A New York Minute In History show

A New York Minute In History

Summary: A New York Minute In History is a podcast about the history of New York and the unique tales of New Yorkers. It is hosted by State Historian Devin Lander, Saratoga County Historian Lauren Roberts and Don Wildman. Jesse King and Jim Levulis of WAMC produce the podcast. A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and Archivist Media. Support for the project comes from The William G. Pomeroy Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities and a Humanities New York Action Grant. Find us on social media! Twitter: @NYHistoryMinute

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 Georgia O’Keeffe and Her Visit to Wiawaka | A New York Minute in History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:29:00

On this episode, Devin and Lauren discuss how the poor conditions of female textile workers in Capital Region cities led to the creation of a retreat where women could “escape” the cities. Wiawaka was founded by Mary Fuller, an advocate for women workers in Troy, and the wealthy philanthropists Katrina and Spenser Trask. Wiawaka originally included a planned artist’s retreat, called Wakonda, where Georgia O’Keeffe was invited to stay as a young artist and member of the Arts Students League. This introduction to Lake George had a monumental effect on O’Keeffe’s life and art, and she spent several years working in the area. Marker of Focus: Georgia O'Keeffe, Lake George, Warren County Guests: Doreen Kelly, executive director of Wiawaka, and Karen Quinn, art historian and curator at the New York State Museum A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC, and Archivist Media, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Jesse King. Our theme is "Begrudge" by Darby. Further Reading: Messinger, Lisa Mintz. Georgia O'Keeffe. London: Thames & Hudson, 2001. O'Keeffe, Georgia. Georgia O'Keeffe. New York: Viking, 1976. Wiawaka Holiday House: https://upstatehistorical.org/items/show/84?tour=7&index=10 Capital Region Textile Industry: https://www.albanyinstitute.org/textile-industry.html The Collar City by Don Rittner: https://rensselaer.nygenweb.net/article11.htm Collar Maid Cuffed Bosses by Pam Trudeau: https://rensselaer.nygenweb.net/article4.htm More on Georgia O’Keeffe: https://www.okeeffemuseum.org/about-georgia-okeeffe/ Follow Along Devin: Welcome to A New York Minute in History. I'm Devin Lander, the New York state historian. Lauren: And I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. On this episode, we're taking a deeper look at a marker located along Route 9L on the eastern shores of Lake George, which is located in Warren County. The title of the marker is “Georgia O'Keeffe,” and the text reads: “Georgia O'Keeffe, 1887 to 1986. American artist who stayed at Wakonda in June 1908 on a scholarship from the Art Students League. William G. Pomeroy Foundation, 2016.” The artist Georgia O'Keeffe is pretty much a household name, but I'm guessing many of our listeners haven't heard of Wakonda, which is the lodge Georgia O'Keeffe stayed in, or the Art Students League. So let's take a step back and talk about what brought this young artist to the shores of Lake George in the summer of 1908. In the 19th century, the city of Troy in Rensselaer County was known as the "Collar City," because Troy produced the majority of detachable shirt collars in the country. Detachable collars are now a thing of the past, but in the 19th Century, they were really popular. The collar was usually the dirtiest part of the shirt, and it needed to be laundered most frequently, and in the days before washing machines, this was really a pain. So someone in Troy — there's a couple of conflicting stories about who actually came up with the idea — but someone in Troy created the concept of a detachable shirt collar, and eventually detachable cuffs as well. So the idea was, you could just remove the collar and replace it when it was dirty, saving the laundresses from having to wash the entire shirt. This industry exploded in Troy, and by the early 1900s, 15,000 people were working in the collar industry in that city. It also expanded into the larger textile industry, which made it a desirable location for new immigrants to settle, because jobs were readily available. The majority of workers in the textile industry in Troy were female, and many of them were immigrants, most of them with very low incomes, who worked extremely long hours. And this is where Mary Fuller enters the story. Mary Fuller was the daughter of a wealthy Troy industrialist who was an advocate for women's rights. M

 Margaret Hastings, the “Shangri-La WAC” | A New York Minute in History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:29:30

In honor of Women's History Month, Devin and Lauren highlight a Pomeroy marker in Tioga County and tell the story of Corporal Margaret Hastings, a member of the Women's Army Corps who survived 47 days in a New Guinea jungle during World War II. Marker of Focus: World War II, Owego, Tioga County Guests: Mitchell Zuckoff, author of Lost in Shangri-La; Emma Sedore, Tioga County historian A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC, and Archivist Media, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Jesse King. Our theme is "Begrudge" by Darby. Further Reading: Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff Women For Victory Vol 2: The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) (American Servicewomen in World War II: History & Uniform Series, 2) by Katy Endruschat Goebel The Ghost Mountain Boys: Their Epic March and the Terrifying Battle for New Guinea--The Forgotten War of the South Pacific by James Campbell Teaching Resources: Women in the Army: The Creation of the Women’s Auxiliary Corps U.S. Army Center of Military History: “The Women’s Army Corps: A Commemoration of World War II Service” By Judith A. Bellafaire PBS Learning Media: Corporal Margaret Hastings Follow Along Devin: Welcome to A New York Minute in History. I'm Devin Lander, the New York state historian. Lauren: And I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. In honor of Women's History Month, we have a fascinating account for you that includes tragedy, survival, ingenuity and an amazing plan of rescue. We begin the story in the village of Owego, which is located in Tioga County, in the Southern Tier region of New York. The William G. Pomeroy historic marker is located in front of 106 McMaster Street, and the text reads: “World War II. Home of Shangri-La WAC, Corporal Margaret J. Hastings, who survived 47 days in New Guinea jungle after May 13, 1945 plane crash. William G. Pomeroy Foundation, 2016.” So there's quite a lot to unpack from those few lines of text. But let's start at the beginning. The sign is marking the former home of Corporal Margaret Hastings, so who was she? We spoke with Tioga County Historian Emma Sedore, who told us a little bit more about what Margaret's life was like growing up in Owego. Emma: One day at the museum, this man comes in with a big scrapbook. He said he's a builder, and he was taking a barn down in Ithaca when he found the scrapbook – and it happened to be Margaret Hastings’ personal scrapbook. It had photographs and letters, and it had the telegram that went to her father when she went missing – oh my God, it was amazing. So I said to the director, “I'll take it! I'll index it!” And one day when I went into the museum, the director said to me, “This gentleman is gonna write a book about her.” I looked up, and there's this handsome guy at the copy machine. I said, “Oh!” and he introduced himself. Mitchell: I’m Mitchell Zuckoff. I’m a former newspaper reporter for The Boston Globe, and I write narrative nonfiction. I came across a Chicago Tribune headline: “Glider Rescue in Shangri-La Delayed by Clouds.” It sounded to me like an April Fool's kind of headline – it’s just too crazy. It was a Chicago Tribune story by Walter Simmons, and he just started describing that there was this plane crash in the highlands of New Guinea, in this lost valley. And there were three American survivors, and one of them was a member of the Women’s Army Corps…One thing after another just made me stop everything and say, “How do I not know this?” For someone who focuses on World War II, how has no one ever written a book about this? Emma: And I gave him all the information [I had]. I had a folder that probably weighed two pounds of all kinds of collections I had about Margaret Hastings. She grew up in Owego. She graduated from Owego Free Academy, and then

