One of my favorite activities of the Christmas season is driving around the area and gazing in wonder at the holiday decorations and colorful displays. I’m inspired by how ordinary facades and front yards are magically transformed into theatrical stages, the temporary settings for someone’s imaginative and light festooned play. Porch railings dazzle with white…
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The Glens Falls Bank opened in 1851, making it the first bank in Warren County. In 1864, the fire that destroyed 112 buildings in Glens Falls also destroyed the bank. They rebuilt following the fire and re-opened as the Glens Falls National Bank in 1867. Only a few years later, this bank would be home…
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“Architecture is the biggest unwritten document of history.” — Daniel Libeskind It doesn’t take much effort to love architecture when you consider it to be beautiful. It makes both the motivation to learn more about a building’s history, as well as the desire to save it should it be neglected, much easier. But what if…
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You may be familiar with the story of Alexander Hamilton, one recently popularized by the musical Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton’s father-in-law was Philip Schuyler, a United States senator from New York, who resided in Albany. During the American Revolution, Schuyler worked closely with an ordinary man who became a spy; that man was Moses Harris —…
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Welcome to the Post Card Chronicles. If you’re like me, it’s just too hard to resist a stack of old postcards. There’s a need to pick them up and look at all the images of far-off places, important sites, unusual events, or exotic themes. Once you’ve stopped on a particular card that catches your eye,…
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Most of us are probably familiar with the old saying “your home is your castle”. During the late Victorian period, many architects wanted to make your home look like one as well…at least sort of. From the 1880s to the early 1900s, the architectural style known as Queen Anne swept America. Although named after Queen…
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When Richard VanDusen Jr. established his nursery and garden supply business on West Mountain Rd. in 1963, it is highly unlikely he would have considered it as a roadside attraction. Yet, I cannot help but think that it would be quite comfortable in that niche. Roadside attractions are meant to draw attention and are…
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Fall in the North Country brings with it some much anticipated events…the vibrant colors of the changing leaves, the back-to-school routines, and of course, apple season. New York has a rich history of apple production dating back to the 1600’s. Traditions such as going picking as a family, cold cider and warm cider donuts on…
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Today this country and this area are confronting a serious epidemic caused by a virus. Every day in the news media we are seeing stories of how people are acting or reacting to the suggestions or mandates proposed to prevent the spread of the disease. Just over 100 years ago, this country and this area…
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Recently, I posted an image on our Instagram account @chapmanmuseum of the Kiley’s sign on the northwest corner of Elm and South St. Several people recognized and commented on it. Judging from the likes and messages, this wall painting has a fan club. The funny thing about signs is that they can transcend their role…
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