Category: History

The 7th Annual Great Hudson Valley Pedal

Roughly 150 bicyclists from two dozen states and Canada will head out on a grueling 6-day sightseeing excursion in the 7th Annual Great Hudson Valley Pedal. 

The tour began on Tuesday with the first section of the ride going from Albany to Hudson. The second day took the bicyclists from Hudson to Hyde Park, where there was a rest day before resuming the ride today. Today’s ride will leave from Hyde Park and end in Garrison then it’s on to Nyack on Saturday and finally ending on Sunday in New York City. The 200-mile bike tour will take participants of all ages down the Hudson River. The scenic course will visit sites along the way including FDR’s House, The Mill House, Bear Mountain State Park and West Point.

From the organizers:

“The Great Hudson Valley Pedal is designed for fun and relaxation and to acquaint you with the richness of the Hudson Valley. You don’t need to be an expert to participate in this tour but you and your bicycle should be in good physical condition. You’ll cover 35-45 miles per day. Elevation changes are moderate. The route has been carefully selected for optimal bicycling but, especially as the tour approaches NYC, some busy roads are inevitable.”

The event is organized by Parks & Trails New York, a statewide not-for-profit organization. For more information, visit www.ptny.org.

A Brief History of Earth Day

Did you see the PBS documentary, Earth Days,  that aired this week? It’s an inspiring history of the events and people who created Earth Day. I have to admit that before watching Earth Days, I really didn’t know anything about the origins of Earth Day. The documentary does an amazing job of pairing interviews and narration with video illustrating what is being discussed. I was surprised to learn how much of a positive impact Richard Nixon had on the environmental movement and the establishment of Earth Day. Nixon even gave a rebel-rousing speech extolling the advancement of energy sources that would decrease the country’s need on foreign oil. It was during Nixon’s presidency that OPEC nations began cutting off the supply of oil to the United States leading to the energy crisis of the 1970s.

This crisis continued to dominate the times into President Carter’s term and Carter responded with further initiatives to alleviate America’s dependance on oil including laws that forced Detroit to make cars that ran longer on less gas. Did you know that Carter had solar panels installed on the roof of the White House? I had no idea. These panels generated enough energy to heat all of the hot water within the building, which is fairly impressive considering the size of the White House and the limited solar technology available at the time.

This “Green” movement took place during the 1970’s and real advancements were made–pollution was slowed, lakes and streams were cleaned, air quality was improved, alternative energy development sources utilizing the sun and wind were built.  40 years after the first Earth Day we should all have affordable and easily acquired access to solar and wind energy. Gas guzzling automobiles should be as antiquated and odd-looking as Gremlins and Novas, the concept of “Green” should be so passe that we are already onto something better.

So what happened? Simply put, Ronald Reagan happened. Reagan campaigned on a notion that we are Americans and we shouldn’t have to conserve anything. He convinced people that alternative energy was a showing of weakness and set the Republican party, which had been an eco-conscious group, on it’s steroid-laden post industrial binge. After taking office, Reagan began systematically destroying almost everything the environmental movement had achieved. He started by cutting the funding to groups working to further reduce the oil dependency, repealed the strict automobile efficiency standards and, in a public display, tore down the White House’s solar panels erected by Carter.

Imagine what our world could be like today if Reagan furthered the environmental movement or, at the absolute least, left it alone.

Despite Reagan’s efforts, Earth Day continues today and the principles it was founded on seem to be finding more of a following than ever before. People of all walks of life (not just radical hippies) are making changes in their lives to reduce the destruction of the Earth.

If you haven’t watched Earth Days yet, I highly recommend it. You can watch it now on PBS.org by clicking here or check your TV’s guide channel for more showings.

