Space and Place

Upstate

For those who have inhabited the North
Country in the last two centuries, rocks and
minerals have been valuable resources. Like
the virgin timber that provided easily accessible
building materials for settlers’ simple
cottages and barns, native stone was here in
rich variety, as well. There were quarries for
sandstone in Potsdam and Burke, limestone
in Jefferson County and the Champlain Valley,
Lake Placid granite, Gouverneur marble,
and Granville slate. Men with experience in
cutting and building with stone came from
places like Scotland, Italy, Poland, and Wales
to live and work.

Upstate

[T]he sounds from our surroundings carry many stories: the rivers’ roar in spring; the brooks’ summer babble; the songs of chickadees, jays, and white-throated sparrows; the call of the loon; the chilling howl of coyotes; and the mysterious, everchanging voices of the trees.

Downstate

Community anchors – the organziations that communities create in response to the conditions in whih their members live – are incubators for vibrant cultural activity and are critical to the cultural ecology of American cities. The authors identify three organizational typologies – religious institutions, social clubs and mutual aid societies, and small businesses.

Downstate

The New York Community Garden movement which began in the 1960s spawned over 800 community gardens by the 1980s. Today, community gardens comprise the subject and sites of intense public debate.

Downstate

“Community Anchors” are described as cultural landmarks that have an effect on the city’s economy. The authors discuss Economy Candy, a longstanding business on the Lower East Side of New York, and its role as a community anchor.

Oral History and Urban Renewal: Creating Richer Histories

The author offers an overview of urban renewal in the context of White Plains. He illuminates an eclectic past which requires the recognition of voices that were previously absent from the historical record in order to create a richer, more instructive set of materials for people to consult.

Downstate

The 2016 “People’s City Report Card,” detailing both positive actions and threats to New York City places.