May 2015

Barnabas McHenry, Chair Greenway Council, Co-Chair National Heritage Area

Sara Griffen, Acting Chair Greenway Conservancy, Acting Co-Chair National Heritage Area

Mark Castiglione, Acting Executive Director Greenway, Acting Director National Heritage Area  

 

In This Issue

What's New?            Upcoming Grant Opportunities        Regional Events 

Heritage Spotlight              Project Spotlight                Green Tip Of The Month 

What's New?New

Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Awards Over $30,000 to Lower Hudson Historical and Cultural Institutions

L-R: Shawn Dell Joyce (Wallkill River School), Matt Shook (Palisades Park Conservancy, Inc.), Jessica MacFarlane (National Maritime Historical Society), Burchenal Greene (National Maritime Historical Society), Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Howard Zar (Lyndhurst), Mark Castiglione (Hudson River Valley Greenway)

Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area representatives and partner organizations were joined by Congresswoman Nita Lowey at an event held April 27th to announce seven Heritage Development Grant awards to local historic and cultural institutions. Over $30,000 was awarded to organizations in support of a variety of educational and interpretive programs that will showcase the area's history and contribute to the regional heritage tourism economy. The event was hosted at Lyndhurst. Complete story here.


 

 


 

Save the Dates! The 2015 Hudson River Valley Ramble 

The 2015 Hudson River Valley Ramble, the premier outdoor events program of the Hudson Valley, will be held every weekend in September. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more on the Hudson River Valley Ramble and for information on event registration and sponsorship benefits, please visit the Ramble website. Sponsorship deadlines for the 2015 Ramble are June 20 (for printed materials) and the third week of July (for tee shirts). The registration deadline for event registration is June 18 for inclusion in the 2015 Ramble program guide.

 

History Happy Hour at the Albany Institute of History & Art

The Albany Institute of History & Art invites you to its first History Happy Hour, to be held on May 14. Explore the galleries of this remarkable collection and mingle with likeminded art and history enthusiasts during this special afterhours event, all while enjoying local selections of beer, wine, and hors d'oeuvres.

This event is sponsored by the Albany Institute of History & Art, the Historic Albany Foundation, and the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. Attendance will be limited: order your tickets here.

 

2015 Hudson River Estuary Grants

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting applications for the 2015 Hudson River Estuary Grants Program. This competitive grants program offers funding to fulfill goals identified by the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda in the following areas: Local Stewardship Planning and Tributary Restoration and Resiliency. For more information, please visit the Hudson River Estuary Program grants webpage.


 

Consolidated Funding Application Workshops

Empire State Development is offering a series of Consolidated Funding Application workshops that will provide an overview of an application process that makes available up to $750 million in economic development funding. The first Hudson Valley workshops will be held on May 6 at Empire State Plaza in Albany and on May 29 at SUNY New Paltz. For more information and a complete listing of workshops statewide, please see this calendar.

 

2015 Northeast Region American Planning Association Conference

"Getting Ahead of the Future", the northeast regional conference of the American Planning Association will be held on June 24th through 26th in Saratoga Springs. For more information and to register, please visit the APA Region 1 webpage.

Heritage Spotlight HeritageSpot
Opus 40
In May of 1976, work on the monumental earthwork sculpture Opus 40 came to an end with the death of Harvey Fite. A fine arts professor at Bard College, Fite labored at this former quarry site outside of Saugerties for 37 years to erect the massive bluestone installation using only traditional quarryman's tools and ancient dry-stone construction techniques studied from Egyptian and Mayan ruins. Longtime columnist for  The New Yorker Brendan Gill called Opus 40 "one of the largest and most beguiling works of art on the entire continent." Fite died from a fall during the construction of his life's work at the age of 72, just three years shy of the four decades he predicted Opus 40 would take to complete.

 

Opus 40 is one of the great sculpture parks of the world - located right here in the Hudson Valley - and spring is the perfect time to visit.

Project Spotlight Projectspot

Town of Ancram Natural Resources Conservation Plan

The Town of Ancram recently approved its Natural Resources Conservation Plan. The 145-page document provides a thorough inventory of the town's many resources with conservation recommendations that will benefit residents of this attractive and rural corner of Columbia County well into the future. These include schemes for groundwater protection, farmland preservation, and recreational opportunities, as well as addressing threats like climate change, habitat loss, and development.


The Town of Ancram Natural Resources Conservation Plan was funded in part by a $7,500 grant from the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council. For more on the Town of Ancram Natural Resources Conservation Plan, download the complete document or see this story in the Register-Star.