 Rapp Road and the Great Migration | A New York Minute in History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:29:30

On this episode, hosts Devin and Lauren delve into the history of Albany County's Rapp Road Community, an African American neighborhood built by southern immigrants who moved north for a better life in the late 1920s. Marker of Focus: Rapp Road Community Historic District, Albany County Guests: Stephanie Woodard, board member of the Rapp Road Historical Association; Dr. Jennifer Lemak, chief curator of the history collection at the New York State Museum, and author of Southern Life, Northern City: The History of Albany’s Rapp Road Community A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC, and Archivist Media, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Jesse King. Our theme is "Begrudge" by Darby. Further reading: Southern Life, Northern City: The History of Albany’s Rapp Road Community Jennifer A. Lemak (2008) Black Protest and the Great Migration: A Brief History with DocumentsEric Arnesen (2002) The Southern Diaspora: How the Great Migrations of Black and White Southerners Transformed AmericaJames N. Gregory (2005) Teacher Resources: PBS Teaching Guide: Exploring the Great Migration National Archives- Harry S. Truman Library and Museum: The Great Migration Lesson Plan Stanford University, Stanford History Education Group: Great Migration National Geographic: The Great Migration- Educator Guide Follow Along Devin: Welcome to A New York Minute in History. I'm Devin Lander, the New York state historian. Lauren: And I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. This episode is focusing on a marker which recognizes the history of a small African American community located within the city of Albany that came into existence as a direct result of the Great Migration. Now, this sign isn't a traditional blue-and-yellow historical marker. It is brown, and has white text on it, and it recognizes the inclusion of this community on the National Register of Historic Places. Located at 28 Rapp Road in the city of Albany, the text reads: “Rapp Road Community Historic District has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 by the United States Department of the Interior. William G. Pomeroy Foundation, 2017.” The marker we're focusing on today is part of a different grant program offered by the Pomeroy Foundation. When a structure or a district receives that designation, there's no allowance of any kind for signage or a plaque, so the Pomeroy Foundation offers a program where you can apply to them for a marker, in order to increase awareness of the historic place. Getting back to the Rapp Road Community Historic District – as far as the location, it's located near Crossgates Mall. So it's near a lot of heavy commercial development today, but that wasn't the case back in the late 1920s and early 1930s, when the community was formed. The houses here have a different look than the rest of the nearby neighborhoods, and the general residential areas around it. So how, Devin, did the Rapp Road community get its start, and where did the founders of this community come from? Devin: The genesis of the story begins in the Deep South. The vast majority of the residents that would go on to live at Rapp Road here in Albany came from a town called Shubuta, Mississippi. Shubuta, Mississippi is located in eastern Mississippi, formerly on the lands of the Choctaw Nation, which were open to settler colonists during the period of Indian removal in the 1830s. Shubuta developed a role as a trading post and market for the surrounding cotton plantations during the antebellum period, and the vast majority of African Americans living in and around the area were enslaved. In 1865, the town of Shubuta was incorporated, and in the post-Civil War years, slavery was replaced with the almost equally oppressive sharecropper system. Racism ruled the day during this era of Jim

 Thomas Paine’s Lost Body | A New York Minute in History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:29:30

