Hello Members, Friends and Supporters of the New Paltz Historical Society,
Welcome to the New Paltz Historical Society’s Seventh Newsletter. It has been two months since we started to shelter-in-place, practice social distancing (we are getting pretty good at it by now), wear masks and wash our hands more than Lady Macbeth ever did! Only two months? I’m sure some of you would contest that statement!
Newsletter #7, May 18, 2020
* This week we return with a new contest. Our own Dolly Wodin, a renowned local quilter, has put together a collection photographs of some of her quilted blocks, and the contest is for you to correctly identify each square with its proper name. This new Quilt Block Quizzler can be found here. You just click on it to open it, and then you can print it out. It is three pages, page one lists the names of the blocks, and pages 2-3 are photos of 17 of Dolly’s hand-crafted samples. You have to match the photos to the names on page 1. The first entry we receive with all, or the most, correct answers, will win a great prize. Dolly is very graciously donating a hand-made pincushion she is completing this weekend. We will arrange to mail it to the winner of this contest. Once you’ve identified the names of each block, email your answers to us at: nphistoricalsociety@gmail.com.
(NOTE: This is not the actual prize pin cushion. Dolly is still making the prize. This is a sample of one she previously made.)
** The New Paltz Historical Society is pleased to continue our series of videos presenting the unique history of Kingston, NY. This series of lectures, hosted by the Senate House State Historic Site, in Kingston. “Kingston’s Buried Treasures” ran from 2012 through 2016, and featured the forgotten, yet vital people of Kingston, and the events that took place in New York’s first capital, one of America’s most unique communities. With inspirational tales of meteoric rise, and cautionary woes of equally spectacular falls, Kingston’s history tells more than just the story of a city - its arguably the story of a nation. Through war and peace, boom and bust, Kingston’s place in our state and our national lore has few rivals. Take a look back at 365 years of this extraordinary city- Kingston, New York. One of our past (and favorite) speakers, Paul O'Neill, Commissioner of Jurors for Ulster County, facilitated this series. Each week, we will be including a link to a different “Kingston’s Buried Treasures” lecture in our Newsletter.
This week’s lecture is titled Sojourner Truth: Ulster County’s Voice of Freedom, and is presented by Anne Gordon.
Click https://youtu.be/B5TbK6EetbE to begin viewing. This talk took place at the Senate House on Nov. 16, 2012. (Note: the audio begins at about 1 minute 34 seconds, and the total time of the video is 1 hour and 6 minutes.)
*** This week's Bonus History Link will bring you to the website and YouTube Channel of the D&H Canal Historical Society. The Society maintains a Canal Museum ( http://www.canalmuseum.org/ ) and the Five Locks Walk Trail, both in High Falls, to preserve canal-era artifacts, and document the canal’s creation, operation, and importance as an engine of economic development in the region and beyond.
Click here to view the PDF, titled Towpath Guide Map, which you can print and use for a Self-Guided Walking Tour of the towpath and 5 Locks. The canal towpath walking tour is a relatively easy walk, approximately one-half mile in length; it can be accessed, free of charge, during daylight hours year-round. The trail begins adjacent to the D&H Canal House (1315 Route 213, High Falls, NY 12440). So, if you are looking for a little exercise, and an educational experience, here is something to do with family, or friends, on a nice day (wear masks and maintain social distancing). It is only a short ride away, in High Falls.
Before you go, you might want to visit the D&H Canal Historical Society YouTube Channel for Virtual Tours of the Museum and D&H Canal remains! Watching the videos may give you a better understanding of the canal, and how it functioned. To view the Youtube Videos, click here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfPbmTxDYKkIiaSrYQl3T8A .
Take a Day Trip to enjoy some local history!
**** Work is always continuing on our website and Facebook page. (Thanks to Webmistress and Social Media Guru, Ashley Biagini!)
Click on the link and check it our website: https://sites.google.com/view/newpaltzhistoricalsociety/home.
Your comments and suggestions are always welcome! Let us know what you think of our virtual presence out there in the ether!
***** Last week’s contest was our second Rebus Challenge, and was created by Diane Gleichenhaus, Linda Tantillo, and Marny Janson. We hope you enjoyed it. The Answer Sheet (along with a copy of the original Rebus Challenge) can be found here.
And the Winner is: Mary Keating, who got all the answers correct. Her prize, a beautiful, and functional, custom hand-made, personal protection face mask, made by Susan Stessin.
The Runner-Ups: Mark and Leslie Rosen, and Leslie LeFevre-Stratton. Thanks for participating!
****** Still no news as to when we might restart our monthly Lecture Series, and at this point, we have decided to cancel our June 3rd presentation. We will keep you posted, but rest assured, any decisions we make will be based New York State Policy, sound medical advice, social distancing issues, the Town, County and State guidelines, and Community Center policy and room capacity. Everyone’s health and safety is our main concern. The New Paltz Historical Society fully intends to continue our program of lectures and events as soon as it is safe to begin meeting again, and we will inform you of any changes through these Newsletters.
******* As always, if you have any questions, suggestions or comments, or just want to drop us a line, email us at: nphistoricalsociety@gmail.com. We hope that you are enjoying our weekly Newsletter.
******** Perspective: An Historian’s Thoughts
by Michael Goff
May 14, 2020, at 3:33 PM
“For a small amount of perspective at this moment, imagine you were born in 1900. When you are 14, World War I starts and ends on your 18th birthday with 22 million people killed. Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until you are 20. Fifty million people die from it in those two years. Yes, 50 million.
When you're 29, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, global GDP drops 27%. That runs until you are 33. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy. When you turn 39, World War II starts. You aren’t even over the hill yet.
When you're 41, the United States is fully pulled into WWII. Between your 39th and 45th birthday, 75 million people perish in the war and the Holocaust kills six million. At 52, the Korean War starts, and five million perish.
Approaching your 62nd birthday you have the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tipping point in the Cold War. Life on our planet, as we know it, could well have ended. Great leaders prevented that from happening.
At 64 the Vietnam War begins, and it doesn’t end for many years. Four million people die in that conflict.
As you turn 75, the Vietnam War finally ends. Think of everyone on the planet born in 1900. How do you survive all of that? A kid in 1985 didn’t think their 85-year-old grandparent understood how hard school was. Yet those grandparents (and now great grandparents) survived through everything listed above.
Perspective is an amazing art. Let’s try and keep things in perspective. Let’s be smart, help each other out, and we will get through all of this. In the history of the world, there has never been a storm that lasted. This too shall pass.-Historic on Instagram”
Stay safe, stay home!
Jack, Ashley, Susan, Diane, Dolly, and Marny
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