Historic preservation in New York is activity undertaken to conserve forests, buildings, ships, sacred burial grounds, water purity and other objects of cultural importance in New York in ways that allow them to communicate meaningfully about past practices, events, and people.
Governmental programs for historic preservation range from Federal ownership and active operation of sites (such as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York Harbor) to grants and subsidies provided by state government, municipal support of museums and interpretative displays (such as roadside plaques and town-history websites). Nonprofit programs include activities of statewide and local historical associations and museums, and activities of historical societies and museums at the national level. Quasi-governmental organizations, such as the New York State Thruway Authority and Thousand Islands Bridge Authority (which have historic sites on their property), play a role as well. Private endeavors, such as investment and other choices made by private landowners to conserve historical features of their properties, are significant but less visible and include groups such as the Historic Districts Council, The New York Landmarks Conservancy and the Preservation League of New York State.
New York has no National Parks, but there are 20 other National Park Service areas that primarily protect historical sites. These provide the highest degree of conservation provided by the Federal government.
The National Historic Landmark program has designated 257 landmarks in New York, which is more than 10% of all NHLs in the United States. Seven of these are also National Park Service areas.
There are over 5,000 properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in New York. These include all of the historic NPS areas listed above, and all of the NHLs.
State programs
New York State programs include State Historic Sites and state-listed historic sites.
There are 38 State Historic Sites; 23 of these are also NHLs. All the NHLs (and some of the others) are also NRHP-listed. The state historic sites are:
The state Department of Historic Preservation – within the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation—Historical Preservation (NYSOPRHP) – is heavily involved in evaluating candidates for NRHP listings. Sites are given a state listing first, and some are then nominated for a Federal listing; thus, sites may receive a state but not a Federal listing. Owners of sites may opt out of a Federal listing, but may not be able to opt out of state listing.
The African Burial Ground (the latest National Monument in New York) was discovered during construction activities in downtown New York City. Road-construction projects are required to have subcontractors who investigate sites for archeological importance (Indian remains, for example). Archeological sites are sometimes preserved in secrecy, although some are pilfered by amateur archeologists. It is National Park Service policy to conceal the location of sensitive archeological sites by withholding location information on NRHP documents (or withholding NRHP documents altogether from the public).
Columbia County Historical Society: owns and operates three historic properties (open to the public during the summer season) and a museum (open year-round)
Dewitt Historical Society of Tompkins County: collections from prehistory to present
Franklin County Historical and Museum Society: Victorian furnishings, early craft exhibits, genealogy service
Geneva Historical Society: operates several historical houses, including Rose Hill and the Prouty-Chew House. Has 1,300 cubic feet (37 m3) of archives, 30,000 photographic images, furniture, decorative art, costumes, textiles, fine art, tools and equipment, and four historic properties
Goshen Public Library and Historical Society: Elizabeth Sharts Historical and Genealogical Reference Room houses over 40,000 manuscripts and documents, newspapers, maps, books and pamphlets
Greene County Historical Society: Catskills heritage, preservation of local historical structures and sites
Greene County Mountain Top Historical Society: focus on "Mountain Top" portion of Catskills through art, literature, history, culture, folklore, legends and environment
Huguenot Historical Society (New Paltz): owns and operates National Historic Landmark District, Huguenot Street, a collection of house museums with construction dates ranging from 1690 to 1894
Huntington Historical Society: maintains three National Register historic properties (as two house museums), resource center and archive
Italian Historical Society of America (Brooklyn): preserves biographical and other material relating to people of Italian lineage, publishes documents and reports, maintains cultural center, administers scholarships and fellowships
Irvington Historical Society: 131 Main Street, Irvington, NY
Jordan Historical Society: operates Jordan Canal Museum
Klyne Esopus Historical Society Museum (Ulster Park): local history from 1608–present; collection includes family genealogies, cemetery records, church records, census records, house and locality records and maps
Lancaster New York Historical Society: membership application and copies of newsletter (The Lancaster Legend) from 40 Clark Street, Lancaster, NY 14088, (716) 681-7718
Lynbrook Historical and Preservation Society: education and preserving the history of Lynbrook (formerly Pearsall's Corners)
Manlius Historical Society: operates a museum; dedicated to preserve history and heritage of Central New York, emphasizing Manlius[11]
Marcellus Historical Society: since 1960 has preserved artifacts, history and records of town and village, displaying its collection in a historic mansion[12]
Medina Historical Society: newsletter, holiday open house, school tours, historic home and garden tour, book on Medina history
Minisink Valley Historical Society: information about Minisink region
Nanticoke Valley Historical Society (Maine: collects valley history; Nanticoke Creek flows south through a valley that extends from near Whitney Point to the Susquehanna River in Union. Nanticoke Creek and valley were named after an American Indian tribe that once lived in the area.