A Brief History of Earth Day

Did you see the PBS documentary, Earth Days,  that aired this week? It’s an inspiring history of the events and people who created Earth Day. I have to admit that before watching Earth Days, I really didn’t know anything about the origins of Earth Day. The documentary does an amazing job of pairing interviews and narration with video illustrating what is being discussed. I was surprised to learn how much of a positive impact Richard Nixon had on the environmental movement and the establishment of Earth Day. Nixon even gave a rebel-rousing speech extolling the advancement of energy sources that would decrease the country’s need on foreign oil. It was during Nixon’s presidency that OPEC nations began cutting off the supply of oil to the United States leading to the energy crisis of the 1970s.

This crisis continued to dominate the times into President Carter’s term and Carter responded with further initiatives to alleviate America’s dependance on oil including laws that forced Detroit to make cars that ran longer on less gas. Did you know that Carter had solar panels installed on the roof of the White House? I had no idea. These panels generated enough energy to heat all of the hot water within the building, which is fairly impressive considering the size of the White House and the limited solar technology available at the time.

This “Green” movement took place during the 1970’s and real advancements were made–pollution was slowed, lakes and streams were cleaned, air quality was improved, alternative energy development sources utilizing the sun and wind were built.  40 years after the first Earth Day we should all have affordable and easily acquired access to solar and wind energy. Gas guzzling automobiles should be as antiquated and odd-looking as Gremlins and Novas, the concept of “Green” should be so passe that we are already onto something better.

So what happened? Simply put, Ronald Reagan happened. Reagan campaigned on a notion that we are Americans and we shouldn’t have to conserve anything. He convinced people that alternative energy was a showing of weakness and set the Republican party, which had been an eco-conscious group, on it’s steroid-laden post industrial binge. After taking office, Reagan began systematically destroying almost everything the environmental movement had achieved. He started by cutting the funding to groups working to further reduce the oil dependency, repealed the strict automobile efficiency standards and, in a public display, tore down the White House’s solar panels erected by Carter.

Imagine what our world could be like today if Reagan furthered the environmental movement or, at the absolute least, left it alone.

Despite Reagan’s efforts, Earth Day continues today and the principles it was founded on seem to be finding more of a following than ever before. People of all walks of life (not just radical hippies) are making changes in their lives to reduce the destruction of the Earth.

If you haven’t watched Earth Days yet, I highly recommend it. You can watch it now on PBS.org by clicking here or check your TV’s guide channel for more showings.

The Chatham Press

The Chatham Press is a monthly, newspaper with reporting about the Villages of Chatham, Philmont, Kinderhook, Valatie and New Lebanon.

Chatham Press logo

The Chatham Press is a monthly, tabloid newspaper (11” x 17”) printed on bright, white paper with reporting about the Villages of Chatham, Philmont, Kinderhook, Valatie and New Lebanon.

The Press focuses on features about people, places and things that make our towns economically and socially vibrant – who passed through and who’s active here now.

If you haven’t already picked up the February 2009 edition of The Chatham Press, make sure to grab a copy if you see it around. There is a great two-page spread of “Now & Then” photos featuring pictures of familiar Chatham scenes as they look today as compared to the 20’s, 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s.

 

For more local happenings, news, and events, follow ColumbiaCountyCurrent on Facebook, and twitter @CoCoCurrent.

 

Historic Roadside Monuments To Be Restored


Dozens of roadside monuments in New York and Massachusetts that mark the route taken by patriots during the Revolutionary War will be getting a face lift thanks to the National Parks Service.

Granite slabs with bronze plaques, which mark the Knox Trail, were originally unveiled in 1927 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the American Revolution. Considered one of the earliest heritage trails created in the United States, the Knox trail follows the original route used by General Henry Knox and his troops in the winter of 1775-76. The American troop carried 59 captured artillery pieces 250 miles from Fort Ticonderoga to General George Washington’s army at Dorchester Heights, overlooking Boston Harbor, which in effect, drove the British from Boston on March 17, 1776.

The restoration project launches Saturday at a monument located on the state line separating Hillsdale, N.Y., and Alford, Mass. The event will include a fife and drum band from Fort Ticonderoga and Revolutionary War re-enactors from the Boston area.