Upcoming Grants and Other Opportunities Grants
Hudson River Valley  Greenway Grants Program

Financial assistance (approximately $5,000-$10,000) to designated "Greenway Communities" or "Greenway Compact Communities" within the Greenway Area. Projects funded under this program include those that relate to community planning, economic development, natural resource protection, cultural resource protection, scenic resource protection, and open space protection. Applications must be postmarked or emailed by 5:00 PM: May 8, 2015; September 11, and December 4, 2015. For more information, guidelines, and applications, please visit the program webpage.


Empire State Development Consolidated Funding Application Workshops
Empire State Development is offering a statewide series of workshops that explain the Consolidated Funding Application process in May and June. Capital Region workshops are scheduled for May 6 at Empire State Plaza (Albany), June 2 at Fort William Henry Lodge Motel (Lake George), and June 30 at Columbia Greene Community College (Hudson). Mid-Hudson workshops are scheduled for May 29 at SUNY New Paltz (New Paltz), June 10 at Westchester Community College (Valhalla), and June 23 at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh. For a complete schedule of workshops and more information, please see the CFA workshop webpage.

New York Office of Historic Preservation Funding Available
Governor Cuomo recently announced the availability of $4.9 million in grants for repairs and assistance to historic and archaeological resources affected by Hurricane Sandy. Funds are available to nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and state agencies in a number of downstate counties. More information...

The grants program of the Museum Association of New York is undergoing significant changes, but funding is still available through various programs in 2015. For an update, please see the MANY grants and awards page.


National Parks Service 2015 Battlefield Planning Grants
The National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Grant Program is now accepting proposals for 2015. Non-profit groups, academic institutions, and local, regional, state, and tribal governments are encouraged to apply for funding to support archaeology, cultural landscape inventories, cultural resource documentation, GIS mapping, National Register nominations, and preservation plans. For more information, please visit the program website.


 

Rolling Acceptance of Grant Applications:
 

Federal Grant Opportunities (courtesy of Congressman Paul Tonko)
A comprehensive and updated list of federal grant opportunities is available at the website of New York Congressman Paul Tonko. 

Farmland Protection Implementation Grants (Ongoing)
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets invite municipalities and nonprofit conservation organizations to apply for Farmland Protection funding. Prequalification for all not-for-profits is required; all municipalities interested must register on the State's new Grants Gateway website. For more information, please visit the program webpage.

New York State Conference of Mayors Grant & Award Opportunities (Ongoing) 
New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials provide access to several ongoing grant and award opportunities. NYSCOM shares several links to federal, state, private foundation, and corporate grant and award programs.

Regional Events

May 5 (continues every Tuesday in April through October)

Early Morning Birder Series at Minnewaska State Park Preserve - Kerhonkson
Designed for birding enthusiasts or those just looking to learn the basics, this series will offer various outings led by experienced birding volunteers and park naturalists. Outing destinations will be determined the day of the program. More...

May 6
"Scrape & Paint: The Story of Saving Esopus Meadows Lighthouse" - Lecture at the Hudson River Maritime Museum - Kingston
Lecture by Barbara J. Ralston. More...

May 6 (also May 6, May 13, May 20, and May 27)
Nature Strollers at Hudson Highlands Nature Museum - Cornwall
Weekly Wednesday hiking group for families with young children. More...

May 7
Homeschoolers Program: Beautiful, Beloved Birds at Minnewaska State Park Preserve - Kerhonkson
Come join other homeschoolers at Minnewaska State Park Preserve for an afternoon of nature discovery! Come prepared to learn about a topic of natural history, play exciting games, take a hike, make crafty creations, and have fun with new friends. More...

Hiking the Road to Ruins at Fort Montgomery State Historic Site - Fort Montgomery
In this illustrated lecture, David A. Steinberg blazes the trail to more than twenty-five unusual landmarks and hard-to-find destinations, many of which are located in the Hudson Valley. More...

May 8
Tykes: Pre-K Nature Program at Grafton Lakes State Park - Cropseyville
Our May theme will be Forest Fairies! Join us for some outdoor exploring looking for materials to build fairy homes and seeking out signs of wee animals along the forest floor. More...

"The Language of Landscape: Simplicity, Scale  & Structure" - Spring Lecture Series at Boscobel House and Gardens - Garrison
Jamees Doyle and Kathryn Herman will share images and work from their new book that discusses the design in landscape architecture and horticulture. More...

May 9
Crown Point State Historic Site Open for the Season - Crown Point
May 9 is the first day open for the 2015 season! More...