National Maritime Historical Society: covers maritime history and seafaring (including art, literature, and culture of the sea), sail training, ship saving, maritime museums and events
Newark Valley Historical Society: operates Bement-Billings Farmstead and Newark Valley Railroad Depot; P. O. Box 222, Newark Valley, NY 13811 tel (607) 642-9516
New York Central Historical Society: membership includes former NYC and subsidiary-line employees, rail historians, students of railroad engineering and railroad modelers
New York Correction History Society: histories of DOC institutions and their role in New York State and American history
New York Covered Bridge Society: founded in 1966 to preserve historic covered spans, to work with local communities interested in saving bridges, to collect information on New York State covered bridges and to make historical information available to its members
New-York Historical Society: museum collections and exhibitions, research library, archive and print room, programs and store
Newstead Historical Society: 145 Main Street, Akron, NY 14004
Niagara County Historical Society: maintains Outwater Memorial Building, Niagara County Genealogical Society, Pioneer and Transportation Building, Firehouse, Yates Farm Barn, Washington Hunt Building, Colonel William Bond House and Hille House
Northport Historical Society and Museum: museum events and programs, a "kids' corner", teacher resources, timeline and other historical information on Northport and its environs (including East Northport, Fort Salonga, Asharoken and Eatons Neck)
Oneida County Historical Society: 1608 Genesee St, Utica, NY 13502[13]
Onondaga Historical Association (Syracuse): genealogy, architecture, industrial and transportation history[14]
Ontario County Historical Society: founded in Canandaigua in the late 1800s by Charles Miliken (editor of a local newspaper, the Ontario County Times)
Ossining Historical Society: organized in 1931 to educate the public in the history and traditions of Ossining-on-Hudson and vicinity
Oswego Town Historical Society: website includes genealogical research application[15]
Oyster Bay Historical Society: provides craft exhibits, lectures, maps, photos, historical and genealogical documents; headquartered in the Earle-Wightman House museum and library
Photographic Historical Society (Rochester): history of photography
Queens Historical Society: museum and local history research center (library and archive), headquartered in historic site (Kingsland Homestead); colonial farmhouse history through exhibitions, house and walking tours, and educational programs
Rensselaer County Historical Society: established in 1927 to connect local history and heritage with contemporary life
Richmond Hill Historical Society: educational programs and historic house tours
Rockland County Historical Society: operates Jacob Blauvelt House and History Museum Center
Rome Historical Society: museum, William E. Scripture Memorial Library, archive and artifacts
Roosevelt Island Historical Society: preserves the island's history through educational projects, lectures, tours, exhibits and community outreach; restores and preserves landmark structures on the island; collects and maintains archive of written material and memorabilia
Rye Historical Society: operates two historical houses: The Square House (c. 1730), an interpretive tavern house and the Knapp House (c. 1670), with library and archive
St. Lawrence County Historical Association: preserves county history and operates museum and archive in the country Greek-Revival house originally belonging to Silas Wright, Governor of New York from 1845 to 1846
Saratoga Springs History Museum: permanent and temporary exhibits documenting the resort community's history; emphasis on spa, gambling, hotel and ethnic history
Saratoga County Historical Society: operates Brookside Museum
Skaneateles Historical Society: museum and nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to preserving Skaneateles' history. Website has data from St. Mary's gravestones, Lakeview Cemetery, 19th-century newspapers and family files from Society archives[18]
Smithfield Community Association: not-for-profit organization preserving historic buildings and properties in Peterboro
Solvay-Geddes Historical Society: founded 2005[19]
Staten Island Historical Society: operates Historic Richmond Town – an authentic village, museum complex and archive. Many buildings have been restored and are open to the public.
Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc.: an effort to research, identify, celebrate and preserve Underground Railroad history in the Capital District
Vestal Historical Society and Museum: discovers and collects material illustrating history of Vestal and surrounding areas
Westchester County Historical Society: library and research center founded in 1874
Western New York Railway Historical Society: preserving Western New York's railroad heritage through restoration projects and other events
Yates County Genealogical & Historical Society (Oliver House, Penn Yan): museum to discover, preserve and interpret county history, to collect materials and objects relating to county history, and to plan exhibits relating to local history
In addition, state and university libraries preserve books, papers, and other artifacts.
Town historians and histories
Many towns have history websites - for example, the village of Elbridge.[24] The Village of North Syracuse history website claims a U.S. first in its town: "The first plank road in the United States was finished and ready for travel on July 18, 1846. The road cost $23,000, was 16½ miles long and planked its entire length".[25]
The Onondaga County Sheriff's Office history (unusual for an organization "proudly serving since 1794") traces its history back to 450-650 AD, when Saxon sheriffs ruled in England.[26]
History museums
History museums may be independent of other entities or operated by historical societies, municipalities, or the state. For an example of the independent type, the Erie Canal Museum "is a private, nonprofit corporation founded in 1962. It is housed in the 1850 Weighlock Building, where canal boats were weighed during the days when they traveled through the center of Syracuse on the Erie Canal."[27] The Weighlock building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Theatres and other nonprofits interested in preservation
The Landmark Theatre (Syracuse, New York) building in Syracuse is a historic building, listed on the National Register. It is operated by a nonprofit theatre company, part of whose mission is to preserve the theatre.[28]
Genealogical histories
Some genealogical histories contain material of interest to historical preservationists.[29]
Bed and breakfast inns
A number of bed and breakfast inns are advertised as being in historic homes; some are on the NRHP. Although renovated, many preserve aspects of historic homes which would otherwise be lost. Accessibility by paying guests communicates history on a local scale, and may educate visitors to the area.
Private homes
The historic character of many neighborhoods is maintained by individual homeowners.