologist were satisfied that the illustration was accurate. In preparation for the illustrations, in situ studies were completed at the capture sites. Specimens were then used to establish proportional and sectional details. Approximately 80% of the original specimens used in the process of illustration are still in the custody of the New York State Museum.
The illustrations were rendered with such accuracy and precision that fin-ray and scale counts can usually be ascertained from the drawings. Color is given similar attention; where the physical specimens that formed the basis of the illustrations have faded, the drawings themselves indicate original fish coloration.
Western American Art Exhibition from Metropolitan Museum Opens at the New York State Museum April 9
The New York State Museum will open a western American art exhibition from The Metropolitan Museum of Art on April 9, 2016. Imaging the American West: Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art will be on exhibition in the State Museum’s West Gallery through July 17, 2016. From the earliest decades after its founding in 1870, The Met has collected works of art representing the American West. The exhibition features 48 paintings, works on paper, and sculptures from the permanent collections of three curatorial departments: The American Wing; Drawings and Prints; and Modern and Contemporary Art.
“We are pleased to once again bring an extraordinary collection from The Metropolitan Museum of Art to the State Museum,” said State Museum Director Mark Schaming. “The works on exhibition are remarkable visual metaphors of the American West created by renowned artists, including several who worked in New York State. The Board of Regents and the State Museum thank The Met for continuing to share works from its impressive collection with Museum visitors.”
“The Met is delighted to partner with the New York State Museum once again, and is proud to bring the exhibition Imaging the American West to the State capital,” said Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of The Met. “For more than two decades, we have presented exhibitions for our friends in government and the people of the Albany region. It is a wonderful way to share The Met's remarkable collection—works of art that belong to everyone, locally, nationally and internationally.”
In the decades just before and after the turn of the 20th century, paintings and sculptures depicting majestic landscapes, Native Americans, cowboys and cavalry, and animals of the plains and the mountains served as visual metaphors for the Old West. Imaging the American West explores the aesthetic and cultural impulses behind the creation of artworks with American western themes so popular with audiences then and now.
The exhibition covers works dating from about 1850 to 1930 and centers on four specific themes: the land, Native Americans, wildlife, and cowboys. Artists represented in the exhibition include Albert Bierstadt, Paul Manship, Georgia O’Keeffe, Frederic Remington, and Charles M. Russell. The exhibition offers a fresh look at the multifaceted roles played by these artists in creating interpretations of western life and scenery, whether those interpretations are based on fact, fiction, or, most often, something in-between.
The film “The Making of a Bronze Statue: Alexander Phimister Proctor” will be screened within the exhibition. Produced by The Met in 1922, it examines the various steps in the creation of Proctor’s Theodore Roosevelt, an equestrian statue for Portland, Oregon, from modeling a small sketch in clay to casting the full-size bronze. Brief excerpts from other early films will also be shown.
Imaging the American West is the tenth exhibition drawn from The Met’s collection, a collaboration that began in the early 1990s to bring art from one of the world’s leading museums to the State Museum. The exhibition is organized by Thayer Tolles, Marica F. Vilcek Curator of American Painting and Sculpture at The Met.
Photos from the exhibition are available.
The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.
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Phone: (518) 474-1201
Charles Peck
Charles Horton Peck, 1833–1917, was a leading American mycologist from 1868 until 1913. This period coincided with the professionalization of American mycology, and was a time of intense work in descriptive taxonomy of fungi. Peck who was self-taught in the identification of fungi was given a position as botanist at the New York State Museum in 1868 and worked productively in that position until his scientific work was ended by a debilitating stroke in 1913 just prior to his 80th birthday. His earliest botanical interest was in bryophytes, but he soon turned to mycology and described more than 2,700 new species and varieties of North American fungi during his career.
Peck helped to shape American mycology, yet he was never a student or a teacher of that subject. He was neither the first American mycologist nor did he write a definitive book on the subject, yet he was a central figure in American mycology for most of his professional life and his work still manifests a major influence on mycology. He passed his knowledge on through the Annual Report of the State Botanist which amounted to several thousand pages of descriptive mycology over his career, and through a voluminous correspondence carried on with people interested in every aspect of mycology including C. McIlvaine, C. H. Kauffman, J. Macoun, W. A. Murrill, C. L. Shear, and R. M. Underwood.
The State of American Mycology in the Mid Nineteenth Century
In the first half of the nineteenth century there was only one person working on the fungi of North America, the European trained mycologist, L. D. von Schweinitz, 1790–1834, an official of the Moravian Church in North Carolina (Rogers, 1977). In the middle of the century, others, including Henry Ravenel, Charles Frost, and Charles Wright, were collectors of fungi but were employed in a variety of other occupations. The self-appointed head of this diverse group was Moses Ashley Curtis, of North Carolina, also a church official who studied fungi through the interpretation of Miles Joseph Berkeley in England (Petersen, 1980b). He collected, coordinated and filtered the specimens sent to Berkeley in order to reduce the English mycologists' workload. Curtis became a good mycologist, but by the late 1860s he was afflicted by physical problems that made it difficult for him to work. The need for an American mycologist became acute and it was Charles Peck who came to fill this position.
About Charles Peck
Charles Peck was born in Rensselaer County, New York about 15 miles east of Albany. His family was of English extraction and had resided in the town of Sand Lake since the end of the 18th century where they farmed and ran a water-powered sawmill (Burnham, 1918). He attended local schools and worked for his father during the summers (Harsha, 1891). His training was in classical languages and mathematics, but while attending Albany Normal School, the forerunner of the State University of New York at Albany, he became interested in botany. After working as a teacher in a rural school, he entered Union College in Schenectady where he studied botany and classical studies.
On receipt of his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1859, he accepted a position at the Sand Lake Collegiate Institute, where he had once been a student, and taught botany, mathematics, Greek, and Latin. It was during this period, just prior to the Civil War, that he married, had his first son and continued his studies at Union College, where he received a Master of Arts degree.
In 1863 he took a new job at the Albany Classical Institute known as "Cass's Academy" and moved his family to Albany. He undertook the serious study of mosses and made a most fortuitous contact with Judge George William Clinton. Clinton was the son of DeWitt Clinton, governor and presidential candidate, and grandnephew of George Clinton, New York's first governor and America's vice-president under Jefferson and Madison. This heritage did not insure financial security as he was left without financial resources on the death of his father and had to give up his botanical studies for a more lucrative career in law. Among the numerous positions Clinton held was membership on the New York State Board of Regents, the governing body of public education in the state, where one of his duties was oversight of the State Museum of Natural History (Neilans, 1963). His private ambition now was to further the study of botany by encouraging young botanists in their work. He also undertook the study of mosses, and it was through this common interest that he met Peck. In 1866, Clinton encouraged Peck to volunteer in the State Museum to build up its botanical collections. Peck was hired full time as a botanist in 1868.
In the years preceding 1870, Peck was working on the bryophytes. The serious study of bryophytes in the United States got underway in the 1840s with William Sullivant and the European transplant, Leo Lesquereux, and later with Coe Finch Austin and Thomas James (Slack, 1987). In 1865, Peck published his first paper, The Catalogue of Mosses Presented to the State of New York in the Annual Report of the State Cabinet of Natural History.
One of Peck's close friends, Elliot C. Howe, MD of Troy, NY, was also interested in mosses but had started to work on fungi. Howe urged Peck to start work on a fungus list for the state (Peck, 1899a). He offered his own collection of 267 species and his taxonomic outline of the fungi for a beginning. Peck allowed that it was a good idea and estimated that it would take four to five years. Peck's part in this still uncompleted task took 45 years.
Charles Peck, the Mycologist
Peck's first years of work with the fungi were spent in collecting, learning from the books of Persoon and Fries, and in processing specimens sent to him by Clinton, Howe, and others. He sent the specimens he could not identify to Curtis in North Carolina and M. C. Cooke at Kew (Atkinson, 1918). Between 1870 and 1874, Peck sent 400 specimens to Cooke many of which he described in Cooke's new journal Grevillea. These specimens are still at Kew. Peck, however, retained a larger portion of each collection and these remain at the New York State Museum (Barr et al., 1985). After 1875, Peck no longer sent fungi out for identification and he seldom co-authored a species with someone else. He was becoming the final authority on American fungi and received specimens from all parts of the country (Bessey, 1914).
In May and June, Peck usually worked in his office, but made numerous collecting trips to nearby Sand Lake, the Helderberg Mountains, and an area just northwest of Albany called Center (later changed to Karner). In July, August and September he systematically traveled to different parts of New York. He travelled by railroad, stage coach, and wagon but a great deal of walking was sometimes required to get to some of his collecting sites. One area that he visited more than 25 times is the township of North Elba in Essex County in the heart of the Adirondacks where in 1893 he was the first known person to climb Mount Wright (Carson 1973). It was also the site of Peck's major floristic work (Peck, 1899b) and the location of subsequent mycological work by George Atkinson, Calvin Kauffman, and E. B. Mains (Kauffman, 1915).
Peck worked in the field to describe and sketch new and interesting specimens while they were still in fresh condition. More than 1,000 of these drawings are in the collection of the New York State Museum. He even did microscopy in the field by carrying a portable microscope. He often dried the larger specimens in the sun or by a fire while still in the field. Agarics were later remoistened by leaving them in the night air and then flattened between the fingers or in a book so they could be attached to herbarium sheets. Most of Peck's early collections were treated with a mixture of corrosive sublimate (mercuric chloride), diethyl ether, turpentine and alcohol to discourage insects and unwanted mold (Petersen, 1980).
1638: Ancestor, Henry Peck, immigrated to New Haven, Connecticut from England.
1794: Eleazer Peck, great-great-grandfather of Charles, moved to Sand Lake, New York.
1833, March 30: Charles Horton Peck born to Joel C. and Pamela Horton Peck.
1847-1851: Charles attended Sand Lake Academy and worked in his father's sawmill during summers.
1851-June 1852: Attended Albany Normal School and worked on his father's farm.
1852: Joined Fourth Presbyterian Church of Albany.
1852, Fall-Winter 1853: Taught in a district school with 60 students in Poestenkill, New York.
1853, Summer: Clerked in the Sand Lake General Store for four months until he relinquished the job due to ill health.
1854: Entered Sand Lake Collegiate Institute (A boy's college preparatory boarding school known as Schram's).
1855, Fall-1859: Attended Union College where he received botanical instruction from Professor Jonathan Pearson.
1859, June: Received a B.A. degree from Union College.
1859, June-September 1863: Taught classics, mathematics, and botany at Sand Lake Collegiate Institute.
1861, April 10: Married Mary Catherine Sliter, a former classmate from Sand Lake.
1862: Received M.A. degree from Union College.
1863: First son, Harry Sliter Peck, born.
1863, September-February 1868: Moved to Albany and taught Latin, Greek, and bookkeeping at Albany Classical Institute which was also known as "Cass's Academy". During this period he worked earnestly on mosses and made the acquaintance of G. W. Clinton.
1865: Published first paper The Catalogue of Mosses Presented to the State of New York in the Eighteenth Annual Report of the State Cabinet of Natural History
1866: Volunteered to manage the herbarium of the New York State Museum.
1867, July 1: Started on part-time salary at the Museum as botanist in the Geological Survey headed by James Hall.
1868, May 12: Began work full-time at the Museum to build the cryptogamic collections. He also started to work on fungi and sent collections to M. A. Curtis for determination.
1868, December: Purchased a new microscope. (Click here for information on microscope)
1870: Published his first paper on fungi included in the Twenty Second Annual Report of the State Cabinet of Natural History.
1870: Second son, Charles Albert Peck, born.
1883: Officially appointed New York State Botanist by the State Legislature.
1886: Moved to 10 Lyons Avenue, Menands, New York, from 61 Dove Street, Albany, New York.
1893: Attended Worlds Columbian Exposition, Chicago.
1905: Hired Stewart H. Burnham as an assistant.
1908: Received Ph.D. (Hon.) from Union College.
1912, February: Peck's wife, Mary, passed away.
1912, November: Peck had a slight stroke, but continued to work.
1913, February: Had a major stroke which left him unable to resume botanical work.
1913, March: 80th birthday celebrated by receiving testimonial letters.
1913, July 1: Homer House was appointed temporary botanist.
1915, February 5: Peck's resignation approved by Board of Regents.
1917, July: Peck testimonial exhibit of mushroom models by Henry Marchand opened.
1917, July 11: Charles Peck passed away.
1979: State Natural History Collections moved to Cultural Education Center.
Atkinson, G. F. 1918. Charles Horton Peck. Bot. Gaz. 65: 103-108.
Barr, M. E., C. T. Rogerson, S. J. Smith and J. H. Haines. 1986. An Annotated Catalog of the Pyrenomycetes Described by Charles H. Peck. New York State Museum Bulletin 459, 74 pp. (See Museum Publications website for availability)
Bessey, C. E. 1914. A notable botanical career. Science 40: 48.
Burnham, S. H. 1918. Charles Horton Peck. Mycologia 11: 33-39.
Carson, R. M. L. 1973. Peaks and People of the Adirondacks. The Adirondack Mountain Club, Glens Falls. 280 pp.
Gilbertson, R. L. 1962. Index to species and varieties of fungi described by C. H. Peck from 1909-1915. Mycologia 54: 460-465.
Haines, J. H. 1978. Charles Horton Peck. McIlvainea 3: 3-10.
Haines, J. H. 1986. Charles Peck and his contributions to American mycology. Mycotaxon 26: 17-27.
Haines, J. H. 1991. Peck's Day Out. Mushroom, the Journal. Spring 1991: 29-31.
Harsha, D. A. 1891. Noted Living Albanians. Weed & Parsons, Albany. pp. 325-330.
House, H. D. 1917. The Peck testimonial exhibit of mushroom models. Science 46: 204.
Kauffman, C. H. 1915. The fungi of North Elba. New York State Museum Bulletin 179: 80-104.
Lloyd, C. G. 1908. A visit to Professor Peck. Mycological Notes 29: 376-379.
Lloyd, C. G. 1912. Professor Charles H. Peck. Mycological Notes 38: 510-512.
Murrill, W. A. 1915. Mycologia 7: 111-112
Neilans, D. D. 1963. The Botanical Life and Times of George W. Clinton. Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis. State University of New York at Buffalo. 70 pp.
Peck, C. H. 1899a. Elliot Calvin Howe (1828-1899). Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 26: 251-252.
Peck, C. H. 1899b. Plants of North Elba. New York State Museum Bulletin 6(28): 1-266.
Peck, C. H. 1906. In: The National Cyclopedia of American Biography. James White & Co., New York. 13: 49.
Peck, C. H. 1907. In: Who's Who in New York City and State. L. R. Honorsly & Co., New York.
Peck, C. H. 1912. In: Who's Who in science. J & A Churchill, London. 1912.
Petersen, R. H. 1980. Annual Reports of the State Botanist 1868-1912, reprinted 1980. Boerhaave Press, Leiden. (pages not consecutively numbered).
Petersen, R. H. 1980. "B & C": The Mycological Association of M. J. Berkeley and M. A. Curtis. Bibliotheca Mycologica 72, J. Kramer, Vaduz. 120 pp.
Rogers, D. P. 1977. L. D. de Schweinitz and early American mycology. Mycologia 69: 223-245.
Slack, N. G. 1987. Charles Horton Peck, Bryologist, and the Legitimation of Botany in New York State. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 45: 28-45.
Archaeology Staff Receive Public Engagement Award
Pethick Site: Archaeological Excavations in Schoharie, NY
The Pethick site is located in the Town of Schoharie, Schoharie County, New York. The site has produced more than 350,000 artifacts associated with four major cultural occupations. The earliest occupation dates between 4,000-3,000 B.C. and consists of the remains of a small camp occupied by hunter-gatherers who used the site during forays into the valley. Artifacts recovered from this occupation include small projectile points, debris from the manufacture of stone tools, food remains (including nutshell, seeds, and white-tailed deer) as well as net weights used to catch fish from the Schoharie Creek.
The second occupation dates between 1000 B.C. and A.D. 300 and has produced evidence of a more lengthy occupation of the site for a season or two. Artifacts recovered from this occupation point to the use of the site as a long term camp with several post molds suggesting one or more temporary structures may have been present. Pottery decorated with cord marked designs, projectile points, and pieces of stone (or steatite) bowls have been recovered. Other stone tools include drills, bifaces, scrapers, and hammerstones. The recovery of non-local stone materials suggests that these groups interacted with other groups in southern and central New York, New England, and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic Region.
The final occupation dates to the mid-19th century and is associated with the occupation of the site by local farmers. Evidence of a small cabin has been identified and offers a view into the lives of farmers at the site. Historic pottery, kaolin smoking pipe fragments, architectural debris, and other farming tools have been recovered.
A number of publications have been produced documenting the excavations at the Pethick site. These include the following:
Rieth, C.B., Rafferty, S., and Saputo, D. 2007. A Trace Element Analysis of Ceramics from the Pethick Site, Schoharie County, New York. North American Archaeologist 28(1):59-80.
Rafferty, S., Wood, C., and Rieth, C.B. 2007. Archaeometric Analysis of Lithic outcrops from Eastern New York. North American Archaeologist 28(2):167-186.
Rafferty, S., Rieth, C.B., and Moragne, S. 2014. Prehistoric Occupations at the Pethick Site, Schoharie County, New York. Archaeology of Eastern North America 42:177-199.
Evaluating the Recovery of Benthic and Fish Communities following Remediation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Upper Hudson River
Denise Mayer will collaborate with Museum Ichthyologist, Jeremy Wright on a project to study the recovery of benthic invertebrate and fish communities in areas of the Upper Hudson River that experienced disturbance in the form of sediment removal and replacement during the remediation activities to removed PCBs in the 40-mile stretch of the Hudson River from Troy to Fort Edward. Results from this study have the potential to make significant contributions to the fields of community ecology and conservation biology. The collected data will enhance our understanding of the recovery of freshwater biotic communities from large scale abiotic disturbances in general, and in the Upper Hudson River, specifically.
Project Manager
Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition Opens June 4 at State Museum
The Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition opens at the New York State Museum on June 4. The annual exhibition showcases artwork created by SUNY’s talented student artists from across New York State, the State Education Department announced today.
Open through October 23, 2016, the exhibition features artworks chosen by individual art departments across SUNY’s campuses, including drawings, paintings, photography, sculpture and digitally produced works. The exhibition includes more than 60 artworks selected from approximately 300 submissions.
A list of the artists featured in the exhibition is available. Three student artists will receive $1,000 scholarships. Honorable Mention awards of $500 will be given to four additional students. SUNY will announce the awardees later this month.
“The Board of Regents recognizes the importance of art education,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “That’s why we’re proud to showcase the work of talented SUNY student artists from across the state at the New York State Museum. Now thousands of Museum visitors will have the opportunity to view these impressive artworks over the next several months.”
“The annual Best of SUNY exhibit at the New York State Museum has become a point of tremendous pride not only for the students whose work is on display, but also for the faculty who mentor them, their home campuses, and our entire university system,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “The pieces chosen for this year’s exhibit are once again inspired and breathtaking. Congratulations to all of our student artists.”
