Lincoln Depot Museum 10^th Anniversary
Opening Weekend

2024 Opening Weekend on April 27-28  
Local, County and State Dignitaries Will Be on Hand to help Celebrate
Many New Artifacts on Display

The Lincoln Depot Museum Board of Directors is pleased to announce the start of the 2024 season on April 27 and 28, 2024. This year marks the 10^th year that the museum has been open to the public. There will be several local, county and state representatives on hand to help celebrate this 10-year milestone at a brief ceremony at 11 am on Saturday, April 27th. The ceremony is open to the public. Regular museum hours begin at 1 PM.

The museum’s exhibit, “New York and Abraham Lincoln: The Indispensable Relationship,” not only shows the impact of Lincoln to Peekskill and the Hudson Valley region but to New York as a whole. The importance of New York to Lincoln’s success is also highlighted. It is the only such museum in the entire state and has gained national attention and interest.

The historic building was acquired in 2003. The Lincoln Depot Foundation was formed in 2007 with the goal of restoring the original structure and creating a museum and historic site where President-elect Abraham Lincoln’s visited on February 19, 1861. With the help of a $3 million NY Environmental Protection Fund and NY Empire State Development Corporation grants obtained in 2006, thanks to then Governor George E. Pataki, the Depot Foundation was able to reach their goal.

Utilizing those same NYS grants, a new structure, the Lincoln Depot Visitor’s Center, was completed in 2019. The Visitor’s Center houses the museum offices, additional exhibits, a small gift shop and an open meeting room to hold events.

“We are proud of the result of our many years of hard work,” said Museum President John G. Testa. “There has been a tremendous amount of research, planning and collaboration to achieve this success. We were confident that the museum would be well received and has become a landmark for Peekskill and Westchester County. History buffs from around the country and globe have visited. This historic site has become the educational center we all dreamed of. We thank everyone who has supported and assisted us in making the museum such a success,” added Testa. Testa was the Mayor of Peekskill from 2002-07 when the building was acquired, and the grants awarded.

The museum project was recognized by the The American Institute of Architects with their Design Award and named “Best Museum in Westchester” by Westchester Magazine.

New Items on Display for 2024

The Lincoln Depot exhibit: “New York and Abraham Lincoln: The Indispensable Relationship,” will include many new original artifacts from the Civil War period. These objects include photos and ephemera, original newspapers of critical historical events, jewelry as well as a Lincoln Mourning Cockade worn by the public as they mourned the loss of the President in 1865.

Many Events Planned Throughout the Year

The Lincoln Depot Museum will be featuring a full lineup of events for 2024. The popular monthly program “First Saturdays at the Museum” will return. On the first Saturday of each month throughout the year there will be a variety of historical presentations, some on topics beyond the Civil War era (March-October schedule attached).

Another popular program that will return this year is the “Collector Corner,” where collectors are invited to display their own collections for a weekend in the museum and are on hand to discuss the collection with visitors. These collections are sometimes life-long passions of individuals who are happy to share their experience with our visitors.

Other activities and events will be planned as the season progresses, including films, musical performances and living history demonstrations by civil war reenactors. On September 21, 2024, there will be a special 10^th Anniversary reception held at the museum. Details will be announced soon.

The 2024 season for the Lincoln Depot Museum will run from April 27 to November 24. The museum will be open every Saturday and Sunday, excluding holidays, from 1-4 PM. General Admission is $8.00 for non-residents, $5.00 for seniors, veterans, active military, and children under 12. Peekskill residents enter free of charge. Museum memberships are also available. For further information, visit the museum website at lincolndepotmuseum.org or call at 914-402-4318.

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Additional Information:

Site History

The Hudson River Railroad finally reached Peekskill in 1849. Early City Historian Carlton B. Scofield described the original station as a “grimy, wooden shack measuring twelve by fourteen feet.” Due to a fire and the expansion of the railroad line to Poughkeepsie in 1850 and then to Albany in 1851, it was clear a new and larger station was needed. The combination Greek and Gothic Revival station that stands today is on the site of Lincoln’s 1861 visit. The depot originally served as a combination passenger station and freight depot. The depot was eventually abandoned for passenger use in 1874 when the present Romanesque Style station was opened on Railroad Avenue. Although there are no known records showing the exact date the depot was constructed, the earliest known map depicting a depot structure is from 1852. An original copy of this map is on display in the museum.