In the first episode of our new season, Devin and Lauren look to a William G. Pomeroy marker in Westchester County to learn about American patriot Thomas Paine, his influence on the American and French Revolutions — and just how and why his body went missing. Where is Thomas Paine today? Marker: Thomas Paine, New Rochelle, Westchester County, NY Guests: Dr. Nora Slonimsky and Dr. Michael Crowder of the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies at Iona College A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC, and Archivist Media, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Jesse King. Our theme is "Begrudge" by Darby. Further Reading: Tom Paine and Revolutionary America, Eric Foner (1976) The Thomas Paine Reader, Thomas Paine, with an introduction by Michael Foot and Isaac Kramnick (1987) Thomas Paine: Enlightenment, Revolution, and the Birth of Modern Nations, Craig Nelson (2007) Teacher Resources: PBS Teaching Guide: Thomas Paine: Writer and Revolutionary C-SPAN Classroom: Lesson Plan: Thomas Paine and Common Sense National Humanities Center: America in Class: Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, 1776 Follow Along Devin: Welcome to a new season of A New York Minute in History. I'm Devin lander, the New York state historian. Lauren: And I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. Today we start our new season with a William G. Pomeroy historic marker located in the city of New Rochelle in Westchester County. The title of the marker is “Thomas Paine,” and the text reads: “Author of Common Sense and The American Crisis. 1784, New York state gave him a farm on this site seized from a loyalist. Paine buried here until 1819. William G Pomeroy Foundation, 2018.” Devin: I don't know if you're like me, Lauren, but Thomas Paine is a name that I've heard a lot of over the years, certainly studying history – but I didn't necessarily know that much about him. His biography, kind of who he was, what he did. I knew he was an author during the Revolution. I know he was a revolutionary. But beyond that, I didn't know much about him until we started to dive into this episode. What I found out was that he was born in England, and lived there for the first 37 years of his life. In England, he was not very successful. In fact, he kind of had a tragic life: he lost a wife and child during childbirth, he was an unsuccessful corset maker, which is what his father's occupation was. He was an unsuccessful tobacco shop owner, briefly a school teacher, a tax collector, and even more briefly, a privateer. But all of these things were not successful, and he didn't certainly find riches doing any of these things. But he did become politically active while living in England, and probably, at least from my perspective, the most important thing he did was chance into meeting Benjamin Franklin when he was on one of his trips to England, and the two became friends. Franklin actually suggested that Thomas Paine move to America and start a school – advice that he followed in 1774, though the school never materialized. Instead, due to his association with Franklin and his own interest in politics, Paine became involved in the revolutionary movement underway at the time. It could be argued that Paine was the main PR person for the independence movement to break away from Great Britain. Lauren: I think that's probably what most people know best about Paine. That's certainly what I knew about before we started researching for this podcast – that he was the author of Common Sense, undoubtedly, the most famous pamphlet of the Revolution. Devin: Absolutely. In fact, it was published in 1776, so the year that Revolution began, and in that Paine argued for independence and a republican form of government. So he was talking about not only breaking away from Great Britain, but instituting a form o

 Historical Markers | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:29:59

On this episode, Devin and Lauren tackle all of New York's historical markers at once — sort of. Devin and Lauren discuss how the state's historical marker program got started, what happened to it, and how communities can apply for a marker today. As an added bonus, Devin and Lauren speak with Susan Hughes of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation about the foundation's new "Hungry for History" grant program — and they also speak with Bill Pomeroy himself, about his interest in history and some of his favorite markers. Guests: William G. Pomeroy, founder and trustee of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation; Susan Hughes, historian and archivist for the William G. Pomeroy Foundation A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC, and Archivist Media, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Jesse King. Our theme is "Begrudge" by Darby. Further Reading: Apply for a New York State Pomeroy Marker New York State Museum history of the State Marker program Teacher Resources: Stop the Drive-Bys: A Teacher Makes the Case for Local Historical Markers, American Association for State and Local History. Not Your Usual History Lesson: Writing Historical Markers, National Council of Teachers of English Follow Along Devin: Welcome to A New York Minute in History. I'm Devin Lander, the New York state historian. Lauren: And I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. This month, we are departing from our regular format of focusing on a single William G. Pomeroy-funded historic marker, and instead, we're going to talk about all New York state historic markers - generally speaking. Now, the Pomeroy Foundation has been funding markers since 2006, but we all know that those recognizable blue-and-yellow historic markers have been around a lot longer than that. We're going to discuss when and why that original marker program started, and what became of it. And also, maybe after listening to some of our previous episodes, you might be thinking about the history in your own community, and are considering applying for a William G. Pomeroy historic marker. And maybe you have some questions about what that process looks like. So we're going to talk to Susan Hughes, who's the historian and archivist for the Pomeroy Foundation, who will walk us through the application process and answer our questions. And as an added bonus, we get to speak directly with Bill Pomeroy himself about the creation of his amazing foundation, how his interest in New York state history came about, and even find out what his favorite historic marker is. So Devin, as New York State historian, you've got access to the records in the archives of how the New York state historic marker program started. Can you tell us a little bit about how that program came to be? Devin: Absolutely. And it's really an interesting story, as we are transitioning and planning at the state level - and at I know you are in the county as well - for the 250th commemoration of the American Revolution. It really gave us the opportunity to look into some of our records, specifically the records of the 150th anniversary, which took place in 1926. And the New York State Archives has an extensive collection of material from that era, and from that commission that was formed, and one of the initiatives that came out of that was this historic marker program. And it really had its genesis in the granite-and-bronze markers that were designated for sites related directly to the American Revolution. So Saratoga Battlefield has one, there's one at Bellcore Island, there's others around the state. They also talked about markers that would commemorate historically significant sites, or people or events, that took place outside of the Revolution. And that's where the idea for the blue-and-gold markers really came about. You started to see the productio

 The Burned Over District | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:29:30