“We are honored to once again host the Best of SUNY,” said State Museum Director Mark Schaming. “The quality and diversity of the artwork on display is a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and extraordinary talent of SUNY art students and deserves to be shared with the public.”
Initiated in 2002, the SUNY student art shows are a platform for the work of SUNY’s most talented student artists to be seen by a wider audience. SUNY student art is also on display year-round at State University Plaza in Albany, SUNY Global Center in New York City, and Governor Cuomo’s Washington, DC office.
Photos from the exhibition are available.
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, with 64 college and university campuses located within 30 miles of every home, school, and business in the state. In 2014-15, SUNY served nearly 1.3 million students, including nearly 600,000 in credit-bearing courses and programs and nearly 700,000 through continuing-education and community-outreach programs. SUNY students and faculty across the state make significant contributions to research and discovery, resulting in nearly $1 billion of externally sponsored activity each year. There are 3 million SUNY alumni worldwide and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree are SUNY alumni. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit SUNY.
The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.
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Phone: (518) 474-1201
State Education Department Appoints New State Historian
State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia today announced the appointment of Devin Lander as New York’s State Historian. Lander, who currently serves as the Executive Director of the Museum Association of New York (MANY), will join the Education Department on May 19, 2016.
The State Historian conducts research on state history, provides statewide coordination and leadership of the historical communities in New York, and promotes collaboration, education and scholarship to ensure a greater understanding of the history of New York State.
A published historian specializing in post-World War II social and cultural movements, Lander holds a B.A. in American History from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and an M.A. in Public History from the University at Albany. He is a lifetime member of Phi Alpha Theta, the National History Honor Society.
Lander will join the Department’s Office of Cultural Education, State Museum, after successfully leading MANY through a period of transition and growth. Prior to his time at MANY, Lander spent six years with the New York State Assembly as Deputy Legislative Director for Assemblyman Steve Englebright. Devin also acted as the Staff Director for the Historic Hudson-Hoosic Rivers Partnership, a public-benefit corporation created by the New York State Legislature to preserve, enhance, and develop the historic, agricultural, scenic, natural, and recreational resources and the waterways within the Northern Hudson River region.
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Phone: (518) 474-1201
State Museum Archaeologists Host Open House Event at Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park on June 25
New York State Museum archaeologists will host a free open house program highlighting their archaeological research at the Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park on Saturday, June 25 from 10:00am – 3:00pm. Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park is located in the Town of Colonie at 595 Broadway, Menands.
State Museum archaeologists are currently conducting excavations at Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park to learn more about how the land was used in the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries and how people of European, African, and Native American descent left their mark on the land in the form of artifacts and building foundations.
The open house program will include: a brief tour of the area, a demonstration of advanced technologies being used to conduct excavations and analyze the findings, a tour of open excavation units, and a presentation of newly discovered artifacts to showcase what has been uncovered thus far.
The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.
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Phone: (518) 474-1201
Historic Fossils Find New Life Telling the Story of Ancient Proteins
A few snippets of protein extracted from the fossil of an extinct species of giant beaver from the New York State Museum’s collections are opening a new door in paleoproteomics, the study of ancient proteins. Ancient proteins can be used to place animals on the evolutionary tree, and could offer insights into how life and Earth’s environment have evolved over time. Typically, paleoproteomics relies on fossils collected for the purpose. But in a paper published today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) used a giant beaver fossil collected more than 170 years ago in central New York, and housed at the New York State Museum.
“Paleoproteomics is a young field. We don’t yet know the full potential of the information it may offer us, and one barrier to that is the supply of fossils we can call upon for research,” said Deepak Vashishth, professor of biomedical engineering and director of the Rensselaer Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies. “In developing these techniques, we’re creating new value in fossils that are already on exhibit, or sitting in storage waiting for a purpose.”
The team of researchers extracted proteins from the first skull of the species Castoroides ohioensis ever found. Collected in 1845, the giant beaver skull is the oldest museum-curated bony specimen to have been studied using paleoproteomic tools. The researchers were searching for proteins, chains of amino acids assembled from instructions encoded in DNA that perform a wide variety of functions in living organisms. Using mass spectrometry analysis, researchers detected many samples of collagen 1, the most common protein in bone.
“This research not only provides exciting information about a New York State Museum specimen of unique significance—the first discovered and documented giant beaver skull in the world—it also highlights the critical role museum collections play in research and discovery,” said Robert Feranec, New York State Museum curator of vertebrate paleontology. “Without maintaining collections rich in diversity of specimens, both ancient and modern, similar research that examines these windows into our past would not be possible.”
The big challenge to drawing upon existing fossil collections is that they weren’t collected for the purpose of paleoproteomics, and they may not have been stored in conditions optimal to protein extraction and analysis techniques, said Timothy Cleland, a postdoctoral researcher formerly at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and now at the University of Texas-Austin.
“In paleoproteomics we’ve generally looked at specimens collected recently and carefully stored in climate-controlled conditions. In this case, we’re looking at a specimen that sat on a shelf collecting dust for most of its life,” Cleland said. “So we wanted to know – can we look at these historically collected specimens and pull out protein information?”
When researchers studied the giant beaver skull, the first thing they noticed was that it appeared to have varnish, a common treatment used to preserve fossils, applied to the outside of it. To avoid the varnish (which is itself organically based), they took samples from the nasal cavities of the skull. They removed a small sample of bone, extracted the preserved proteins, digested with enzyme, and analyzed the protein pieces with mass spectrometry.
The analysis determined the primary sequence of amino acids in the protein detected, as well as post-translational modifications, chemical changes on the surface of the protein that are not defined by DNA. Both the primary sequence and post-translational modifications have value to researchers, and that value will increase as more specimens are analyzed and more information becomes available, said Cleland.
A database of primary protein sequences, for example, could be useful in clarifying evolutionary trees, in reverse engineering proteins to understand how particular proteins evolved over a period of time, or in “reviving” a sequence that may be nonexistent now for therapeutic use.
Cleland was particularly excited about being able to detect fossil post-translational modifications, a finding that has little precedent in the emerging field. Post-translational modifications are such a recent addition to paleoproteomics that he said researchers are just scratching the surface of what can be done with it.
“Collagen, for example, is a really long-lived protein – we retain some of the collagen we’re born with for our entire lives. By studying the post-translational modifications to collagen, we can learn what an organism is doing to its collagen so it can function better – for example become more rigid or more flexible,” said Cleland. “Now imagine if we were able to build up a database of post-translational modification to ancient organisms, we could begin to make inferences about evolutionary changes, or use them in protein engineering to look at how function in the ancient protein compares to that same protein in living animals.”
At Rensselaer, the research exemplifies the work being done at The New Polytechnic, addressing difficult and complex global challenges, the need for interdisciplinary and true collaboration, and the use of the latest tools and technologies, many of which are developed at Rensselaer.
The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.
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Phone: (518) 474-1201
Sculpture Created by Well-Known Utica Artist Henry DiSpirito on Display at New York State Museum
The New York State Museum today announced a new ongoing display featuring a recently acquired sculpture by artist Henry DiSpirito, an accomplished Italian-born artist who moved to New York State in 1921. DiSpirito’s Torso sculpture, a gift to the State Museum from the A. R. D'Agostino Trust, is currently on display.
“Henry DiSpirito achieved great success as an artist, exhibited his work throughout New York State, and served his adopted community of Utica as an artist and a teacher,” said State Museum Director Mark Schaming. “The Board of Regents and the State Museum are grateful to the A. R. D’Agostino Trust for donating DiSpirito’s Torso sculpture and we’re proud to have it on public display.”
Henry DiSpirito was born in Italy and worked alongside his father as a stonemason, while also studying painting. He came to the U.S. in 1921 and settled with family in Utica, NY. DiSpirito worked as a stonemason, contributing to many important buildings in central New York, including buildings on the Hamilton College campus and structures in Proctor Park. DiSpirito also found work creating historic dioramas on a WPA art project under the direction of George Cook.
To improve his sculpting, DiSpirito took classes at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute from 1941-1943. His instructor, Richard Davis, suggested that he try direct carving in stone, and it was in that medium that he truly found his calling. While spending his days working as a stonemason, DiSpirito devoted his free time to sculpture and exhibited his work at the MWPAI in Utica, the Albany Institute of History and Art, the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, and the Whitney, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Sculpture Center in New York City.
In 1963, DiSpirio was appointed as the first artist-in-residence at Utica College, a position that was renewed every year until his death. He developed a deep connection with the students, and was awarded an honorary degree in 1989. Many of DiSpirito's works can found today throughout the campus.
The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.
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Phone: (518) 474-1201
Hudson Valley Ruins
This photography and architecture exhibition is based on the work of Robert Yasinsac and Thomas Rinaldi. Their 2006 book, Hudson Valley Ruins: Forgotten Landmarks of an American Landscape, studies the region's forgotten cultural treasures. In addition to great river estates, the book profiles sites more meaningful to everyday life in the Valley: churches and hotels, commercial and civic buildings, mills and train stations. Included are works by some of the most important names in American architectural history, such as Alexander Jackson Davis and Calvert Vaux.
The exhibit is divided into three parts: the upper, middle, and lower sections of the Hudson River Valley. Sites have been selected for their general historical and architectural significance, their relationship to important themes in the region’s history, their physical condition or “rustic” character, and their ability to demonstrate a particular threat still faced by historical buildings in the region. The exhibition will look at a few sites that have changed, for better or for worse, in the past ten years since the book’s publication.
1962 Audio Recording: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
On September 12, 1962, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech in New York City to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the issuance of Abraham Lincoln’s Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. In a measured but passionate tone, Dr. King reviewed the history of human rights in America, noting that the Declaration of Independence and the Emancipation Proclamation had fallen far short of achieving equality for all of its citizens.
Online Feature
New Acquisition: 1947 Tavern Television
1947 Tavern Television
The State Museum recently acquired a fully-restored 1947 Tavern Television made by the United States Television Manufacturing Corporation (USTMC). Made in New York City, this unit is believed to be one of only five known sets left in the United States and the only one that is in operating condition, according to donor Adam Sayles of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The Tavern style television produced by USTMC was marketed to bars, hotels, and restaurants. Promotional materials touted that more people would be watching "the big game" on TV than in the stands. In 1947, this was a novel idea. USTMC claimed that up to 800 people could sit in front of the screen and enjoy the game. Those numbers turned into big sales at bars and restaurants, and for a while it was the only way to see the game outside of the stadium. In fact, 1947 was the first year that the World Series was televised, the New York Yankees vs. the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The USTMC rose and fell with the unique market it helped introduce. Although it sold household units, the company focused on its tavern models. Once smaller, reasonably-priced units could be purchased for the home, the Tavern models were no longer as popular and the company went out of business in 1953.
Resources
Information and resources are provided here for historians throughout New York State, including information about grants, state and local historical organizations and parks, governance laws and links to regional tourism contacts.
Local Government Historian Annual Report
250th Commemoration
Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
http://www.neh.gov/grants
Common Heritage grants support both the digitization of cultural heritage materials and the organization of public programming at community events that explore these materials as a window on a community’s history and culture.
The Common Heritage program recognizes that members of the public—in partnership with libraries, museums, archives, and historical organizations—have much to contribute to the understanding of our cultural mosaic. Together, such institutions and the public can be effective partners in the appreciation and stewardship of our common heritage.
The program supports day-long events organized by community cultural institutions, which members of the public will be invited to attend. At these events experienced staff will digitize the community historical materials brought in by the public. Project staff will also record descriptive information—provided by community attendees—about the historical materials. Contributors will be given a free digital copy of their items to take home, along with the original materials. With the owner’s permission, digital copies of these materials would be included in the institutions’ collections. Historical photographs, artifacts, documents, family letters, art works, and audiovisual recordings are among the many items eligible for digitization and public commemoration.
Projects must also present public programming that would expand knowledge of the community’s heritage. Public programs could include lectures, panels, reading and discussion, special gallery tours, screening and discussion of relevant films, presentations by a historian, special initiatives for families and children, or comments by curators about items brought in by the public, workshops on preserving heritage materials, or other activities that bring humanities perspectives on heritage materials to wide public audiences. These public programs should provide a framework for a deeper understanding of the community members’ shared or divergent heritage. The programs may take place before, during, and/or after the day of the digitization event. Applicants may but need not include in their proposals a topic around which the event and the public programming would be organized. Topics proposed for the public programming may also be proposed for the digitization event.
The applicant institution must plan, promote, and organize the event and ensure that a wide range of historical materials can be digitized and also contextualized through public programming. Since the help of additional institutions and organizations in the community may be needed to accomplish this work, the applicant must take responsibility for enlisting appropriate organizations or institutions, such as local libraries and museums, to contribute to the project, as needed.
NEH especially welcomes applications from small and medium-sized institutions that have not previously received NEH support.
For questions, contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access at preservation@neh.gov and 202-606-8570. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
This program supports the study and discussion of important humanities sources about war, in the belief that these sources can help U.S. military veterans and others to think more deeply about the issues raised by war and military service. The humanities sources can be drawn from history, philosophy, literature, and film—and they may and should be supplemented by testimonials from those who have served. The discussions are intended to promote serious exploration of important questions about the nature of duty, heroism, suffering, loyalty, and patriotism.
The program awards grants of up to $100,000 that will support
1. the recruitment and training of discussion leaders; and
2. following the training program, the convening of at least two discussion programs.
The discussion groups can take place on college and university campuses, in veterans’ centers, at public libraries and museums, and at other community venues. Most of the participants in the discussion groups should be military veterans; others, such as men and women in active service, military families, and interested members of the public, may participate as well.
Potential Resources for Dialogues on the Experience of War Projects
War, military service, patriotism, pacifism, and civic duty are themes that have permeated the great works of history, literature, philosophy, and art that will form the basis of Dialogues on the Experience of War discussion programs. From the Standard of Ur to the Book of Deuteronomy, to Herodotus, Thucydides, Sun Tzu, the Mahabharata, Augustine, and Thomas Aquinas, the subject of war—its causes and effects, and the experience of soldiers, sailors, civilians, and families—has animated the works of poets, philosophers, historians, artists, and theologians of the ancient and medieval world.
The same is no less true in the modern world, in which great questions about war and military service have commanded sustained attention in literary, historical, artistic, and philosophical sources. Powerful works emerged from the wars of the last three centuries. Consider, for example, the writings of Carl von Clausewitz and Henry David Thoreau; poetry by Rudyard Kipling, Wilfred Owen, Anthony Hecht, and Brian Turner; histories by Russell Weigley, Drew Gilpin Faust, John Keegan, and Laura Hillenbrand; plays by Alice Dunbar-Nelson and David Rabe, artworks by Käthe Kollwitz, Pablo Picasso, and Stanley Spencer; Civil War ballads and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony (dedicated to the city of Leningrad in 1941).
To this list may be added many powerful cinematic treatments, including La Grande Illusion (France, 1937), The Best Years of Our Lives (United States, 1946), Night and Fog (France, 1955), The Cranes Are Flying (USSR, 1957), Hell in the Pacific (United States, 1968), Das Boot (Germany, 1981), The Pianist (Poland, 2002), Turtles Can Fly (Iraq/France/Iran, 2005), and The Messenger (United States, 2009).
The works listed here are offered only as examples. None of them needs to be included on proposed syllabi.
Webinar
You can find a recording of a recent webinar for interested potential applicants at this URL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3kUpWYW_gu5QmRzNDF1aEJNeEk/view
Questions?
Contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Education Programs at dew@neh.gov and 202-606-8471. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
The Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants program is merging with the Digital Humanities Implementation Grants program to create the new Digital Humanities Advancement grants program, which will have two deadlines a year. Guidelines for the new program are forthcoming and should be posted by the end of September. You can find more information about the new program at: http://www.neh.gov/divisions/odh/grant-news/the-sug-program-no-more-please-welcome-digital-humanities-advancement-grants
Digital Projects for the Public grants support projects that significantly contribute to the public’s engagement with the humanities.
Digital platforms—such as websites, mobile applications and tours, interactive touch screens and kiosks, games, and virtual environments—can reach diverse audiences and bring the humanities to life for the American people. The program offers three levels of support for digital projects: grants for Discovery projects (early-stage planning work), Prototyping projects (proof-of-concept development work), and Production projects (end-stage production and distribution work). While projects can take many forms, shapes, and sizes, your request should be for an exclusively digital project or for a digital component of a larger project.
All Digital Projects for the Public projects should deepen public understanding of significant humanities stories and ideas; incorporate sound humanities scholarship; involve humanities scholars in all phases of development and production; include appropriate digital media professionals; reach a broad public through a realistic plan for development, marketing, and distribution; create appealing digital formats for the general public; and demonstrate the capacity to sustain themselves.
Contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Public Programs at 202-606-8269 or publicpgms@neh.gov
Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Humanities Access grants help support capacity building for humanities programs that benefit one or more of the following groups: youth, communities of color, and economically disadvantaged populations.
Humanities Access grants establish or augment term endowments (that is, endowments whose funds are entirely expended over the course of a set time period) to provide funding for existing programs at institutions such as public libraries, local and regional museums, historical societies, community colleges, HBCUs and tribal colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, archival repositories, and other cultural organizations. Humanities Access grants are intended to seed longer-term endowment-building efforts.
Programs supported by Humanities Access grants might include, for example:
- a summer project for teens at a local historical society;
- internships for Native American students at a tribal museum; or
- a Clemente course at a homeless shelter organized by a community college
Humanities Access Grants offer two years of match-based funding to be expended through a term endowment over the final three years of the five-year grant period. Humanities Access grant funds should not be used to replace existing program funds. Instead, the grant should expand or enhance an existing exemplary humanities program.
Institutions that have never received an NEH grant and small to mid-sized institutions are especially encouraged to apply.
Contact the staff of NEH’s Office of Challenge Grants at 202-606-8309 or at challenge@neh.gov
Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
The Humanities Collections and Reference Resources (HCRR) program supports projects that provide an essential underpinning for scholarship, education, and public programming in the humanities. Thousands of libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations across the country maintain important collections of books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art and material culture, and digital objects. Funding from this program strengthens efforts to extend the life of such materials and make their intellectual content widely accessible, often through the use of digital technology. Awards are also made to create various reference resources that facilitate use of cultural materials, from works that provide basic information quickly to tools that synthesize and codify knowledge of a subject for in-depth investigation.
HCRR offers two kinds of awards: 1) for implementation and 2) for planning, assessment, and pilot efforts (HCRR Foundations grants).
Program questions should be directed to NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access at 202-606-8570 or preservation@neh.gov
Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
The Landmarks of American History and Culture program supports a series of one-week workshops for K-12 educators. NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops use historic sites to address central themes and issues in American history, government, literature, art, music, and related subjects in the humanities.
Each workshop is offered twice during the summer. Workshops accommodate thirty-six school teachers (NEH Summer Scholars) at each one-week session. At least one workshop week must serve a national audience and provide housing for participants. The other workshop week may also serve a national audience; alternatively, it may limit its audience to participants who are able to commute and do not require housing.
