Posts Tagged ‘World War One’

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Mt Marcy, Influenza And Our Impulses To Protect Public Land

Whether we seek a wilderness, park, backyard, garden or streetscape, studies show we can expect an emotional, psychological, and physical benefit from regular outdoor activity, interactions with trees or woods, waters and views, however prosaic or sublime. The more we can focus on the natural world around us, the more our powers of awareness grow and the more our minds can grow quiet.

As the First World War slowly ended, another pandemic, influenza, was spreading around the world and killing tens of millions. The impact of losing so many young people so suddenly from that flu, coming on top of so many deaths and injuries resulting from the war itself, must been extremely profound. That time of death, threat and recovery motivated many to get outdoors and to push to acquire more public lands in which to literally “re-create” themselves. » Continue Reading.


Saturday, May 4, 2019

A Local Inventor Helped Supply WW1 Gas Masks

Recently on Adirondack Almanack, two inventions of Ogdensburg native William Chauncey Geer (who lived in Potsdam for ten years of his youth) were addressed, one of them a writing implement to replace pens, pencils, and crayons (an idea that was ultimately relegated to oblivion). The other was a highly successful project resulting in a standard golf ball used by professionals for more than two decades.

Three of Geer’s other works deeply impacted America and the world. The subject here is the third most prominent among them — the gas mask. Its importance rose unexpectedly to critical levels during the First World War when the Germans began engaging in large-scale chemical warfare. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, October 2, 2018

World War I: New Yorkers Get Behind the Liberty Ball

Endless commentary and opinions across various media reveal such modern political divisiveness that sometimes it makes you wonder: “Was it always like this?”

The answer is no: sometimes it was worse and sometimes it was better. Without going into detail, worse would be the Civil War, the Prohibition Era, two world wars, and the 1960s (daily televised scenes of police dogs and fire hoses used against civil rights and war protesters, daily gore and body counts from Vietnam, multiple assassinations). » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Ruth Williams: A World War One Nurse Overseas

The word hero is often tossed around loosely, but when it comes to wounded soldiers, no one argues that it’s fitting — so what does it say about someone else when wounded soldiers call them heroes? Consider American women during World War I. Although many wanted to, they didn’t have to serve because of their sex, and could support the troops by important actions at home. But some chose to place themselves near the front lines, and with no weapons to defend themselves. Their only protection came from nebulous agreements by both sides not to bomb hospitals and care centers.

That’s what nurses did, risking their lives to comfort, save the lives of, or ease the deaths of, soldiers. Which explains why so many wounded men referred to nurses as the real heroes. A fine example of that circumstance, with an unusual twist or two, involved Ruth Williams of Ogdensburg. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Chazy Summer Fair to Mark World War One Centennial

alice t miner museumAlice T. Miner Museum and the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute will hold a Centennial Summer Fair, Saturday, July 14th at Miner Institute in Chazy, from 1 to 4 pm.

This event will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I and will also serve as a fundraiser for the United Way of the Adirondack Region.

The Fair will give visitors the opportunity to learn about the significance of World War I and enjoy period-themed entertainment and refreshments. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, May 24, 2018

High Peaks Hiking, WWI: New Adirondack History Museum Exhibits

wwi fighter planesThe Adirondack History Museum is set to open for the 2018 season on Saturday, May 26th with a seasonal exhibit reflecting on World War One and a new permanent exhibit, Hiking in the Adirondack High Peaks.

The exhibit, Over There: Local Boys Go to War, examines the impact of World War I on the men of the Adirondacks. The exhibit features local stories and experiences presented through photographs, artifacts, and ephemera. » Continue Reading.


Saturday, October 28, 2017

Postal History of World War One Program in Ticonderoga

wwi postageThe Ticonderoga Historical Society has invited the public to a free program focusing on the Postal Service in World War One, on Friday, November 3 at 7 pm. Featured speaker will be Glenn Estus, President of the Vermont Philatelic Society.

As part of the overall support for U.S. Entry into World War One, The United States Post Office Department participated in efforts to help raise funds. One method included cancelling mail with slogans that encouraged Americans to buy Liberty Loans. The United States was not alone in this effort, and this program will also show how allied nations such as Canada, Newfoundland, UK, New Zealand, and Australia undertook similar programs. » Continue Reading.


Saturday, October 28, 2017

A Spirit of Sacrifice: New York State in the First World War

a spirit of sacrificeA companion catalog to the New York State Museum exhibition of the same name, Aaron Noble’s new book A Spirit of Sacrifice: New York State in the First World War (SUNY Press, 2017) documents the statewide story of New York in World War I through the collections of the New York State Museum, Library, and Archives.