In this episode, Devin and Lauren discuss the "Burned Over District," and how upstate New York became a “cauldron” of emergent religions and alternative communities during the 19th century. How did the Burned Over District collide with state and national history? And what role did the Erie Canal play in establishing it? Devin and Lauren also discuss how these new religions contributed to the creation of alternative communities, such as the Ebenezers and the Oneida Community, and how this predication for communal living was revisited in New York during the 1960s. Marker: Blossom, Elma, Erie County, NY Guests: Jack Kelly, author of Heaven’s Ditch: God, Gold and Murder on the Erie Canal; and Fred Strife of the Historical Society of the Town of Elma A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC, and Archivist Media, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Jesse King. Our theme is "Begrudge" by Darby. Further Reading: The Crucible of Ferment: New York’s “Psychic Highway, Emerson Klees (2001) Communal Utopias and the American Experience: Religious Communities, 1732-2000, Robert P. Sutton (2003) Upstate Cauldron: Eccentric Spiritual Movements in Early New York State, Joscelyn Godwin (2015) Oneida Utopia: A Community Searching for Happiness & Prosperity, Anthony Wonderley (2017) Teacher Resources: The Organization of American Historians: Digital Classroom Resources: The History of Religion in the United States The Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture: Teaching Resources Communal Studies Association: Resources Follow Along Devin: Welcome to A New York Minute in History. I'm Devin Lander, the New York state historian. Lauren: And I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. This episode, we are focusing on a sign located in western New York, titled “Blossom.” The sign’s located along Main Street in the town of Elma in Erie County. The text reads: “Religious society known as Ebenezers named this hamlet Upper Ebenezer in 1844. Name was changed to Blossom circa 1866. William G. Pomeroy Foundation, 2016.” So if you've never heard of the Ebenezers, you aren't alone. This religious group, whose descendants are still in existence today, is also known as the Community of True Inspiration. They valued pacifism, they believed in simple worship, and they believed that chosen individuals served as instruments through which inspired messages were relayed from a divine power to the congregation. The society was formed in Germany, and had a long history there beginning in the early 18th century. But there was also a long history of persecution: members of this religious sect, and we should note many other religious sects, faced incidents of physical violence and things like tax penalties due to religious intolerance. Christian Metz, who was the leader of the group, decided in the early 1840s that it was time for them to move to the United States, where they could practice their religion without persecution. Devin what was going on in western New York in the 1820s and ‘30s that would set that area up to be a desirable location where the Community of True Inspiration could establish a new society? Devin: That's a good question, and it really brings us to the topic that we're going to discuss today, which is the “Burned Over District.” We have to remember that during this era of 1840s, when Christian Metz first came to this country with some of his followers, they arrived in New York City at first, and then they journeyed by boat up the Hudson River and hooked up with the Erie Canal. And that's how they made it out to western New York near Buffalo. So my first answer to why was New York positioned as the Burned Over District (and we'll talk a little bit more about what that actually meant), is really the creation of the Erie Canal. [Construction]

 Drinking The Waters: The Healing Springs Movement | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:29:00

This episode delves into the public health industry that emerged in New York in the 19th Century. As the understanding of medicine and health evolved over time, there were many communities in New York state whose location was thought to have healing properties, most often because of the existence of springs or some other perceived environmental benefit. The most famous is Saratoga Springs, but there are others around the state, including Pitcher Springs in Chenango County. These locations flourished in the 19th Century, as people began to look to them not only as places of healing, but as places of high society and entertainment. Marker: Pitcher Springs, Pitcher, Chenango County, NY Guests: Pitcher Town Clerk Emily Stith; Canisius College Professor Thomas Chambers, author of Drinking the Waters: Creating an American Leisure Class at Nineteenth-Century Mineral Springs A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC, and Archivist Media, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Jesse King. Our theme is "Begrudge" by Darby. Further Reading: American Physicians in the Nineteenth Century: From Sects to Science, William G. Rothstein (1992) Sickness and Health in America: Readings in the History of Medicine and Public Health, edited by Judith W. Leavitt and Ronald L. Numbers (1997) A History of American Medicine from the Colonial Period to the Early Twentieth Century, Luis H. Toledo-Pereyra (2006) Teaching Resources: “A Guide to History of Medicine Resources: Image Collections, Podcasts, Videos, and More,” Association of College and Research Libraries. Resources, American Association for the History of Medicine. Follow Along Devin: Welcome to A New York Minute In History. I'm Devin Lander, the New York state historian. Lauren: And I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. On this episode, we're going to be talking about the water cure, and its popularity in New York state in the 19th Century. Now, being the Saratoga County historian, I'm quite familiar with the popularity of the mineral springs in both Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa, in my county. But today, the marker we're going to be focusing on is actually found in central New York. Located in Chenango County, in the town of Pitcher, is a marker titled "Pitcher Springs." And the text reads: "By 1843, a village with two public houses, an academy, a store and 30 dwellings grew near sulphur springs, thought to have healing properties. William G. Pomeroy Foundation, 2013." This is what we know about Pitcher Springs. It was a small hamlet situated in the town of Pitcher that boasted two or three sulphur springs, and it became a popular area for tourists to come and take in these waters in the hopes that it would heal whatever their ailments were. I spoke with the current Pitcher Town Clerk Emily Stith, who has a personal connection to the town's history. Emily: We currently don't have a historian, the previous historian was my grandmother, Rita Stith, and no one has filled that role since her passing. Lauren: Emily's grandmother was the one who applied for the Pomeroy marker back in 2013. Emily: This is definitely a labor of love for her...Settlers in this area kind of gravitated towards the hillside farms. It was difficult to find water that was pure, because anything in the river valleys, there was a lot of marsh land. I did find one story, where there was a young man named Denison Hakes, who just happened to be walking one day from his father's hillside farm that wasn't far from the springs. And he actually was able to drink from the water. They actually erected several boarding houses, there were hotels and an academy was built. They had a bowling alley, there was a tavern. The Eagle House was a grand hotel then. They believed that it was built from wealthy investors that

 Discovering Timbuctoo | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:29:59