The goals of the workshops are to:
- increase knowledge and appreciation of subjects, ideas, and places significant to American history and culture through humanities reading and site study;
- build communities of inquiry and provide models of civility and of excellent scholarship and teaching;
- provide teachers with expertise in the use and interpretation of historical sites and of material and archival resources; and
- foster interaction between K-12 educators and scholarly experts.
NEH Landmarks Workshops are academically rigorous and focus on primary sources and scholarly works relevant to major themes of American history and culture. Leading scholars should serve as lecturers or session leaders. Workshops should also enable participants to work with primary documents and develop a project.
NEH Landmarks Workshops are held at or near sites important to American history and culture, such as presidential residences or libraries; colonial-era settlements; major battlefields; historic districts; parks and preserves; sites of key economic, social, political, and constitutional developments; and places associated with major writers, artists, and musicians. Applicants should make a compelling case for the historical significance of the site(s), the material resources available for use, and the ways in which the site(s) will enhance the workshop.
Contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Education Programs at 202-606-8500 or landmarks@neh.gov
Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
The Media Projects program supports film, television, and radio projects that engage general audiences with humanities ideas in creative and appealing ways. All projects must be grounded in humanities scholarship in disciplines such as history, art history, film studies, literature, drama, religious studies, philosophy, or anthropology. Projects must also demonstrate an approach that is thoughtful, balanced, and analytical (rather than celebratory). The approach to the subject matter must go beyond the mere presentation of factual information to explore its larger significance and stimulate critical thinking. NEH is a national funding agency, so the projects that we support must demonstrate the potential to attract a broad general audience.
Film and television projects may be single programs or a series addressing significant figures, events, or ideas. Programs must be intended for national distribution, via traditional carriage or online distribution. The Division of Public Programs welcomes projects that range in length from short-form to broadcast-length video.
The Division of Public Programs also encourages film and television projects that examine international themes and subjects in the humanities, in order to spark Americans’ engagement with the broader world beyond the United States. These projects should demonstrate international collaboration by enlisting scholars based both in the United States and abroad, and/or by working with an international media team. The collaborations should bring broad cross-cultural perspectives to the proposed topics and should be intended primarily for U.S. public audiences.
Radio projects, including podcasts, may involve single programs, limited series, or segments within an ongoing series. They may also develop new humanities content to augment existing radio programming or add greater historical background or humanities analysis to the subjects of existing programs. Programs receiving production grants may be either broadcast or disseminated online. They may be intended for national or regional distribution.
NEH encourages projects that engage public audiences through multiple formats in the exploration of humanities ideas. Proposed projects might include complementary components to a film, television, or radio project. These components should deepen the audience’s understanding of the subject in a supplementary manner: for example, book/film discussion programs, supplemental educational websites, or museum exhibitions.
Development Grants enable media producers to collaborate with scholars to develop humanities content and to prepare programs for production. Grants should result in a script and may also yield a detailed plan for outreach and public engagement in collaboration with a partner organization or organizations.
Contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Public Programs at 202-606-8269 or publicpgms@neh.gov
The Preservation and Access Education and Training program is central to NEH’s efforts to preserve and establish access to cultural heritage collections. Thousands of libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations across the country maintain important collections of books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art and material culture collections, electronic records, and digital objects. The challenge of preserving and making accessible such large and diverse holdings is enormous, and the need for knowledgeable staff is significant and ongoing.
Preservation and Access Education and Training grants are awarded to organizations that offer national or regional education and training programs that reach audiences in more than one state. Grants aim to help the staff of cultural institutions, large and small, obtain the knowledge and skills needed to serve as effective stewards of humanities collections. Grants also support educational programs that prepare the next generation of preservation professionals, as well as projects that introduce the staff of cultural institutions to new information and advances in preservation and access practices.
Program questions should be directed to NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access at 202-606-8570 or preservation@neh.gov
Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Preservation Assistance Grants help small and mid-sized institutions—such as libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, cultural organizations, town and county records offices, and colleges and universities—improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections. These may include special collections of books and journals, archives and manuscripts, prints and photographs, moving images, sound recordings, architectural and cartographic records, decorative and fine art objects, textiles, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, furniture, historical objects, and digital materials.
Applicants must draw on the knowledge of consultants whose preservation skills and experience are related to the types of collections and the nature of the activities on which their projects focus. Within the conservation field, for example, conservators usually specialize in the care of specific types of collections, such as objects, paper, or paintings. Applicants should therefore choose a conservator whose specialty is appropriate for the nature of their collections. Similarly, when assessing the preservation needs of library, museum, or archival holdings, applicants must seek a consultant specifically knowledgeable about the preservation of these types of collections.
The program encourages applications from small and mid-sized institutions that have never received an NEH grant. The program also encourages applications from presidentially designated institutions (Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribal Colleges and Universities), and from Native American tribes with significant humanities collections.
Program questions should be directed to NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access at 202-606-8570 or preservation@neh.gov
Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Public Humanities Projects grants support projects that bring the ideas and insights of the humanities to life for general audiences. Projects must engage humanities scholarship to illuminate significant themes in disciplines such as history, literature, ethics, and art, or to address challenging issues in contemporary life. NEH encourages projects that involve members of the public in collaboration with humanities scholars or that invite contributions from the community in the development and delivery of humanities programming.
This grant program supports a variety of forms of audience engagement. Applications should follow the parameters set out below for one of the following three formats:
Community Conversations
This format supports one- to three-year-long series of community-wide public discussions in which diverse residents creatively address community challenges, guided by the perspectives of the humanities.
Exhibitions
This format supports permanent exhibitions that will be on view for at least three years, or travelling exhibitions that will be available to public audiences in at least two venues in the United States (including the originating location).
Historic Places
This format supports the interpretation of historic sites, houses, neighborhoods, and regions, which might include living history presentations, guided tours, exhibitions, and public programs.
NEH encourages projects that explore humanities ideas through multiple formats. Proposed projects may include complementary components that deepen an audience’s understanding of a subject: for example, a museum exhibition might be accompanied by a website, mobile app, or discussion programs. Your application must identify one primary format for your project and follow the application instructions for that format.
Contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Public Programs at 202-606-8269 or publicpgms@neh.gov
The Research and Development program supports projects that address major challenges in preserving or providing access to humanities collections and resources. These challenges include the need to find better ways to preserve materials of critical importance to the nation’s cultural heritage—from fragile artifacts and manuscripts to analog recordings and digital assets subject to technological obsolescence—and to develop advanced modes of organizing, searching, discovering, and using such materials.
This program recognizes that finding solutions to complex problems often requires forming interdisciplinary project teams, bringing together participants with expertise in the humanities; in preservation; and in information, computer, and natural science.
All projects must demonstrate how advances in preservation and access would benefit the cultural heritage community in supporting humanities research, teaching, or public programming.
Research and Development offers two funding tiers in order to address projects at all stages of development and implementation.
Tier I: Planning and Basic Research
Tier I grants support the following activities:
Planning and preliminary work for large-scale research and development projects; and stand-alone basic research projects, such as case studies, experiments, or the development of iterative tools.
Tier II: Advanced Implementation
Tier II grants support projects at a more advanced stage of implementation for the following activities:
The development of standards, practices, methodologies, or workflows for preserving and creating access to humanities collections; and applied research addressing preservation and access issues concerning humanities collections.
Contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access at preservation@neh.gov and 202-606-8570. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
These grants support professional development programs in the humanities for school teachers and for college and university faculty. NEH Summer Seminars and Institutes may be as short as one week or as long as four weeks.
NEH Summer Seminars and Institutes:
- provide models of excellent teaching;
- provide models of excellent scholarship;
- broaden and deepen understanding of the humanities;
- focus on the study and teaching of significant topics, texts, and other sources;
- contribute to the intellectual vitality of participants; and
- build communities of inquiry.
An NEH Summer Seminar or Institute may be hosted by a college, university, learned society, center for advanced study, library or other repository, cultural or professional organization, or school or school system. The host site must be suitable for the project, providing facilities for collegial interaction and scholarship. These programs are designed for a national audience of participants.
Contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Education Programs at 202-606-8471 or seminst@neh.gov
Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC) helps cultural institutions meet the complex challenge of preserving large and diverse holdings of humanities materials for future generations by supporting sustainable conservation measures that mitigate deterioration and prolong the useful life of collections.
Libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations across the country face an enormous challenge: to preserve collections that facilitate research, strengthen teaching, and provide opportunities for life-long learning in the humanities. Ensuring the preservation of books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art, and historical objects requires institutions to implement measures that slow deterioration and prevent catastrophic loss. This work is best accomplished through preventive conservation, which encompasses managing relative humidity, temperature, light, and pollutants in collection spaces; providing protective storage enclosures and systems for collections; and safeguarding collections from theft and from natural and man-made disasters.
As museums, libraries, archives, and other collecting institutions strive to be effective stewards of humanities collections, they must find ways to implement preventive conservation measures that are sustainable. This program therefore helps cultural repositories plan and implement preservation strategies that pragmatically balance effectiveness, cost, and environmental impact. Sustainable approaches to preservation can contribute to an institution’s financial health, reduce its use of fossil fuels, and benefit its green initiatives, while ensuring that collections are well cared for and available for use in humanities programming, education, and research.
All applicants, whether applying for planning or implementation projects, are required to focus on sustainable preventive conservation strategies.
Contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access at preservation@neh.gov and 202-606-8570. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Access to Historical Records
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks proposals that promote the preservation and use of historical records collections to broaden understanding of our democracy, history, and culture. This grant program is designed to support archival repositories in preserving and processing primary source materials. The program emphasizes the creation of online tools that facilitate the public discovery of historical records.
For more information and to apply: https://www.archives.gov/nhprc/announcement/access.html
Digital Dissemination of Archival Collections
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission desires to make historical records of national significance to the United States broadly available by disseminating digital surrogates on the Internet.
For more information and to apply: https://www.archives.gov/nhprc/announcement/digital.html
Public Engagement with Historical Records
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks projects that encourage public engagement with historical records, including the development of new tools that enable people to engage online.
For more information and to apply: https://www.archives.gov/nhprc/announcement/engagement.html
Publishing Historical Records in Documentary Editions
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks proposals to publish documentary editions of historical records.
For more information and to apply: https://www.archives.gov/nhprc/announcement/editions.html
Collections Assessment for Preservation Program
The Collections Assessment for Preservation Program (CAP) is supported through a cooperative agreement between the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, Inc. (FAIC).
The Collections Assessment for Preservation Program will build upon the former CAP program (Conservation Assessment Program) that was funded by IMLS and administered by Heritage Preservation for 24 years, until Heritage Preservation ceased operations in 2015. The new program will continue to support collections assessments for small and medium-sized museums throughout the nation.
FAIC is currently developing the systems and infrastructure needed to run the program, and plans to announce the first call for applications from museums to participate in the program in the fall of 2016 with an early 2017 deadline. Detailed information will be posted here in the coming months.
Program Contacts:
Christopher J. Reich
Senior Advisor
creich@imls.gov
202-653-4685
Connie Bodner
Supervisory Grants Management Specialist
cbodner@imls.gov
202-653-4636
Sparks! Ignition Grants for Museums
Grant Amount: $10,000 to $25,000
Grant Period: Up to one year
Cost Share Requirement: No cost share requirements.
The Sparks! Ignition Grants for Museums program is a special funding opportunity within the IMLS National Leadership Grants for Museums program. These small grants encourage museums to prototype and evaluate specific innovations in the ways they operate and the services they provide. Project results – be they success, failure, or a combination thereof – should offer valuable information to the museum field and the potential for improvement in the ways museums serve their communities.
Eligibility: Museums that fulfill the general criteria for museums may apply. Public or private nonprofit agencies, organizations, or associations that engage in activities designed to advance museums and the museum profession may also apply. In addition, institutions of higher education, including public and non-profit universities, are eligible.
Program Contacts:
Helen Wechsler
Supervisory Grants Management Specialist
hwechsler@imls.gov
202-653-4779
Jill Connors-Joyner
Museum Program Specialist
jconnors-joyner@imls.gov
202-653-4791
Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (NANH)
Grant Amount: $5,000 - $50,000
Grant Period: Up to two years
Cost Share Program: No cost share requirement
The Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (NANH) program supports Indian tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians. These grants are intended to provide opportunities to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge through strengthened activities in areas such as exhibitions, educational services and programming, professional development, and collections stewardship.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are federally recognized Indian tribes,
Alaskan Native Villages and corporations, and,
organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians.
Entities such as museums, libraries, schools, tribal colleges, or departments of education are not eligible applicants, although they may be involved in the administration of the projects and their staff may serve as project directors, in partnership with eligible applicants. Please see Tribal Organization eligibility criteria.
Webinars: Learn more about museum grant programs by participating in IMLS webinars.
Program Contacts:
Sandra Narva
Senior Program Officer
snarva@imls.gov
202-653-4634
Sarah Glass
Museum Program Specialist
sglass@imls.gov
202-653-4652
National Leadership Grants for Museums
Grant Amount: $50,000–$500,000
Grant Period: Up to three years
Cost Share Requirement: In order to receive a National Leadership Grants for Museum award, you must provide funds from non-federal sources in an amount that is equal to or greater than the amount of the request. No cost sharing is expected for research projects and will not be considered in the review of the application.
Program Overview:
National Leadership Grants for Museums support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession so that museums can improve services for the American public. National Leadership Grants for Museums has three project categories:
Learning Experiences
IMLS supports the unique ability of museums to empower people of all ages through experiential learning and discovery. Successful projects provide high-quality, inclusive educational opportunities that address particular audience needs.
Community Anchors
IMLS promotes the role of museums as essential partners in addressing the needs of their communities by leveraging their expertise, knowledge, physical space, technology, and other resources. These projects strive to create a better quality of life within communities.
Collections Stewardship
IMLS supports the exemplary management, care, and conservation of museum collections. Projects address a clearly articulated and well-documented need and contribute to the long-term preservation of materials entrusted to the museum’s care.
Eligibility: Museums that fulfill the eligibility criteria for museums may apply. Public or private nonprofit agencies, organizations, or associations that engage in activities designed to advance museums and the museum profession may also apply. In addition, institutions of higher education, including public and non-profit universities, are eligible.
Program Contacts:
If you have questions, please contact any of the staff listed under the category that best fits your project.
Helen Wechsler
Supervisory Grants Management Specialist
hwechsler@imls.gov
202-653-4779
Museums for America (MFA)
Grant Amount: $5,000–$150,000
Grant Period: Up to three years
Cost Share Requirement: For applications requesting Museums for America funding of more than $25,000, you must provide funds from non-federal sources in an amount that is equal to or greater than the amount of the request. No cost sharing is permitted for applications requesting amounts of $5,000-$25,000.
Program Overview:
The Museums for America (MFA) program supports projects that strengthen the ability of an individual museum to serve its public. MFA has three project categories:
Learning Experiences
IMLS supports the unique ability of museums to empower people of all ages through experiential learning and discovery. Successful projects provide high-quality, inclusive educational opportunities that address particular audience needs.
Community Anchors
IMLS promotes the role of museums as essential partners in addressing the needs of their communities by leveraging their expertise, knowledge, physical space, technology, and other resources. These projects strive to create a better quality of life within communities.
Collections Stewardship
IMLS supports the exemplary management, care, and conservation of museum collections. Projects address a clearly articulated and well-documented need and contribute to the long-term preservation of materials entrusted to the museum’s care.
Eligibility: Museums that fulfill the eligibility criteria for museums may apply.
Sandra Narva
Senior Program Officer
snarva@imls.gov
202-653-4634
Museum Grants for African American History and Culture
Grant Amount: $5,000-$150,000
Grant Period: Up to three years
Cost Share Requirement: For applications requesting Museum Grants for African American History and Culture of more than $25,000, you must provide funds from non-federal sources in an amount that is equal to or greater than the amount of the request. No cost sharing is permitted for applications requesting amounts from $5,000-$25,000.
Program Overview:
Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (AAHC) support projects that improve the operations, care of collections, and development of professional management at African American museums.
AAHC grants can fund both new and ongoing museum activities and programs.
Eligibility:
Museums that fulfill the eligibility criteria for museums may apply. Eligible applicants include museums whose primary purpose is African American life, art, history, and/or culture, encompassing: the period of slavery; the era of Reconstruction; the Harlem renaissance; the civil rights movement; and other periods of the African American diaspora. Nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is to support museums identified above may also apply. Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) are also eligible. Please see program guidelines for specific eligibility criteria.
Program Contacts:
Mark Isaksen, Senior Museum Program Officer
misaksen@imls.gov
202-653-4667
Hudson River National Heritage Area
Heritage Development Grants
The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (HRVNHA) was established by Congress in 1996 and is funded, in part, through the National Park Service -Department of the Interior. The mission of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area program is to recognize, preserve, protect and interpret the nationally significant cultural and natural resources of the Hudson River Valley for the benefit of the Nation.
The HRVNHA established this grant program to provide seed money to organizations for the purposes of programming, interpretation and marketing that support the mutual goals of the HRVNHA and applicants. A total of $60,000 is available through this grant program. Projects should resonate with the following interpretive themes outlined in the HRVNHA Management Plan:
- Freedom and Dignity (Colonial Period, Revolutionary War, Social and Political Issues, Great Americans);
- Nature and Culture (Landscapes and Gardens, Architecture, Art and Artists, Hudson River School, Parks and Environment); and
- Corridor of Commerce (Transportation, Industry and Commerce).
These grants are intended to provide seed money to organizations for the purposes of: programming, interpretation and marketing that support the mutual goals of the HRVNHA and applicants.
A total of $60,000 was awarded through this grant program in 2016. A 1 to 1 local match is required, and may be provided in the form of in-kind or monetary contributions.
The Hudson River Valley Greenway is the management entity for the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. While fulfilling the goals of this grant program, proposed projects should reflect the mission of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area and be consistent with the goals of its Management Plan.
Highest priority will be given to projects or programs that feature a designated Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Heritage Site.
If you have questions about this grant program, please call (518) 473-3835, or email the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area hrvg@hudsongreenway.ny.gov
Erie Canalway National Heritage Cooridor
Erie Canalway Grants
This is a competitive grant program which makes awards ranging from $2,000 to $7,000. The grants fund projects that serve to advance the goals and strategies of the Erie Canalway Preservation and Management Plan. Awards must be matched dollar for dollar.
Event and Festival Sponsorship Program
Erie Canalway, in partnership with the NYS Canal Corporation, offers a limited number of sponsorships of up to $500 for events or festivals that showcase the Canalway Corridor's nationally significant heritage and the tremendous recreational appeal of the waterway and trails today. Municipalities or nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations are eligible.
Technical Assistance Grants
The Preservation League of New York State offers Technical Assistance Grants (TAG) of up to $3,000 to not-for-profit arts and cultural groups and municipalities managing historic sites, museums, arts facilities and other culturally important institutions. Grants support technical studies carried out by preservation and design professionals.
