Tag Archives: Plattsburgh

Lakes to Locks Roundtable: Cultivating Staff, Volunteers As Ambassadors


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Lakes to Locks Passage round tableLakes to Locks Passage is hosting a roundtable –  Cultivating Volunteers and Staff into Ambassadors  – on Friday, October 6, from 10 am to 3 pm in the Community Room at City Hall in Plattsburgh.

This workshop is intended for staff, volunteers, and board members from museums, historical societies, libraries, and other community organizations. Topics include volunteer recruitment, training and management, customer service, and collaboration. Get step-by-step instructions for structuring a successful volunteer program for organizations. The morning session presents an overview of the new Lakes to Locks Passage guidebook, Cultivating Volunteers and Staff into Ambassadors. The afternoon session is a working session inviting staff and volunteers to share storytelling experiences and tips about items in their collection, which guides visitors to a greater understanding of a community’s heritage. Continue reading →

Mary Boylan: Plattsburgh’s Little-Known Theater Treasure


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y1-maryboylanOn the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, Greenwich Village has long been home to progressive thinkers and artists of all types, as well as ground zero for several movements. In the 1950s and 60s, it was a mainstay of the nation’s bohemian culture, hosting beatniks, folk music originals, the strong counter-culture movement, and the Beat Generation, with such icons as Maya Angelou, Truman Capote, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and Rod McKuen.

The coffeehouse scene flourished at that time, when a remarkable alternative to commercial theater was developed: Off-Off-Broadway, where productions ran the gamut from scripted to impromptu, and venues ranged from old warehouses to small cafes. At the heart of this historic movement was a little-known North Country actress and writer who was widely respected in the New York City arts community.

Mary Elizabeth Boylan was born in Plattsburgh, New York, in February 1913. Her father, John, was a mainstay of the community, serving as district deputy of the Knights of Columbus for four years, president of the chamber of commerce for two years, and general manager of the Mountain Home Telephone Company. In 1924, when Mary was 11, the family moved to Rochester, New York, where her dad became president of the Rochester Telephone Company three years later. Continue reading →

2016 Adirondack Coast Museum Days This Weekend


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adk coast arts and history passportThe Adirondack Coast Cultural Alliance (ACCA) again celebrates Museum Days throughout the Adirondack Coast from June 4-5, 2016, inviting visitors and residents to explore the area’s wealth of museums, galleries, and cultural organizations.

For these two days, participating locations will offer free admission, including demonstrations, exhibits, hands-on activities, and more. As the backdrop for many historical events and happenings, lakeside villages, charming hamlets and the historic city of Plattsburgh, the Adirondack Coast offers visitors the opportunity to relive some of the most pivotal moments in our country’s history. Continue reading →

Catholic Summer School of America Marked


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Catholic Summer School of AmericaOn Sunday, the Catholic Summer School of America in Cliff Haven, in the Town of Plattsburgh, NY, was commemorated with a historical roadside marker.

From 1896 to 1941, the Catholic Summer School of America was a nationally famous summer destination for Catholic families, distinguished leaders of the Catholic Church of America, prominent lecturers, numerous New York governors and even a few U.S. Presidents. Continue reading →

Comments Sought On Historic Lake Champlain Islands, Facilities


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Bluff_Point_Light_on_Valcour_IslandThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued a Draft Lake Champlain Islands Management Complex Unit Management Plan (Draft UMP) in compliance with the Adirondack State Land Master Plan. The plan includes a number of historic and recreational sites.

Public comments on the plan are being accepted through September 18, 2015. A Public Meeting on the Draft UMP will be held August 20th in Plattsburgh. Continue reading →

Walking Tour of Plattsburgh’s Old Base Sunday


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Plattsburgh Old BaseThe Clinton County Historical Association (CCHA) will be partnering with City of Plattsburgh Historian, John Krueger to offer walking tours of Plattsburgh Old Base.

Starting the tour with the 1609 discovery of Lake Champlain, the tour will explore Lake Champlain’s vast military history that led up to the Battle of Plattsburgh, which paved the way for what is known today as the Plattsburgh Barracks/Post or, as to most locals, the Old Base. Once housing the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Old Base is a monument to the city’s military past. Continue reading →

Uncovering the True Birthplace Francis Pratt


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01NYHFrancisPrattAfter he and Amos Whitney formed Pratt & Whitney in 1860, Francis Pratt served as president until 1898, while Whitney was the general superintendent.

Their personal and joint histories prior to forming the company are well documented in many sources. Comparison with other records suggests only one discrepancy, but to historians it’s a whopper. The issue: where was Francis Pratt born and who can claim him as their own? Continue reading →

The Northern New York Roots of Pratt & Whitney


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01NYHFrancisPrattIn the year 2000, five years after Plattsburgh Air Force Base closed, Pratt & Whitney signed a lease, moved in, and set up shop on the former base property. Many jobs and residents had been lost in the air-base shutdown, making Pratt & Whitney a valued anchor business in the recovery effort.

Their arrival might have been a homecoming of sorts with historical significance, but persistent misinformation carried forward for more than a century appears to have robbed the region of an important link to the past. Continue reading →