Tag Archives: Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site

history, Research, State History

25 National Register Sites to Know in New York

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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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Family Fun, Recreation

Hungry for New York? Discover Dishes and Destinations That Satisfy

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New York is a state of great eats. Some of the regional delicacies born here have conquered the world, like Buffalo’s wings and Saratoga’s potato chips. Others, like Utica’s tomato pie and Plattsburgh’s Michigans, remain fiercely local treasures. But they all pair magnificently with a state park or historic site!

Follow along as our team plays sommelier with the Empire State’s distinctive dishes — and our agency’s unforgettable destinations. Pack your bags and bring your appetite!

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Historic Sites, history, State History

Including All New Yorkers in Our Whole History

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As our understanding of history grows, so do the stories we tell about our past. The upcoming commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution (2025) and the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in New York and 200th anniversary of the ending of legalized slavery in New York (both in 2027) provide the perfect opportunity for a re-examination of these key events in American history.  

On Saturday, November 16, 2024, the public and staff members from New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation gathered at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site in Yonkers and online for “Making History: Revolution, Abolition, and Preservation in New York State,” a symposium highlighting the agency’s Our Whole History initiative. The initiative starts with acknowledging that our understanding of history is complex and nuanced, and evolves with historical research. Our Whole History actively fills in parts of history that were previously ignored to gain a more complete understanding of the past.  

The introduction to the Making History symposium by Lavada Nahon and Cordell Reaves.
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Historic Sites, Stewardship

Dutch Royalty Visit Schuyler Mansion, Talk Climate Change

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On June 12, New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation proudly hosted their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands; Minister of Foreign Trade Liesje Schreinemacher; Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the US Birgitta Tazelaar; Consul General of the Netherlands in New York Ahmed Dadou; and Cultural Attaché Monique Ruhe at Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site. The group visited as part of their U.S. tour celebrating cultural ties and reinforcing economic opportunities, and Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado helped us welcome them.

Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima and New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado are welcomed to Schuyler Mansion by Historic Site Manager Heidi Hill and Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons. Photo by Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul.

As part of their visit to New York, their Royal Majesties visited with next-generation environmentalists to engage in conversations about the impacts of climate change and positive actions that could be taken, both here and in the Netherlands, to foster climate resiliency in communities.

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Historic Sites, history, Research

Telling New York’s Whole Story: Black History At State Historic Sites

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Black History Month is drawing to a close. But at the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, research into New York’s Black history is continuous. From the 1627 arrival of the first 22 enslaved African men to the 1827 abolition of slavery in New York and into the future, Black history is the history of New York and of the United States. This is a cornerstone principle of ‘Our Whole History,’ a Parks initiative launched several years ago to thoroughly research and share the stories of New York State from the points of view of all who lived it.

As research continues, a more complete picture of the past emerges. The stories of the Black New Yorkers who contributed so much to New York’s history are revealed through painstaking, detail-oriented research. Key caretakers, highly skilled laborers, folks who contributed to a smooth-running household become clearer.

To piece together their stories, our dedicated historians conduct archaeology, study physical objects, and delve deep into records of all kinds: account ledgers of both homes and businesses; census data; estate inventories; wills; letters and journals; city directories; diaries, and more.

Several of our historians shared with us the stories of Black figures who shaped the history of their sites.  

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