TAG is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has provided additional support for projects within the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
For all Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor grant questions, contact:
Andy Kitzmann (518) 237-7000, ext. 201.
andy_kitzmann@partner.nps.gov
Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership
Local Heritage Grants
The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership (CVNHP) and the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) will provide grants of up to $2,500 for projects that involve active participation from youth and students in the research and discovery of local heritage, and the creation of new artistic expressions and interpretation of local conservation efforts through fresh perspectives and/or new technology. In addition to the $2,500 grants, the CVNHP may provide grants of up to $5,000 for regional or state-wide organizations that focus on multiple communities, rather than a single community.
The meanings of local cultural and natural heritage will be showcased to new audiences through research, interpretation, music, dance, writing, visual arts, and social media. Grants may include transportation costs associated with bringing youth and student groups together to the extent that it is necessary to complete the activities described in the grant work plan. In all cases, an emphasis will be placed on local natural and cultural heritage projects and programs that build a “sense of place” for young people. The program is also meant to highlight local and regional conservation efforts in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016.
The total amount of funding available for this grant category: up to $35,000.
Contact:
Jim Brangan
Program Coordinator
802-372-3213
heritage@lcbp.org
http://www.archives.nysed.gov/
Documentary Heritage Program Grants
The Documentary Heritage Program (DHP) is a statewide program established by law to ensure the survival of New York's documentary heritage by providing financial support and guidance to the not-for-profit organizations that hold, collect and make available the state's historical records.
New York State-based not-for-profit organizations including, but not limited to, archives, libraries, historical societies, museums, and other organizations that hold historical records, and collect and make them publicly accessible, may use the DHP's services and apply for DHP Grants.
In order to insure that the DHP addresses the New York State Historical Records Advisory Board’s mandate to identify, survey, collect, and make available historical records that relate to under-documented groups or subjects, the State Archives has identified and given priority to specific topical areas. Many of these records are in serious danger of being lost or neglected, yet they document major change in local communities, the State, and the Nation.
DHP Top Priority Areas include:
Economic Change
New York’s history over the past centuries has encompassed vast and sometimes turbulent changes in the economic life of the state, such as the decline of heavy industry, innovations in agricultural technology and practice, and the explosion of tourism. Economic change, whether in individual towns and cities, regions, or the state as a whole, is one of the defining themes of New York’s history.
Military history
New York State’s military forces and the state’s military history have had a major impact on New York since the colonial era. Military records shed light on the lives of soldiers, the struggles of the forces, as well as war’s impact on the home front, and offer researchers a unique view of our past.
Population groups
New York’s history has been shaped substantially by the arrival, emergence, and growth of a great diversity of groups united in varying degrees by shared culture, ethnic or racial background, socioeconomic status, beliefs or values, and experience. Most groups include both concentrations of individuals in neighborhoods or communities and individuals spread in small clusters throughout the state. Most will also share and nurture particular ways of life or other cultural expressions that help define the group and shape its contributions to New York’s history.
Social reform and activism
Efforts to achieve or oppose social, economic, cultural, environmental, religious, and political change have been central to New York’s history. Many movements begun in New York, such as those for women’s equality, child labor laws, industrial safety, environmental protection, gay rights, and the Occupy Wall Street, have spread across the nation.
Coordinating historical records training workshops
Working with regional organizations, businesses, ethnic and racial groups, libraries, archives and museums to ensure the identification of, permanent care for, and availability of historical records for previously underdocumented groups and topics particularly in the two priority areas noted above;
Raising public awareness of the importance of historical records, especially for underdocumented groups and topics;
Working with repositories and organizations regionally to seek local, state, and federal funding for projects to support historical records programming, and
Providing advice to historical records repositories to strengthen their programs.
Offering competitive grants for projects that address the DHP priorities;
Encouraging development of finding aids and access to information about historical records holdings;
Developing workshop curricula and publications on historical records techniques and issues;
Encouraging coordinated efforts to seek federal and private funding.
For more information, contact:
Archival Advisory Services
New York State Archives
9C71 Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
518-474-6926
mail: dhs@nysed.gov
Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF)
http://www.archives.nysed.gov/common/archives/files/grants_lgrmif_app.pdf
Contact us:
Email: archgrants@nysed.gov
Phone: (518) 474-6926
Larry J. Hackman Research Residency Program
The New York State Archives announces the availability of awards for qualified applicants to conduct research using historical records in the Archives. The Larry J. Hackman Research Residency Program is intended to support advanced work in New York State history, government, or public policy by defraying travel-related research expenses. It encourages public dissemination of research products. The program honors the New York State Archivist who managed the dramatic development of the State Archives between 1981 and 1995.
Applicant/Project Eligibility
Residents conduct research at the New York State Archives. Previous Residents have included academic and public historians, graduate students, independent researchers and writers, and primary and secondary school teachers. Projects involving innovative uses of the Archives, such as research for multimedia projects, exhibits, and websites, are welcomed. The topic or area of research must draw on government records in the New York State Archives. Preference will be given to projects that: (1) have application to enduring public policy issues, particularly in New York State, (2) rely on holdings that have been little used and are not available electronically or on microfilm, and (3) have a high probability of publication or other public dissemination.
Awards
Awards are intended to defray costs of travel, lodging, and meals document reproduction. Effective with the 2016 awards, all awardees will receive a $250 award plus support for eligible travel-related expenses. Previous award amounts have ranged from $100 to $4,500 depending on the length of stay at the State Archives and research expenses. Research visits range from a few days to several weeks depending upon the nature of the research and volume of records. (Eligible costs are indicated on the application form.)
Applications Process/Deadline
The fillable Application Form is available online. Certain browsers may affect the functionality of the form, so we recommend that you download the form and fill it out using Acrobat Reader or similar. Certain computer operating systems may adversely affect automatic calculations in the budget form included with the application. If you encounter problems with this function contact: sarahackres@nysed.gov and a separate form will be provided.
If you need an application form mailed to you, contact:
New York State Archives
Cultural Education Center, Room 9D46
Albany, New York 12230
Phone: 518-474-6276
Email: sarahackres@nysed.gov
If you have questions about the application process email: sarahackres@nysed.gov
Requirements
Pre-Application Planning. Potential applicants must contact the Archives' Researcher Services staff well in advance of completing the application, to discuss their research topic and the records that they propose to use.
Contact:
Researcher Services
New York State Archives
Phone: 518-474-8955
E-mail: archref@nysed.gov
Quinn-Archives Research Residency Program
With the generous support of the Doris Quinn Foundation, the New Netherland Institute at the New York State Library and the New York State Archives have joined forces to offer a fellowship to facilitate research on New Netherland and on the Dutch Colonial Atlantic World. The holder of this fellowship will spend up to a year in Albany, New York, working in the rich collections of the New Netherland Institute and the New York State Archives.
Applicant/Project Applicability
The award is $2,500. The holder must submit a final report on their research experience in order to receive final payment of award and is expected to publicized project results through: a public presentation, creating of brochure and/or an article submission to New York Archives magazine. Pre-or postdoctoral candidates in any discipline who are researching their topic are eligible, and any project dealing with the Dutch experience in the new world before 1800 will be considered.
For pre-application planning contact Dr. James D. Folts at (518) 474-4955 or e-mail Jim.Folts@nysed.gov
Application forms are available on-line or by request:
Archives Partnership Trust
Cultural Education Center, Room 9C49
Albany, New York 12230
Phone: 518-473-7091
Fax: 518-473-7058
E-mail: sarahackres@nysed.gov
http://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/programs/research-grants/
FULBRIGHT-NNRC STUDENT SCHOLAR RESEARCH GRANT
The New Netherland Research Center (NNRC), a combined endeavor of the New Netherland Institute (NNI) and the Office of Cultural Education, New York State Education Department (NYSED/OCE), offers a joint Student Scholar Research Grant with the Fulbright Center of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The New Netherland Research Center provides a grant of $ 3,000 for research, which is intended to defray the cost of a three-month residence at the NNRC, with the research taking place at the NNRC itself, the New York State Library and the New York State Archives in Albany, New York. The research must take place in the field of New Netherland History and the Dutch Atlantic World, using the Records of New Netherland. Genealogical research is excluded.
The grant will be paid out by the NNRC in monthly installments after submission and acceptance by the director of the NNRC of a monthly progress report. At the end of the residence, the grant recipient must submit a report of the results of the research and explain these in a lecture, both in English, before the final installment will be paid.
Candidates for the Fulbright-New Netherland Research Center student scholar grant must fulfill the following conditions:
- prior to departure be in possession of a Bachelor’s degree
- have good command of modern and seventeenth-century Dutch
- give a clear description of the purpose and the plan of the research
- preferably be engaged in writing a dissertation as Ph.D. candidate at a Dutch university
- applications from junior scholars are also possible
In addition, the Fulbright Center stipulates that candidates must have Dutch nationality, but not dual (Dutch and American) citizenship, not be presently residing in the US or having resided there within the past few years, and must return to the Netherlands at the end of the student residency. Fulbright grant recipients are ineligible for a visa to the US for work or immigration, which does not exclude a visit as tourist or conference attender. This condition cannot be avoided by applying for another US visa. During the grant period the student will have limited health insurance.
Further Fulbright Conditions, Application Guide, and Application Form
*The application must include an invitation to apply from the Director of the New Netherland Research Center. To request an invitation, email Dr. Charles T. Gehring (charles.gehring@nysed.gov giving a brief description of your topic.
Applications are to be submitted to the Fulbright Center.
For its complete, official conditions and application guide and form, go to:
http://www.fulbright.nl/programmas/fulbright-programma/fulbright-voor-promovendi.html
CHARLES W. WENDELL RESEARCH GRANT
The New Netherland Research Center (NNRC), a joint endeavor of the New Netherland Institute (NNI) and the Office of Cultural Education, New York State Education Department (NYSED/OCE), has established a Research Grant with financial support from the Charles W. Wendell Memorial Fund. This annual grant will honor the memory of Dr. Charles W. Wendell, a valued trustee, vice-president, and president of the New Netherland Institute’s Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2015. The grant covers a period of one week up to six months, part of which may be devoted to residency at the NNRC, and provides a stipend of $1,000 – $ 5,000, depending upon the scope of the project. A time frame for fulfilling the grant requirements will be established in consultation with the Director of the NNRC. No housing, travel funds, or health insurance are provided.
The research project must deal with the Dutch experience in North America and the Dutch Atlantic World, and is expected to result in a publishable article or a component of a larger work. Researchers in any discipline, including family history or biography, are encouraged to apply. The research should draw attention to the rich collection of primary and secondary sources relating to the Dutch colonial experience in America at the New Netherland Research Center, the New York State Archives, the New York State Library, or other repositories, including online New Netherland manuscript translations. A working knowledge of contemporary and seventeenth-century Dutch and a period of residency at the NNRC may be required, depending upon the requirements of the research topic.
The stipend is payable in equal installments upon acceptance by the Director of the NNRC of a progress report, to be submitted at regular intervals determined in consultation with the Director. At the conclusion of the grant period, the grant recipient must submit a satisfactory work product prior to receipt of the final installment.
Applications must consist of a curriculum vita and a cover letter outlining the research topic and a work plan. Recommendations will be accepted. Applications may be sent to nyslfnn@nysed.gov
Please use Charles W. Wendell Research Grant as subject! Or they may be submitted to the Grants Committee, New Netherland Institute, P.O. Box 2536, ESP Station, Albany, NY 12220-0536
NNRC STUDENT SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE RESEARCH GRANT
The New Netherland Research Center (NNRC), a joint endeavor of the New Netherland Institute (NNI) and the Office of Cultural Education, New York State Education Department (NYSED/OCE), with financial support from the Government of the Netherlands, announces the NNRC Student Scholar in Residence Research Grant. The grant covers a period of up to three months in residence and provides a stipend of $5,000. A time frame for fulfilling the grant requirements will be established in consultation with the Director of NNRC. No housing, travel funds, or health insurance are provided.
Scholars beyond the undergraduate level and actively working on a thesis, dissertation, or scholarly article are invited to apply. Research must be conducted at the New Netherland Research Center, New York State Library, and the New York State Archives, Albany, NY, in the field of New Netherland history and the Dutch Atlantic world, using the Records of New Netherland. Candidates must indicate their research topic in their application. Genealogical research topics are excluded. The applicant should have a working knowledge of contemporary and seventeenth-century Dutch.
The $5,000 stipend is payable in equal installments upon submission and acceptance by the Director of NNRC of a monthly progress report. At the conclusion of the residency, the student scholar must submit a written report based on their work and deliver a public lecture on their research findings prior to receipt of their final installment.
Applications must consist of a curriculum vita, two letters of recommendation, and a cover letter outlining the research topic and work plan. Applications may be sent to nyslfnn@nysed.gov
Please use Student Scholar Grant as subject! Or they may be submitted to the Grants Committee, New Netherland Institute, P.O. Box 2536, ESP Station, Albany, NY 12220-0536.
http://www.iloveny.com/articles/view/market-ny-information-guidelines/830/#.V5Yq2PkrKmx
Market New York is a grant program established to strengthen tourism and attract visitors to New York State by promoting destinations, attractions and special events. Funding is available for tourism marketing initiatives, capital/construction projects and the recruitment and/or execution of meetings, conferences, conventions, festivals, athletic competitions and consumer and industry trade shows. The Market New York program and each funded proposal will work to support the long term strategic plans for economic growth as put forth by the Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs).
Market New York applicants are required to submit project proposals through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA).
For more information about the REDCs, the CFA Process and to fill out an application, visit https://apps.cio.ny.gov/apps/cfa/
Regional Economic Development Grants
Funding opportunities are available through the Regional Economic Development Council program (REDC) for projects designed to enhance and transform the cultural and economic vitality of New York State communities. Arts and culture activities enrich and strengthen community, civic and social life in New York State. Successful proposals will demonstrate significant economic and community development impact that positions arts, culture and heritage at the core of local development and revitalization efforts.
Applications made to this program are exempt from NYSCA’s two request limit. However, organizations may only submit ONE application to the Regional Economic Development Program. The request must be distinctly different from a request submitted to another NYSCA program.
Applications made to this program are submitted through the online Consolidated Funding Application, CFA. To access the information on the Regional Economic Development Program and to access the CFA grant portal, please visit https://regionalcouncils.ny.gov
All required application questions must be completed and supporting documents must be uploaded before applicants can finalize and submit their applications. It is strongly recommended that applicants submit proposals well in advance of the close date to avoid any submission issues.
Prequalification
All Applicants must be registered with Grants Gateway and be in Prequalified status at the time and date that the application is due. If you are not Prequalified at that time and date, your application will not be considered. For more information about Grants Gateway and Prequalification, please visit the Grants Reform website http://www.grantsreform.ny.gov/Grantees
The Grants Reform help desk can be reached at (518) 474-5595.
If you are already prequalified, please check your vault status to ensure that none of your documents expires prior to the REDC application deadline. New to Grants Gateway? Visit https://grantsgateway.ny.gov for information on how to begin the prequalification process.
Program Staff
Arian Blanco, (212) 459-8815
Orin Chait, (212) 459-8835
Facilities Grants
Arts, cultural and heritage organizations that own or lease buildings face myriad challenges in managing those structures. Through Facilities support NYSCA makes strategic investments in supporting those organizations to help them become more physically accessible, stabilize their facility, support their artistic efforts, and become more sustainable for their communities. Strong Facilities projects combine excellence in design with informed decisions which will positively affect the future of arts, cultural and heritage organizations across the state.
Funding Categories
- Capital Equipment
- Capital Projects
- Design Studies
- Regrants and Partnerships
Program Staff
Christine Leahy, (212) 459-8818
http://www.arts.ny.gov/public/guidelines/GG17/FY17Facilities_Guidelines_Application_Instructions.pdf
Museum Grants
Museums allow us to experience great art, to discover stories about objects, and to explore worlds both new and familiar. Within museums arts and cultural activities may be very diverse. But, at their heart is an emphasis on the exhibition and interpretation of art, objects or an historic space. NYSCA advances museums and related professional service organizations by offering support for arts, cultural and heritage activities. The Museum Program underscores the importance of clear planning to foster stronger institutions, and encourages creative thinking to better serve the public.
Funding Categories
- General Operating Support
- Project Support
- Regrants and Partnerships
Program Staff
Kristin Herron, (212) 459-8825
Fabiana Chiu-Rinaldi, (212) 459-8828
http://www.arts.ny.gov/public/guidelines/GG17/FY17Museum_Guidelines_Application_Instructions.pdf
State & Local Partnerships Grants
State and Local Partnerships (SLP) fosters the growth and development of arts and culture at the local level in all of the state’s communities and regions. SLP provides support to Local Arts Councils, Multi-Arts Centers, and Multi-Arts Service Organizations operating at the regional, county, and local levels that advance arts and cultural initiatives across artistic disciplines and offer comprehensive arts services essential to the state's continued cultural development.
SLP also manages Decentralization (DEC), the Council's statewide regrant program. DEC provides support for community-based arts activities through a local decision-making grant process that reflects the unique character of each of the state's communities. DEC is administered through a network of local arts organizations and is available to artists and organizations in each of the state's 62 counties.
Funding Categories
- General Operating Support
- Organizational Capacity Building
- Regrants and Partnerships
- Services to the Field
- Decentralization
Program Staff
Arian Blanco, (212) 459-8815
Leanne Tintori Wells, (212) 459-8816
Historic Preservation Grant Program
The Historic Preservation program is to improve, protect, preserve, rehabilitate, restore or acquire properties listed on the State or National Registers of Historic Places and for structural assessments and/or planning for such projects. Properties not currently listed, but scheduled for nomination review at the State Board for Historic Preservation meeting are eligible to apply.
Questions about or proposals for listing on the State or National Register should be directed to the OPRHP National Register Unit at (518) 237-8643.
All work must conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. To ensure the public benefit from the investment of state funds, preservation covenants or conservation easements will be conveyed to the State (OPRHP) for all historic property grants.
Funding Priorities
Each year the Commissioner establishes program priorities for which projects will receive additional points.
Rating Criteria
The Priority Evaluation Form is based on the following rating criteria:
- the ability of the project sponsor to initiate and complete the project on a timely basis, at a reasonable cost, and operate or maintain the completed project;
- the relationship of the project to a local, regional and/or statewide planning document or other assessment of need;
- the degree to which local recreation, conservation or open space deficiencies will be addressed by the project;
- State and Federal mandates;
- annual programmatic and funding priorities;
- the extent to which the project protects, enhances or interprets natural, cultural or historic resources;
- the degree to which the project will primarily serve either a densely populated area or an area where a substantial proportion of the population is of low income or otherwise disadvantaged or underserved;
- the historic significance of the property in the National, State or local context and;
- the degree to which the project will increase public stewardship or awareness of historic resources.
Among the rating criteria, the Commissioner may award any of the following factors up to a maximum of ten points.
All applications will be reviewed for the relevance of these to the project scope:
- the geographic distribution of other fundable projects in any given application cycle;
- consideration may be given to projects in areas that have or have not received funding in recent cycles or where funding is not commensurate with the population of the area. This will be based on the proximity to other funded sites and the diversity of projects being funded on a regional and local basis, as well as the service area of the developed or planned facilities.
- the extent to which the project will maximize the use and accessibility of a facility;
- consideration may be given to projects where funding will allow underutilized facilities to be accessed or to develop underutilized resources for public use. This will be based on the resources offered by the facility, the use of those resources and whether the proposed project will help the facility expand and enhance its public use.
- special engineering, environmental and historic preservation concerns or benefits;
- consideration may be given to develop particularly significant resources and facilities or to develop innovative approaches to preserve valuable resources. This will be based on the type of resource being developed or rehabilitated; its rarity on a local, regional, statewide and national basis; the ability of an innovative technology to address an emergency or mitigate future problems; how well a technology can be "exported" for use on other properties and resources; and how/if the project will allow public access that would not otherwise be available.
- the past performance, if any, of the project sponsor on previous projects;
- consideration may be given to how timely an applicant completed previous projects, including its reporting requirements; how successful it was in outreach, especially to minority- and woman-owned businesses; the ongoing upkeep and maintenance of the property; and its cooperation in allowing OPRHP to complete inspections and other follow-up actions.
Applications will be reviewed, rated and awarded as ranked on a regional basis, competing only against others in their region and category.
Heritage Area Grants Program
The Heritage Area program is for projects to acquire, preserve, rehabilitate or restore lands, waters or structures, identified in the approved management plans for Heritage Areas designated under section 35.03 of the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law and for structural assessments or planning for such projects. For a list of designated Heritage Areas with approved Management Plans and a map of Heritage Area boundaries, follow this link: http://parks.ny.gov/historic-preservation/heritage-areas.aspx
For an endorsement letter from the Heritage Area, consult with the Heritage Area.
Funding Priorities
Each year the Commissioner establishes program priorities for which projects will receive additional points.
Rating Criteria
The Priority Evaluation Form is based on the following rating criteria:
- the degree to which the project contributes to the preservation, restoration or enhancement of natural, historic or cultural resources related to the interpretive theme(s) in the local heritage area's approved management plan
- the degree to which the project enhances the function and visual quality of the local heritage area
- the impact of the facility on the local economy or its contribution to established economic development plans
- the relationship of the project to a local, regional and/or statewide planning document or other assessment of need
- the degree to which the project will primarily serve either a densely populated area or an area where a substantial proportion of the population is of low income or otherwise disadvantaged or underserved
- the degree to which the project directly serves or benefits heritage area visitors and users
- the applicant's ability to initiate and complete the project on a timely basis, at a reasonable cost, and operate or maintain the project annual programmatic and funding priorities
- annual programmatic and funding priorities
Among the rating criteria, the Commissioner may award any of the following factors up to a maximum of ten points. All applications will be reviewed for the relevance of these to the project scope:
- the geographic distribution of other fundable projects in any given application cycle;
- consideration may be given to projects in areas that have or have not received funding in recent cycles or where funding is not commensurate with the population of the area. This will be based on the proximity to other funded sites and the diversity of projects being funded on a regional and local basis, as well as the service area of the developed or planned facilities.
- the extent to which the project will maximize the use and accessibility of a facility;
- consideration may be given to projects where funding will allow underutilized facilities to be accessed or to develop underutilized resources for public use. This will be based on the resources offered by the facility, the use of those resources and whether the proposed project will help the facility expand and enhance its public use.
- special engineering, environmental and historic preservation concerns or benefits;
- consideration may be given to develop particularly significant resources and facilities or to develop innovative approaches to preserve valuable resources. This will be based on the type of resource being developed or rehabilitated; its rarity on a local, regional, statewide and national basis; the ability of an innovative technology to address an emergency or mitigate future problems; how well a technology can be "exported" for use on other properties and resources; and how/if the project will allow public access that would not otherwise be available.
- the past performance, if any, of the project sponsor on previous projects;
- consideration may be given to how timely an applicant completed previous projects, including its reporting requirements; how successful it was in outreach, especially to minority- and woman-owned businesses; the ongoing upkeep and maintenance of the property; and its cooperation in allowing OPRHP to complete inspections and other follow-up actions.
Applications will be reviewed, rated and awarded as ranked on a regional basis, competing only against others in their region and category.
Certified Local Government Grant Program
Each federal fiscal year, New York State sets aside ten percent of the state's allocation of federal historic preservation funds for pass-through to Certified Local Governments. These funds are awarded on the basis of competition among eligible applications, evaluated and ranked according to the established selection criteria. Past grant awards have ranged from $1,200 to $29,000, with most in the $5,000 to $15,000 range. The total amount of available funding varies each year with the federal allocation.
Eligibility: Only completed applications accompanied by all necessary documentation will be considered for funding. CLG grants are only awarded to Certified Local Governments in good standing. For local governments applying for CLG status, reviews of requests for CLG status and grant applications can be done simultaneously.
Project Scheduling: Generally, grants are under contract two to three months after the application is filed. Grant projects must be completed in the fiscal year of the award or the fiscal year following. Projects that cannot meet this schedule should be phased to accommodate the funding cycle.
Pre-applications: Local governments wishing guidance in developing subgrant applications may submit proposed projects for SHPO review at any time. The pre-application should be as detailed as possible and should conform to the standard application format. Within a month of receipt, SHPO staff will review the proposal and advise the applicant of any revisions necessary for projects to meet program standards and priorities.
Eligible activities: CLG funding may be applied to many kinds of projects that address the goals of identifying, evaluating, nominating, and protecting a community's cultural resources. Project categories identified as priorities are training for municipal officials; public education programs, surveys and designations undertaken as part of a comprehensive plan, correction of deficiencies in CLG performance, and demonstration projects on critical issues, such as compliance with state building and fire codes.
Method of Payment: Payment is made only on a reimbursement basis, following submission of completed work and documentation of total expenditures. Communities are encouraged to contribute funds or in-kind services equaling at least 40% of the total project cost.
Send completed grant application forms to:
CLG Program-Grants Management Bureau
NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Agency Building One, Empire State Plaza
Albany NY 12238
For Additional information, contact CLG Coordinator, Dan McEneny at (518) 268-2162 or at:
CLG Program/NYS OPRHP
Peebles Island State Park
PO Box 189
Waterford NY 12188-0189
OPRHP Regional Grants Coordinator Contacts
To determine the appropriate Regional Grants Officer to contact, please identify the county in which the project is located.
Western New York Region
Counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie & Niagara
Noelle Kardos
Beaver Island State Park, 2136 West Oakfield, Grand Island, NY 14072
(716) 773-5292, Fax (716) 773-4150
Central New York Region
Counties: Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga & Oswego
Jean Egenhofer
Clark Reservation State Park
6105 East Seneca Turnpike, Jamesville, NY 13078-9516
(315) 492-1756, Fax (315) 492-3277
Finger Lakes Region
Counties: Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming & Yates
Kathleen McIsaac
2221 Taughannock Park Road, Trumansburg, NY 14886
(607) 387-7041, Fax (607) 387-3390
Mohawk Valley Region
Counties: Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego & Schoharie
Jean Egenhofer
Clark Reservation State Park
6105 East Seneca Turnpike, Jamesville, NY 13078-9516
(315) 492-1756, Fax (315) 492-3277
Long Island Region
Counties: Nassau & Suffolk
Traci Christian
Belmont Lake State Park, PO Box 247, Babylon, NY 11702
(631) 321-3543, Fax (631) 321-3721
Southern Tier Region
Counties: Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Delaware, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga & Tompkins
Kathleen McIsaac
2221 Taughannock Park Road, Trumansburg, NY 14886
(607) 387-7041, Fax (607) 387-3390
New York City Region
Counties: Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, & Richmond
Merrill Hesch
NYS OPRHP Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10027
(212) 866-2599, Fax (212) 866-3186
Mid-Hudson Region
Counties: Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster & Westchester
Erin Drost
NYS OPRHP Taconic Regional Office, 9 Old Post Road, Staatsburg, NY 12580\
(845) 889-3866, Fax (845) 889-8321
Capital Region
Counties: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren & Washington
Danielle Dwyer
Saratoga Spa State Park, 19 Roosevelt Drive
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-6214
(518) 584-2000, Fax (518) 584-5694
North Country Region
Counties: Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis & St. Lawrence
Sunshine Jenkins
Keewaydin State Park, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607
(315) 482-2593, Fax (315) 482-9413
https://www.rdlgfoundation.org/
Giving Policy
- The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation provides support for projects that we believe will make the greatest possible impact for promoting the appreciation of Suffolk County heritage and for preserving local historical collections and structures.
- To that end, our grant programs are highly competitive.
The Foundation aims to invest in activities that will have a long-term, sustainable influence in the preservation of Suffolk County heritage and also upon the ability of relevant organizations to carry out their missions. Candidates for funding must demonstrate 1) their ability to financially sustain the project and 2) that the project contributes to the sustainability of the organization. - The Foundation seeks to support organizations that demonstrate strong and organized internal capacity; effectiveness in their field; and the financial and human resources as well as intellectual capacity to manage the project successfully. No more than two proposals may be submitted in one year by any single organization or entity.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be non-profit, qualifying as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
- Historical societies, historians, anthropologists, academic institutions, museums and similar organizations are welcome to apply.
- Applicants must have submitted a final grant report for any completed project previously funded by the Gardiner Foundation.
- The project must have a clearly outlined project plan and accompanying activities.
- The organization must demonstrate its vital role as a cultural entity in its community - enhancing education, promoting interest in and understanding of living history or preserving societal heritage.
https://www.wgpfoundation.org/
About the Programs:
Our signage grant programs span everything from commemorating New York State history and the National Register of Historic Places to celebrating folklore and women’s suffrage. Select one of the program options below to learn more and apply for signage grants.
Our grants are open to all 501(c)(3) organizations, municipalities and nonprofit academic institutions. Municipal historians or local historical organizations may apply for a marker on behalf of the property owner.
Links to Historical Organizations & Resources
New York State Museum
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/
New York State Archives
http://www.archives.nysed.gov/
New York State Library
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
http://parks.ny.gov/
New York State Council on the Arts
https://www.nysca.org/
New York Council for the Humanities
http://www.nyhumanities.org/
New York Genealogical & Biographical Society
http://newyorkfamilyhistory.org/
New York Folklore Society
http://www.nyfolklore.org
I Love New York
http://www.iloveny.com/
Path Through History
http://paththroughhistory.iloveny.com/
NYC & Co.
http://www.nycandcompany.org/
New York Cultural Heritage Tourism Network
http://newyorkculturalheritagetourismnetwork.com/
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcla/html/home/home.shtml
Historic House Trust of New York City
http://historichousetrust.org/
African Burial Ground National Monument
https://www.nps.gov/afbg/index.htm
Castle Clinton National Monument
https://www.nps.gov/cacl/index.htm
Val-Kill National Historic Site
https://www.nps.gov/elro/index.htm
Ellis Island National Monument
https://www.nps.gov/elis/index.htm
Federal Hall National Memorial
https://www.nps.gov/feha/index.htm
Fire Island National Seashore
https://www.nps.gov/fiis/index.htm
Fort Stanwix National Monument
https://www.nps.gov/fost/index.htm
Gateway National Recreation Area
https://www.nps.gov/gate/index.htm
General Grant National Memorial
https://www.nps.gov/gegr/index.htm
Governor’s Island National Monument
https://www.nps.gov/gois/index.htm
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
https://www.nps.gov/hagr/index.htm
Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
https://www.nps.gov/hofr/index.htm
Lower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site
https://www.nps.gov/loea/index.htm
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
https://www.nps.gov/mava/index.htm
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
https://www.nps.gov/sahi/index.htm
St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site
https://www.nps.gov/sapa/index.htm
Saratoga National Historical Park
https://www.nps.gov/sara/index.htm
Statue of Liberty National Monument
https://www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
https://www.nps.gov/thrb/index.htm
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
https://www.nps.gov/thri/index.htm
Thomas Cole National Historic Site
https://www.nps.gov/thco/index.htm
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
https://www.nps.gov/vama/index.htm
Women’s Rights National Historical Park
https://www.nps.gov/wori/index.htm
Lakes to Locks Passage, Inc.
http://www.lakestolocks.org/index.php
Great Lakes Seaway Trail
http://www.seawaytrail.com/
Hudson River National Heritage Area
https://www.hudsonrivervalley.com/Home.aspx
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
http://www.eriecanalway.org/
Niagara Falls National Heritage Area
http://www.discoverniagara.org/
Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership
http://www.champlainvalleynhp.org/
ALBANY
City of Albany/Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Kathy Quandt
Director of Operations
kquandt@albany.org
(518) 434-0405 x213
BUFFALO—Michigan Street African-American Heritage Corridor
Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission, Inc.
Jean DuBow
Project Manager
jeand@michiganstreetbuffalo.org
716.308.4955
BUFFALO—Theatre District
City of Buffalo/Buffalo-Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau
Denise Drews
Visitor Center Manager
drews@visitbuffaloniagara.com
(800) 283-2356
HUDSON MOHAWK—RiverSpark
Hudson-Mohawk Urban Cultural Park Commission/Hudson-Mohawk Industrial Gateway
Ed Tremblay
Dir. Of Community Dev.
City of Cohoes
etremblay@ci.cohoes.ny.us
(518) 233-2117
KINGSTON
City of Kingston
Suzanne Cahill
Planning Director
scahill@kingston-ny.gov
(845) 334-3955
LAKE ERIE CONCORD GRAPE BELT
Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association
Andrew Dufresne
Executive Director
and4833@windstream.net
(716) 640-4641
LONG ISLAND NORTH SHORE
Long Island North Shore Heritage Area, Inc.
Jennifer Sappell
Executive Director
director@LINSHA.org
(516) 492-6064
MOHAWK VALLEY HERITAGE CORRIDOR
[inactive]
NEW YORK CITY—Harbor Park
City of New York/The Battery Conservancy
Warrie Price
Director of Harbor Park
wprice@thebattery.org
(212) 344-3491 x11
NIAGARA FALLS UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Area Commission, Inc.
Bill Bradberry
Chair
billbradberry@yahoo.com
(716) 206 8637
OSSINING
Village of Ossining
Christopher Soi
Superintendent of Parks & Recreation
csoi@villageofossining.org
(914) 941-0751
ROCHESTER—High Falls
City of Rochester
Susan Lindsay
Economic Development Manager
susan.lindsay@cityofrochester.gov
(585) 428-6407
SACKETS HARBOR
Village of Sackets Harbor
David Altieri
Heritage Area Coordinator
hadirector@sacketsharbor-ny.gov
(315) 646-1708
SARATOGA SPRINGS
City of Saratoga Springs
Johnnie Roberts
Heritage Area Program Coordinator
johnnie.roberts@saratoga-springs.org
(518) 587-3241
SCHENECTADY
City of Schenectady
Richard Purga
Acting Director of Development
rpurga@schenectadyny.gov
(518) 382-5149
SENECA FALLS
Town of Seneca Falls/Seneca Museum of Canals and Industry
Linda Solan
Director, Seneca Falls Visitor Center
staff@senecamuseum.com
(315) 568-1510
SUSQUEHANNA
Susquehanna Heritage Area Commission
Lora Zier
Senior Planner, Broome County
LZier@co.broome.ny.us
(607) 778-2114
SYRACUSE
City of Syracuse
Janet Burch
Bureau of Research
research@SyrGov.net
(315) 448-8055
WESTERN ERIE CANAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR
Western Erie Canal Alliance
Joan Delaro
Project Manager
lyonsmainstreetprogram.org
(315) 573-1479
WHITEHALL
Village of Whitehall
Carol Greenough
Visitor Center Director
cbgbird@yahoo.com
(518) 499-1155
Fenimore Art Museum
http://www.fenimoreartmuseum.org/
Archives Partnership Trust
http://www.nysarchivestrust.org/aptindex.shtml
Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS)
http://www.aphnys.org/
Museum Association of New York (MANY)
www.many.org
Preservation League of New York State
http://www.preservenys.org/
New York Academy of History
http://nyacademyofhistory.org/
Underground Railroad History Project
http://undergroundrailroadhistory.org/
Upstate New York Women's History Organization
https://sites.google.com/site/upstatewomenshistory/
Government Appointed Historians of Western New York (GAHWNY)
http://www.gahwny.org/
Greater Hudson Heritage Network (GHHN)
http://www.greaterhudson.org/
Western New York Association of Historical Agencies (WNYAHA)
http://www.wnyaha.org/
Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums (MAAM)
http://www.midatlanticmuseums.org/
Albany County History Collaborative
http://www.albanycountyhistory.org/
Hudson River Valley Institute
www.hudsonrivervalley.org
Hudson River Valley Heritage
http://www.hrvh.org/
Preservation Long Island
http://preservationlongisland.org/
National Council on Public History (NCPH)
http://ncph.org/
American Association of State and Local History (AASLH)
http://www.aaslh.org/
American Alliance of Museums
http://www.aam-us.org/
National Trust for Historic Preservation
http://www.preservationnation.org/?referrer=https://www.google.com/#.V5oM6fkrKmw
American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
http://www.conservation-us.org/
American Historical Association (AHA)
https://www.historians.org/
Organization of American Historians (OAH)
http://www.oah.org/
New York State Education Department
http://www.nysed.gov/curriculum-instruction/engageny
New York State Museum
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/education/professional-development-workshops-teachers
New York State Archives
http://digitalcollections.archives.nysed.gov/index.php/Browse/Index/target/ca_occurrences
Consider the Source New York
https://considerthesourceny.org/
New York State Council for Social Studies
https://nyscss.wildapricot.org/page-1862810
The Farmer's Museum
https://www.farmersmuseum.org/classroom-resources/
New York Historical Society
http://www.nyhistory.org/education
Gilder Lehman Institute of American History History U
https://www.gilderlehrman.org/programs-and-events/history-u
New York State Archives
http://www.archives.nysed.gov/
New York State Library
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/
New York State Museum
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/
New Netherlands Institute
http://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/
New York Public Library
https://www.nypl.org/
New York Heritage Digital Collection
http://www.newyorkheritage.org/
National Archives
http://www.archives.gov/
Library of Congress
https://www.loc.gov/
The People of Colonial Albany: A Community History Project
http://exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/whoarewe.html
Hudson River Valley Heritage
https://www.hrvh.org/
New York History
http://www.farmersmuseum.org/nysha/publications/new_york_history_journal?