Devin and Lauren dive into the history of Timbuctoo, an African American settlement founded by philanthropist Gerrit Smith in response to an 1846 law requiring all Black men to own $250 worth of property in order to vote in New York state. To counter this racist policy, Smith decided to give away 120,000 acres of land to 3,000 free, Black New Yorkers, hoping to enable them to move out of cities and work the land to its required value. Lyman Epps and other Black pioneers relocated to the wilderness near Lake Placid, New York — as did abolitionist John Brown, who based his family in North Elba to assist the Black pioneers in their farming. Marker: Timbuctoo, Lake Placid, Essex County, NY Guests: Amy Godine, historian and curator of the Dreaming of Timbuctoo exhibit; Paul Miller, director and producer of the upcoming film Searching for Timbuctoo; Dr. Hadley Kruczek-Aaron, director of the Timbuctoo Archeology Project; and Russell Banks, bestselling author of Cloudsplitter. A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC, and Archivist Media, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Jesse King, with original music from Sean Riley. Our theme is "Begrudge" by Darby. Further Reading: Blacks in the Adirondacks: A History, Sally E. Svenson (2017) “Race and Remembering in the Adirondacks: Accounting for Timbuctoo in the Past and Present,” Hadley Kruczek-Aaron, in The Archeology of Race in the Northeast (2015) Timbuctoo: African American History in the Adirondacks, Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake Promised Land: An Adirondack Folk Opera Practical Dreamer: Gerrit Smith and the Crusade for Social Reform, Norman K. Dann (2009) John Brown, Abolitionist: The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War, and Seeded Civil Rights, David S. Reynolds (2006)  Cloudsplitter: A Novel, Russell Banks (1999) Teaching Resources: Columbia University: Mapping the African American Past Follow Along Devin: Welcome to A New York Minute In History. I'm Devin Lander, the New York state historian. Lauren: And I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. Devin: Today we've got a scoop from the Pomeroy Foundation. We're starting with a marker that will soon be up in Essex County. Lauren: The marker will be located on Old Military Road in North Elba, just south of the village of Lake Placid. The text reads: "Timbuctoo. Lyman Epps and other Black New Yorkers settled nearby to join 1846 voting rights scheme of justice established by abolitionist Gerrit Smith. William G. Pomeroy Foundation, 2021." So some of us may have heard the word "Timbuctoo" before. But if you're like myself, it might not have always occurred to you that Timbuctoo was a place in North Elba, in Essex County. So we're diving a little bit deeper into the history of this sign to find out exactly what was Timbuctoo, where was it, and what was the impact in New York state at the time. Devin: Yeah, there's a lot going on with this episode. I think one of the first things we need to talk about, when we talk about Timbuctoo, is to contextualize it within the history of slavery — not only in the country, but in the state of New York. Most people don't realize, or many people don't realize, that New York was a slave state. In fact, it was the largest slave-holding state north of the Mason Dixon line. According to the New York Historical Society, during the colonial period, 41% of New York City's households owned enslaved people, compared to 6% in Philadelphia and 2% in Boston. Only Charleston, South Carolina, rivaled New York in the extent to which slavery penetrated everyday life. And it wasn't until the Gradual Emancipation Act of 1799 that things began to change. Lauren: How did the Gradual Emancipation Act work? Devin: Well, we have to remember it was basicall

 Audrey Munson: America’s First Supermodel | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:29:59

In this episode, Devin and Lauren research the life of Audrey Munson, America’s first supermodel. Born in upstate New York, Munson was one of the most famous models of the early 20th Century, and posed for the top American artists in the Beaux Arts movement. Sculptures based on Munson dot the landscape of New York City, and are held in museums around the country. She was also one of the first American actresses to pose nude in a major motion picture. Once called “Miss Manhattan,” Munson’s life would take a tragic turn by the age of 40. In 2015, the William G. Pomeroy Foundation erected a historical marker near her final resting place in New Haven, New York. Marker: Audrey Munson, 4233 St. Rt. 104, New Haven, NY Guests: James Bone, author of The Curse of Beauty: The Scandalous and Tragic Life of Audrey Munson, America’s First Supermodel; Diane Rozas, co-author with Anita Bourne Gottehrer, of American Venus: The Extraordinary Life of Audrey Munson, Model and Muse; and Justin White, Oswego County historian A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC, and Archivist Media, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Jesse King, and features "The Entertainer" and "Unease" by Kevin MacLeod. Our theme is "Begrudge" by Darby. Further Reading: The Curse of Beauty: The Scandalous and Tragic Life of Audrey Munson, America’s First Supermodel, James Bone (2018) American Venus: The Extraordinary Life of Audrey Munson, Model and Muse,  Diane Rozas and Anita Bourne Gottehrer (1999) “Audrey Munson: The Venus of Washington Square,” David Owen, The New Yorker (December 23, 2019) Teacher Resources: PBS Teachers Guide: Exploring the Politics of the Gilded Age New York City Public Art Map and Guide New York City Permanent Art and MonumentsThe Center for Women’s History: Teaching Women’s History with Primary Sources in the Classroom. Follow Along Devin: Welcome to A New York Minute in History. I'm Devin lander, the New York state historian. Lauren: And I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. We're going to the movies today – but really we're talking about a William G. Pomeroy historic marker in Oswego County. This one is in New Haven, outside a cemetery on State Route 104. And the inscription reads: “Audrey Munson. 1891-1996. Heralded as world's most famous model in early 20th century. Posed for many sculptures and civic monuments. Buried here.” Audrey Munson is widely considered America's first supermodel, but maybe not in the same sense we think of a supermodel today. She was the muse behind many of the country's civic monuments, especially in New York City. She’s said to be the model behind the “Walking Liberty” half dollar, and she also had a silent film career. But while you've probably seen Audrey Monson before, you may not have heard of her – at least, I hadn't heard about her before this. Devin: I had never heard of Audrey either. I was struck, immediately, when we read the text, that she's a supermodel at a time when that term was very new, if it existed at all, really. She lived an extraordinarily long time, and an extraordinarily interesting time. So when we dug into this topic, we found out that, as with so many of these markers, they direct us to topics that are extremely deep and extremely complex. And the Audrey Munson story is certainly that. So one of the first people we spoke to was James Bone, the author of The Curse of Beauty: The Scandalous and Tragic Life of Audrey Munson, America’s First Supermodel. James: I'm originally British, but I'm an adopted New Yorker. I was at university in New York, and then I became a newspaper correspondent in New York. And for 22 years, I was the New York correspondent of the Times of London newspaper…How’s the audio quality? I’ve got builders working across the street… Devin: James joined us on

 The Irish Invasion Of Canada | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:29:30

