New York Almanack

Conservative Voices in New York’s Progressive Era

Dr. Bruce W. Dearstyne — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 19:00:29 +0000

New York State was a leader in progressive reform in the 1900-1920 period, enacting a broad array of measures to abolish child labor, improve factory working conditions, regulate business, and advance public health.

Theodore Roosevelt, governor in 1899-1901, went on to lead progressive reform as US President in 1901-1909.

New York’s progressives are well documented in history books. But at the same time, and much less well known, there were also important conservative voices in New York.

Operator Sought for Saratoga’s Historic Gideon Putnam Hotel

Editorial Staff — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:30:15 +0000

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking an operator of the historic Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Steeped in history and renowned for its natural mineral springs, distinctive architecture, and cultural and recreational attractions, Saratoga Spa State Park and the Gideon Putnam Hotel have been a destination for generations.

Through this RFP, State Parks seeks an experienced private sector partner “to build upon the hotel’s longstanding tradition of hospitality while providing exceptional lodging, dining, and event experiences that complement the park’s historic character and vibrant, natural setting.”

The current operating agreement expires January 5, 2028.

Historians in Court Over Trump Presidential Records Act Evasion

Editorial Staff — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 16:00:24 +0000

This morning, the American Historical Association (AHA) and American Oversight urged the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit to uphold a court order the groups secured requiring White House officials to comply with the Presidential Records Act (PRA).

Ahead of oral arguments in the Trump administration’s appeal, the groups released the following statements:

AHA Executive Director Dr. Sarah Weicksel said “Every time a record is destroyed, a piece of history is lost.

Adk Rail Trail Gateway, Champlain Canal Trail Reopen

Editorial Staff — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:14:16 +0000

Recreationists in Upstate New York got some good news this week from two major multi-use trails. The new Lake Placid Trailhead, a gateway that significantly improves eastern access to the 34-mile Adirondack Rail Trail has opened in Essex County. Also two miles of the Champlain Canalway Trail, part of the Empire State Trail between Towpath Lane and Route 196 in the Towns of Fort Edward and Kingsbury in Washington County, has been resurfaced and reopened.

The Skaneateles Creamery Gets a New Museum Name, Facelift

Guest Contributor — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 11:00:23 +0000

During the 1890s many farming communities established creameries as a public place for farmers to sell milk, cream, and butter.

The Skaneateles Creamery began operation on May 23, 1899, selling butter, buttermilk and cream to a responsive townspeople and to distributors. New York City was the largest market for butter.

In 1918 the local creamery transferred its plant to the Best Ice Cream Company of Syracuse which added ice cream and condensed milk to its product line.

The Life of an American Coot

Guest Contributor — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:00:39 +0000

By mid-October, many birds have migrated south, but some lucky birders may still be able to spot an American coot, an uncommon bird that passes through New York State.

American coots can be found swimming in lakes, ponds, or rivers, anywhere there is aquatic vegetation for them to eat. They are usually floating among other waterfowl or foraging on shore.

American coots (Fulica americana) are easy to identify, with black chicken-shaped bodies and ghostly white beaks that droop slightly.

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Editorial Staff — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:00:38 +0000

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An Invasive Species Adapatations Talk in Plattsburgh

Editorial Staff — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:00:35 +0000

Non-native animals and plants are a part of our ecosystems and, while some are harmless, others are invasive species that cause damage to our local environment and economies. The answer to why invasive species are so good at being bad is adaptions — special characteristics that make a species well-suited to live in its environment.

From 5:30-7 pm on Thursday, October 22, the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton County will give a free talk at Plattsburgh Public Library that dives into specific examples of the adaptations invasive species use to gain a huge advantage over native species.

Ocean of Rumors: Atlantic World News and Information

Editorial Staff — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:00:35 +0000

Across the early modern Atlantic world, there were commodities just as valuable as sugar, tobacco or cotton: news and information.

However, crossing an ocean beset by wars, pirates and bad weather made transoceanic communications irregular at best, posing significant challenges to the weekly European news cycle.

With infrequent access to information, between roughly 1570 to 1720 during the rise of the printed periodical, publishers had to navigate between speculation and confirmation, printing everything they could without losing credibility or customers.

Symposium Planned for New York Constitution’s 250th Anniversary

Editorial Staff — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:00:35 +0000

April 20, 1777, is the date the Convention of Representatives of the State of New York approved the state’s very first constitution in Kingston, effectively establishing New York State during the American Revolution.

The New York State Archives is hosting a major full-day symposium at the Cultural Education Center in Albany, on April 20, 2027 to commemorate the milestone.

The event is being held in collaboration with Siena University’s McCormick Center for the Study of the American Revolution and the Historical Society of the New York Courts.