Historical News and Views from the Empire State
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents in the Adirondacks. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people.
What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers. [Read more…] about Recent Adirondack Forest Rangers Mission
During the current COVID-19 public health crisis, getting outdoors and connecting with nature is a way to help maintain our mental and physical health.
Scientific studies show that time outside in nature, especially among trees, significantly reduces stress and anxiety, lowers blood pressure, improves mood, energy, and sleep, and boosts the immune system. [Read more…] about New York’s Outdoors Are Open
A new book about Stillwater Fire Tower will soon be available in local stores. Stillwater Fire Tower, A Centennial History … and Earlier (2019, Self-Published) by James Fox, recounts how it came to life as a shiny steel tower in 1919 when fire observers and forest rangers helped protect our forests from the summit. The tower closed and was partially dismantled in 1988.
Rehab of the tower began in 2009. Friends of Stillwater Fire Tower completed an authentic restoration in 2016. The location offers views of the Adirondack High Peaks and the wind turbines on Tug Hill. [Read more…] about Stillwater Fire Tower History Book Published
New Yorkers can greet 2020 with a choice of 85 guided hikes at state parks and public lands, including the state’s historic sites.
Now in its ninth year, the annual First Day Hikes program includes a variety of events, from hikes to fire towers in the Adirondacks/Catskills, along parts of the historic New York City drinking water system in the Hudson Valley, waterfalls in the Finger Lakes region and historic forts along the Great Lakes, and more. [Read more…] about Celebrate Historic Sites With A First Day Hike
The Friends of Schoharie Crossing have announced the completion of the three-mile long Eagle Trail at the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site.
The Friends of Schoharie Crossing decided to undertake a non-traditional approach through Parks & Trails New York’s Adopt-A-Trail program. Instead of adopting an existing trail segment, this friends group decided to create and adopt an entirely new trail connection on New York State Canal Corporation-owned land. [Read more…] about New Eagle Trail Opens Near Lock 11, Schoharie Crossing
The New York State Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Transportation (DOT) have announced the release of a draft Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor Unit Management Plan (UMP) Amendment/Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS).
The amended proposal comes after the operators of the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, which ran on the line between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, successfully sued the state. They successfully argued that the State’s plan to turn the historic railroad line into a rail-trail did not comply with state historic preservation law or the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan.
The decision was handed down by State Supreme Court Judge Robert Main Jr. in 2017. In December, 2018 the state Adirondack Park Agency changed the “travel corridor” definition in the State Land Master Plan to allow for the removal of the rails. [Read more…] about State Issues New Plan For Historic Adirondack Rail Line
Mount Independence is located in Vermont, just across Lake Champlain from Fort Ticonderoga, for which it was a critical base of operations. It can easily be reached by the Ticonderoga Ferry, and offers a great way to hike into history.
“The Mount” was built in 1776 and 1777 by the Continental Army following their capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. A bridge was built to connect the cantonment on Mount Independence (and the road to Castleton) to Fort Ticonderoga on the New York side of the lake. Over 400 yards long, with more than 20 piers with 12 foot wide floating pontoons between them, the bridge allowed troops camped at Mount Independence easy access to the Fort Ticonderoga. [Read more…] about Hike Into History At Mount Independence
The June 2019 “Crossroads of Rockland History,” focused on Rockland County’s rich historical places located within the area’s woodlands and parklands.
Gordon Wren joined Clare Sheridan to discuss some of the interesting local history that can be explored through historical hikes such as Claudius Smith’s Den; Northwest Airlines Crash Site; Doodletown; Sterling Forest Mines and the Ramsay Conklin Site. Organizations in the area that cater to history enthusiasts who love to explore the outdoors are also discussed, including the NY/NJ Trail Conference and the Historical Society of the Palisades Interstate Park Region. [Read more…] about Some Historic Hikes In Rockland County History
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has announced the launch of the Canalway Challenge, a new initiative that invites people to trace history while tracking miles walking, running, cycling or paddling on the New York State Canal System and Canalway Trail.
The free program includes a range of mileage options – 15 miles, 90 miles, 180 miles, and 360 miles – so that people at all fitness levels can choose a mileage goal that suits their ability and participate. [Read more…] about Erie Canalway Challenge Launched
The Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site Visitor Center in Fort Hunter, NY, is set to re-open for the 2019 season on Wednesday, May 1st at 10 am.
Visitors can witness the engineering marvel of the Erie Canal and check out the “Pathway to Empire” exhibit as well as artifacts from the colonial Fort Hunter and the Lower Castle Mohawk Village. Schoharie Crossing is a good place to witness Erie Canal history and enjoy a day walking the towpath trails, kayaking the creek, cycling the Canalway trail, or just enjoying a picnic and time with family and friends. [Read more…] about Schoharie Crossing Historic Site Opening May 1st