John Brown Day 2015 at John Brown Farm State Historic Site
Program includes John Brown biographer Lou DeCaro, poet Martin Espada, novelist Russell Banks, and a memorial celebration of the of the life of Brother Yusuf Abdul-Wasi Burgess. More...

Spring Wildflower Walk at Thacher State Park - Voorheesville
Take a walk in the woods and look for early spring ephemerals like Coltsfoot, Hepatica, Trout Lily, Bloodroot, and Trillium. More...

"Fighting for Freedom" Movie Series:  at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War, Philipse Manor Hall presents a free, four-part movie series focusing on the conflict and the issue of slavery. The second film in the series, Amazing Grace, tells the story of William Wilberforce, the member of Parliament who fought for decades to alter the British Empire's view of the slave trade. More...

Lecture: "From Staatsburgh to Castle Forbes to Downton Abbey: Transatlantic Marriages and the British Peerage, 1870-1914" at Staatsburgh State Historic Site - Staatsburg
Maureen Montgomery is the McGinty Distinguished Chair in History at Salve Regina University and the author of books about Gilded Age society and transatlantic marriages. Her talk will focus on the reception of Americans in London, providing context for the 1909 marriage of Beatrice Mills to the 8th Earl of Granard. Space is limited so please call to reserve a spot. More...

Frog Walk at Hudson Highlands Nature Museum - Cornwall
Learn to recognize local frogs by sight and sound. Take a guided wetland walk at twilight to test your identification skills. More...

Plant Sale at Lyndhurst - Tarrytown
The Garden Club of Irvington and Hudson Valley Rock Garden Society present the annual pre-Mother's Day plant sale. More...

May 10
Mother's Day Tea at Clermont State Historic Site - Germantown
Enjoy a family-themed tour of Clermont's gardens and share a tea and handmade treats. More...

Mother's Day Nature Walk at Hudson Highlands Nature Museum - Cornwall
Start your morning in the fresh air and sunshine on a wonderful guided woodland walk to seek the sights and sounds of spring wildlife. More...

May 11
Preschoolers in the Park: Amphibian Search at Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Come spend the morning exploring nature with your preschooler at Minnewaska! Topics will include amphibians, butterflies, blueberry picking and more. More...

May 13
Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site Season Opening - Albany
Historic Schuyler Mansion opens for the 2015 season. More...

"Heaven on Earth": Architecture Tour at Shaker Heritage Site - Watervliet
The Shakers were known for their planned communities and simple, yet beautiful architecture. Explore Shaker building practices and the evolution of the Watervliet community. More...

May 15
Star Watch at Grafton Lakes State Park - Cropseyville
Enjoy a free tour of the night sky led by Albany Area Amateur Astronomers. Telescopes provided. More...

May 16
No One Left Behind 5K Race and Children's Obstacle Course and Children's Obstacle Course at Grafton Lakes State Park - Cropseyville
This 5K race runs on paved and wooded trails and will be digitally timed. Open to all ages and abilities. More...

Spring Fungi Walk at Grafton Lakes State Park - Cropseyville
Mycologist Sue Van Hook leads this mushroom hunt in search of the first fungi of spring. More...

Birdwalk at Thacher Nature Center - Voorheesville
Spring migrants are returning and birdsong is in the air. Join expert Rich Guthrie on a birding exploration of field and forest habitats.   More...

Native Seed Collection and Propagation at Thacher Nature Center - Voorheesville
This presentation will focus on propagation of native plants from see for gardeners. Horticulturalist Lauren Axford will discuss choosing appropriate native species for particular conditions and regions, how to harvest and process native seed, and the basics of germination. More...

Birding and Nature Walk at Saratoga National Historic Park - Stillwater
Park naturalist Linda White will lead this walk in search of flowers, plants, and migratory birds, with some battlefield history woven in. More...

May 16 & 17
15th New York Cavalry Re-enactment at Hill-Hold Museum - Campbell Hall
Tour Union and Confederate camps and learn about the lives of soldiers. More...

May 17
Curator's Talk: Stephen Hannock and Jason Rosenfeld, Ph.D. at Columbia Greene Community College - Hudson
The Thomas Cole National Historic Site and Olana State Historic Site present a lecture by the curators of River Crossings, a joint exhibition currently on view at both sites. More...

Great Strides For Cystic Fibrosis at Grafton Lakes State Park - Cropseyville
3K walk to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. More...

Discover Pinkster! at Phillipsburg Manor - Sleepy Hollow
Pinkster was an African-American celebration of spring. This festival of music, dance, food, and revelry features African folktales and traditional instruments. More...

"A Peek at the Underside of American Victorian History: Murder Most Foul" - Lecture at Lyndhurst - Tarrytown
This lecture by Harriet Davis-Kram will discuss the squalid living conditions endured by most New Yorkers during the Gaslight Era. More...

