September 4: Adirondack Underground

HarrietTubman
On Tuesday 4 September we welcome Don Papson, founding President of the North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association, for a presentation on the Underground Railroad in upstate New York. Don is a retired teacher turned public historian. He holds a BA in History from San Francisco State University and an MA in Education from Northwestern University. He combines his training as an educator and his interest in history to compose essays, dramatic readings and lectures. His interests include slavery in New York and its abolition, African Americans in the Battle of Plattsburgh and the American Revolution, Mohawks in the Civil War, and the Underground Railroad. A contributor to two national Underground Railroad encyclopedias, Don and Tom Calarco are currently co-authoring a book on the Underground Railroad in New York City.

NCUGRHA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to celebrating the importance of freedom to the survival of the human spirit and the Champlain Line of the Underground Railroad. Don curated all the displays for the North Star Underground Museum at Ausable Chasm, which opened in May of 2011. During its first year of operation, the North Start Museum welcomed 4,000 visitors from 23 countries.

August 11: Ice Cream Social

SeaPoster
The Bleecker Historical Society will hold its annual Ice Cream Social on Saturday, August 11 from 1-4pm at the Old School Museum on Lily Lake Road in Bleecker. Tickets cost $2.50, children 5 and under free. The event will also feature a bake sale with home-made pies. Tours of the 19th century schoolhouse will be available. Proceeds will benefit the Bleecker Historical Society and the Old School Museum.

August 6: The Adirondack Deer Camp

DanLadd
On Monday, 6 August 2012, we are excited to welcome Dan Ladd, author of Deer Hunting in the Adirondacks (2008) and Well Seasoned in the Adirondacks (2010). Dan, a writer for the Glens Falls Chronicle, the Plattsburgh Press Republican and New York Outdoor News, also maintains a popular website called ADKHunter.com, which compiles useful information for the amateur and seasoned hunter alike, and where fans from across New York State, the United States and beyond share photos of their seasonal catch. At our next meeting, Dan will share research from his latest project, a documentary film entitled "Adirondack Deer Camp," which examines the historical and contemporary significance of this longstanding Adirondack tradition.

July 2: Peonies from Bleecker to Manhattan

Peonies
During the first half of the 1900s, the Tiedeman and Bleyl families of Bleecker engaged in a unique seasonal business for the area. In conjunction with the J.R. Kervan Company, they shipped a variety of vegetation including lilacs, peonies, cones, and ferns to the New York City company, a wholesale florist who retailed items all over the eastern United States. On 2 July 2012, Bleecker Town Historian Eleanor Brooks, daughter and granddaughter of the families, will present a talk on the peony production aspect of the business, assisted by her siblings, Robert Bleyl and Alice Loux. Please join us for our meeting at 7pm, program to follow.

June 5: Music on the Mountain

BentwoodRockersPhoto

Join us on Tuesday 5 June 2012 for an evening of old-time music with local string band The Bentwood Rockers, an acoustic duo specializing in old-time country, hokum, Piedmont blues and traditional folk music from the early days of the recording industry. Between them, Bill Ackerbauer and Roland Vinyard play a variety of stringed instruments – fiddle, guitars, many kinds of banjos, mandolin, autoharp, harmonica. They have a stage presence that is both casual and engaging, scholarly and humorous. Meeting begins at 7pm; music begins at 8pm.

May 7: History for Hard Times

History for Hard Times

How does public history survive recession? Why should we care if it doesn't? As Wall Street's recovery fails to materialize on Main Street in the wake of the 2008 financial crash, the institutions which serve public history – museums, historical societies, academic departments and publicly-appointed historians themselves – struggle in the face of widespread public retrenchment and the decline of private philanthropic giving. At our May 7th meeting, we will hold a workshop on the pragmatic, philosophical and political implications of public history, with a special focus on the history of public history in New York State. Our President, Eliza Jane Darling, will present a report from the recent annual meeting of the Association of Public Historians of New York State, where hard times for history provoked conversations about the histories we produce for hard times.

Directions

Download Directions (pdf).

Monthly Meetings:

Unless otherwise indicated on the Calendar, our monthly meetings are held at the Bleecker Town Hall, 575 County Highway 112. For a custom map, please click here then zoom and drag as appropriate.

BleeckerTownHallMap

  • From points south, including Gloversville, Johnstown, and Fonda, take Route 30 north to East State Street. Follow East State Street westerly, then turn right onto State Route 309. Follow Route 309 up Bleecker Mountain about 5 miles, bearing left at the Sawdust Cafe where 309 gives way to County Road 112. Continue on 112 for another five miles; the Bleecker Town Hall will be on your left, just past the Persch Road.