Abraham Lincoln left Springfield, Illinois on February 11, 1861 and arrived in Washington DC on February 23rd for his upcoming Inauguration as President of the United States. His stop in Peekskill on February 19th was his only stop in Westchester County. He stopped at the invitation of one of Peekskill’s most prominent citizens, William Nelson, a local lawyer, and former Congressman serving with Lincoln from 1847-49. Two village residents attending Lincoln’s visit were Chauncey M. Depew (26 years old) and James W. Husted (27 years old). Both men were recent graduates of Yale and these local lawyers led the local supporters of Lincoln. Together, they formed the Highland Wide Awakes and led pro-Lincoln parades through the streets of Peekskill. Both would go on to prominence of their own. Depew was a NY State Assembly member, NY Secretary of State, Westchester County Clerk, US Senator, and President of the NY Central Railroad; he played an important role in Lincoln’s reelection obtaining the votes of NY soldiers in the field. Husted served 22 years as a member of the NY State Assembly spending time as Speaker and Minority Leader and he became a Major General for the Fifth Division of the NY National Guard. Additionally, he spent time as Superintendent of Peekskill Public Schools and Harbor Master of NY.

By all accounts, a large crowd gathered to witness Lincoln’s visit. A local newspaper account reported “a large assemblage, about 1500 or thereabouts was gathered, all quiet, orderly and curiously expectant.” Past City Historian Colin Naylor Jr. further said, “Farmers and their families from all parts of Cortlandtown, Putnam County and Yorktown, joined the villagers at the station.” There were even onlookers from as far away as Connecticut.

First introduced by Nelson, Lincoln spoke briefly, but his impact lasted a lifetime for those who were there to witness the event. The scene was dramatic and even included student soldiers from the local military academy, later to be known as the Peekskill Military Academy. According to a published article, “The Academy boys were assigned the position of honor, forming a hollow square in the center of which was the baggage tender… and upon which the President Elect was to stand while speaking. The Jefferson Guards in citizens dress, with a cannon, were posted on the Hill in South Street, to fire a President’s salute of 21 guns.”

This historic event still resonates today as an inspiration to the study of local history and historic preservation. It caused the formation of the Lincoln Society in Peekskill in 1903, which continues to be the oldest continually active such society in the United States. Perhaps it was Chauncey Depew, as President of the railroad, who prevented the destruction of the depot building, thus enabling the citizens today to relive and celebrate Peekskill’s historic significance.

The National Park Service highlighted the importance of Lincoln’s Peekskill stop in 2011 when they included Peekskill as one of their few reenacted events commemorating the 150th Anniversary of Lincoln’s Inaugural Journey.

Lincoln’s Peekskill Speech

“I have but a moment to stand before you to listen to and return your kind greeting. I thank you for this reception, and for the pleasant manner in which it is tendered to me by our mutual friends. I will say in a single sentence, in regard to the difficulties that lie before me and our beloved country, that if I can only be as generously and unanimously sustained as the demonstration I have witnessed indicate I shall be, I shall not fail; but without your sustaining hands I am sure that neither I nor any other man can hope to surmount these difficulties. I trust in the course I shall pursue I shall be sustained not only by the party that elected me, but by the patriotic people of the whole country.”

The Statue

Entitled “Lincoln in Peekskill,” perched on a solid block of black granite, a full-sized, bronze Abraham Lincoln stands as he might have looked on that “clear, and pleasant day,” as described by a local farmer in his diary, on February 19, 1861, as he addressed the Peekskill crowd. The statue is the creation of sculptor Richard Masloski. It is Masloski’s vision of how Lincoln might have looked as he stood on the baggage cart while making his address. The statue was unveiled to the public on October 27, 2007 with much fanfare and a large crowd of onlookers, much like when Lincoln first appeared before a crowd at that same location. On hand to help with the unveiling was former Governor George Pataki, Lincoln Scholar Harold Holzer and Developer Martin Ginsburg, without whom the creation of the statue would not have been possible.

