A daily journal of history, natural history, the arts and outdoor recreation in New York State. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mm3427gups2lLiDAR archaeology is discovering former Black family farms in the Adirondacks according to @ncprnews.bsky.social's Report For America corps reporter David Escobar. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/lidar-archaeology-adirondack-farms/17 May 2026 19:32 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mm3427gups2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlytpfdezk2lIn 1882 several Barnum and Bailey's Circus elephants rampaged through Troy, NY while being led to their circus train in Green Island, killing two. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/troy-great-elephant-rampage-1882/16 May 2026 21:57 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlytpfdezk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlygh3vd6c24While the immediate implications of Colbert’s cancellation are dire (considering the blatant censorship of political opinion and corporate cow-towing of CBS’ parent company Skydance Media) there is also a dramatic loss for the arts that comes with the uncertainty of closing such a historic venue. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/ed-sullivan-theater-closing/16 May 2026 18:00 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlygh3vd6c24https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlycq4kkbs24On Saturday May 23, the Historical Society of Woodstock will unveil its newest exhibit, “Signs of the Times.” The exhibit, open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 pm will run through June 28. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/signs-of-the-times-woodstock/16 May 2026 16:53 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlycq4kkbs24https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mly76qnsj224A new exhibit at the Iroquois Museum challenges the mainstream American narrative of the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, exploring the often omitted negative impacts the Revolution had on Haudenosaunee sovereignty and the splitting of the Iroquois Confederacy. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/talkin-bout-a-revolution/16 May 2026 15:50 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mly76qnsj224https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlxyg7twvk24The skeletal remains of 44 people believed to have been associated with the Continental Army effort to invade Quebec in 1775 will be transported in historic U.S. military vehicles on Wednesday, May 20 from the New York State Museum in Albany to Lake George. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/rev-war-remains-lake-george/16 May 2026 13:49 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlxyg7twvk24https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlxuem7zuc24As the twentieth century dawned, precepts from the 1800s continued in many schools of thought and application, including the construction of buildings to house livestock. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/preakness-laurel-park-history/16 May 2026 12:36 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlxuem7zuc24https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlwbpw26uc26New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts counted glass making among their earliest industries dating not much after they were settled. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/history-of-glass-making-new-york/15 May 2026 21:30 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlwbpw26uc26https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlw362qvtc26The National Bottle Museum is presenting its 46th Annual Antique Bottle Show & Sale at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds, 162 Prospect Street in Ballston Spa, NY, from 9 am to 2 pm on Sunday, May 31, 2026. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/antique-bottle-show-sale-2026/15 May 2026 19:33 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlw362qvtc26https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlvgjzh4zs26Bird enthusiasts from across New York State are invited to gather in the Adirondacks for a special celebration of birds and the diverse birding community that admire them. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/black-birders-week-adirondacks/15 May 2026 13:23 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlvgjzh4zs26https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlvdo3psxc26“Once a central gathering place for school sports and community events, the city has determined the long-shuttered stadium building at Van Cortlandt Park is beyond repair, with demolition now considered inevitable — even as funding to carry it out remains uncertain,” reports The Riverdale Press. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/van-cortlandt-park-stadium/15 May 2026 12:32 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlvdo3psxc26https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mltjjf7auk26The American Revolution in what is now Clinton County, NY, was defined by its strategic position on Lake Champlain, a critical corridor for both Continental and British forces. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/revolutionary-clinton-county-250th-anniversary-efforts-and-events/14 May 2026 19:11 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mltjjf7auk26https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlsu6s6jyc26Long Island played a major role in the development of whaling in the Americas, starting with Native Americans along the south shore. This developed into chartered whaling companies and established whale fisheries that sent ships around the world in pursuit of financial gain. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/sag-harbor-whaling-songs/14 May 2026 12:50 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlsu6s6jyc26https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlr6vz4tss26Pinkster is the historic Afro-Dutch holiday that is distinct to the Hudson Valley, from the Albany area south. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/2026-pinkster-festivals-nyc-albany/13 May 2026 20:56 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlr6vz4tss26https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlqsksuffk26The Fort Plain Museum and Historical Park has announced the finalists for the 2026 James Kirby Martin Book Prize. The awards will be presented at the Fort Plain Museum’s up-coming American Revolutionary War Conference 250, May 28-31, 2026. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/james-kirby-martin-book-prize-2026/13 May 2026 17:15 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlqsksuffk26https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlqiv5clns26Whitehall‘s Patrick J. Harvey was lucky when it came to fishing and foraging. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/fishing-lake-champlain-jug-liquor/13 May 2026 14:22 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlqiv5clns26https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mloj5pskcs26Amy Shannon is an author who writes about local history of the families and community life of Balls‑Town (Ballston Spa and Malta, in Saratoga County). https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/reminiscences-of-balls-town/12 May 2026 19:22 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mloj5pskcs26https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlodfwgxo226This Memorial Day weekend, Old Fort Niagara will highlight 300 years of military history with special exhibits and programs tracing military life from the 1600s through modern times. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/old-fort-niagara-military-history/12 May 2026 17:39 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlodfwgxo226https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlo5gitvcs2kThe New York Landmarks Conservancy 16th annual Sacred Sites Open House will take place Saturday and Sunday, May 16-17th 2026 around metro New York City with the theme “Holding Community Memories.” https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/new-york-sacred-sites-tours-2026/12 May 2026 15:52 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlo5gitvcs2khttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlnoklia6c2kNYS Forest Rangers recently fought 3 wildfires started by illegal debris and garbage burning, and one unattended fire, which burned about 4 acres. They also recovered the body of a man from a creek in Tioga County, and responded to a hiker having an allergic reaction in the Catskills. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/forest-rangers-fight-wildfires/12 May 2026 11:26 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlnoklia6c2khttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlm7mugtw224The I BIRD NY Library Lending Programhopes to expand access to free birding equipment by offering backpacks with binoculars and reference materials about birding in New York to libraries across the State. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/beginner-birding-library-lending/11 May 2026 21:26 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlm7mugtw224https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mllifqoidc24New York is named for the world's most prolific slave trader. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/new-york-british-slave-trade/11 May 2026 14:30 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mllifqoidc24https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mll4mxmfr224The Waterford Canal and Towpath Society will present their 40th Annual Waterford Canal Festival on Sat., May 16 – a cherished tradition that celebrates the history, culture and community spirit of the Village of Waterford and its intersecting Erie and Champlain Canals and Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/40th-waterford-canal-festival/11 May 2026 11:00 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mll4mxmfr224https://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mljva77wic2tWhen Josiah Stratton was laid to rest in the Village Cemetery in Galway, NY, in 1904, he left behind a life of service to hi county, survival in war, and dedication to family spanning his 94 years on earth. His story is also one of tragedy and survival that could have ended 30 years sooner. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/josiah-stratton-fishing-crime/10 May 2026 23:14 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mljva77wic2thttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mljgyab6wk2mPoet Emma Lazarus was active from the mid-1860s until her death in 1887. She created two contrasting sonnets on immigration, both dated 1883. These poems highlight some of the historical and continuous controversies surrounding the issue. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/emma-lazarus-nativism-immigration/10 May 2026 18:59 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mljgyab6wk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlj5codb722mThe Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room, a unique pop-up exhibit of “radical transparency” opened Friday in New York City. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/exhibit-trump-epstein-records/10 May 2026 16:06 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlj5codb722mhttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlejv6ters2mBig news for New York State history and humanities communities - plus an update other other legal challenges. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/federal-judge-restores-neh-grants/08 May 2026 20:08 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlejv6ters2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mleicuihjk2mContrary to popular opinion the revival fires of the Second Great Awakening (c. 1790-1840) did not drive most evangelicals to progressive social reforms like abolitionism. Apocalyptic faiths like the Adventist Millerites were strongly anti-slavery practically from the start. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/apocalyptic-abolitionism-slavery/08 May 2026 19:40 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mleicuihjk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mldyk5jgqs2mBirds are well-honed and astute listeners. While we only hear their morning melodies, for the birds, these vocalizations and songs constitute serious life-or-death communications: the competitive labor of defending territories, wooing mates, raising their young, and sounding alarms. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/songbirds-noise-pollution-birds/08 May 2026 14:58 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mldyk5jgqs2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/newyorkalmanack.bsky.social/post/3mlcgfjnzoc2mA new episode of the ADK Talks podcast explores St. Lawrence University’s Adirondack Semester — an immersive, place-based academic program set in the Adirondack Park. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2026/05/st-lawrence-adirondack-semester/08 May 2026 00:00 +0000at://did:plc:45caqn4troowjbp2brbwpjyk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlcgfjnzoc2m