James Sullivan, New York State Historian (1916-1922), source: New York State Archives
“The love of one’s locality and a commendable pride in its achievements lie at the basis of true patriotism. It is difficult, nevertheless, to love something about which you know nothing. One who knows the history of the place in which he is living is far more likely to venerate it than he who is entirely ignorant of its story. To preserve this history is the function of the local historian.”
Those words belong to James Sullivan, New York State Historian. The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle published them (as part of a bigger article penned by Sullivan) on page 17 of the Sunday, March 26, 1922 edition of the paper.
Sullivan used the piece to explain the nature and purpose of a relatively new law. It was passed by the State Legislature and signed into law by New York Governor Al Smith on April 11, 1919. Technically Section 57.07 of the New York State Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, it’s known more familiarly as “Local Government Historian Law” or simply the “Local Historian” Law.
The first paragraph of the law states “A local historian shall be appointed, as provided in Continue Reading “The History Of Local Historians”
The Birth Of Western New York: Treaty of Hartford Explained
There were no celebrations. No proclamations. No public awareness.
The Treaty of Hartford untangled a century of confusion. Yet there was very little newspaper coverage of the event. Maybe because New England had more important news to cover.
Still, the long-term consequences could not be denied. The Commissioners in Hartford quietly altered the future of more than six million acres.
The birthplace of Greater Western New York was not a battlefield, a frontier settlement, or an Indian council fire. Rather, it took place at a cold negotiating table in Hartford, Connecticut.
It’s ironic that the formal birth of Western New York occurred during a raging snowstorm. The Continue Reading “The Birth Of Western New York: Treaty of Hartford Explained”