New York
New York was one of the original thirteen colonies and became the eleventh state to ratify the United States Constitution on July 26, 1788. Known as the Empire State, it has Albany as its capital and New York City as its largest city. Its geography extends from the Atlantic coastline and the Hudson River Valley to the Catskill and Adirondack mountains, the Finger Lakes, and the shores of Lakes Erie and Ontario.
Originally part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, the region came under English control in 1664. New York became a major battleground during the American Revolution, including the American victory at Saratoga that helped secure French support for independence. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 connected the Great Lakes with the Hudson River, transforming trade, encouraging westward growth, and helping New York City become the nation’s leading commercial center.
Recent Articles
Franklin Roosevelt’s Wheelchair
At Franklin D. Roosevelt’s home in Hyde Park, a wooden wheelchair preserves a practical part of the president’s daily life. Its upright back and plain seat resemble household furniture, while its wheels and footrest reveal how that familiar form was adapted to provide mobility. Roosevelt contracted polio in 1921, at the age of thirty-nine. The […]
Looking Up
Marty and I are on Park Avenue with an unusually tall figure rising behind us. Surrounded by traffic and office buildings, the sculpture stood with its arms hanging loosely and its head tilted back toward the sky. Its simple gesture gave it a distinctive presence in the middle of Manhattan. The sculpture was Looking Up […]
Abraham Lincoln
Outside the Central Park West entrance of the New-York Historical Society, Abraham Lincoln stands on the museum’s stone steps. Wearing his familiar tall hat and long coat, with one hand raised to his lapel, the bronze figure brings a recognizable person from American history into the space where visitors arrive. Created by the Brooklyn sculpture […]
The Hamilton–Burr Duel
At the New-York Historical Society, two life-size bronze figures recreate one of the most famous confrontations in American history. Created by sculptor Kim Crowley, the statues place Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr opposite one another with pistols raised, freezing the final seconds of a political rivalry that ended in tragedy. Hamilton and Burr had disagreed […]
Museum at Eldridge Street
One of the joys of visiting New York City is discovering places we never knew existed. On one of our trips, we decided to visit the Museum at Eldridge Street, and it became a most memorable stop of our visit. Completed in 1887, the Eldridge Street Synagogue was the first great synagogue built in the […]
Gravesite of Alexander Hamilton
After seeing the play Hamilton, Marty and I enjoyed visiting several sites associated with the life of this remarkable Founding Father. One of those sites was his final resting place in the cemetery of Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan. Born in the Caribbean and rising through talent and determination, Alexander Hamilton became one of the most […]
“Imagine” Memorial
In the quiet northwest corner of Central Park, there is a place where visitors from all over the world stop. Set within a grove of elm trees lies Strawberry Fields, created to honor John Lennon. At the center of this memorial is a simple circular black and white stone mosaic. In the middle of the […]
Winnie-the-Pooh Characters
During a tour of the New York Public Library, we made an unexpected stop at a glass case holding the original stuffed animals that inspired the characters of Winnie-the-Pooh. Inside the Stephen Schwarzman Building, tucked among grand marble halls and towering reading rooms, sit the well-worn toys that once belonged to Christopher Robin Milne. Pooh, […]
Sam Wilson Statue
Stopping for breakfast in Troy, N.Y. and wandering its historic streets is exactly the kind of detour that leads to unexpected discoveries. Here we found this intriguing statue of Sam Wilson, the man widely believed to be the real-life inspiration of “Uncle Sam” The monument stands in Riverfront Park overlooking the Hudson, portraying Wilson as a working […]
Horace Greeley Stature
Some of the most powerful stories of history are expressed not just in words, but in bronze and stone in the sculptures and monuments that mark the lives of those who have shaped the nation. One such figure commemorated in New York City is Horace Greeley, whose statue stands today in City Hall Park. This is […]