The Ginsburg Development Corporation provided the funding for the statue. The depot project was the centerpiece of a full redevelopment vision for connecting the riverfront area to the downtown business district via Central Avenue. The depot and, in turn, this statue, is positioned exactly at the intersection of Central Avenue to Water Street, thus the linchpin to that connection. The Lincoln Depot Museum and historic site represents a significant economic development component through the historic tourism it provides.

Richard Masloski, who passed away in 2018, was also the creator of the Westchester County Police Memorial, Orange County Veterans Memorial, Town of Wappinger War Memorial, Yonkers Gold Star Mothers Monument, and other historic pieces.

The Hyde is offering two guided docent-led tours every Monday through September 11. Included with Museum admission, you will have the opportunity to learn fascinating details about either the Museum’s collection or the current exhibition from a trained tour guide. Monday Museum Tours will be available June 26-September 11 as part of our extended summer hours.

11 am: Historic Hyde House Tour
12 pm: Current Exhibition Tour, Songs of the Horizon: David Smith, Music and Dance 

Join the Collections staff at Fort Ticonderoga for the free webinar “Opening the Vault: Lessons Learned from an Archival Cataloging and Digitization Project” on December 8, 2022 at 12:00pm EST.

Over the last year, Fort Ticonderoga collections staff have worked with consultants at the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) to begin the process of cataloging and digitizing our archival collection, cataloging and photographing over a thousand documents. During this webinar, collections staff will share our process and lessons learned along the way. This webinar is intended to help inspire others just beginning or thinking about starting a similar project. This project was made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

The webinar is free but registration is required. Please pre-register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RAur_a7oSkC32gBGD_DLBQ#/registration

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this webinar, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

(ITHACA, NY - June 8, 2022) The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) is celebrating its 90th anniversary starting in June 2022, with a series of events throughout 2022 and 2023. In addition to PRI’s anniversary, the events will also recognize the 10th anniversary of PRI’s merger with the Cayuga Nature Center (2023) as well as the 20th anniversary of the Museum of the Earth opening (2023).

“We decided to extend PRI’s 90th anniversary celebration over 2 years to include the anniversaries of the Cayuga Nature Center and the Museum of the Earth as well,” says Amanda Schmitt Piha, Associate Director of Philanthropy and Communications at PRI. “Both venues have been essential to work towards our mission, and we are excited to continue serving our local community through these venues and more.” 

The 18 month-long celebration will include new public events, exhibits and projects, as well as the return of annual PRI events that have been on hiatus due to the pandemic. The celebration will kick off with the long-awaited reopening of the Cayuga Nature Center Lodge on June 18, 2022. 

2022 also marks the 30th year of service for PRI’s Director Warren Allmon. “We are immensely grateful and  thrilled to celebrate 90 years of scientific and educational impact,” says Allmon, who has led an extraordinary expansion of PRI’s mission, staff, and facilities, as well as a closer relationship with Cornell University, since his arrival as the Institution’s fourth Director in August 1992.

Founded in 1932, PRI has developed programs in research, collections, publications, and public education. PRI cares for a collection of more than seven million specimens (one of the ten largest paleontological collections in the U.S.), and publishes Bulletins of American Paleontology, the oldest paleontological journal in the Western Hemisphere, begun in 1895. PRI also creates informal (i.e., outside the classroom) Earth science education resources for educators and the general public.

Check for the latest events and updates on the 90th anniversary page: https://www.priweb.org/event/celebrate90 

About the Paleontological Research Institution

The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) pursues and integrates education and research, and interprets the history and systems of the Earth and its life, to increase knowledge, educate society, and encourage wise stewardship of the Earth. PRI and its two public venues for education, the Museum of the Earth and the Cayuga Nature Center, are separate from, but formally affiliated with Cornell University, and interact closely with numerous University departments in research, teaching, and public outreach. To learn more, visit priweb.org and follow on social media:Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Youtube.

On View July 28, 2022 - June 11, 2023

Opening Reception Thursday, June 28, 2022 4:30-7:30 p.m.

War is destructive to people and their cultural heritage. Living Through War: Works from Kharkiv by Bella Logachova is a reaction against the war in Ukraine as it is actively taking place. Each work gives unique insight into the perspective of an artist living through the violence and destruction of her homeland. With this exhibition, the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University (CAM) strives to bring empathy and awareness to the war in Ukraine while supporting an artist and her country embroiled in conflict.

Living Through War: Works from Kharkiv by Bella Logachova offers the incredibly rare opportunity to see through the eyes of a person in an active combat zone. The CAM will exhibit nineteen of Bella Logachova’s artworks from the ARtNUO (New Ukrainian Ornament) Series, produced from 2014 through 2022, along with video of the artist. The exhibitionwill be on view Thursday, July 28, 2022 with an opening reception from 4:30–7:30 p.m on July 28. Additional programs will be hosted during the run of the exhibition. 

Combining imagery that is traditional to Ukrainian folk art along with military icons and symbols, Bella Logachova creates complex and narrative digital images. Through her intricate works, she describes various international events including the current conflict in Ukraine starting with the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution: “Each work is a documentary story told by means of ornament. War time is difficult… but we need to do something, to create new things—it’s our responsibility.”

Bella Logachova is a Ukrainian artist and photographer, born in Mariupol in 1973. She graduated from the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Art, where she currently teaches media arts and is a co-founder of SOSka art group, including the Excess film group, in Kharkiv. She has exhibited her work throughout Europe and Ukraine.

Bella Logachova received wide recognition after the presentation of posters titled ARtNUO – New Ukrainian Ornament at the 4th Block’s IX International Eco-Poster Triennale for which she received the Grand Prix award of the festival. The 4th Block is an association of contemporary graphic designers. “In 2014, when the war in Ukraine started, I began the ARtNUO series…  As the war only escalates, this series is still ongoing.” 

This exhibition will be co-curated with Sabine Kutt of Sabine Kutt Photography. Sabine Kutt is a photographer, art curator, choreographer, and ballet master. Born and raised in East Germany, she has resided in the United States since 2001. Sabine Kutt curates international exhibitions and special events representing women artists, including Bella Logachova. “The natural, joyful elements of the embroidery stand in sharp contrast to the military symbols Bella Logachova inserts into her images. Her art is like news. She is one of the few artists who are able to immediately implement what she has experienced in a creative way.“

An important partner is the Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Center in Buffalo, who is providing project support and lending traditional Ukrainian needlework for visual reference in the exhibition. The gallery will also feature a QR code that allows visitors to donate directly to Dnipro’s Ukrainian Humanitarian and Medical Aid charity fund. Smaller prints of the works will be editioned and sold to support the artist and Ukrainian organizations she selects for donations.

During a time of many global conflicts, the CAM supports creativity across borders and recognizes the deep contributions of immigrant, refugee, and BIPOC communities to the cultural fabric of the Buffalo-Niagara region. We are building accessible program opportunities for Niagara University students, local school districts, and the general public using these powerful works. 

“Art distracts and gives strength. Art will always be against war.” –Bella Logachova

About the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University:  With learning and public access at the heart of its mission, the Castellani Art Museum (CAM) is the major resource for the visual arts in Niagara County. The CAM's permanent collection includes over 5,000 pieces of modern and contemporary art, Niagara Falls art, and regional Folk Arts. The Museum is committed to the preservation of these artworks, along with offering exhibitions and programs that serve the campus, local communities, and tourists.  

NORWICH, N.Y. – The Chenango County Historical Society (CCHS) has been selected to participate in the national Museum Assessment Program (MAP), which is administered by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). Through guided assessment and consultation with external museum professionals, participation in MAP will empower CCHS to better serve Chenango County by striving to achieve the highest professional standards in the museum field.

CCHS’s participation is made possible through funding provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). MAP helps museums strengthen operations, plan for the future, and meet standards through self-study review and a consultative visit by an expert peer reviewer.

“Choosing to be part of the MAP program is indicative of the commitment to civic involvement, public service, and overall excellence on the part of the Chenango County Historical Society and Museum,” said Laura Lott, president of AAM. “Studies have shown America’s museums to be among the country’s most trusted and valued institutions. MAP is designed to make them even better.”

CCHS opted to conduct a MAP operations assessment in order to improve performance by defining logical priorities, establishing systems for maintaining quality standards, and assuring sustainable practices as the organization grows capacity.

