For millions of us, “I Love New York” is more than just a slogan. It’s a way of life. The state’s incredible natural beauty makes it easy to love. On your fall rambles, show off your state pride and take on the Symbols of New York State Scavenger Hunt. See how many of these state symbols you can find!
Continue reading Celebrate the Empire State With the ‘Symbols of New York State’ Scavenger HuntCategory Archives: State History
25 National Register Sites to Know in New York
We’re showcasing some of the stand-out, unusual, and noteworthy New York State listings in the National Register of Historic Places in honor of the milestone 200th meeting of the New York State Board for Historic Preservation (on September 10, 2025). There are around 130,000 resources in New York listed in the National Register, either as individual sites or as parts of historic districts.
Our list recognizes decades of work by historic preservationists. They are listed here in no particular order, but rather by characteristic or region to give a flavor of the different types of listings on the register.
The Board – which was established in 1972 and expanded by the New York State Historic Preservation Act of 1980 – works with the New York State Historic Preservation Office to review nominations to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. You can learn more about the State Review Board online.
Let’s start exploring!
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Returning Home: Solomon Northup at Saratoga Spa State Park
A statue of abolitionist and writer Solomon Northup, whose story was told in his memoir and the Academy Award-winning film Twelve Years a Slave, has provided a space for reflection at Saratoga Spa State Park this summer. The 13-foot bronze “Hope Out of Darkness” sculpture was unveiled during a July 10 ceremony attended by Northup descendants, area officials and community members on the lawn in front of the Lincoln Bathhouse.
Northup, a free-born Black American born in Minerva, NY, lived in Saratoga Springs with his wife and children for about seven years when he was tricked into joining a traveling circus. This sinister ploy led to Northup being kidnapped in Washington, D.C. in April 1841 and sold into slavery.
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The Lavender Hill Commune and LGBTQ Liberation in Central New York
The Stonewall Inn, a State Historic Site in our system, is the most well-known place in LGBTQ American history. In June 1969, following a routine police raid, patrons at the Mafia-run Stonewall Inn, as well as young queer and trans people who lived or regularly congregated in Greenwich Village, spontaneously erupted in multiple nights of protest. The event was a turning point in the ongoing LGBTQ rights movement and sparked its growth in New York City, New York State, and across the nation. Organizations and groups formed around the country to promote LGBTQ rights, and thousands of people became active in the movement.
LGBTQ history often focuses on large coastal cities like New York and San Francisco. However, the gay liberation movement that emerged in the wake of Stonewall reverberated in small towns and rural settings as well. One such example is the Lavender Hill commune in central New York, listed in the New York State Register of Historic Places on December 5, 2024, and in the National Register of Historic Places on February 3, 2025.
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175 Years of Collecting Historic Objects in New York State
In April 1850, the 1750 Hasbrouck House in Newburgh was transformed into New York State’s first state historic site: Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site.
Since then, New York State has collected objects, archival materials, and other items related to New York’s history. 2025 marks the 175th anniversary of New York’s state historic sites – which now number over 35 locations, over a million historic objects, and over three million archaeological objects.
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New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog 