Partner News
Collections Care Workshop
Date: Friday, September 17, 2010
Time: 9:30 am - 3:30pm
Location: Whallonsburg Grange Hall, Route 22 and Whallons Bay Road, Essex, NY 12936 (5 miles south of the hamlet of Essex on Route 22)
Presented by the Collections Care Alliance with Laura Brill, Objects Conservator and Emily Phillips, Painting Conservator
This day-long workshop covers the basic care of collection materials beginning with the review of collections policy, accessioning and registration methods and then moving on to storage and safe handling of a wide range of artifacts including documents, books, newspapers, paintings, objects, photographs and digital objects. Labeling of artifacts, pest management and storage solutions will also be discussed. This is an interactive workshop with round table discussions and hands on projects.
The workshop is sponsored by the Essex County Historical Society, Lakes to Locks Passage and the Champlain Valley Heritage Network. There is a $15 fee for lunch and materials, payable in advance or at the door. Please contact Drew Alberti at info@lakestolocks.org to register. Please contact Margaret Gibbs at 873-6466 or mgibbs@adkhistorycenter.org with questions.
Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama Benefit Boat Cruise "Mohicans on the MOHICAN"
Lake George, NY: The Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama, Inc. will be hosting their 2nd Annual Benefit boat cruise "The Mohicans on the MOHICAN" on beautiful Lake George on Monday, July 12, 2010. This two-hour sunset cruise will be highlighted with selected short vignettes from their full productions as well as an opportunity for attendees to meet and greet the 2010 summer cast. Last year the cruise was a sold out event and it is hoped once again that the region will support this great effort.
Tickets are available for purchase online at www.LastoftheMohicans.org or can be purchased by mailing payment to Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama, Inc. PO Box 334, Lake George, NY. The Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce also has tickets available for purchase (cash or check only) at their main office on RT 9 in Lake George. For more information call (518) 668-5755.
All proceeds from the boat cruise will benefit The Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama, Inc. which is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to bring historical drama to the Lake George Region as well as to support bringing regional history to local schools and groups. Their full production will run August 5-10 this summer with the anticipation of running all summer next year. Imagine sitting beneath a canopy of stars while thundering horses race across an expansive outdoor stage. Witness the excitement of military skirmishes and the majesty of Native American dances. Travel back in time to hear the crackle of muskets and the roar of cannon as Fort William Henry bursts into flames before your eyes! Find out more information at: www.LastoftheMohicans.org
Corinth to Thurman Train Ignites Adventures along the
First Wilderness Corridor
This week the Upper Hudson River Railroad will celebrate the start of a new train ride, running from South Corinth to Thurman, in Warren County. UHRR will send one train on Wednesdays, with stops at Rockwell Street (Hadley and Luzerne), 1000 Acres Ranch Resort (Stony Creek) and Thurman Station (Thurman and Warrensburg adventures. Committees of public officials, volunteers and businesspeople have worked cooperatively since April to create special events and attractions for those riding the train. On Saturdays through August 21 the trains will run twice to allow visitors from the South to hop off the morning train to experience a local tour or activity and ride the train home in the afternoon. Travelers may board at any station, and those wishing to travel to Corinth and back from the north, may do so, as well.
Get of at any station to enjoy a tour or other activity. From Rockwell go rafting, take a ride in a horse-drawn wagon, and see historic sites, a gallery and museum. Stony Creek offers golf or riding packages at 1000 Acres or a tour to a civil war era barn and cemetery, a beaver lodge and a horse training facility. Warrensburg offers helicopter rides and hikes high above the Hudson and Schroon. Escape to the little mountain town of Thurman, NY, Lake George region. Climb aboard a van that will take you to hidden sites waiting to be discovered. Open to those arriving on Upper Hudson River Railroad and those arriving by own vehicle. Must have proof of prepaid online registration; one fee covers van, sites, luncheon, tax, gratuity. For train ticket, if desired, visit www.uhrr.com. Tour vans depart Thurman Station 10:30 a.m., visit Martins Certified Tree Farm, Nettle Meadow Farm & cheese-making facility, The Glen Lodge & Market. Returns 3 p.m. Questions? Ask toursales@hotmail.com or 518-623-9595.
These activities are open both to those riding the train or those driving to the appropriate tour embarkation point by private vehicle. To learn about the schedule contact www.uhrr.com. To find information about all of these special collateral activities, visit www.ThurmanStation.com/Adirondack_Foothill_Tours.html.
Nature Inspired Summer Story Time Programs at Hudson Crossing Park
Northumberland, NY- For children ages 3 - 6 years old, who are accompanied by an adult, Hudson Crossing Bi-County Educational Park (HCP) is offering a series of free programs called "Nature-Inspired Story Time" from 2:00pm to 3:00pm on the following Sundays:
June 20 - rain date July 4
July 4 - rain date July 11
August 1 - rain date August 8
September 5 - rain date Sept 12.
The programs will take place in the Hudson Crossing Play Garden on Lock 5 Island off of Route 4 in Northumberland.
For additional information about this program call Marlene Bissell at 859.1462 or email her at abissel1@nycap.rr.com. For more information about Hudson Crossing Bi-County Park, please visit: www.hudsoncrossingpark.org.
Hudson Crossing is a bi-county educational park project centered on and near the Champlain Canal Lock 5 Island of the Hudson River. Call 518.859.1462 for more information.
The Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama debuts
at Fort William Henry!
The Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama, a new outdoor theater adaptation of the classic James Fenimore Cooper novel, will premiere August 5th through August 10th in the courtyard of Fort William Henry Museum, Canada Street, Lake George, NY.
Employing a cast of Capital Region actors, this professional production includes live horses, Native American music and dance, cannon and musket fire and splendid 18th century replica costumes. The family friendly production opens Thursday, August 5th with a special 7:00 P.M. fireworks performance, and then plays nightly at 8:00 P.M. through Tuesday, August 10th. Tickets are $20.00 for adults, $15.00 for seniors and children 4-12 years old. Children under 4 are free with a paid adult. Advance tickets can be purchased with a credit card online at www.lastofthemohicans.org. For information on cash or check purchases, visit the above website or call 518-668-5755.
Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama, Incorporated, a Warren County based not for profit arts and education organization, is presenting the production with support from the Warren County Tourism Department's Occupancy Tax Special Event Fund, The Town of Lake George, The Fort William Henry Resort, and the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Established in 2005, Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama, Inc. is dedicated to promoting the arts, education and economic development of the Lake George Region through live presentations celebrating the community's history and heritage. A cornerstone of this mission is to develop an annual summer long production of The Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama. Outdoor historical dramas in other regions of the country draw tens of thousands of spectators to their host community each summer. Tecumseh in Ohio generates over 10 million dollars of economic impact annually. The Lost Colony in North Carolina has been a successful attraction on the Outer Banks for over 70 years, and has featured such theater luminaries as Lynn Redgrave and Andy Griffith in leading roles.
Heading up the cast for the Summer 2010 production of The Last of the Mohicans are some promising young performers from the Capital District. Conrad Browne Lrcher from Troy is Hawkeye. A drama major at SUNY Potsdam and alum of the RPI Young Actors Guild, Conrad has appeared as Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Sasha in Fiddler on the Roof. Claudia DeMartino of Rotterdam plays Cora. A recipient of the Schenectady Light Opera Company Outstanding Performer Award and the Theater Association of New York State Award in Acting and Vocal Performance, Claudia has been featured in productions at the Cohoes Music Hall, Schenectady Light Opera, Schenectady Civic Playhouse and the Circle Theater Players.
Opera and classical music singer Richard Mazzaferro from Delmar lends his powerful and expressive speaking voice to the role of the villainous Magua. Recently, Richard thrilled Albany audiences as Fred Graham in Schenectady Light Opera's production of Kiss Me, Kate. Adam Collett of Schenectady is making his American debut as Duncan Heyward. Adam moved to the area from London, England last year, where he performed with the Bristol Old Vic Repertory Theatre and the Te Deum Edinburgh Festival. Veteran Albany character actors William Sanderson, Steven O'Connor and Michael Steese round out the supporting cast as Colonel Munro, Montcalm and the Sagamore.
The production is directed by its playwright and company founder Michael Dufault. An experienced outdoor drama performer, Michael worked at The Legend of Daniel Boone in Harrodsburg, KY and for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Michael lived and worked as an actor in New York City for several years, and it was while visiting Lake George on a weekend getaway from the city that he devised the idea of The Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama atop the battlements of Fort William Henry.
In preparation for the August production, Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama, Inc. will be holding a fundraiser benefit cruise aboard the Lake George Steamboat ship MOHICAN on Monday, July 12th. The second annual Mohicans on the MOHICAN cruise departs the steel pier on Beach Road in Lake George at 7:30 P.M. The two hour cruise features a mix and mingle with cast members from the show, song and entertainment by period attired performers, musket firing demonstrations, a raffle auction and door prizes. Advance tickets for the cruise are $19.00 for adults and $13.00 for children 12 and under. Last year's sold out cruise was a huge success, and enabled our not-for-profit organization do develop this summer's exciting programming for the Lake George community.
Last of the Mohicans Outdoor Drama, Incorporated is thrilled to be offering these two exciting events this summer. We hope to be bringing entertaining and informative presentations to the Lake George Region for years to come. Advance tickets for both the cruise and the August performances are now available for credit card purchase online at www.lastofthemohicans.org. Information on cash and credit card purchases for both events is included on the website or available by phoning (518) 668-5755.
Schooner Voyage Returns to Celebrate Canal System
Lois McClure to Visit 20 Ports-of-Call As Part of 1,000-Mile Journey Across New York's Canals
ALBANY, NY (07/12/2010)(readMedia)-- The majestic 88-foot canal schooner Lois McClure will embark on a 1,000-mile journey this summer, "Our Shared Heritage: World Canals Tour," as she sails from her home port on Lake Champlain to visit 20 historic ports-of-call along the Erie Canal and the New York State Canal System.
"Our Shared Heritage: World Canals Tour" will begin in July and will culminate in September with a trip to the World Canals Conference in Rochester. The 2010 journey is a follow up to the successful 2007 "Grand Canal Journey," during which more then 30,000 people from around the State and world stepped aboard and back in time. The McClure is a full-scale working replica of an 1862 canal schooner - a unique example of working vessels that carried goods throughout Northeastern waterways during the 19th century.
The expedition is made possible by a partnership between the New York State Canal Corporation, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, and the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership. This voyage is an opportunity for the public to learn more about the region's interconnected waterways and the many activities found along the New York State Canal System and Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, highlighting the Canal System's roles in transportation, recreation and tourism. The trip will also highlight the many vital connections between the Erie Canalway and Lake Champlain. Canalside communities will celebrate their distinct contribution to the Canal culture by creating their own events to embrace the arrival of the Lois McClure at their ports. Tours of the boat with interpretive presentations, wayside exhibits and educational materials will be provided free of charge to the public at each stop.
Carmella R. Mantello, Director of the New York State Canal Corporation said, "The Lois McClure's 'Our Shared Heritage: World Canals Tour' will attract thousands of visitors to Canal communities and help showcase the very best of New York State and the Canal System. The Canal Corporation is proud to help sponsor this historic event and looks forward to working with our partners throughout the Canalway Corridor as we encourage communities to rediscover the importance of the Erie Canal in shaping our great nation and the Empire State."
Beth Sciumeca, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, said, "We are thrilled to welcome the Lois McClure back this summer! We encourage residents and visitors alike to visit the Lois McClure and experience for themselves the great history and legacy of New York's historic Canal System."
Bill Howland, Director of the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership said, "With the Champlain and Hudson Quadricentennial anniversaries just behind us and the 2010 World Canals Conference taking place in September in Rochester, New York, this year's tour of the Lois McClure provides a unique opportunity to re-discover the special legacy of our shared heritage and the role of the region's waterways in our history."
Art Cohn, Executive Director of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, said, "Our 2007 voyage on the Erie Canal was very special with our biggest frustration that we didn't have time to visit all the communities that would have liked to have us at their Canal waterfronts. This year's tour will focus on visiting mostly communities that we did not visit in 2007. We are excited about that opportunity. We have extended our tour to September and October so that we may focus on hosting school groups while on the Canal. Our crew and volunteers are really very excited to return to the Erie Canal. Instead of traveling between Albany and Buffalo, we will travel between Whitehall, Waterford and Lockport."
The schooner Lois McClure is a full-scale replica of an 1862 sailing canal boat. Constructed in Burlington, Vt., and launched in 2004, the Lois McClure is an exact replica of canal schooners found shipwrecked in the waters of Lake Champlain. The unique sailing-canal boats were the tractor-trailers of the 19th century, designed to sail from lake cities to canal ports using wind power. Upon reaching a canal, the masts were lowered and centerboards raised, transforming the vessel into a typical canal boat.
The Lois McClure will begin its journey in Vermont and travel to Albany and on to Buffalo, spend the week at the World Canals Conference in Rochester, and then head back to Vermont. The journey will encompass more than 1,000 miles in more than 80 days and visit more than 20 ports. The "Our Shared Heritage: World Canals Tour" schedule is as follows:
July 24 Whitehall
July 26 Fort Edward
July 28 Schuylerville
August 3 Fort Plain
August 5 Ilion
August 7-8 Utica
August 13-14 Baldwinsville
August 20-22 Seneca Lake
August 27 Seneca Falls
August 29 Clyde
August 31 Newark
September 2 Palmyra
September 5 Fairport
September 7 Spencerport
September 9 Middleport
September 12 Lockport
September 17-22 Rochester - WCC 2010
September 29-30 Syracuse
October 7-8 Waterford
October 15-17 Basin Harbor, VT
The National Parks Service is partnering with the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, the New York State Canal Corporation and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor to sponsor this year's tour. The "Our Shared Heritage: World Canals Tour" is also made possible thanks to additional funding support from voyage sponsors, such as Cabot Creameries.
ADIRONDACK HARVEST WINS 'CONSERVATIONIST OF YEAR' 2010 AWARD FROM ADIRONDACK COUNCIL
'Harvest' Makes Park's Residents and Environment Healthier by Connecting Local Farmers to Local Buyers; Cuts Transport Costs, Boosts Quality & Nutrition;
Council Hosts 100-Mile Lunch to Celebrate Adirondack Harvest's Success
LAKE CLEAR, N.Y. - The Adirondack Park's largest environmental organization today announced it will present Adirondack Harvest with its "Conservationist of the Year" award for 2010, for promoting sustainable local farming. The award will be presented by the Adirondack Council at its annual Forever Wild Day celebration on July 10 here, at Hohmeyer's Lake Clear Lodge. Adirondack Harvest will receive a museum-quality, hand-carved common loon to commemorate the award.
Part of the celebration will be a 100-mile-lunch, in which all ingredients for the meal will come from 100 or fewer miles from Lake Clear and the Adirondack Council's 35th annual members' meeting.
The featured speaker for lunch will be Aaron Woolf, director and producer of the award-winning film "King Corn." Woolf is an advocate for sustainable agriculture and rural infrastructure.
"Sustainable farming is one of the essential elements of a healthy environment," said Adirondack Council Executive Director Brian L. Houseal. "The more we can produce close to home, the less fuel we use in transporting food to consumers. This cuts our dependence on oil, improves air quality and decreases traffic."
"It also frees the farmer to choose fruit and vegetable varieties for their flavor and nutritional value, rather than for how well they travel in a truck," said Houseal. "Produce can be allowed to fully ripen, without worry that it will spoil en route to the store or the consumer. There is no need to wax produce skins to preserve them over a long voyage. And there is no significant loss of vitamins from sitting in a box for weeks before purchase."
Dean Norton, President of the New York Farm Bureau, said: "I am exceptionally pleased to see Adirondack Harvest's work recognized by the Adirondack Council. Adirondack Harvest is an excellent example of one of the finest traditions in the farming community - committed farmers pulling together to produce quality, fresh foods and developing a common marketing strategy. Adirondack Harvest's goal is to connect local farmers with local consumers, and I applaud the Adirondack Council for recognizing the critical work of the local farming community," said Norton.
The Council's Houseal continued: "Adirondack Harvest recognized more than a decade ago that Adirondack residents were spending too much of their food budgets on gas and oil to import fruits and vegetables from far away, often of a quality that was inferior to what could be produced right here in the Park. By organizing farmers into regional markets, promoting local farm stands, and bringing the producer and consumer together, Adirondack Harvest has created a boom in direct-to-consumer sales in the Adirondacks. The result has been an improved quality of life for everyone involved."
Adirondack Harvest maintains a database and map of all local farms that sell produce, which can be viewed online at www.adirondackharvest.com. There are more than 600 active farms in the Adirondack Park.
Sustainable local farming was highlighted by the Adirondack Council as a vital component of the Adirondack Park's future, in the Council's 2020 VISION Volume IV: Private Land Stewardship (2007).
The Council sees farms as a key ingredient in the Park's remarkable biological diversity. They serve as a transition zone between more urban, developed areas and the "forever wild" Forest Preserve that surrounds them.
"Too many farms have disappeared from the Adirondack landscape," Houseal said. "We need to continue to support local agriculture. Adirondack Harvest is showing us all how it can work."
The Forever Wild Day celebration is sponsored by Finch Paper, Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership & Champlain Area Trails, Eastwood Litho, Inc., Integrated Marketing, Lyme Timber Company, Pearsall Financial Group at UBS, Rayonier, International Paper, Access Computer Technologies, Adirondack Creamery, Adirondack Dreams, Adirondack Museum, Champlain National Bank, Elk Lake Lodge, Law Office of William M. Finucane, Law Office of Marc S. Gerstman, Martindale Keysor & Company, CPAs, PLLC, Open Space Institute, Adirondack Harvest, Alpine Club of Canada-Montreal Section, Lost Pond Press, Dr. Robert H. Poe, The North Face, Black Diamond Equipment, Barbara Collum Decoration and Design, Lakeside Office Products, Depot Theatre, NCPR, Mountain Mugs, Hannaford Bros. Co., Pendragon Theatre, Arthur's Greenhouses, Rivermede Farm, Loremans, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Lowe's. For more information about Forever Wild Day activities visit AdirondackCouncil.org.
Previous Conservationists of the Year include Governors George Pataki and Mario M. Cuomo; New York Times editor John Oakes; NYS Attorney General Dennis Vacco, NYS DEC Commissioner John P. Cahill; Senate EnCon Chairman Carl Marcellino, Assembly EnCon Chairman Richard Brodsky; Assembly En Con Chair Maurice Hinchey; Adirondack Park Agency Executive Director Robert Glennon; Adirondack activists including Peter Borrelli, the late Clarence Petty, the late Paul Schaefer and the late State Senator and Public Service Commission Chairman Harold Jerry.
The Adirondack Council is a privately funded, not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the wild character and ecological integrity of New York's 9,300-square-mile Adirondack Park. The Council carries out its mission through research, education, advocacy and legal action. Council members live in all 50 United States.
The New York State Canal Corporation Unveils Interactive Water Trail Map
The New York State Canal Corporation recently unveiled the New York State Canalway Water Trail, a coordinated trail with boat launches, landings and campsites along the 524-mile New York State Canal System. There are more than 100 launch and landing sites currently available to both motorized and non-motorized boaters along the Canal System. The new webpage features a map of the water trail using Google Maps, as well as information pages for water trail users, a detailed listing of amenities available at each access point and photos of the access points.
The Canalway Water Trail is designed for both the 'day user' looking to spend a few hours on the Canal and the long distance traveler who wants to traverse the entire length of the Canal. The immediate need for the day user is to provide access points at approximately ten-mile intervals on both sides of the Canal. To meet the needs of long distance paddlers, the Canal Corporation is working with volunteers, non-profit groups, communities and other State agencies to continue to build a long distance water trail system throughout New York State.
The Canal Corporation plans to continue to develop the Water Trail by working with partners to add launch and landing sites, develop more camping sites and continue to improve existing sites by identifying the sites with flags and kiosks. As part of the Canalway Water Trail, the Canal Corporation will support local water trail or 'blue way trail' efforts. The goal is to develop and promote the trail as a statewide trail and to connect the Canalway Water Trail with the Hudson River Valley Greenway Water Trail and other local and regional water trail efforts.
The Alice T. Miner Museum to Participate in Blue Star Museums
The Alice is one of more than 600 museums to offer free admission
to military personnel and their families this summer
Chazy, New York - Today The Alice T. Miner Museum announced the launch of Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and more than 600 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2010. Families can visit www.minermuseum.org for museum hours. The complete list of participating Blue Star Museums is available at www.arts.gov.
"America's museums are proud to join the rest of the country in thanking our military personnel and their families for their service and sacrifice," said National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman. "I cannot imagine a better way to do that than welcoming them in to explore and enjoy the extraordinary cultural heritage our museums present. The works of art on view this summer will inspire and challenge viewers, and sometimes they will just be a great deal of fun."
"There have always been wonderful examples of partnerships between museums and military installations, but the scale of this gift from the museum communities to military families is thrilling," said Blue Star Families Chairman Kathy Roth-Douquet. "Military families work hard for this country, and it is gratifying for us to be recognized for that. We anticipate that thousands of military families will participate in the program and visit museums this summer - many of them for the first time. Blue Star Families will work hard to help our military families make the most of these opportunities."
In addition to being Chairman of Blue Star Families, Ms. Roth-Douquet is married to a Marine Corps officer, who is currently deployed to Afghanistan. They have two children, and Ms. Roth-Douquet and the children plan to take a road trip this summer to visit Blue Star Museums up and down the East Coast.