In this episode, Devin and Lauren investigate the invasions of Canada by the Fenian Brotherhood, a group of Irish Nationalists intent of freeing Ireland from British control. These invasions were launched from several locations in upstate New York, including the site of a recently-erected William G. Pomeroy Foundation marker in the Franklin County town of Constable. Marker: The Fenian Campsite, 16902 NY-30, Constable, NY, 12926 Guests: Lawrence E. Cline, author of Rebels on the Niagara: The Fenian Invasion of Niagara, 1866, and Martha Gardner, Town of Constable historian A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC, and Archivist Media, with support from The William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Jesse King, and features music from Get Up Jack and Slainte. Our theme is "Begrudge" by Darby. Further Reading: Rebels on the Niagara: The Fenian Invasion of Canada, 1866, Lawrence Cline (2017) When the Irish Invaded Canada: The Incredible True Story of the Civil War Veterans Who Fought for Ireland’s Freedom, Christopher Klein (2019) Ridgeway: The American Fenian Invasion and the 1866 Battle That Made Canada, Peter Vronsky (2011) The Last Invasion of Canada: The Fenians Raids, 1866-1870,Hereward Senior (1991) Teaching Resources: Historica Canada- The Fenian Raids Education Guide Archives of Ontario- Teaching Resource Kit: The American Civil War and Fenian Raids in the 1860s The Canadian Encyclopedia- The Fenian Raids Education Guide Follow Along Devin: Welcome to A New York Minute In History. I’m Devin Lander, the New York state historian. Lauren: And I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. We're so excited to share this new series of episodes and stories with you. And this time, we're going about it a little differently. In the past, the William G. Pomeroy Foundation has been a funder for our podcasts, and a great partner to us. And so this season, we're going to start off by focusing on one Pomeroy-funded historic marker for each episode. And the hope there is that we'll be able to find lots of interesting topics that are scattered across the state of New York, and actually beyond that, because Pomeroy has lots of different programs that they use for their markers across the United States. You know, one of the things, Devin, that I was thinking while you were talking, is about how accessible these markers are across the state. You can pretty much go into any community around where you live, or hours away from where you live. And that blue and gold symbol of the sign is so recognizable that you automatically know when you see it: something historically important happened here. When I was thinking about the markers, and why they are so important to not only the history community, but the community at large, is because they give you just enough to pique your interest. And if you find something that is interesting to you, you can go on and read more about it. It's kind of like the hook that gets you involved in learning more about the story. Devin: That's exactly true with the markers and a little bit, I hope, with the podcast as well. We hope to do a little bit of a deeper dive than a historic marker can do. But of course, we're not going to be able to touch on every aspect of every historical event that we take a look at with a podcast. So we're going to have our website for each episode, which is going to include further readings, online resources, as Lauren mentioned, teachers’ aides, etc. – for those who want to learn more about these topics, who want to learn more about the stories that happen locally in New York state, and how they touch on so much else that's happened nationally and internationally. Lauren: So for our first episode featuring this format, we are focusing on a historic marker in Franklin County called “The Fenian Campsite.” And the text for this mark

 75 Years Later, NY Native Recalls Japan’s Surrender Aboard U.S.S. Missouri | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 10:34

On September 2, 1945 the hostilities of World War II ended when Japan’s formal surrender was signed aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Aboard that ship 75 years ago was Bob Kennedy, a native of New York’s Steuben County who now lives in Saratoga Springs. WAMC's Jim Levulis, the producer of A New York Minute In History, spoke with Kennedy about that day. Kennedy: I grew up with a brother and sister in a small town of Canisteo, New York, which is over in Steuben County and the Southern Tier. It’s a very small town in rural New York State, I guess would be the best way to describe it. I was approaching age 18, which was during the Second World War was the age that you were drafted if you chose not to volunteer, and I decided I would prefer the Navy. So the best way to do that was to enlist, and that's what I did. I was 18 so it must have been ‘43. Levulis: Where did your service take you? Kennedy: Well, I was part of a small group of probably 20 sailors aboard the Missouri. It was a huge ship and a big crew, but this small group was put together for the purpose of maintaining the radar on the ship and at that time, radar was fairly new. So the Navy decided they needed a bunch of sailors. I spent about 10 months in school before getting a duty assignment to the Missouri and our job aboard ship was to just find out where it was located and it was located all over the ship and to maintain it and look after it as best we could. And the radar had two purposes. It was search radar, which was radar that scanned the ocean surface looking for other ships. And then a lot of fire control radar which is actually used to control the position of not the main battery but secondary anti-aircraft firings aboard ship. So it had two roles, search and fire control. We served in the Pacific and that was where Missouri got some of its fame because we ended up, after the atomic bomb attacks on Japan and their decision to quit the war, we traveled into Tokyo Bay and the Missouri was the site of the actual surrender ceremonies conducted by General MacArthur. The selection of the Missouri for that honor really was that Harry Truman was president after Roosevelt died, and Harry Truman was from the state of Missouri. So when it was decided that this ceremony should take aboard some Navy ship in Tokyo Bay, Missouri was designated as the as the position for that activity and so, we who just did our job of crossing the Pacific we were engaged in the taking of the island of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and then moved on and as the war came to a close, we ended up in Tokyo Bay. Levulis: And so you were aboard the Missouri on September 2, 1945? Kennedy: That is correct. I was a second class Petty Officer. Played no significant role, just did my job as did everybody aboard that ship. It was a great bunch of sailors. My wife and I have actually attended some reunions of the Missouri a number of years ago, the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. We visited and got aboard the Missouri at that time it was in Bremerton, Washington. But we've kept our eyes on the Missouri. It’s currently retired, of course, and berthed in Honolulu, in Pearl Harbor. Levulis: And going back to that day in 1945, what do you remember most about that day? Kennedy: Well, it was a ship that was crowded with admirals and generals from all of the Allied powers. We had about 4,000 crew members and all of a sudden we're looking at brass in every direction. General MacArthur conducted the ceremonies. And we were able to witness the arrival of the Japanese group of people that got on board and were designated to sit at a certain table on the main deck aft and, and then General MacArthur conducted with a microphone so that he was communicating to all of us aboard ship, and at the same time talking around the world as to what was going on. And I do remember his final words and he said ‘These proceedings are closed.’ And that was the official end of World War II. And I do re

 The Inspirations Behind The Headless Horseman And Ichabod Crane | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 20:49

In the third episode of our series: Legends and Lore of the Empire State, A New York Minute In History explores the inspirations behind Washington Irving's "Headless Horseman" and "Ichabod Crane." The Village of Sleepy Hollow lies along the eastern banks of the Hudson River about 25 miles north of New York City. If you know anything about this village, chances are it has something to do with Washington Irving’s early 19th century classic tale, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The story follows a lanky, superstitious school teacher in his unsuccessful attempt to woo the daughter of a wealthy Dutchmen and his subsequent disappearance. Placed along Broadway in the Village of Sleepy Hollow on the edge of a beautiful cemetery, where the author himself rests eternal, a red and gold marker depicts another longtime resident of the burial ground. It reads: HEADLESS HORSEMAN TETHERS HIS HORSE NIGHTLY AMONG GRAVES IN THIS CHURCHYARD ACCORDING TO ‘THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW’ AUTHOR WASHINGTON IRVING NEW YORK FOLKLORE WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2019  If you drive north from Sleepy Hollow about one hundred miles, you will find yourself in Columbia County in the Village of Kinderhook. Located along Route 9H is a small white school house owned by the Columbia County Historical Society. This building is known as the “Ichabod Crane School House” and a familiar red and gold marker near the building tells us why. It reads: ICHABOD CRANE WASHINGTON IRVING BASED THE CHARACTER ICHABOD CRANE IN THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW ON KINDERHOOK SCHOOL TEACHER JESSE MERWIN. NEW YORK FOLKLORE SOCIETY WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2017  So what’s the story behind “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and Washington Irving’s connection to a few places in the Hudson Valley? Where did he find his inspiration for the schoolhouse, the infamous bridge, and other locations mentioned in this ghost story? And who did Irving use as inspiration for his story’s main character, Ichabod Crane? Co-hosts Devin Lander and Lauren Roberts explore this mystery on the third episode of our series: Legends and Lore of the Empire State. Thanks to Jim Logan, Superintendent of the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, and Laurie Yarotsky, Executive Director of the Columbia County Historical Society, for their help in telling these stories.  Original music for this episode was provided by Sean Riley. A New York Minute In History is a podcast about the history of New York and the unique tales of New Yorkers. It is hosted by Devin Lander, the New York State Historian, and Saratoga County Historian Lauren Roberts. WAMC’s Jim Levulis is the producer. A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and Archivist Media. Support for this podcast comes from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation®, which helps people celebrate their community’s history by providing grants for historic markers and plaques. Since 2006, the Foundation has expanded from one to six different signage grant programs, and funded nearly 1,000 signs across New York State and beyond … all the way to Alaska! With all these options, there’s never been a better time to apply. The Foundation’s programs in the Empire State include commemorating national women’s suffrage, historic canals, sites on the National Register of Historic Places, New York State’s history, and folklore and legends. Grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofit academic institutions, and municipalities. To apply for signage at no cost to you, or to learn more about the Foundation’s grant programs, visit WGPfoundation.org. This program is also funded in part by Humanities New York with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

 Who Is The Real Natty Bumppo? | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 19:16

In the second episode of our series: Legends and Lore of the Empire State, A New York Minute In History explores the mystery of the inspiration for Natty Bumppo, one of the most recognizable characters from James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales series. A trip to Hoosick Falls wouldn’t be complete without a drive down Main Street. As you pass the cemetery, with row upon row of stone monuments dissected by shade trees, an interesting red and gold marker catches your eye. The title reads “Natty Bumppo” a name that is familiar but you can’t quite place it just yet. Reading the marker’s text, those hazy details come streaming back: NATTY BUMPPO IN THIS BURIAL GROUND LIES NATHANIEL SHIPMAN THE INSPIRATION FOR JAMES FENIMORE COOPER'S FAMOUS "NATTY BUMPPO" CHARACTER NEW YORK FOLKLORE WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2019 Natty Bumppo, one of the most recognizable characters from James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales series. He was the rugged frontiersman who dressed in tanned leather and was a skilled hunter and scout. So according to the marker, this is where Cooper’s inspiration came from, a man named Nathaniel Shipman who lies buried in Hoosick Falls. But, if you drive about 100 miles to the west to Fly Creek, you may come across another red and gold sign with the same title, but the story itself is slightly different. This one reads: "NATTY BUMPPO" DAVID SHIPMAN, CA. 1729-1813 BURIAL SITE OF LOCAL HUNTER KNOWN BY & INSPIRATION FOR JAMES FENIMORE COOPER'S LITERARY CHARACTER NEW YORK FOLKLORE WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2018 So what’s the story here? Was David Shipman the true inspiration or was it Nathaniel Shipman? What was their connection to James Fenimore Cooper and what led to a war of words in 1874 which threatened a law suit over erecting a monument? Co-hosts Devin Lander and Lauren Roberts explore this mystery on the second episode of our series: Legends and Lore of the Empire State. To learn more about David Shipman, click here. And to learn more about Nathaniel Shipman, click here. Thanks to Sherlee Rathbone, President of the Fly Creek Historical Society, and Joyce Brewer, Director of the Hoosick Township Historical Society, for their assistance in telling these stories. Original music for this episode was provided by Sean Riley. A New York Minute In History is a podcast about the history of New York and the unique tales of New Yorkers. It is hosted by Devin Lander, the New York State Historian, and Saratoga County Historian Lauren Roberts. WAMC’s Jim Levulis is the producer. A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and Archivist Media. Support for this podcast comes from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation®, which helps people celebrate their community’s history by providing grants for historic markers and plaques. Since 2006, the Foundation has expanded from one to six different signage grant programs, and funded nearly 1,000 signs across New York State and beyond … all the way to Alaska! With all these options, there’s never been a better time to apply. The Foundation’s programs in the Empire State include commemorating national women’s suffrage, historic canals, sites on the National Register of Historic Places, New York State’s history, and folklore and legends. Grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofit academic institutions, and municipalities. To apply for signage at no cost to you, or to learn more about the Foundation’s grant programs, visit WGPfoundation.org. This program is also funded in part by Humanities New York with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