“As a museum chartered by the New York State Education Department, we are keenly aware of our responsibility to properly preserve our collection in order to celebrate the unique cultural heritage of Chenango County,” said Jessica Moquin, executive director. “Our small staff and dedicated board of trustees are doing a great deal to ensure that our organization is running smoothly, and we realize that being so close to the operation means that we may not recognize where systems, processes, and programs can be adjusted for optimal performance. By undergoing a MAP assessment, we better position our museum for sustainable future growth.”

First established in 1939, CCHS is the primary organization dedicated to actively and comprehensively preserving the history of Chenango County. The area’s premier heritage museum, the organization celebrates local culture – unique traditions, noteworthy residents, and unusual stories of the region. CCHS programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Since its creation in 1981, the MAP program has served more than 5,000 museums. MAP is supported through a cooperative agreement between AAM and IMLS. AAM is the only organization representing the nation’s entire museum community and has been dedicated to promoting excellence within the museum field for more than 100 years. The IMLS is the primary source of federal support to the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums.

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Caption: Dedicated to actively sharing local history, the Chenango County Historical Society (CCHS) hosts a variety of activities throughout the year, including service projects to improve historical resources. CCHS is undergoing a Museum Assessment Program (MAP) in order to achieve the highest professional standards in the museum field.

$64,323 awarded to seven organizations

WATERFORD, NY- Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, in partnership with the NYS Canal Corporation, is pleased to announce that seven organizations have been selected to receive Erie Canalway IMPACT! Grants totaling $64,323. Funded projects include vital work to showcase canal heritage and welcome people to explore the canal in their local communities.

“We are thrilled to support these community-driven projects to strengthen the Canalway Corridor as a vibrant place to live, work, visit, and play,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. “These exciting projects will foster greater awareness and pride in New York’s canals that will have lasting benefits for residents and visitors.”

The grants range from $2,000 to $12,000 and will leverage an additional $161,107 in private and public project support. Over the past 13 years, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has made 90 grants to communities and non-profit organizations that have spurred $2.4 million in additional investments in heritage preservation, recreation, and education.

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, "It is an honor to join with the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor in supporting education, recreation, and tourism along New York’s canal system. The history of our canals provides the framework for our State’s great legacy, and we look forward to supporting and enhancing awareness of these storied waterways for years to come through these IMPACT! Grant projects.”

2020 ERIE CANALWAY IMPACT! GRANTS

Corn Hill Navigation, Pittsford

Award: $8,954

Improve educational and program delivery with new technology at a new visitor center being developed at Corn Hill Landing in Rochester.

Erie Canal Museum, Syracuse

Award: $9,015

Develop programming related to the Empire State Trail including a Syracuse-based Trail Ambassador Program and trail amenities that raise user awareness of the museum. Pilot both weekend and Corridor-wide trail rides.

Explore & More: The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum, Buffalo

Award: $11,454

Design and present an Erie Canal themed educational play experience every Wednesday throughout 2022 that will engage children and families.

Friends of Stewart Park, Ithaca

Award: $5,900

Design and install five outdoor interpretive signs that showcase the history of the Erie Canal and Cayuga Lake as they relate to the City of Ithaca.

National Abolition Hall of Fame, Peterboro

Award: $12,000

Design and install two outdoor interpretive signs within the Village of Canastota to raise awareness of the National Abolition Hall. Funds will also support a reenactment of a dramatic event that shaped the abolition movement in the United States.

Schoharie River Center, Esperance

Award: $12,000

Implement a series of educational programs with at-risk urban and rural youth to investigate water quality on the Erie Canal/Mohawk River and adjacent tributaries.

Village of Brockport, Brockport

Award: $5,000

Design and install a pair of outdoor interpretive signs that celebrate the history, design, and operation of the Village’s iconic lift bridges.

ABOUT THE ERIE CANALWAY NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR

Nearly 200 years after its construction, the Erie Canal remains an iconic symbol of American ingenuity and determination. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves our extraordinary canal heritage, promotes the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and fosters vibrant communities connected by more than 500 miles of waterway. It achieves its mission in partnership with the National Park Service, New York State agencies, non-profit organizations, local residents, and more than 200 communities across the full expanse of upstate New York.

www.eriecanalway.org

Historic Cherry Hill is pleased to announce Multivocal Learning: Albany’s History for Albany’s Students, a school program collaboration with Albany County Historical Association’s Ten Broeck Mansion and the Underground Railroad Education Center at the Myers Residence and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (ARP). 