Within the collections are the nearly 3,600 posters of the Benjamin W. Arnold World War I Poster Collection at the New York State Library. The book interweaves the story of New York in the Great War with some of these posters, and artifacts from museums, libraries, and historical societies from across New York State, to illuminate the involvement of New Yorkers in the War. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, April 11, 2017

World War One Centennial Focus at Ti’s Hancock House

hancock house wwi exhibitThe Ticonderoga Historical Society will open its newest multi-year exhibit with a program and reception on Friday, April 21 at 7 pm. Historical Society President Bill Dolback will present the opening talk, which is free and open to the public.

The new exhibit “Til It’s Over Over There” takes its name from a popular World War One era song and looks at United States’ entry into the war in 1917, nearly three years after the conflict began in Europe. » Continue Reading.


Friday, February 24, 2017

St Lawrence County World War One Centennial Exhibit

To mark the centennial of World War One the Historical Association in Canton is seeking to recognize St. Lawrence County contributions to the war effort as well as the war’s impact on local families.

In honor of the centennial of the United States’ entry into WWI in 1917, the Association has opened a new exhibition, “Come On!: Posters and Portraits of World War I.”

The exhibit shows posters for war bonds alongside photographic portraits of local soldiers. Most of the photos are unidentified, and the museum welcomes visitors who recognize a friend or family member to help identify them. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Ugly History of North Country Nationalism Offers Lessons For Today

Goodness has long been an admirable part of our identity as Americans. It is evident at the national level in our response when natural disasters strike here or abroad. Closer to home, we see it manifested daily in our own Adirondacks and foothills, where people donate, volunteer, and reach out to help others. Our foundation as small-town folk is one of welcoming, caring, sharing.

Along with that comes the knowledge that we’re also lucky to be Americans, lucky to not have been born in some other country where things are much different. Many of the lessons we learned in school were derived from the struggles of others in less fortunate circumstances.

We were taught to appreciate certain rights and freedoms, to speak out against perceived wrongs, to defend the less capable, and to question the directives of those in leadership positions. In some countries, those rights are viewed as privileges for the chosen few, or are not available at all. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Women of WWI Laid the Groundwork for Rosie the Riveter

WomenWWI AIn observing National Women’s History Month 2016 (March), the National Women’s History Project (NWHP) has adopted the theme, “Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government.” Among the women specifically cited is Judy Hart (1941–present), whose 27-year career with the National Park Service included a stint as the first superintendent of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Park in Richmond, California, a facility she helped create.

As the NWHP notes, “over 9,000 Rosies have contributed their stories to the park, and more than 2,000 have donated their personal items and mementos.” It’s fortunate that the Rosies are so well represented, but unfortunate that their World War I counterparts, who laid the groundwork for the Rosie movement, are largely overlooked. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Fox Conner: The Adirondacker ‘Who Made Eisenhower’

Fox Connor on HorseA little-known forest retreat called Brandreth Park has several unimpressive dwellings and sparse communication with the outside world. Yet back in the dark days of World War II generals Eisenhower, Marshal, Patton and others in the American military headquarters of England and Europe felt it necessary to keep their lines of communication open and flowing with one of its residents, Major General Fox Conner, U.S Army, Retired.

It’s safe to say that most Americans have never heard of Brandreth Park or of this soldier who never served in WWII but who nonetheless contributed to the victory over Germany. Those who do remember Conner, consider him “the man who made Eisenhower”. » Continue Reading.


Monday, April 29, 2013

Washington County Native: Commodore Robert Haggart

Robert S. Haggert 3HMuch of the time spent honoring past members of the military is focused on heroes, or those who died in battle. It’s certainly appropriate, but often lost in the shuffle are individuals who survived unscathed after serving with great distinction. An excellent North Country example is Robert Haggart, who made a career out of military service, was known nationally, commanded tens of thousands of men, and was responsible for training vast numbers of naval recruits.

Robert Stevenson Haggart was born in April 1891 to Benjamin and Annie (Russell) Haggart of Salem, New York, in Washington County. After finishing school at the age of 17, he received an appointment to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. » Continue Reading.


Monday, October 29, 2012

Politics And History: ‘For The Children’

Public endeavors that bring huge benefits to the participant (we’re talking state-level and national politics here) can be a tricky thing when you want people to know that you’re in it for them and not for yourself. A popular way for politicians to demonstrate their intentions (altruism) is to invoke the children, as in “our children and our grandchildren.”

I can’t help but laugh when it’s used today because it should be worn out by now. Yes, I know … it really means a concern for the future, but it’s so much more poignant and meaningful when it’s “for the kids.” The term has been used so much, it should be considered child-phrase abuse. » Continue Reading.



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