 Remembering The Greatest Generation | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 22:20

75 years after the end of World War II, the ranks of the so-called Greatest Generation are dwindling. Among those still able to tell their stories, is Lieutenant Colonel Harry Stewart Jr. Turning 96 on the Fourth of July, Stewart was a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen and is featured in National Geographic’s coverage of the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War II in the June 2020 issue, which is available at newsstands May 26. WAMC’s Jim Levulis, the producer of A New York Minute In History, spoke with Stewart, who began by describing December 7th, 1941. Stewart: I remember when I was coming from Sunday school, I guess it was on that fateful day, or infamous day, and I was living near LaGuardia Airport, New York at the time and these aircrafts, fighter aircrafts are taking off. They were P-39 Airacobras, taking off from the LaGuardia Airport. There were 30 of them. They got into formation and they were flying very, very low over the city of New York there. And I was curious as to what was going on. But when I did get from Sunday school, I went upstairs. And of course, the news was on at the time then that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. I immediately felt that it wouldn't be long before I would be called into the service because the draft had started. Even though I was only 16 or 17. At the time, it wouldn't be long before the draft would call me up. Levulis: And you were eventually drafted. Is that correct? Stewart: That's correct. Of course. I I tried to determine where I would be assigned in going into the service because if you were just drafted, you could be placed anywhere by any part of the services that there was. The Army, Navy, or the Marines. So I wanted to be a pilot, and I wanted to take pilot training. So I took an examination for pilot training, I passed the examination and as a result, when I was called into the service, I was called in specifically to take training as an aviation cadet. Levulis: And why was it that you wanted to fly, wanted to be a pilot? Stewart: You know, I think it was something that was built in my system from early childhood. My folks used to tell me that when I was two years old, we lived in Virginia at the time near Langley Field. And when my parents who would put me out in the crib, they told me that when the Army planes were flying over, I’d crane my neck looking at them and sort of coo at the planes there. And then later on, we moved to New York City near LaGuardia Airport. And there was at that time that I used to go over to the airport and stand by the fence on the periphery there and watch the planes take off and fantasize about my being the pilot flying that plane there. So I think it was just an acquired I guess you would call it desire that I grew up with as a child. Levulis: Could you take us through your training as a Tuskegee Airman? Stewart: Well, the training was out of the same playbook as the as the Air Corps throughout the United States, even though I went into the service into a segregated group down at Tuskegee, Alabama. We operated from the same Air Corps playbook. It started out with my going through the college training detachment and I spent six months in college getting attuned to subject matter that would be appropriate for the future studies that I would be taking on the airbase that I was going to. Then I started the actual cadet training, which was four phases. It was preflight for two and a half months, primary flying for two and a half months, based flying for two and a half months, and then the final phase was advanced flying, which was another two and a half months, at which time I graduated and I received my wings as a certified military pilot and also my gold bars as a second lieutenant. Levulis: Is it correct that you learn to fly a plane before you knew how to drive a car? Stewart: Yes, that is correct. You know, and in New York with the rapid transit system that they have there, there was really no need

 The Legendary Lake Monster | A New York Minute In History | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 12:42

Join A New York Minute In History for the first episode of a special series on folklore. In this initial journey of our “Legends and Lore of The Empire State” series, co-hosts Devin Lander and Lauren Roberts explore the legend behind a storied lake monster in northern New York. If you happen to find yourself driving along on Cumberland Head Road in the Town of Plattsburgh, looking out across the brooding blue waves of Lake Champlain you may come across a red and gold sign with the title “Champy.” You pull over for a closer look and read this intriguing legend, told in a mere five lines of text. CHAMPY LEGENDARY LAKE MONSTER LIVES HERE. OVER 300 SIGHTINGS REPORTED SINCE 1819. UP TO 200 FEET LONG. NYS LAW PROTECTS THIS REGIONAL ICON. NEW YORK FOLKLORE WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2019 As with all folklore, there is a grain of historical truth to the Champy myth.  French explorer Samuel de Champlain noted the existence of large fish in his 1609 journal documenting his exploration of the lake that would one day bare his name. These fish, most likely garpike, were described by de Champlain as growing to 8-10 feet long as told to him by his native guides.  He himself saw some measuring approximately five feet long. However, de Champlain’s actual description was modified over the centuries and became much misquoted. The first sighting of a serpentine shaped lake monster was in 1819 at Bulwagga Bay, near Port Henry, NY. A certain “Captain Crum” described seeing a 187-foot sea serpent with a head shaped like a horse.  And so the legend was born and since 1819, Champy has been seen over 300 times.  Famed circus promotor PT Barnum even offered a $50,000 reward for anyone who could bring him the hide of Champy.  The reward was never claimed. Click here to learn more about the story of Champy. Thanks to Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman for sharing his time and insights into this unique story. Original music for this episode was provided by Sean Riley. A New York Minute In History is a podcast about the history of New York and the unique tales of New Yorkers. It is hosted by Devin Lander, the New York State Historian, and Saratoga County Historian Lauren Roberts. WAMC’s Jim Levulis is the producer. A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and Archivist Media. Support for this podcast comes from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation®, which helps people celebrate their community’s history by providing grants for historic markers and plaques. Since 2006, the Foundation has expanded from one to six different signage grant programs, and funded nearly 1,000 signs across New York State and beyond … all the way to Alaska! With all these options, there’s never been a better time to apply. The Foundation’s programs in the Empire State include commemorating national women’s suffrage, historic canals, sites on the National Register of Historic Places, New York State’s history, and folklore and legends. Grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofit academic institutions, and municipalities. To apply for signage at no cost to you, or to learn more about the Foundation’s grant programs, visit WGPfoundation.org. This program is also funded in part by Humanities New York with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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