Based upon feedback from local schoolteachers, this partnership will result in thematically linked programs which build a stronger understanding of historical issues and the diversity of voices and opinions that have made and are making history in the United States. With concrete connections to the New York State curricula, the new programs will allow upper elementary and middle school classrooms to travel to multiple Albany sites in the same day, saving school resources and creating rich, hands-on educational experiences.

This project will also include the digitization of primary source materials, in partnership with Siena College’s Digital Scholarship Lab. Dozens of collection items from each institution will become accessible to schools, researchers and the public on New York Heritage’s website. With grant funding, Historic Cherry Hill has digitized two other collections on New York Heritage-- Historical African American Experiences at Cherry Hill in 2020, with supporting online teaching units for grades 4 through 12, and Cherry Hill Receipt Books in 2021. https://nyheritage.org/organizations/historic-cherry-hill

Newly digitized collection items from all three institutions will support resources for teachers to use in the classroom, before and after their onsite visits. Together, these digital materials and on-site, in-person programs—available to classrooms by early 2023-- will build students’ subject-matter competencies, radical empathy, and sense of their own agency in education and civic life. These values are critical to our mission, and we couldn’t be more excited to work with these wonderful institutions and talented individuals!

For more information email shawna@historiccherryhill.org.

 

About Historic Cherry Hill

Historic Cherry Hill invites visitors and researchers to explore American history through the unique lens of one Albany household and, through intimate encounter with the past, encourages audiences toward new perspectives on their own stories and place in history. Visit www.historiccherryhill.org

About the Albany County Historical Association at Ten Broeck Mansion

The Albany County Historical Association, headquartered at the historic Ten Broeck Mansion built in 1798, strives to preserve, present, promote and interpret the stories of the rich and diverse history and culture of Albany County through exhibits, lectures, concerts, and other educational outreach programs. Visit https://tenbroeckmansion.org/

About the Underground Railroad Education Center at the Myers Residence

Underground Railroad Education Center researches and preserves the local and national history of the Underground Railroad movement, its international connections, and its legacy for today’s social justice issues, thereby empowering people of all ages to be agents of change toward an equitable and just society. https://undergroundrailroadhistory.org/

About the National Endowment for the Humanities

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov 

Humanities New York (HNY) today announced more than $360,000 in ARP Act funding to 43 New York cultural nonprofits affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. HNY “SHARP” (Sustaining the Humanities Through the American Rescue Plan) Action Grants, which range from $5,000 to $10,000, provide implementation funds for humanities projects that serve audiences throughout New York. These grants support honoraria for humanities experts, staff time, space rental, marketing, and other expenses for projects that respond to community needs and interests.

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer applauded these new awards, saying, “As Majority Leader, I was proud to champion and pass the American Rescue Plan, which provides this funding for New York’s cultural nonprofits affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic did not extinguish our thirst for cultural education and this critical funding will strengthen New York’s rich cultural and local history for some time to come.”

HNY reviewed nearly 200 applications from cultural organizations requesting almost $1.8 million in funding. Just over 22 percent of applicants were funded. HNY prioritized equitable grantmaking by considering geographic location, mission, and the importance of reaching underresourced communities in its funding decisions.

Timothy Murray, Chair, said from Ithaca that he was “highly impressed by the quality of the humanities projects that cultural organizations have developed amidst the pandemic” and he applauds “the efforts of cultural workers to use the humanities to promote dialogue and connection — even as gathering in person remains a challenge.”

Grantee organizations will explore a range of topics and themes, from the history of silent film to the community response to the AIDS crisis. Several projects harness the power of storytelling to amplify marginalized voices and promote dialogue. Drawing on its oral history archive, the Coney Island History Project will produce a second season of its popular podcast, Coney Island Stories. Also in New York City, DE-CRUIT will use the works of William Shakespeare to foster conversations between military veterans and civilians.