More than 600 museums in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are taking part in the initiative. The American Association of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, and the Association of Children's Museums each sent a letter from NEA Chairman Landesman inviting museums to participate in this program. In addition to thirty children's museums across the country, participating museums represent a broad range of art, history, science, and cultural topics -- from the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas, to the California Surf Museum in Oceanside, California, to the Mission San Luis, a living history site and historic landmark in Tallahassee, Florida, to the International Quilt Study Center & Museum at the University of Lincoln - Nebraska, the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois, and the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, New Hampshire.
Blue Star Museums details
Blue Star Museums runs from Memorial Day, May 31 through to Labor Day, September 6, 2010. The free admission program is available to active duty military and their immediate family members (military ID holder and five immediate family members), which includes active duty Reserve and active duty National Guard. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly. To find out which museums are participating, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. The site includes a list of participating museums and a map to help with visit planning.
This is the latest Arts Endowment program to bring quality arts programs to the military, veterans, and their families. Other NEA programs for the military have included Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience, Great American Voices Military Base Tour, and Shakespeare in American Communities Military Base Tour.
About Blue Star Families
Blue Star Families is a national, non-partisan, non-profit network of military families from all ranks and services including guard and reserve, with a mission to support, connect and empower military families. In addition to morale and empowerment programs, Blue Star Families raises awareness of the challenges and strengths of military family life with civilian community and leaders. Membership includes spouses, kids, parents, service members, veterans and civilians.
Operation Appreciation is an initiative of Blue Star Families that seeks to connect military families to the larger community. Blue Star Families 2009 annual survey shows that 94 percent of military families feel that the larger community doesn't truly understand or appreciate the sacrifices we make for the country. Through initiatives such as Blue Star Museums, Blue Star Families provides avenues for the larger community to show that they do understand, in meaningful ways that enrich the lives of military service members, spouses, children and parents. For more information, please visit www.BlueStarFam.org.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts - both new and established - bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest annual national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov.
Pepe Productions and Bateaux Below Release New DVD Documentary on Lake George Shipwrecks
Pepe Productions, a Glens Falls, NY-based multi-media firm, and Bateaux Below, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation that studies Lake George, NY shipwrecks, have released their new DVD documentary--"Wooden Bones: The Sunken Fleet of 1758." The 58 min. long DVD is the team's second full-length documentary. The partnership's first documentary, "The Lost Radeau: North America's Oldest Intact Warship," released in 2005, won three national awards for documentary and video excellence.
"Wooden Bones" examines the historical event at Lake George known as "The Sunken Fleet of 1758." It was the autumn of 1758, three years into the French & Indian War (1755-1763). With winter approaching and no fort to protect their fleet, Fort William Henry had been destroyed the previous year, British forces at Lake George made a fateful decision. They deliberately sank much of their flotilla, over 260 warships, to protect their wooden vessels from their enemy, the French. The British put their watercraft into "cold storage" intending to raise them the following year. Many of these sunken vessels, however, were not retrieved in 1759 and today they offer unparalleled opportunities for scientific study.
"Wooden Bones: The Sunken Fleet of 1758" tells the story of this historical event and the modern-day investigation of these shipwrecks by Bateaux Below underwater archaeologists to better understand why the British decision to deliberately sink their Lake George squadron helped them win the French & Indian War.
Among the stories featured in the documentary are the archaeological study of the dozens of bateau wrecks found in Lake George, the strange story of a 1960 research submarine built to help photograph French & Indian War shipwrecks that was stolen and was mysteriously sunk in the lake, and an underwater archaeology project that mapped a submerged 1758-built military wharf, one of the best-preserved waterfront structures from the colonial era.
Finally, "Wooden Bones" examines interpretive programs that help tell the story of Lake George's "Sunken Fleet of 1758"--school-conducted replica archaeology programs that built bateau watercraft, an underwater state park where scuba enthusiasts "Dive Into History," and a cutting-edge endeavor where a science illustrator, a cell biologist, and an underwater archaeology team collaborated to create startling art that interpreted the micro-world of fauna inhabiting historic shipwrecks.
"Wooden Bones" is directed by Peter Pepe (Pepe Productions) and is written by underwater archaeologist Joseph W. Zarzynski (Bateaux Below, Inc.). John Whitesel created the animation and Kip Grant did the narration.
"Wooden Bones: The Sunken Fleet of 1758" DVD documentary is priced at $24.95. Part of the proceeds from its sale will go to Bateaux Below to support future underwater archaeology projects at Lake George. For more information including viewing the documentary trailer and how to order the DVD, consult the web site: www.woodenbones.com
