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| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - December 30 2010 : 5:36:19 PM
The French and Indian War may be a mystery to many New Yorkers. It predated the American Revolution by two decades, pitting French and English colonists and their Native American allies against one another.
As the 250th anniversary of the eight-year war in Upstate New York passes, history buffs have been enjoying dramatic re-enactments of the long-ago battles that established British hegemony in the Northeast and Canada at Lake George (2007), Fort Ticonderoga (2008) and Old Fort Niagara (2009) sponsored by a commission set up by the state Legislature in 2004.
Now the states budget crisis threatens to spoil the fun. With re-enactors at Ticonderoga and Niagara still waiting for state reimbursement, organizers commemorating the decisive final battle in 1760 at Fort Levis, near Ogdensburg, are being told the state cant produce the promised $90,000 to cover costs, including a marketing campaign.
Well-publicized events so far have drawn some 110,000 visitors and pumped $8.8 million into local economies, according to the commission. Without the chance to create some buzz, what chance does remote Ogdensburg have to cash in?
Sure, there are plenty of high priorities for scarce state dollars. This sorry episode is just another illustration of the effect of Albanys abysmal management of state affairs. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - January 10 2011 : 12:28:20 PM
 |
| richfed |
Posted - January 08 2011 : 10:01:05 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Wilderness Woman
Well certainly, the thousands of re-enactors who live in states that did not "host" an original battle will be involved in commemorative events that are held in states that did. However, I don't think that state governments that did not have a battle on their ground should necessarily be expected to hold, and fund, a commemorative event.
For example, I would not have expected my home state of Oregon to fund an "official" 250th French and Indian War event. As far as I know, nothing happened on the ground now contained in that state during that war. And as far as I know, no official commemorative event was held and funded by the state of Oregon.
Having said all of this, please don't think that I am downplaying the battles of the Civil War, or that I think that there should be no commemorations in "non-host" states. In fact, "my" Chemung Valley Living History group plans to play host to a large group of Confederate descendants who are planning a trip north next summer to visit Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira where nearly 3,000 of those Confederate prisoners from the prison camp that was dubbed "Hellmira" are buried. In addition to our annual Civil War event held each May, it will be our contribution to the 150th commemorations.
I just don't think that the government of NY State should be expected to fund CW 150th events. Especially now, in its present economical situation, when we can't even be assured that all of our state parks and historic sites will remain open. I would rather be able to go to Newtown Battlefield State Park, Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site, Johnson Hall State Historic Site, and countless others than be concerned about whether or not the state is sanctioning and funding a CW commemorative event.
OK - I can see your point. |
| Fitzhugh Williams |
Posted - January 02 2011 : 10:34:11 AM
This is similar to the Quebec thing. When that event was canceled, there was talk of having it at another place, one in Ontario, or even at Crown Point. Thankfully nothing happened with that and the event was just cancelled. The important thing was to hold the event on the actual place where it happened.
I can remember one exception, although not a big one. Kings Mt. is a National Park, so no events can be held there. For the 225th of Kings Mt. many of us went to Brattonsville. There is a hill on the property that looks amazingly like Kings Mt. and an event was held there. Now, the two sites are not all that far apart, but they are clearly separate places. And it did work well. But having a CW battle in NY is a real stretch. And besides, the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 will happen at the same time and NY is where much of that war happened. THAT is the one the state needs to concentrate on, if they concentrate on anything (which is unlikely). |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - January 01 2011 : 11:01:10 PM
Well certainly, the thousands of re-enactors who live in states that did not "host" an original battle will be involved in commemorative events that are held in states that did. However, I don't think that state governments that did not have a battle on their ground should necessarily be expected to hold, and fund, a commemorative event.
For example, I would not have expected my home state of Oregon to fund an "official" 250th French and Indian War event. As far as I know, nothing happened on the ground now contained in that state during that war. And as far as I know, no official commemorative event was held and funded by the state of Oregon.
Having said all of this, please don't think that I am downplaying the battles of the Civil War, or that I think that there should be no commemorations in "non-host" states. In fact, "my" Chemung Valley Living History group plans to play host to a large group of Confederate descendants who are planning a trip north next summer to visit Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira where nearly 3,000 of those Confederate prisoners from the prison camp that was dubbed "Hellmira" are buried. In addition to our annual Civil War event held each May, it will be our contribution to the 150th commemorations.