Three grant projects aim to increase awareness and understanding of Native American history and culture. The Seneca Nation of Indians will implement a “Cultural Sensitivity Enhancement Project.” Over the course of four presentations, Dr. Joe Stahlman, the director of the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum, will trace the generational trauma that the Seneca have experienced and overcome. In Corning, Seven Generations of Stewards will host the Native Nations Festival. The 2022 festival will have a special focus on Native foodways and nutrition. The Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre, located in the Mid-Hudson region, will host an Indigenous Women’s Voices Summit, celebrating contemporary Indigenous women-identified artists and scholars and sparking dialogue on Indigenous history and leadership through a month of programs and public discussions.

Highlighting local Black history is the focus of five grants. In the Southern Tier, Corning Painted Post Historical Society will work with Black community leaders to create a new interpretative plan for the 225-year-old Benjamin Patterson Inn. In the Finger Lakes, the Center for Teen Empowerment will develop “Clarissa Uprooted: Intergenerational History Ambassadors Exhibit” to share stories about a once-thriving African-American residential, cultural, and business community in Rochester’s Third Ward.

View the full list of grants awarded.

HNY has a demonstrated track record of distributing emergency and recovery support. This special Action Grant round supplements $1.2 million in SHARP operating support that HNY awarded to 120 cultural partners earlier this fall. In 2020, HNY awarded nearly $1 million in CARES grants to 197 organizations across the state.

By sustaining the cultural sector, these funds bolster New York State’s civic infrastructure and its economy—in 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the arts and culture sector contributed $119.9 billion to New York’s economy, representing 7.8% of the state’s GDP and 466,926 jobs. More recently, the Economic Impact of Coronavirus on the Arts and Culture Sector Survey from Americans for the Arts shows over $338 million in pandemic-related losses to date for New York State.

“To ensure that recovery funding reaches diverse institutions, HNY prioritizes its resources to smaller organizations,” stated Sara Ogger, Executive Director. “These partners are creative, nimble, and responsive to the needs of their audiences. SHARP funds will help sustain them as they chart a way forward.”

About Humanities New York:

Using dialogue, reflection, and critical thinking, Humanities New York applies the humanities to strengthen democratic society. Established in 1975 as the state aliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Humanities New York is a private 501(c)(3) organization that may receive federal, state, and private funding.

About SHARP: HNY SHARP (Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan) is made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities via the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The newest grant round of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation’s New York State Historic Marker Grant Program officially opens today, Monday, Aug. 2, 2021.

The most recognizable of the Pomeroy Foundation’s signature grant programs, https://www.wgpfoundation.org/history/nys-historic-markers/these blue and yellow markers commemorate historic people, places, things or events in New York State between 1740-1921. Grant funding includes the full cost of a marker, pole and shipping.

This grant round covers the following New York State counties: Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Sullivan, and Ulster (Region 4); Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, and Washington (Region 5); and Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, and St. Lawrence (Region 6).

The NYS marker program is open to 501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofit academic institutions, and local, state and federal government entities within New York State.

Those interested in applying for a marker grant must submit an online Letter of Intent to verify primary sources by Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. Primary source documentation is necessary to support the text on a marker and will be reviewed by professional historians. The Letter of Intent is a requirement in order to be eligible to apply for a marker grant. The application deadline is Monday, Oct. 4, 2021.

Visit the Pomeroy Foundation’s NYS historic markers webpage to learn more about program guidelines, eligibility and how to apply online: https://www.wgpfoundation.org/history/nys-historic-markers/

In addition to the NYS marker program, the Pomeroy Foundation offers marker grant programs with themes spanning from folklore to food history. Search, filter and view all of the Foundation’s funded markers and plaques nationwide with its interactive, digital map feature.

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About the William G. Pomeroy Foundation:

The William G. Pomeroy Foundation is committed to supporting the celebration and preservation of community history; and to raising awareness, supporting research and improving the quality of care for patients and their families who are facing a blood cancer diagnosis. One of its initiatives is helping people to celebrate their community’s history. The Pomeroy Foundation meets this part of its mission by providing grants to obtain signage in the form of historic roadside markers and plaques. Since 2006, they have funded over 1,400 markers and plaques across the United States, all the way to Alaska. Visit: wgpfoundation.org