The New York History Blog
http://newyorkhistoryblog.org/
The Hudson River Valley Review
http://www.hudsonrivervalley.org/review/
New York Archives Magazine
http://www.nysarchivestrust.org/apt/magazine/
Researching New York/Conference on New York State History
http://nystatehistory.org/
American Revolution in the Mohawk Valley Conference
http://www.fortplainmuseum.com/
Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS)
http://www.aphnys.org/conferences-and-meetings/
Museum Association of New York (MANY):
http://www.manyonline.org/events/annual-conference
Greater Hudson Heritage Network Conference
http://www.greaterhudson.org/2017-annual-conference--awards-for-excellence.html
New York Archives Conference:
http://www.nyarchivists.org/nyac/
Teaching the Hudson Valley Institute
https://www.teachingthehudsonvalley.org/thv2017/
New York Genealogical and Biographical Society NYS Family History Conference
https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/nys-family-history-conference
Utica College Center for Historical Research Symposia
http://www.utica.edu/academic/ssm/history/symposia.cfm
Seneca Falls Convention Days
http://www.conventiondays.com/
LOCAL/STATE HISTORY COURSES
SUNY Schools
Buffalo State College
HIS 340: HISTORY OF THE BUFFALO NIAGARA REGION
Joseph Golombek
GOLOMBJ@buffalostate.edu
Course Description: “The nature of the city, its growth, the dynamics of urban development, the enduring impact of its historical past in relation to its geographical presence. A case study of Buffalo. Offered occasionally.”
HIS 326: HISTORY OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION
Andrew D. Nicholls
NICHOLAD@buffalostate.edu
Course Description: “The history of the Great Lakes. Introduction to the variety of natural, social, and political factors that have shaped the region. Offered occasionally.”
HIS 415: HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF NEW YORK STATE
Reid V. Dunlavey
DUNLAVRV@buffalostate.edu
Course Description: “Aboriginal background; development of the colony; establishment of the state; rise of political parties; past and present structure and problems of New York State government; current economic and social growth. Offered occasionally.”
State University of New York at Fredonia
HIS 337: HISTORY OF NEW YORK
Mary Beth Sievens
marybeth.sievens@fredonia.edu
Course Description: “The course examines the history of New York though a chronological survey of key events and issues that defined the city, state and nation. Beginning with the Dutch settlement in Manhattan, this course investigates significant social, economic, cultural, religious or political changes that shaped the history of the "Empire State." Particular emphasis will be made on New York's connection with the nation and the world.”
State University of New York at New Paltz
HIS 303: THE EMPIRE STATE
Susan Lewis
lewiss@newpaltz.edu
Course Description: “Surveys New York State's growth from beginning to present emphasizing the changing character of its people, society, economy and government.”
HIS 308: INDIANS OF NEW YORK STATE
L. H. Roper
roperl@newpaltz.edu
Course Description: “This course will investigate the histories of indigenous people with geographical, political, economic, and cultural links to the area that comprises present-day New York State. In addition to gaining some understanding of the collective and individual pasts, we will also examine the interaction between ‘Indians’ and Europeans, the effects of these encounters, the responses devised and employed and try to come to a clearer understanding of what transpired and what further results those events generated.”
HIS 325 HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY
Course Description: “A narrative history of New York City from contact between Native Americans and European explorers through the present. Political and economic history will provide the background for New York's social and cultural history.”
HIS 461 HUDSON VALLEY CULTURE
Course Description: “Introduction to the Hudson Valley as a cultural milieu in the colonial, revolutionary, and early national periods of American history. An examination of the lives, thought, and works of Hudson Valley figures and their contributions to American thought and culture.”
State University of New York at Oneonta
HIS 266: HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE
Susan Goodier
Susan.Goodier@oneonta.edu
Course Description: “A survey of the significant political, economic, and social trends and institutions in New York State. Attention to colonial growth and change, the emergence of the independent state, the development of a democratic commonwealth, urbanism, immigration, industrialism, and political factions. Offered Fall and Spring.”
HIS 283: HISTORY OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Thomas Beal
Thomas.Beal@oneonta.edu
Course Description: “This course surveys the history of New York City (New Amsterdam until 1664) from its origins as a trading post for the Dutch West India Company to its present status as America’s foremost metropolis. Building on the work of urban historians, this course weaves together evidence and interpretations from the fields of economic, political, social, ethnic and cultural history. Attention to the city’s growth in the colonial period, its emergence as the center of American commerce in the nineteenth century, and its current position as a center of the production of American popular culture. Offered Fall only.”
State University of New York at Plattsburgh
HIS 306: HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE
Sylvie Beaudreau
beaudrsm@plattsburgh.edu
Course Description: “Political, social and economic development of New York from early settlement to modern times. Show how New York became the Empire State, and the part it has played in the nation's development. Local history receives emphasis. (Fall/Spring).”
HIS 344: ADIRONDACK ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY
Course Description: “Study of the history of interactions between humans and the environment in the Adirondack Mountains and Lake Champlain from the sixteenth century to the present. Topics include human uses of material nature; human ideas and culture of nature; the political and economic management of nature; race, class, gender, and environmental justice.” (Fall/Spring)
State University of New York at Potsdam
HIS 378: ADIRONDACK ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY
Gaylynn J Welch
welchgj@potsdam.edu
Course Description: “Adirondack Environmental History (3) Student research projects explore interrelationships of natural and cultural history in the Adirondack Park, with particular attention to the social, economic and cultural factors that shape, and reshape land use over time. The Park as a place constitutionally protected as "forever wild" will be considered in the contexts of larger theoretical discussions about wilderness and protection of other American wild places. Equivalent to ENVR310. Fall only”
HIS 379: HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE
Gaylynn J Welch
welchgj@potsdam.edu
Course Description: “Political, economic and social developments from colonial times to present. Relationship of state history to major issues and events in American life. Fall and Spring.”
Farmingdale State College
HIS 331: HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE
Michael Kaplan/not listed on the website as faculty
Course Description: “This course will examine the development of New York State from its Native American, Dutch, and British colonial origins until today. The course provides an overview and in- depth discussion of the state’s history and evolution as part of the United States, its founding ideas and institutions, and how it emerged as the Empire State we know today. In particular, the course will examine the following themes: political parties, ideology, and conflict; race, ethnicity and immigration; the economy, labor, and entrepreneurship; war and society.”
HIS 334: THE HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY
Larry Menna
larry.menna@farmingdale.edu
Course Description: “This course examines the origins of New York City as a small Dutch settlement known as New Amsterdam through its incarnation as a mercantile British colony, its growth as a commercial and later industrial metropolis, its emergence as a center of capital and modernity, and its ascendancy along with its decline and subsequent resurgence as a center of global capitalism during the 20th and 21st centuries. The course focuses on the social history of New York City, though it explores cultural, political, technological and economic developments and issues that defined its evolution. As such, the course topics include the influences of ethnicity and race on the city, the definitions, contestations and uses of social spaces, the social lives and roles of upper, middle and lower classes, the lore and intrigue of the larger than life personalities and infamous incidents in shaping the City's history, and the legendary conflicts over urban planning, use and design.”
SUNY Community Colleges
Adirondack Community College
HIS 216: HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE
Edward H Knoblauch
knoblauche@sunyacc.edu
Course Description: “This is a survey course providing an overview of the peoples and land of New York State from the earliest human occupation to the 21st century. The course will focus on physical geography, literature and the arts, demographics, government and politics relating to various time periods in New York State's history including but not limited to Native American occupation, New Netherland, the Colonial and Revolutionary eras, and the Industrial Revolution.”
HIS 270: HISTORY OF WARREN AND WASHINGTON COUNTY
Course Description: “Approaches the region from its history and material culture. Spans centuries from Native American occupation and the Colonial Wars, to the establishment of communities by Europeans and African-Americans, finally covering the home front of the World Wars, the suburbanization of communities, and the rise of tourism. Will enhance the professional development of teachers, museum staff and volunteers, historic preservationists and planners, and politicians and government workers.”
Clinton Community College
HIS 203 Honors: HISTORY OF THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY 1609-1860
Tom Mandeville (518) 562-4180 https://www.clinton.edu/OnlineLearning/Content-Staff/uid/b6c8c0a6-641b-4fd5- b212-841e139bc30c/gid/15/email.cml
Course Description: “This course surveys the history of the Champlain Valley from Samuel de Champlain’s 1609 expedition to the Civil War. Tracing the origin and growth of political, economic, social and cultural institutions, special emphasis will be placed on key questions about the relevance and significance of the Champlain Valley to European settlement in North America, the French and Indian War, American Colonial life, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Underground Railroad.”
Finger Lakes Community College
HIS 105: HISTORY OF THE FINGER LAKES
Preston Pierce
Preston.Pierce@flcc.edu
Course Description: “This course explores the economic, political, social and cultural history of the Finger Lakes region, from its early Native American origins to the present, focusing on the unique development of this part of New York State within the larger context of United States history. Using an interdisciplinary and multimedia approach, the course will cover such topics as the sources and methods of local/regional history, native-European contacts in the 17th and 18th centuries, the regional impact of the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution, and more recent developments in the areas of transportation, business, viticulture, education and tourism.”
Hudson Valley Community College
HIS 112: HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE I
Alan P. Joseph
joseph@hvcc.edu
Course Description: “The history of the state from colonial times to the 19th century. Offered Fall.”
Mohawk Valley Community College
HIS 214: NY STATE HISTORY
Stacey McCall
smccall@mvcc.edu
Course Description: “This course provides a survey of significant political, social, economic trends, and institutions in New York State from early settlement to the present. It gives a geographical and historical understanding of the State as well as how New York became the Empire State, molding its own unique identity while playing a major role in shaping and influencing the nation and the world. Attention to the changing pattern of land holding, the development of a democratic commonwealth, urbanism, immigration, industrialism, political feuds, and political factions are addresses along with local history.”
Nassau Community College
HIS 140: NASSAU COUNTY: HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT
Georgette L. Grier-Key
georgette.grierkey@ncc.edu
Course Description: “A review of the development of what is now Nassau County from pre-Colonial times to the present day. Emphasis is placed upon the governmental- administrative structure of the county and the major problems facing urban suburban communities. Field trips and guest speakers are utilized to complement class work.”
Suffolk County Community College
HIS 106: HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND Christopher Verga
vergac@sunysuffolk.edu
Neil Buffet
buffetn@sunysuffolk.edu
Course Description: “Major events, personalities and factors shaping development of Long Island from pre-Colombian past to present. Covers historical highlights in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in general and examines local towns and their contributions. Also provides background for present and prospective teachers wishing to prepare themselves for state education department’s directive that elementary schools teach local history.”
Sullivan County Community College
HIS 1290: HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY John Conway
jconway@sunysullivan.edu
Course Description: “Students learn the history of Sullivan County from its glacial formation through the Indian and early settlement period to the present. Some of the special subjects to be covered include: rafting, the tanning industry, the Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Canal, railroads, resorts, and current trends in Sullivan County.”
CUNY Schools
Queens College
HIS 284: HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE
Harriet Davis-Kram
harriet.daviskram@qc.cuny.edu
Course Description: “From its beginnings as a Dutch colony to the present. Special attention to original materials, biographers, diaries, and travels that describe New York from generation to generation.”
HIS 285: HISTORY OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Kara Schlichting
kara.schlichting@qc.cuny.edu
Course Description: “From frontier settlement to world metropolis. Special attention to original materials, letters, diaries, official records, and other primary sources.”
CUNY Community Colleges
Bronx Community College
HIS 51: HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY
Prathibha Kanakamedala
Prathibha.Kanakamedala@bcc.cuny.edu
Course Description: “This course examines the social, economic and political history of New York City from its Dutch origins in Lenape territory to the present, with emphasis on immigration, innovation, conflict and consideration of the city's role in the U.S. and global economy.”
Guttman Community College
HIS 201: WHO BUILT NEW YORK? NEW YORK CITY HISTORY
Samuel Finesurrey
samuel.finesurrey@guttman.cuny.edu
Course Description: “Emphasizing the role that working people have played in the development of New York City, this U.S. history course will explore New York's social, economic, political, and cultural history from the earliest contacts between members of the Dutch West India Company and local Native Americans to the present day. Topics will include labor, immigration, ethnic politics, social movements, popular culture, and the making of the physical city.”
Kingsborough Community College
HIS 6200: HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY
Michael Spear
Michael.Spear@kbcc.cuny.edu
Course Description: “The history of the City of New York from its founding to the present. New York City's development; its history; its origin as a Dutch trading post; position in colonial culture and society; role in the American Revolution and the founding of the American Republic; growth as a great commercial, transportation, manufacturing, and banking center; citizens' attitude toward slavery and race relations; importance as the center of immigration; growth and expansion into neighboring communities; and its problems and difficulties as a modern megalopolis. Successful completion of this course satisfies one Civic Engagement interaction.”
Private Schools
Canisius College
HIS 382: NEW YORK STATE HISTORY
Nancy J. Rosembloom
rosenbln@canisius.edu
Course Description: “This course explores the history of New York State from its colonial origins through the twentieth century in the context of major themes in American history. Special attention paid to slavery, ante-bellum reform movements, New York City, progressivism, immigration.”
College of St. Rose
HIS 215: NEW YORK STATE HISTORY
Risa Fausette
faussetr@mail.strose.edu
Course Description: “This course explores the historical development of New York State from the Dutch and British colonial period through the World War II era. Students will analyze primary and secondary documents that pertain to colonization, migration, commercial exchange, and investigate the impact of reform movements, the boundaries of citizenship, and the transformation of patronage politics in the Empire State.”
Colgate University
HIS 313: UPSTATE HISTORY
Monica Mercado
mmercado@colgate.edu
Course Description: “The political, social, and cultural history of Upstate New York State, with the primary emphasis on Central New York in the first half of the 19th century. Frontier displacement of Native Americans, the Erie Canal, the Second Great Awakening, utopian communities and perfectionism, radical anti-slavery, and women's rights are among the topics considered. Students are encouraged to use local primary sources in their research projects. Prerequisites: HIST 103 or AP credit in US history or permission of the instructor. (US)”
HIST 320: New York City History
Graham Hodges
Course Description: “Survey key patterns of development of New York City's society, economy, and culture from colonial through recent history includes contact and syncretistic cultures of Iroquois, Dutch, German, English, and Afro-Americans; impact of New York's post-revolutionary growth; establishment of metropolitan culture and politics; social and political ramifications of New York's transport and trade; rise of ethnic democracy in 19th and 20th centuries; New York's place in national perspective; perspectives for the future. (US)”
Marist College
HIST 218: History and Culture of the Hudson River Valley
Course Description: “Surveys the political, economic, and social evolution of the region from pre- Columbian times to the contemporary era. Offered annually.”
HIST 220: New York: The Empire State
Lucien Mott
Course Description: “This course examines the development and rise of New York from its pre- colonial beginnings through the present day. Emphasis will be placed on Native- American and European contact, the significance of the region to the American Revolution, the emergence of the state as the nation’s leading economic power, and the economic, political, and cultural importance of New York City in the 20th century.”
Medaille College
HIS 401: HISTORY OF BUFFALO
Daniel P. Kotzin
daniel.p.kotzin@medaille.edu
Course Description: “A study of the historical, geographical, sociological, religious, political, and economic developments of Buffalo. Emphasis is to be placed on the period following the burning of the city during the War of 1812 to the present day. This course also will focus on the city as a resource for primary research. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: ENG 200/ENG 201 and junior standing. Offered fall semester.”
HIS 402: HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE
Donald M. Quigley (not listed on the website)
Course Description: “This course covers the Empire State from the early occupation to the present. Emphasis will be on historical, geographical, sociological, political, and economic developments. These will be viewed within a multicultural context. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: HIS 140 or HIS 150 or junior standing. Offered spring semester; offered fall semester in odd numbered years.”
Molloy College
HIS 2530: HISTORY OF NY
Course Description: “The study of New York State from the Colonial period to the present. Students will examine the diversity of the American past as represented and exemplified in the history of New York State. Emphasis will be placed on the major social, political, cultural and economic forces that shaped the development of the state and the impact of New York on the nation at large. (Offered Fall)”
Mount Saint Mary College
HIS 4010: HISTORY OF NEW YORK
John Reilly
john.reilly@msmc.edu
Course Description: “A concentrated, in-depth study of the political, economic and social development of New York from pre-colonial times to the present. Prerequisites: History 1000 level course or permission of instructor.”
Niagara University
HIS 272: NEW YORK STATE HISTORY
Course Description: “Empire State” refers to New York State’s vast geographic expanse and economic power. This course investigates the state’s development into an “empire” from before European contact to the 21st century. Students will learn about the state’s history, its continuous multicultural nature, and the tension between economic development and environmental conservation.”
Pace University
HIS 366: HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY
Course Description: “The growth of New York City from a Dutch colonial outpost to the world's financial, cultural, and communications capital is traced. Political and economic developments of the colonial, early national, and post-Civil War, as well as problems of greater New York since 1898 and problems of the future are given particular emphasis.”
HIS 367: HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF NEW YORK
Course Description: “This course deals with the history and geography of the Empire State. Topics will include: topography, waterways, natural resources, geography and the economy of New York, Native Peoples, colonial settlement patterns, New York in the American Revolution, New York as the nation's first capital, 19th century transportation innovations: canals, steamboats, railroads; industrialization, 20th century New York: suburbanization, urban decay and renewal, the post-industrial age, environmental challenges, New York State government.”
Siena College
HIST 266: NEW YORK STATE HISTORY
Tricia Barbagallo
barbagallot@albanyinstitute.org
Course Description: “This course examines the history and cultural heritage of New York State from the colonial era to the present. Topics include cross-cultural relations between Native Americans, Dutch and English in the colonial era; the the American Revolution in New York State; the environmental impact of the Erie Canal, immigration, industrialization, and urbanization since the 19th century; reform politics from the Civil War through the 20th century; and the history and legacy of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks.”
St. Joseph's College
HIS 276: History of New York: State and City
Course Description: “An analysis of the history of New York from its Dutch beginnings to the present day. In addition to the study of particular events, issues and individuals of importance to the State history, the emergence of New York City as a commercial, cosmopolitan center will be examined within the context of the region’s overall development.”
HIS 274: Long Island in History
Course Description: “A study of Long Island history from its geological origins to the present day. Long Island will be analyzed both as a distinct region and as a case study in the broader history of America. Of primary importance will be an examination of the ethnic, cultural, political, social, and religious diversity that developed over time and gave to the Island its identity.”
Utica College
HIS 311: HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE
Sherri Cash
scash@utica.edu
Course Description: “Study of economic, social, and political developments with particular emphasis on local history.”
President’s Committee on Arts and the Humanities
http://www.pcah.gov/
Laws Governing History Bodies in NY State
New York Arts and Cultural Affairs Law
§ 57.01.
Office of state history
§ 57.02
There shall be in the education department the office of state history.
§ 57.03
1. Each month of October following the effective date of this section shall be designated as New York state history month.
2. The purpose of this month shall be to celebrate the history of New York state and recognize the contributions of state and local historians.
3. The commissioner of education, through the office of state history is hereby authorized to undertake projects to recognize New York state history month. Such projects may include the creation of an essay contest for state residents who are enrolled in any elementary or secondary education program which shall reflect upon the importance of New York state history. Any project or projects created pursuant to this subdivision may, in the discretion of the commissioner of education, authorize non-monetary awards to be given to project participants or project winners as such commissioner may deem appropriate.
§ 57.04
It shall be the function of the office of state history:
1. To collect, edit and publish, with the approval of the commissioner of education, any archives, records, papers or manuscripts that are deemed essential or desirable for the preservation of the state's history.
2. To prepare and publish, with the approval of the commissioner of education, or assist in the preparation and publication of, works relating to the history of the colony and state of New York.
