New York Almanack

Memories of Old Put: NY Central Railroad’s Putnam Division

Randall Whitestone — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Just after sunset on a toasty evening in May 1903, a two-year-old trotting horse named Princewell, startled by “a noisy automobile,” bolted for freedom in the Bronx.

Trainer Frank Ferris was leading the young colt across the tracks of the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad, turning onto the Boston Post Road at King’s Bridge, when the motorcar “rushed past,” according to a New York Times report.

“Princewell arose on his hind legs,” the story went, “shook his head, and was free.” Galloping back to the tracks of a very active rail line, Princewell – aided by a policeman and several bystanders – evaded two trains, including a “Buffalo express” coming up behind him on the northbound tracks, and was eventually caught after an apparent four-mile north-south back-and-forth chase.

Accessible Adirondack Campground Plagued With Closures

Editorial Staff — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:00:13 +0000

John Dillon Park, the Adirondacks‘ only completely accessible campground for people with disabilities, will not open for the summer 2026 season while required improvements to the park’s potable water system are undertaken.

The park has been plagued by closures over the years, reports North Country Public Radio (NCPR).

John Dillon Park is an adaptive outdoor recreation and camping area near Long Lake, NY, managed by Paul Smith’s College. Founded through a gift from alumnus John Dillon, the park is dedicated to making the Adirondack wilderness accessible to people with disabilities.

Woodstock Publisher Geddy Sveikauskas: A Historical Perspective

Editorial Staff — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:30:09 +0000

Geddy Sveikauskas founded the Woodstock Times as a bi-weekly newspaper in 1972. Shortly after that it became a weekly and was quickly embraced in a community that was experiencing rapid change.

Through the decades the paper has employed high-quality writers and editors, and its brand of journalism became an important part of the glue that held this diverse community together.

When the Covid pandemic occurred in 2020, Geddy, as he is known to most, consolidated what had become four separate weeklies and created Hudson Valley One to cover a wider region and to keep local journalism relevant.

Land, Liberty and Loss: Echoes of the American Revolution

Editorial Staff — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:00:19 +0000

Dr. Melissane Schrems will present a talk at Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site exploring the nation’s founding, and the historical and the ongoing relationship of Indigenous people in the American landscape. This program focuses on the relationship between Native Americans, Black Americans, and colonists of New York State in the time before and after the American Revolution.

Dr. Schrems focuses attention on the human connection between the natural and built environments and how the American Revolution connects to Indigenous histories, our use of natural resources, political development, and national expansion.

A Bizarre Trump Legal Filing In National Trust Lawsuit

Editorial Staff — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:06:07 +0000

What follows is a motion filed Monday, April 27, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Case No. 1:25-cv-04316-RJL), ostensibly by the Justice Department, though much of it appears to have been written by Donald Trump himself. The motion is filed in the lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation regarding the extra-legal demolition of a third of the White House by the Trump regime and the attempt to build a large vaguely defined and variously cost estimated ballroom in its place.

1827: An Old Cannon from Bloody Pond Explodes in Glens Falls

Joseph W. Zarzynski — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:42:24 +0000

July 4, 1827 was a special day in New York and certainly one for celebratory events around the state. It was the 51st anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776). Moreover, July 4, 1827 was the final emancipation of enslaved people in the state of New York, the anniversary of which is being commemorated statewide next year.

Peleg Weaver, age 22, always enjoyed the merriment of commemorative festivities.

The Lostkills: Bushwhacking and Hiking the Lesser-Known Catskill Peaks

Editorial Staff — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:18:25 +0000

The Lostkills: Bushwhacking and Hiking the Lesser-Known Catskill Peaks (SUNY Press Excelsior Editions, 2026) introduces readers to a mostly unknown group of Catskill peaks on public land in addition to some lightly used trails.

Alan Via refers to these places as “the Lostkills” as they include off-the-beaten-path hikes, mostly bushwhacks to smaller mountain summits, largely unexplored by the hiking community.

The Lostkills opens with sections about map and compass usage, electronic navigation, and off-trail safety and equipment.

Revolutionary, Military & Political Leader Nicholas Fish Focus of New Exhibit

Editorial Staff — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 20:47:41 +0000

In April 1775, when news of the Battle of Lexington and Concord reached New York, Nicholas Fish, born in Newtown, Long Island, was a 17-year old law student at King’s College (now Columbia University).

Together with his close friend, Alexander Hamilton, and other law colleagues who were members of the Sons of Liberty, Fish without hesitation joined a volunteer militia called the “Corsicans” – later named the “Hearts of Oak.”

The Hearts of Oak carried out one of the early actions of the war in August 1775 when they seized 21 royal cannons from New York’s Battery under fire from the British warship HMS Asia.

Seth Concklin: A Daring, Dedicated New York Abolitionist

William M. Goodman — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 22:38:10 +0000

Many New Yorkers before the Civil War contributed to the abolition of slavery, and the dangerous work of helping enslaved African-Americans flee their captors. Take Calvin Fairbank, a New York Methodist pastor born 1816, who spent 17 years in prison for his missions to help enslaved people escape.

Seth Concklin, a New Yorker whose name and sacrifice were more familiar in the 19th century, died tragically in 1851 while trying to help a mother and her three children escape from slavery.

New York Almanack Book Purchases Now Support Local Booksellers

John Warren — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 19:00:24 +0000

Almost 20 years ago when New York Almanack was founded I signed up for Amazon.com’s affiliate program in order to earn a small percentage from the sales of New York State related books noticed here on the site.

Today, Independent Bookstore Day, we’re switching to Bookshop.org, which allows Almanack readers to buy from independent bookstores of their choosing – supporting the Almanack AND their favorite bookstore!

I hope you’ll continue to support New York Almanack – and now your local bookstore – by buying through our affiliate links at the bottom of our book notices.