May 20
"The History of the Hudson Valley: from Wilderness to the Civil War" at the Hudson River Maritime Museum - Kingston
Lecture and book signing with author Vernon Benjamin. More...

May 23
"Lore of the Woods" Wildflower Walk at Thacher State Park - Voorheesville
Look for spring blooming wildflowers on an easy stroll through the woods on the trail to High Point. Learn about the myths and legends of our spring wildflowers and their historical uses with naturalist Sigrin Newell. More...

May 24
Honor Our Nation's Fallen Soldiers at New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site - New Windsor
Balladeer Linda Russell performs the songs that inspired and comforted the American people during wartime, followed by cannon fire and military demonstrations. More...

May 25
18th Century Graveside Ceremony at New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site - New Windsor
Revolutionary War Soldiers stand vigil and perform a graveside mourning ceremony in honor of all America's veterans. More...

May 30

Val-Kill Picnic & Square Dance at Val-Kill - Hyde Park
This musical event features celebrated duo Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, food, and family activities. More...

Astronomy Walk with Mid-Hudson Astronomy Association at Olana State Historic Site - Hudson
Explore the night sky at Olana that inspired Frederic Church. More...

Weekends in May
LIGHTSCAPES at Van Cortlandt Manor
The creators of the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze present an exciting new immersive journey into a springtime garden with nighttime displays of sculpture, light, sound, and special effects. More...

Sundays in May
Spa City Farmers' Market
A year-round Farmers' Market held every Sunday in Saratoga Springs. More...

June 
American Planning Association Northeast Planning Conference Getting Ahead of the Future - Saratoga Springs
The American Planning Association is holding its 2015 Northeast regional planning conference on June 24th through 26th in Saratoga Springs. Registration opens in mid-April. For more details and registration, please visit the conference website.

 

Ongoing Events and Exhibitions:

"Awakening Spring" Exhibit at Rockefeller State Park Preserve

Artists Sybil Gibson, Mark Mastroianni and Ivan Pazlamatchev bring joy to the eye with these visions of spring. Through May 10. More... 
 

Lincoln Speaks: Words that Transformed a Nation at the Morgan Library & Museum - New York

This exhibition focuses on Abraham Lincoln's mastery of language and how his words changed the course of history. It explores Lincoln as a writer and public speaker whose eloquence shaped the nation and the world, in his time and in ours. More...


The Shakers: America's Quiet Revolutionaries at the New York State Museum - Albany
The New York State Museum, in collaboration with the Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon, Hancock Shaker Village, and the Shaker Heritage Society (Albany), as well as the State Library and State Archives, presents this major exhibition detailing one of the most significant and influential communal religious groups in American history. On view from November 14, 2014 to March 6, 2016. More...

 

Albany Institute of History & Art - Albany

Current exhibitions include Triple Play: Baseball at the Albany Institute and Walter Launt Palmer: Painting the Moment. More...

 

Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center - Poughkeepsie

Current exhibitions include Through the Looking Glass: Daguerrotype Masterworks from the Dawn of Photography. More...

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum - Hyde Park

The Spirit of the Gift: Gifts of State and Affection showcases gifts given to FDR by governments, organizations, and private individuals. More...

 

Hudson River Museum - Yonkers

Current exhibitions include Promoting the President.

 

Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art - Peekskill

Current exhibitions include Love: The First of the 7 Virtues. More...

 

Katonah Museum of Art - Katonah

Current exhibitions include A Home for Art: Edward Larrabee Barnes and the KMA. More...

 

Neuberger Museum of Art - Purchase

Current exhibitions include Kuba Textiles: Geometry in Form, Space, and Time. More...

 

Rensselaer County Historical Society - Troy

Current exhibitions include Scenic Overlook: Perspectives on Rensselaer County's Changing Landscapes. An upcoming exhibition Exploring Rensselaer County's Historic and Contemporary Landscapes is sponsored by the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. RCHS also offers weekly walking tours of downtown Troy in May and June. More...

 

Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art - New Paltz

Current exhibitions include Videofreex: The Art of Guerrilla Television. More...

 

To have your event included in future editions of the newsletter and on hudsonrivervalley.com, please enter upcoming event information here.
Green Tip Of The Month GreenTip

A Green Mother's Day

One of the best reasons for living a more responsible and environmentally-friendly existence is to preserve the planet for those who will come after us. Celebrate Mother's Day and lessen your carbon footprint on the Earth this month with these green parenting tips from PBS - and set a good example for your children and all future generations to live by.

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