I just don't think that the government of NY State should be expected to fund CW 150th events. Especially now, in its present economical situation, when we can't even be assured that all of our state parks and historic sites will remain open. I would rather be able to go to Newtown Battlefield State Park, Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site, Johnson Hall State Historic Site, and countless others than be concerned about whether or not the state is sanctioning and funding a CW commemorative event. |
| richfed |
Posted - January 01 2011 : 7:18:09 PM
The same as 4th of July or Thanksgiving or any number of other national events. You don't have to be in the state the event ocurred in ... simply a part of the Nation's shared heritage. Lots of New York boys died on the battlefields of the Civil War. It's not a National Holiday, but a special one-time memorial observance --- the 150th. All states, particularly those of the Union & Cofederacy in 1861, should observe in some fashion, I believe. |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - January 01 2011 : 5:23:26 PM
I think you guys have perhaps misunderstood what I was trying to say.
I know that there were many regiments that were mustered from New York State, and the New England States. I have several members of my own family in New York who joined up and served, and one of them (my great-great uncle John McFarlin who mustered in at Rochester, NY) died at the 2nd Battle of Winchester in Virginia.
I know also that there are many, many re-enactors who live in my state who participate in events all over the eastern seaboard. I also know that there are a number of CW events that take place each summer within New York State, including the one that my Chemung Valley Living History group puts on at Elmira.
However. That does not change the fact that there were no Civil War battles that took place in New York State. When you are doing a 150th anniversary commemoration of a particular battle, you most generally do it as close to the original site as you possibly can. Seems to me it would be a bit silly to commemorate Gettysburg or Antietam at some obscure place in New York State. Right?
So... I repeat: What is there in the way of a Civil War Battle, or other CW-related event, to commemorate in New York State?
 |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - January 01 2011 : 04:47:36 AM
and of course the famous & gallant 3rd New Hampshire Regiment, ...
.
http://3rdnewhampshire.webs.com/ |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - January 01 2011 : 04:37:38 AM
http://www.28thnycoe.com/index.htm
.
http://www.88thny.us/ |
| Fitzhugh Williams |
Posted - December 31 2010 : 10:00:12 PM
I think there are some guys up around Plattsburg that do CW, although I don't know what. And then there were the race riots in NYC when the Irish blamed the blacks for their being drafted. Seems they had no interest in freeing the slaves. |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - December 31 2010 : 4:39:19 PM
Well.... what Civil War events could NY promote? There were no battles that took place in the state. I'm certainly not a student of the CW, so I don't know what other events or places of importance could be commemorated, other than "Hellmira" -- the Confederate prison camp that existed at Elmira. Is there anything else? |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - December 31 2010 : 4:21:38 PM
Wouldn't be surprised to see that idea spread Rich. |
| richfed |
Posted - December 31 2010 : 12:29:57 PM
Along similar lines, I read somewhere a bit stating that NY was not going to be promoting any 150th Anniversay Civil War events. |
| Seamus |
Posted - December 31 2010 : 07:41:11 AM
No, Fitz....it's because you looked cheap! |
| Fitzhugh Williams |
Posted - December 30 2010 : 11:28:55 PM
I know that the Freight House Restaurant across the street from the reenactment site was very happy with the outcome of the event. Some of us went there every night and that is where they had the English Country dancing and other events. We met the lady that owns the place and it seemed like every time we bought a round of drinks she gave us another "on the house". Maybe it was because we were French ? |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - December 30 2010 : 8:42:30 PM
This is actually rather old news, MG. The organizers of the Ogdensburg event knew several months in advance of their event, which took place this past July, that they would not be receiving the promised money from the state. They went ahead with plans and still managed to pull off an extremely successful event. I was there, and Fitz was there, as well. A financial study was done, and it is believed that somewhere between $250,000 and $500,000 was injected into the economy of the area. It was a much-needed boost!
The article your post was taken from is not accurate in its statement that "re-enactors at Ticonderoga and Niagara" are waiting for reimbursement. The re-enactors receive no money at these events. We volunteer both our time and our personal expenses. It is the historic sites and organizations who put on the events that are waiting for the promised money.
Even without receiving all of the promised moneys from the state, all three of these sites and their 250th commemorative events were highly successful. |
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