3. To acquire, administer, preserve, exhibit, interpret, and, in conformity with the regulations of the commissioner of education, to loan, exchange or dispose of historical objects of personal property relating to the history of the colony and state of New York; and to advise any state agency, board, commission, office, civil subdivision, institution, organization, or individual on the acquisition, administration, preservation, exhibition, interpretation, and disposition of historical objects.
4. To perform the functions of the state education department set forth in section 19.11 of the parks, recreation and historic preservation law with respect to historic sites under the jurisdiction of the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation; and to advise and assist any political subdivision of the state and any institution, organization or individual concerning the designation, acquisition, administration, interpretation, use and disposition of any historic site, property or place relative to the history of the colony and state of New York, and to coordinate educational programs and projects at such historic sites or properties.
5. To advise and assist any state agency, board, commission, office, civil subdivision, institution or organization in the planning and execution of any commemorative event relating to the history of the colony and state of New York or New York's participation in commemorative events outside of the state.
6. To perform other functions or duties assigned the office by the commissioner of education.
§ 57.07
1. A local historian shall be appointed, as provided in this section, for each city, town or village, except that in a city of over one million inhabitants a local historian shall be appointed for each borough therein instead of for the city at large; and a county historian may be appointed for each county. Such historian shall be appointed as follows: For a city, by the mayor; for a borough, by the borough president; for a town, by the supervisor; for a village, by the mayor; for a county, by the board of supervisors. Such historian shall serve without compensation, unless the governing board of the city, town, village or county for or in which he or she was appointed or in the city of New York, the mayor, shall otherwise provide. In a city having a board of estimate, other than the city of New York, a resolution or ordinance establishing compensation or salary for such historian shall not take effect without the concurrence of such board. Each local government historian shall promote the establishment and improvement of programs for the management and preservation of local government records with enduring value for historical or other research; encourage the coordinated collection and preservation of nongovernmental historical records by libraries, historical societies, and other repositories; and carry out and actively encourage research in such records in order to add to the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the community's history. The local authorities of the city, town, village or county for which such historian is appointed, may provide the historian with sufficient space in a safe, vault or other fire proof structure for the preservation of historical materials collected. Such local authorities and also the board of supervisors of each of the counties of the state are hereby authorized and empowered to appropriate, raise by tax and expend moneys for historical purposes within their several jurisdictions, including historical edifices, the erection of historical markers and monuments, the collection of war mementos, and, either alone or in cooperation with patriotic or historical organizations, the preparation and publication of local histories and records and the printing and issuing of other historical materials in aid of the work of the local historian.
2. Such local authorities and also the board of supervisors of each of the counties of the state are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to contract with the trustees of an historical association for the support of any or all historic edifices situated within the boundaries of such municipality; or may share the cost of maintaining the same as agreed with other municipal bodies; or may contract with the trustees of such historical associations to maintain said historic edifices for public use under such terms and conditions as may be stated in such contract. The amount agreed to be paid for such use under such contract shall be a charge upon the municipality and shall be paid in the same manner as other municipal charges, except in a city having a board of estimate, other than the city of New York, such contracts and any payments made thereunder shall be approved by such board of estimate. In the city of New York, such contracts and any payments thereunder shall be approved by the mayor.
3. Such local authorities are hereby authorized to establish and collect reasonable charges to defray the cost of searching for and reproducing copies of written or printed historical materials collected.
§ 57.09
It shall be the duty of each local historian, appointed as provided in the last section, in cooperation with the state historian, to collect and preserve material relating to the history of the political subdivision for which he or she is appointed, and to file such material in fireproof safes or vaults in the county, city, town or village offices. Such historian shall examine into the condition, classification and safety from fire of the public records of the public offices of such county, city, town or village, and shall call to the attention of the local authorities and the state historian any material of local historic value which should be acquired for preservation. He or she shall make an annual report, in the month of January, to the local appointing officer or officers and to the state historian of the work which has been accomplished during the preceding year. He or she shall, upon retirement or removal from office, turn over to the local county, city, town or village authorities, or to his or her successor in office, if one has been then appointed, all materials gathered during his or her incumbency and all correspondence relating thereto. It shall be the duty of the county historian to supervise the activities of the local historians in towns and villages within the county in performing the historical work recommended by the state historian, and also to prepare and to present to the board of supervisors a report of the important occurrences within the county for each calendar year. The state historian, at regular intervals, not less than once a year, shall indicate to the local historians the general lines along which local history material is to be collected.
§ 57.11
A public officer who refuses or neglects to perform any duty required of him by this article or to comply with a recommendation of the commissioner of education under the authority of this article, shall for each month of such neglect or refusal, be punished by a fine of not less than twenty dollars.
New York County Law § 400.
Officers; manner of selection; term; vacancies
4. (a) Appointive. There shall continue to be appointed in the manner prescribed by law a clerk of the board of supervisors, a county attorney, county superintendent of highways, sealer of weights and measures and county historian. The board of supervisors may by local law provide for the appointment of additional county officers, define their powers and duties not inconsistent with law, and fix the term of their office. No officer appointed for a fixed term shall be removed by the board during his term without written charges and the opportunity to be heard.
New York Military Law § 24.
Bureau of war records; completion and preservation of the records and relics; free inspection of the same and quarters in the capitol
6. a. The books, records, relics and other property in such bureau shall be open for inspection and use, except the use of the colors, standards and battle flags, at such reasonable hours and under such regulations as the chief of staff of the state may determine.
b. No property placed in such bureau for the purposes of this section shall be removed therefrom, or from the immediate custody and control of the chief of staff of the state, except as follows:
(1) colors, standards, battle flags and guidons received from the United States may be turned over by the chief of staff, with the approval of the governor, under such conditions as the governor may prescribe, to active organizations of the New York national guard and New York naval militia, representing the organizations which carried such colors, standards, battle flags and guidons while in the active military service of the United States;
(2) the chief of staff of the state, subject to the approval of the adjutant general, may lend any of the property placed in such bureau for the purposes of this section to a public corporation or agency thereof; state institution or other state agency; educational corporation or institution; museum; or historical society under such conditions as the chief of staff may prescribe;
(3) notwithstanding any other provision of law, the chief of staff of the state, subject to the approval of the adjutant general, may destroy, sell or otherwise permanently dispose of any property in such bureau, except books and records, provided he:
(a) advises the state historian of the nature of the property;
(b) certifies to the state historian that such property no longer has sufficient administrative, historical or military value to warrant its retention; and
(c) receives the consent of the state historian to the destruction, sale or other permanent disposition of the property;
(4) books and records in such bureau shall be disposed of or destroyed in accordance with the provisions of subdivision eleven of section 57.05 of the arts and cultural affairs law.
New York Not-For-Profit Corporation Law § 1401.
Private and family cemetery corporations
(b) Removal of remains from private cemeteries to other cemeteries. The supervisor of any town containing a private cemetery may remove any body interred in such cemetery to any other cemetery within the town, if the owners of such cemeteries and the next of kin of the deceased consent to such removal. The owners of a private cemetery may remove the bodies interred therein to any other cemetery within such town, or to any cemetery designated by the next of kin of the deceased. Notice of such removal shall be given within twenty days before such removal personally or by certified mail to the next of kin of the deceased if known and to the clerk and historian of the county in which such real property is situated and notice shall be given to the New York state department of state, division of cemeteries. If any of the deceased are known to be veterans, the owners shall also notify the division of veterans' affairs. In the absence of the next of kin, the county clerk, county historian or the division of veterans' affairs may act as a guardian to ensure proper reburial
New York State Technology Law § 305.
Use of electronic records
4. The director shall study how electronic documents and the mechanisms and processes for obtaining access to and reading electronic data can be created, maintained, exchanged, and preserved by the state in a manner that encourages appropriate government control, access, choice, interoperability, and vendor neutrality. The study shall consider, but not be limited to, the policies of other states and nations, management guidelines for state archives as they pertain to electronic documents, public access, expected storage life of electronic documents, costs of implementation, and savings. The director shall solicit comments regarding the creation, maintenance, exchange, and preservation of electronic documents by the state from stakeholders, including but not limited to, the office of the state comptroller, the office of the attorney general, the state archives, and the state historian. The director shall also solicit comments from members of the public. The director shall report findings and recommendations to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, and the temporary president of the senate on or before January fifteenth, two thousand eight.
Regional Tourism Promotional Organizations Contact List
Adirondack Regional
Tourism Council
www.visitadirondacks.com
800-487-6867
Clinton County
www.goadirondack.com
877-242-6752
Franklin County
www.adirondacklakes.com
800-709-4895
Hamilton County
adirondackexperience.com
800-648-5239
Lake Placid/Essex County
lakeplacid.com
800-447-5224
Lewis County
adirondackstughill.com
800-724-0242
Warren County
visitlakegeorge.com
800-95-VISIT
Capital-Saratoga
Tourism Region
capital-saratoga.com
Albany County
albany.org
800-258-3582
Fulton County
44Lakes.com
800-676-3858
Rensselaer County
renscotourism.com
518-270-2959
Saratoga County
saratoga.org
800-526-8970
Schenectady County
sayschenectady.org
800-962-8007
Washington County
washingtonnycounty.com
888-203-8622
Catskill Tourism Region
visitthecatskills.com
800-342-5826
Delaware County
greatwesterncatskills.com
866-775-4425
Greene County
greatnortherncatskills.com
800-355-CATS (2287)
Sullivan County
scva.net
800-882-2287
Ulster County
ulstercountyalive.com
800-342-5826
Central NY Region
visitcentralnewyork.com
Broome County /
Greater Binghamton
visitbinghamton.org
800-836-6740
Chenango County
chenangony.org
877-CHENANGO
Herkimer County /
Town of Webb
oldforgeny.com
877-OLD-FORGE
Madison County
madisontourism.com
800-684-7320
Montgomery County
visitmontgomerycountyny.com
800-743-7337
Oneida County
oneidacountytourism.com
888-999-6560
Otsego County / Cooperstown
thisiscooperstown.com
800-843-3394
Schoharie County
upstatevacations.com
800-41-VISIT
Chautauqua-Allegheny Region
visitwesternny.com
800-242-4569
Allegany County
discoveralleganycounty.com
800-836-1869
Cattaraugus County
echantedmoutains.info
800-331-0543
Chautauqua County
Convention & Visitors Bureau
tourchautauqua.com
866-908-4569
Finger Lakes Tourism
Promotion Agencies
FingerLakesTravelNY.com
888-408-1693
Cayuga County
tourcayuga.com
800-499-9615
Chemung County
marktwaincountry.com
800-MARK-TWAIN
FINGER LAKES
Cortland County
experiencecortland.com
800-859-2227
Ithaca / Tompkins
visitithaca.com
800-284-8422
Livingston County
fingerlakeswest.com
800-538-7365
Monroe County /
Greater Rochester
visitrochester.com
800-677-7282
Onondaga County /
Syracuse
visitsyracuse.org
800-234-4SYR
Ontario County / Finger Lakes
Visitors Connection
visitfingerlakes.com
877-FUN-IN-NY
Schuyler County / Watkins Glen
watkinsglenchamber.com
800-607-4552
Seneca County
fingerlakescentral.com
800-732-1848
Steuben County / Corning
corningfingerlakes.com
866-946-3386
Tioga County
visittioga.com
800-671-7772
Wayne County
waynecountytourism.com
800-527-6510
Yates County
yatesny.com
800-868-YATES
Greater Niagara Region
greaterniagarausa.com
800-622-2686
Erie County / Buffalo Niagara
Convention & Visitors Bureau
visitbuffaloniagara.com
888-BUFFALO
Genesee County
visitgeneseeny.com
800-622-2686
Niagara Tourism &
Convention Corporation
niagara-usa.com
877-FALLS-US
Orleans County
orleanscountytourism.com
800-724-0314
Wyoming County
gowyomingcountyny.com
800-839-3919
Hudson Valley Tourism
travelhudsonvalley.com
800-232-4782
Columbia County
columbiacounty.com
800-724-1846
Dutchess County
dutchesstourism.com
800-445-3131
Orange County
orangetourism.org
800-762-8687
Putnam County
tourputnam.org
845-808-1015
Rockland County
rocktourism.com
800-295-5723
Ulster County
ulstercountyalive.com
800-342-5826
Westchester County
westchestourism.com
800-833-9282
Long Island Convention &
Visitors Bureau
discoverlongisland.com
877-FUN-ON-LI
NYC & Company
nycgo.com
800-NYC-VISIT
Bronx
ilovethebronx.com
718-590-3518
Brooklyn
nycgo.com/brooklyn
718-802-3820
Queens
itsinqueens.com
718-263-0546
Staten Island
statenislandusa.com
718-816-2000
Thousand Islands International
Tourism Council
visit1000islands.com
800-847-5263
Oswego County
visitoswegocounty.com
800-248-4386
St. Lawrence County
northcountryguide.com
877-228-7810
The New York State Museum, in partnership with Cornell University Press, will continue publication of New York History. Submissions are currently be accepted.
NYSED Resources for Local Government Historians
Duties and Functions of New York State’s Local Government Historians
View PDF 170KB
Records Retention and Disposition Schedule for Municipal Historians
NYS Archives
Records Retention and Disposition Schedule for County Historians
NYS Archives
Municipal historians who are appointed by NYS city, town, village or county governments are eligible to receive a NYS Library Historian Borrower's Card
NYS Library
Historical Records and the Local Government Historian
NYS Archives
Appraisal of Local Government Records for Historical Value
NYS Archives
Local History
NYS Archives
Workshop Catalog
NYS Archives
The New York State COVID-19 Documentation Initiative coordinates the documentation of the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Archaeology Along the North-South Arterial
Data Recovery of 705 Roberts Street, Utica, N.Y., Construction monitoring for the reconstruction of the North-South Arterial, Utica, N.Y
Hudson Valley Ruins Photography Exhibition Opens at the New York State Museum
The New York State Museum will open Hudson Valley Ruins, a photography and architecture exhibition, on August 20. On display through December 31, 2017, the exhibition features over 80 photographs by Robert Yasinsac and Thomas Rinaldi documenting forgotten historic sites and cultural treasures in the Hudson River Valley.
“Hudson Valley Ruins is a powerful visual convergence of place and history,” said State Museum Director Mark Schaming. “Yasinsac and Rinaldi’s masterful photographs richly echo the past and invite viewers to better understand the history of the Hudson Valley through its forgotten cultural treasures. The State Museum is pleased to host this exhibition and hope visitors leave with an understanding of how these historic sites shaped the landscape of the Hudson Valley.”
The exhibition is based on Yasinsac and Rinaldi’s 2006 book, Hudson Valley Ruins: Forgotten Landmarks of an American Landscape. In addition to great river estates, the book and exhibition profiles sites meaningful to everyday life in the Valley: churches, hotels, commercial and civic buildings, mills, and train stations. The exhibition explores many of these abandoned places and also revisits several sites that have changed in the past ten years since the book’s publication.
Working together since meeting in 1999, Yasinsac and Rinaldi have photographed more than 500 sites throughout the region. First photographing sites around their childhood homes, they gradually worked farther afield, eventually expanding their scope to cover the entire region between Yonkers and the Capital District. Driven by a sense of urgency to document sites of architectural or cultural significance that seemed poised to disappear, the pair also found beauty in the picturesque decay of these places.
Photos from the exhibition are available.
The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.
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Phone: (518) 474-1201
October is New York State History Month!
Today’s historical community is as dynamic as it is diverse. It includes scholars, curators, preservationists, librarians, archivists, genealogists, re-enactors and local and community historians. In October, historians across the state will work together to strengthen the state’s history community and raise New Yorkers’ appreciation of the value and impact of New York State’s history.
We encourage you to explore this site to learn more about the rich and compelling history of the Empire State and to discover various history-related programs offered through the New York State Museum and a variety of organizations across the state.
World Trade Center Commuters Photograph
by Kristen Artz
World Trade Center Center Commuters - The Kristen Artz Collection
Ongoing Exhibition
These photographs document morning commuters entering the World Trade Center Mall in weeks prior to the attacks of September 11, 2001.
If the Twin Towers were still standing, these would be merely snapshots of everyday people on their way to work in 2001. Instead they are a historical record documenting space that no longer exists and possibly people who died in the attacks or from resulting illnesses.
The images capture several dozen people from every walk of life in the act of everyday living. People are seen rushing by with coffee, reading the newspaper, or just gazing into space.
World Trade Center: Rescue, Recovery, Response
The World Trade Center: Rescue, Recovery, Response details the history of the World Trade Center, the September 11 attacks, the rescue efforts, the evidence recovery operation at the Fresh Kills facility, and the public response to the September 11th events.
Join the New York State Museum for an afternoon of Halloween fun! Create creepy art projects, play ghoulish games, see spooky science specimens, go wild on the dance floor, and so much more. Costumes are encouraged—there will be a children’s costume parade at 2 p.m. to end the festivities. Come out for a spooktacular time!
Note: This program does not provide any candy or snacks.
Parking Notice for Saturday, October 25: Parking at the Empire State Plaza will be limited due to a scheduled training exercise. The Empire State Plaza Visitor (V) Lot will be closed, but free parking will be available at the Madison Avenue Lot and East Garage at the corner of Philip Street and Madison Avenue.
State Museum Adds Artifacts to World Trade Center Exhibition
The New York State Museum added a new addition to The World Trade Center: Rescue, Recovery, Response exhibition. The new addition, World Trade Center Survivors, presents the stories of three survivors of the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001.
“The objects in this exhibition – a pair of shoes, a cell phone, a stairway evacuation sign – resonate with the story of the thousands of survivors of the World Trade Center attacks on September 11th,” said State Museum Director Mark Schaming. “These voices and stories of these people have kept this tragic history alive on behalf of those who cannot. We are honored to share their words and these artifacts with the public and hope visitors leave the exhibition with a deeper understanding of the continued impact of September 11th, 2001.”
When the World Trade Center was attacked on September 11, 2001, there were between 16,000 and 18,000 people inside the Twin Towers. Building security, first responders, and civilians undertook one of the largest emergency evacuations in American history—an estimated 13,000 to 15,000 people successfully evacuated the towers.
A tour of The World Trade Center: Rescue, Recovery, Response exhibition will be held on Sunday, September 11, 2016 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Photos from the new “World Trade Center Survivors” display are available.
The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.
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Phone: (518) 474-1201
Presidential Campaigns: An Election Year History
A 6-part discussion group series in the Museum's Huxley Theater focusing on the history of the United States presidential elections. Anyone is welcome to attend and participation is welcomed and encouraged. A list of reading materials is listed on syllabus.
This discussion is led by local author Giacomo Calabria and sponsored by the New York Council for the Humanities.
Submissions to the Office of the State History Webpage
The New York State Museum Office of State History webpage regularly accepts unsolicited pitches for posts featuring news, articles and notes. We accept posts from anyone actively engaged in the study of New York State history—including local government historians, digital history professionals, graduate students, faculty, independent scholars, and others.
Potential topics might include (but are not limited to) the following:
- News and information relevant to the historical profession in New York State, including new digital and public history projects, events, and scholarship
- Reflections and suggestions on teaching, writing, or otherwise doing local New York State history
- Reviews of (new and old) historically-oriented movies, TV shows, and books
We do not accept sponsored posts or posts that are considered editorials or opinion pieces.
To contribute:
Please contact the Office of State History via email at statehistory@nysed.gov with a short pitch explaining your idea. From there, we will determine whether the proposed topic is a good fit for the webpage as well as the length and deadline for the piece. All contributions will be proofread and edited by Museum editors and staff, and authors may be asked for revisions. The New York State Museum Office of State History reserves the right not to publish submissions if they do not meet our editorial standards.
Reposting
The New York State Museum Office of State History webpage allows other organizations to repost its content, with the permission of both the author and of the article’s editors. If you are interested in reposting a piece that first appeared on the NY State History webpage, please send us an email at statehistory@nysed.gov
Permissions & Copyright
All contributors to the Office of the State History grant the New York State Museum Office of State History an unlimited perpetual license to publish the posted content in any media. Viewers of the webpage may link to the content and contributors grant permission for this to occur. Contributors should only provide post content, including photos, if they are the copyright holder or if they have written permission from copyright holder. Everything on this site is protected by the copyright laws of the United States and the Universal Copyright Convention and may not be reproduced without permission of the copyright holder.
The New York State Museum Office of State History is not responsible for statements, whether of fact or of opinion, made by any contributors.
Historical Markers
A Summary History
by Philip Lord, Jr.
Program Origin
In 1923 [L.1923 Ch.687] the New York Historical Association was directed to suggest possible celebrations for the upcoming "150th Anniversary of the American Revolution". Small appropriations were made in 1924 and 1925 for planning purposes, and early in 1926 [L.1926 Ch.786, 5/5/26] the Commissioner of Education was directed to arrange the commemoration of the Sesquicentennial, including "...markers to designate sites that are of historic significance in the colonial, revolutionary or state formative period...".
Funding was provided in support of the erecting of markers, and an application process was established. While details are sketchy, apparently markers could be acquired from the State Education Department for as little as $2, after an application form detailing the text, location, and supporting historic documentation was filed and approved. Most of the historic markers seen along highways today were erected in this period; roughly between 1926 and 1936. Funding through a regular state appropriation appears to have run out as early as 1939, but active coordination and assistance by the Office of State History of the Education Department continued into the 1960s.
Legislative History
In 1960 the responsibility of SED for the erecting and maintenance of historic markers was officially re-established [L.1960 Ch.394] as follows: "The education department is authorized to erect, or cause to be erected, markers or signs, identifying and describing the historic sites of this state, and to maintain such signs in areas that are not serviced or maintained by the department of public works". The provision of this law empowered SED to erect markers on any state lands, such as highways, rest areas, camp sites, etc. This was the origin of the program initiated by the Education Department with the Thruway Authority to install those over-sized "Historic Area Markers" one sees along the Thruway, and with the Department of Public Works [now NYSDOT] to install similar ones at rest areas along major state roads.
This legislation was not directly intended to replace the traditional small roadside markers with a new type of historic marker program; but it had that effect. It was, at that time, generally considered inappropriate to erect small roadside markers on high-speed thoroughfares. But this issue was not addressed in the bill. Rather, this legislation was seen as the beginning of the first real state historic marker program in New York. The 1926-39 program was discounted by legislators as a temporary, commemorative project - which it was. The 1960 legislation, on the other hand, was seen as the start of an on-going program to identify historic sites for educational purposes.
The first, and somewhat "experimental" manifestation of this mandate was, however, the erection of the large format "Historic Area Markers". The small markers remained unfunded, lending support to the idea they had been eliminated. And this impression was promoted by staff of the Office of State History, who, by the late 1960s, were encouraging communities to undertake their own local historic marker projects, using small-format signs. They suggested, however, that these privately funded markers have a different design and colors than the very recognizable "state" markers. There is no evidence this suggestion was ever carried through and cast markers of the traditional size, style and colors continued to be erected, using private funds.
The 1960 law was repealed in 1966, and functions were transferred to the State Historic Trust by Conservation Law [Ch.815] in an attempt to consolidate historic resource services in a new agency. The historic marker function was now expressed in a more general fashion: "To designate particular places, whether or not owned, operated or maintained by the state, as places of historic interest, and to take such action, including the erection of a sign or marker, as may be appropriate for public recognition and appreciation of such site".
A following section of this law titled "New York State Historic Trust - Education Department - Functions" [L.1966 Ch.816] identified the "...identification, restoration and educational interpretation of historic sites and places of historic interest..." as the responsibility of the Education Department, and empowered that Department to "...prepare interpretive literature, the texts of signs and markers, exhibitions, and other presentations designed to utilize the educational potential of historic sites".
The program initiated in 1960 continued under this legislation, and dozens of the large format "Historic Area Markers" were erected by the late 1960s. A guide to these signs was even published by the Education Department in 1970. However, the appropriation was not ongoing, and this program did not continue.
There was apparently no state funding available under this scheme to grant the numerous requests for small roadside markers, although there is little doubt that people continued to order and erect historic markers in consultation with the Office of State History.
It is of interest to note that by the late 1960s, the function of the historic historic marker program had shifted from a short-term commemorative program to a long-term educational program. But the apparent rejection of the smaller, less expensive signs as roadside hazards in favor of the large, extremely expensive area markers, worked against this new program's viability.
In 1972 the functions of the State Historic Trust passed to the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, but the language outlining the historic marker function was carried forward into a section of that law [L.1972 §19.11] titled "Functions of Education Department" as follows: "Preparation of interpretive literature, the texts of signs and markers, exhibition, and other presentations designed to utilize the educational potential of historic sites".
It will be noted that this is virtually the same language under which the Education Department provided this service to the State Historic Trust previously.
However, in the OPRHP law, these functions of SED are undertaken "...upon the request of the commissioner...[of OPRHP]", and therefore are less directly attributed to SED than they were prior to 1972. Such functions would be, however, congruent with the current mandate of the Office of State History within SED [L.1983 Ch.876; Article 57 of Arts and Cultural Affairs Law], and it appears to be the intent of the legislation to have these services provided by SED.
Program Operations
During the period of the original commemorative program [1926-c1939], the State Historian [SED] provided application forms to the field, and applications were reviewed and approved. The State funded the casting of the markers and coordinated their installation. An inventory of erected markers was also prepared.
In the 1960s & 70s, staff of the Office of State History consulted with the field, primarily via the network of local government historians at the county and town level, and encouraged the installation of historic markers, with SED staff reviewing the proposals. There was no funding, and the relationship with the field was more consultative than regulatory. However, the staff was moderately aggressive in making sure that all persons wishing to erect a marker went through this process, and people were given a letter of approval. This letter was sent directly by the SED staff to the Walton East Branch Foundry, which was the same foundry that had, since 1926, been casting these markers for the State. It was also the only foundry with the molds already made for casting markers of this particular design. Private funding, however, had to be raised by the applicant as no state funding was appropriated. The foundry apparently required, or at least expected, the letter of approval from the Office of State History before it would accept an order and would often insert a credit line for SED on the marker for this reason. The resulting markers, however, could not be rightly considered "State" historic markers.
Today
Unlike many other states, New York State does not currently manage a historical marker program. Instead, local authorities are responsible for the approval, installation, and maintenance of historical markers. Anyone interested in placing or repairing a marker should thus check with appropriate county, city, town, or village historians or officials.
Local historians and others often work with the private William G. Pomeroy Foundation (http://www.wgpfoundation.org/) to secure funding support for markers.
Marker Listings
The Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS) is currently working on creating a comprehensive list of historical markers across New York State. Information on their project and a working list of markers that they have can be found at https://www.aphnys.org/page-18095.
Original paper files documenting the State Education Department's management of the 1926-39 marker program contain original applications, maintenance records, and correspondence. Researchers seeking access to these files should contact the New York State Archives, Cultural Education Center, Room 11A42, Albany, NY 12230; e-mail archref@nysed.gov; phone (518) 474 8955; website http://www.archives.nysed.gov.
Maintenance and Replacement
Local authorities maintain, repair, and replace historical markers often in cooperation with local historical groups and volunteers. Anyone interested in assisting with the repainting, repair, or replacement of a marker should contact the appropriate county, city, town, or village historian (see https://www.aphnys.org/page-18095). Likewise, anyone wishing to report a missing or damaged historical marker should contact the appropriate local historian.
Guidelines for Maintenance:
The original State historic signs were made of cast iron and if not regularly repainted begin to deteriorate. Many need only a fresh coat of paint to be restored to their original condition. Others may be so rusted or damaged as to require substantial restoration and repair.
Funding for maintenance of State Historic Markers was not provided in the original legislation, which expired decades ago. Traditionally landowners on whose property markers stand have maintained them. Sometimes local civic or historic organizations have taken this on as a public service project. But increasingly there is interest in restoring individual markers that have not been included in these projects in the past.
If you are interested in undertaking such a project, you should first confirm that the marker is one under our jurisdiction. State funded historic site markers will always have a state agency identification line at the bottom, usually "State Education Department." If the marker does not carry a state agency identification, it may have been erected with private funds and therefore does not come under state jurisdiction. You need the permission of the funding organization to undertake restoration on such privately funded markers.
If it is determined that the marker you wish to restore is state property, you should first check with the landowner to obtain permission to restore the marker. Even though the marker itself is state property, the landowner has rights to be respected in terms of access to the marker and work undertaken on it if it stands on private property. It may not be clear on whose property the marker stands and you may need to check property maps or consult your local government records to confirm ownership. Many markers that appear to be on private roadside land are actually on state highway rights of way, while some that appear to be on state highway lands may actually stand on private or municipal property adjacent to the road.
Repainting is usually all that is required for restoration purposes. When restoring the blue and gold state colors, you may use standard Rustoleum® colors for gloss finishes on exterior metals as follows: "#7727 Royal Blue" and "#7747 Sunburst Yellow". You may also use other commercial rustproofing paints in colors that match or approximate the original state colors on the sign.
If there is very little rust on the marker, just wire brush the surface lightly to remove dirt and rust flakes, then paint the background blue color over the entire marker and let dry. Using a small brush or foam pad, paint on the yellow lettering. It works best to paint gently across the individual raised letters from one side and then the other without touching the background directly. Sometimes a small roller can accomplish this if it is not too soft and thick.
If the marker is more severely rusted, use a wire brush or brush attachment for an electric drill to thoroughly clean off all loose particles. Wear safety glasses for all this work. Then prime the entire sign with rustproofing primer, over which the final coats can be applied as above.
We do not recommend removing the marker from its post for restoration as they are extremely heavy and there is a risk of personal injury or damage to the sign. You may approach your local highway department to undertake this work as a community service, and they may opt to remove the sign for restoration in their shops.
If a marker is broken or otherwise damaged, a skilled welder may be able to repair the breaks or craft braces to hold the pieces together.
In some cases it may be impossible to repair the damage. If so, replacements can be cast by the same foundry that made the original. However, markers are now cast in aluminum and cost over $500 each.
Meet the Historian
Danielle Funiciello
New York State Museum Research Fellow in History
Danielle Funiciello is pursuing her PhD at the University at Albany with the support of the New York State Museum. Her doctoral work focuses on Angelica Schuyler Church(1756-1814), the daughter of American Revolutionary War Major General Philip Schuyler and his wife Catharine Van Rensselaer Schuyler.
In reconstructing the life of this Dutch-descended, elite, Albany-born woman, she illuminates the ways that Church and her peers built and maintained social networks to provide power for themselves and their families. She considers the ways that the Schuyler’s oppression of Native, African, and other vulnerable people helped the family to cultivate their own success. Funiciello also examines the intercultural characteristics of early New York with an eye for the ways in which the Dutch did and did not assimilate into English colonial culture by the end of the American Revolution.
Funiciello holds a Master’s Degree in Public History and a dual Bachelor’s Degree in US History and Art (magna cum laude) from the University at Albany. She was formerly an interpreter at Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site where she wrote “The Women of Schuyler Mansion” guided tour and “The Women of Schuyler Mansion” outreach program. Funiciello has also provided consultation on historical fiction books including Hamilton and Peggy! by L. M. Elliot, I, Eliza Hamilton by Susan Holloway Scott, and My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. The goal of her continuing work is to bring accurate and lively discussion of eighteenth-century women to public audiences. Follow her research, or ask her a question on Twitter: @ADotChurch
Office of State History Outreach Website
Provide an online conduit for information exchange between the New York’s historical field and the work of the NYS Museum Office of State History.
October is New York State History and Archives Month!
Throughout the month, historians, scholars, curators, preservationists, librarians, archivists, genealogists, re-enactors, and educators across the state come together to celebrate and promote New York’s rich and complex history.
It’s also a time to honor the essential role of archives in recording and preserving our history. We recognize the enduring value of our documentary heritage and the importance of safeguarding it for future generations.
Join us this October for a range of special in-person programs at the New York State Museum—and explore additional resources below.
Statewide Programs & Resources
Statewide Events, Programs, and More!
Visit the Office of State History events page for a comprehensive list of statewide events, lectures, site visits, and more related to New York State History Month!
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/research-collections/state-history/events
Earn CTLE in New York History
The NYSM currently offers several CTLE programs with an emphasis on events and artifacts central to the history of New York State.
Additional Resources from the Office of Cultural Education
New York State Archives
History & Archives Month is a great time to explore New York State's rich and diverse history! Whether your interest is in genealogy or general research, the State Archives has something for everyone!
Check out our schedule of events here:
Upcoming Events: New York State Archives Partnership Trust
New York State Library
Visit the State Library’s website to learn more about these online events that relate to New York State History and more!
Online: The Erie Canal - Resources Available at the New York State Library
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
12-1 pm
Online: Stories from the Field: Love Canal Interview Redaction
Thursday, October 23, 2025
2-3 pm
On Display: Locks, Labor, and Legacy: the Erie Canal
The Erie Canal was a bold experiment in engineering, labor, and vision. This display brings together materials from the NYSL to mark the 200th anniversary of this transformative waterway. The display explores how the canal was built, who built it, and how it reshaped New York State, leaving a legacy that continues to flow today. On display through mid-December on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center.
Talking Book and Braille Library
In celebration of NYS History & Archives Month, we have curated a selection of braille and audiobooks related to the 200-Year Anniversary of the Erie Canal. These titles are specifically formatted for people who have low vision, are blind, or have a physical or a print disability. We encourage you to share them with friends and family who are patrons of the Talking Book and Braille Library or would like to begin service with us.
With BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, readers may instantly download books in audio or digital braille to any compatible phone or device. Our large collection includes the latest bestsellers and award winners, along with books and magazines for all ages in over 50 languages. There is never a cost for our personalized service and there are no waitlists or late fees. Help us spread the word to all who are eligible. So that all may read!
Not eligible for our service? Your public library may have the same titles in a format that is available to you.
https://nyslibrary.libguides.com/blogs/tbbl/news/the-erie-canal-turns-200
PBS Learning Media
The History of the United State and New York Collection features resources from public broadcasting designed to complement the New York State Social Studies Framework for Grades 4, 7, and 8.
These free, media-rich resources and accompanying support materials are aligned with the key ideas for each grade level as outlined in the Framework. Each topic contains video-based resources you can use to bring history to life for your students.
A New York Minute in History Podcast
With the state’s hundreds of historical markers as a guide, this podcast explores the people, places, and experiences that made New York. New episodes are launched monthly, each telling the unique tales of New Yorkers throughout American history.
The latest episode celebrates the 200th Anniversary of the Erie Canal its vital importance today and into the future!
Listen here: https://wamcpodcasts.org/podcast/happy-200th-birthday-to-the-erie-canal/
NYS 250th Commemoration Commission
Discover New York’s 250th Commemoration Commission, created to honor the state’s vital role in the American Revolution and 250 years of striving toward our founding ideals. Learn how exhibitions, events, and programs will bring this history and its ongoing legacy to life.
Path Through History
Discover how I Love NY's Path Through History can guide you to over 500 historical attractions and sites across New York!
https://iloveny.com/pth-nyshistorymonth
Organizations! Submit your events to Path Through History here: https://iloveny.com/pth-submit
Be sure to select “NYS History Month” as an event category.
The Erie Canal Turns 200!
Completed on October 26, 1825, the Erie Canal transformed New York into the nation's leading hub of international commerce, reshaping the state's economic and cultural landscape forever. To help explore this remarkable legacy, we’ve gathered a variety of resources from the New York State Museum, Archives, Library, and more.
Enterprising Waters Traveling Exhibition Panels
Enterprising Waters: New York’s Erie Canal is a traveling eight-panel exhibition from the New York State Museum that brings the canal’s visionary history, lasting impact, and bicentennial commemoration directly to schools and cultural institutions across New York. Discover how to access and download the exhibition panels to share this story with your community.
Erie Canal Resources from PBS
Explore a rich collection of PBS LearningMedia video resources that bring the Erie Canal’s history to life—perfect for educators and learners curious about its engineering marvels, economic impact, and cultural legacy.
Download information on how to promote History Month events in your community.
Planning for the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of this nation is underway. Explore themes and suggestions for how your community or organization can recognize the American Revolution commemorative era from 2025 through 2033.
Discover the New York History Journal!
Learn how to subscribe to the journal, purchase past issues, or submit articles.
Compete in Capital Region History Day!
It's never too soon to learn how to participate in this "historic" competition held annually in March.
Office of State History
Your year-round resource for NY's history-related news, events, and resources.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Explore resources that honor the diverse histories, cultures, achievements, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities throughout New York State.
Resources for Educators
New York History Conference Resources
It's never too soon to make history! Learn how to participate in the upcoming conference, June 11-12, 2026.
Educator Guides to NYSM Exhibitions & Programs
Social & Political History
- A Spirit of Sacrifice: New York State in the First World War
- Votes for Women Educator's Guide and Graphic Organizers
- The First Step to Freedom: The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
- Fifteenth Amendment: Educational Activities
- Martin Luther King, Jr. 1962 Address to the New York State Civil War Centennial Commission
Art History
- The Historic Woodstock Art Colony (Painting, Photography, Sculpture)
- Henry DiSpirito: Stonemason to Sculptor (Sculpture)
- The Landscape of Memory - Prints by Frank C. Eckmair (Printmaking)
- Berenice Abbott (Photography)
- Seneca Ray Stoddard (Photography)
Archaeology
Featured Video
NYSM History Video Library
NYSM History Related Exhibitions
The People’s Art: Selections from the Empire State Plaza Art Collection
The Empire State Plaza Art Collection has been heralded as one of the greatest collections of modern American art in any single public site. Beginning in 1965, Governor Nelson Rockefeller assembled a commission of art experts to select the works for the Plaza and personally signed off on each acquisition. The exhibition The People’s Art: Selections from the Empire State Plaza Art Collection is a collaboration of the State Museum and the New York State Office of General Services. It features 20 works by 17 artists and includes paintings and sculpture by modern masters such as Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, Franz Kline, David Smith, and Alexander Calder.