Life, Liberty & the Hudson Valley
The fireworks and cookouts we enjoy on the Fourth of July celebrate the Declaration of Independence. This year, also light a sparkler to honor the courageous signers of the “Coxsackie Declaration of Independence,” drafted 246 years ago, in May of...
Rachel Carson & the Clearwater
Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, published in 1962, is considered the bible of the modern environmental movement. Its compelling and science-based account of the horrors inflicted on Earth’s entire ecosystem by the pesticide DDT galvanized people to take a stand against...
Earth Day Resolutions
New Year’s Day is long gone, and so are a lot of the well-intentioned resolutions we made. But that’s never stopped us from trying—so why not make an Earth Day resolution? There are lots of ways you can help the...
The Mastodon’s Return
A fascinating — and extremely large — piece of Hudson Valley history has returned to America for a brief visit. With any luck, we’ll be able to see it. As part of the exhibit “Alexander von Humboldt and the United...
Living Black History
Something to ponder during Black History Month: Prior to the abolition of slavery in New York in 1827, it was the largest slave-owning state north of the Mason Dixon line. The first 11 enslaved people arrived in New Amsterdam (now...
Tubman in Troy
With the November 2019 release of the movie Harriet, we remember the courageous action she took in 1860 in Troy, New York.
River Skating
Back in the winters when the Hudson River regularly froze over, ice skating on it was a major craze — especially in Newburgh, where the Donaghue family won national and international medals for their speed and endurance. But no feat...
Row Back
In mid-September, the Hudson River Rowing Association and The Mid-Hudson Rowing Association hosted a historic, 5,000-meter race along the course used from 1895 to 1951 by crews competing in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association’s annual championship. It was the first time in more...