 

  • From points east, including Mayfield, Riceville and Broadalbin, take Route 30 north or south (depending on origin) to County Road 102, the Riceville Road. Follow 102 westerly, then turn right onto State Route 309. Follow Route 309 up Bleecker Mountain about 5 miles, bearing left at the Sawdust Cafe where 309 gives way to County Road 112. Continue on 112 for another five miles; the Bleecker Town Hall will be on your left, just past the Persch Road.

 

  • From points north, including Northville, Hope and Wells, take Route 30 north or south (depending on origin) to County Road 6, the Benson Road. Follow 6 westerly, then bear left on County Road 125. Follow 125 southwesterly, then turn left onto County Road 112. Bear right at the intersection of 112 and County Road 145, continuing on 112 about a mile to the Town Hall, which will be on your right.

 

Special Events:

Unless otherwise indicated on the Calendar page, our special events are held at the Old School Museum, 114 Lily Lake Road. For a custom map, please click here then zoom and drag as appropriate.

OldSchoolMuseumMap

  • From points south, including Gloversville, Johnstown, and Fonda, take Route 30 north to East State Street. Follow East State Street westerly, then turn right onto State Route 309. Follow Route 309 up Bleecker Mountain about 5 miles. Go straight past the row of mailboxes onto Lily Lake Road at the intersection of State Route 309 and County Road 112 near the Sawdust Cafe. The Old School Museum is the second structure on the right.

 

  • From points east, including Mayfield, Riceville and Broadalbin, take Route 30 north or south (depending on origin) to County Road 102, the Riceville Road. Follow 102 westerly, then turn right onto State Route 309. Follow Route 309 up Bleecker Mountain about 5 miles. Go straight past the row of mailboxes onto Lily Lake Road at the intersection of State Route 309 and County Road 112 near the Sawdust Cafe. The Old School Museum is the second structure on the right.

 

  • From points north, including Northville, Hope and Wells, take Route 30 north or south (depending on origin) to County Road 6, the Benson Road. Follow 6 westerly, then bear left on County Road 125. Follow 125 southwesterly, then turn left onto County Road 112. Bear right at the intersection of 112 and County Road 145, continuing on 112 about six miles to the intersection of County Road 112 and State Route 309 near the Sawdust Cafe. Take a sharp left past the row of mailboxes onto Lily Lake Road. The Old School Museum is the second structure on the right.

April 2: Salvage and Reclamation after Irene

GuyParkManor
In the autum of 2011, Guy Park Manor in Amsterdam was nearly destroyed when the Mohawk River jumped its banks in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene. On Monday 2 April, Ann Peconie, Executive Director of the Walter Elwood Museum, whose collections the manor housed, will present a talk on the salvage of their artifacts and the Museum's search for a new home in the wake of this devastating event.

Subscribe

Sign up to receive the BHS Bulletin, a monthly email reminder of meeting dates, program topics, special events and other news. You do not need to be a member to subscribe.

 

#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; }
/* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */

Subscribe to the BHS Bulletin

Email Address

First Name

Last Name

var fnames = new Array();var ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]=’EMAIL’;ftypes[0]=’email’;fnames[1]=’FNAME’;ftypes[1]=’text’;fnames[2]=’LNAME’;ftypes[2]=’text’;
try {
var jqueryLoaded=jQuery;
jqueryLoaded=true;
} catch(err) {
var jqueryLoaded=false;
}
var head= document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)[0];
if (!jqueryLoaded) {
var script = document.createElement(‘script’);
script.type = ‘text/javascript’;
script.src = ‘//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.4.4/jquery.min.js’;
head.appendChild(script);
if (script.readyState && script.onload!==null){
script.onreadystatechange= function () {
if (this.readyState == ‘complete’) mce_preload_check();
}
}
}
var err_style = ”;
try{
err_style = mc_custom_error_style;
} catch(e){
err_style = ‘#mc_embed_signup input.mce_inline_error{border-color:#6B0505;} #mc_embed_signup div.mce_inline_error{margin: 0 0 1em 0; padding: 5px 10px; background-color:#6B0505; font-weight: bold; z-index: 1; color:#fff;}’;
}
var head= document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)[0];
var style= document.createElement(‘style’);
style.type= ‘text/css’;
if (style.styleSheet) {
style.styleSheet.cssText = err_style;
} else {
style.appendChild(document.createTextNode(err_style));
}
head.appendChild(style);
setTimeout(‘mce_preload_check();’, 250);
var mce_preload_checks = 0;
function mce_preload_check(){
if (mce_preload_checks>40) return;
mce_preload_checks++;
try {
var jqueryLoaded=jQuery;
} catch(err) {
setTimeout(‘mce_preload_check();’, 250);
return;
}
var script = document.createElement(‘script’);
script.type = ‘text/javascript’;
script.src = ‘http://downloads.mailchimp.com/js/jquery.form-n-validate.js’;
head.appendChild(script);
try {
var validatorLoaded=jQuery(“#fake-form”).validate({});
} catch(err) {
setTimeout(‘mce_preload_check();’, 250);
return;
}
mce_init_form();
}
function mce_init_form(){
jQuery(document).ready( function($) {
var options = { errorClass: ‘mce_inline_error’, errorElement: ‘div’, onkeyup: function(){}, onfocusout:function(){}, onblur:function(){} };
var mce_validator = $(“#mc-embedded-subscribe-form”).validate(options);
$(“#mc-embedded-subscribe-form”).unbind(‘submit’);//remove the validator so we can get into beforeSubmit on the ajaxform, which then calls the validator
options = { url: ‘http://bleeckerhistoricalsociety.us8.list-manage1.com/subscribe/post-json?u=1bf3287f0c1ec637c59e28aab&id=9261ddfd42&c=?’, type: ‘GET’, dataType: ‘json’, contentType: “application/json; charset=utf-8″,
beforeSubmit: function(){
$(‘#mce_tmp_error_msg’).remove();
$(‘.datefield’,’#mc_embed_signup’).each(
function(){
var txt = ‘filled’;
var fields = new Array();
var i = 0;
$(‘:text’, this).each(
function(){
fields[i] = this;
i++;
});
$(‘:hidden’, this).each(
function(){
var bday = false;
if (fields.length == 2){
bday = true;
fields[2] = {‘value’:1970};//trick birthdays into having years
}
if ( fields[0].value==’MM’ && fields[1].value==’DD’ && (fields[2].value==’YYYY’ || (bday && fields[2].value==1970) ) ){
this.value = ”;
} else if ( fields[0].value==” && fields[1].value==” && (fields[2].value==” || (bday && fields[2].value==1970) ) ){
this.value = ”;
} else {
if (/\[day\]/.test(fields[0].name)){
this.value = fields[1].value+’/’+fields[0].value+’/’+fields[2].value;
} else {
this.value = fields[0].value+’/’+fields[1].value+’/’+fields[2].value;
}
}
});
});
$(‘.phonefield-us’,’#mc_embed_signup’).each(
function(){
var fields = new Array();
var i = 0;
$(‘:text’, this).each(
function(){
fields[i] = this;
i++;
});
$(‘:hidden’, this).each(
function(){
if ( fields[0].value.length != 3 || fields[1].value.length!=3 || fields[2].value.length!=4 ){
this.value = ”;
} else {
this.value = ‘filled’;
}
});
});
return mce_validator.form();
},
success: mce_success_cb
};
$(‘#mc-embedded-subscribe-form’).ajaxForm(options);
});
}
function mce_success_cb(resp){
$(‘#mce-success-response’).hide();
$(‘#mce-error-response’).hide();
if (resp.result==”success”){
$(‘#mce-‘+resp.result+’-response’).show();
$(‘#mce-‘+resp.result+’-response’).html(resp.msg);
$(‘#mc-embedded-subscribe-form’).each(function(){
this.reset();
});
} else {
var index = -1;
var msg;
try {
var parts = resp.msg.split(‘ – ‘,2);
if (parts[1]==undefined){
msg = resp.msg;
} else {
i = parseInt(parts[0]);
if (i.toString() == parts[0]){
index = parts[0];
msg = parts[1];
} else {
index = -1;
msg = resp.msg;
}
}
} catch(e){
index = -1;
msg = resp.msg;
}
try{
if (index== -1){
$(‘#mce-‘+resp.result+’-response’).show();
$(‘#mce-‘+resp.result+’-response’).html(msg);
} else {
err_id = ‘mce_tmp_error_msg’;
html = ‘

‘+msg+’

‘;
var input_id = ‘#mc_embed_signup’;
var f = $(input_id);
if (ftypes[index]==’address’){
input_id = ‘#mce-‘+fnames[index]+’-addr1′;
f = $(input_id).parent().parent().get(0);
} else if (ftypes[index]==’date’){
input_id = ‘#mce-‘+fnames[index]+’-month’;
f = $(input_id).parent().parent().get(0);
} else {
input_id = ‘#mce-‘+fnames[index];
f = $().parent(input_id).get(0);
}
if (f){
$(f).append(html);
$(input_id).focus();
} else {
$(‘#mce-‘+resp.result+’-response’).show();
$(‘#mce-‘+resp.result+’-response’).html(msg);
}
}
} catch(e){
$(‘#mce-‘+resp.result+’-response’).show();
$(‘#mce-‘+resp.result+’-response’).html(msg);
}
}
}

Resources

Bleecker History:

 

New York State History:

 

County And Regional Historical Societies:

 

Town Historical Societies:

 

Architecture and Preservation:

 

Museums:

 

Genealogy: