New York State Landmarks

September 2019

This exhibit presents a selection of materials from the New York State Library collection that highlight popular and lesser known landmarks, both natural and manmade, throughout New York State.

 

Landmarks are a glimpse into a society's values and heritage. A landmark can be commemorative, intended to honor a significant event or an individual's actions. Natural landmarks can demonstrate our interest in our environmental heritage as we choose to publicly conserve natural spaces. Landmarks can instill pride in communities by preserving a region's meaningful places and local histories. A landmark can spark curiosity, prompting the visitor to ask questions and explore for answers.

 

The New York State Library collection includes numerous regional and statewide travel guides, vacation maps and brochures highlighting various landmarks, as well as books related to New York State historic homes, significant people and events, natural wonders, and roadside oddities.

 

This exhibit features landmarks from each NY tourism region: Long Island; New York City; Hudson Valley; The Catskills; Capital Area-Saratoga; Adirondacks; Thousand Islands-Seaway; Central New York; Finger Lakes; Greater Niagara; and Chautauqua-Allegheny.

 

Bibliography

New York State Travel Guides and Handbooks

• City History Club of New York. Landmarks of New York: A Historical Guide to the Metropolis, 1923.
  NYSL Call Number: C 917.471, C58L
  
• D'Imperio, Chuck. Unknown Museums of Upstate New York: A Guide to 50 Treasures. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press, 2013.
  NYSL Call Number: C 069.02574, D582, 214-1745.
• Empire State Development, Division of Tourism. I Love New York: Our Bird, Our Flower, I [love] NY, 20, Our Anniversary: Official New York State Vacation Map, 1997.
  NYSL Call Number: EMP, 021-0 99-15447, NYS-DOC
• Gethard, Chris. Weird New York: Your Travel Guide to New York's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 2005.                                                           
  NYSL Call Number: C 917.47104, G394, 207-8949
• Macken, Lynda Lee. Empire Ghosts: New York State's Haunted Landmarks. Forked River, N.J.: Black Cat Press, 2004.
  NYSL Call Number: C 398.20974, M155, 205-8807
• Macoy, Robert. Old Landmarks; or, How to See New York and Its Environs...1525-1881. New York. Author, 1881.
  NYSL Call Number: C 917.471, M17o    
• Morgan, Bill. Literary Landmarks of New York: The Book Lover's Guide to the Homes and Haunts of World-Famous Writers. New York: Universe, 2003.
  NYSL Call Number: R 917.47104, M847, 203-1375
• New York (State). Dept. of Commerce. Map and Guide to New York State's Vacation Variety, 1961.
  NYSL Call Number: COM, 132-4, MAPGN, 76-47238, NYS-DOC
• New York (State). Division of Tourism. I Love NY Group Travel Guide for New York State, 1992.
  NYSL Call Number: TOU, 250-3, ILONY, 92-7912, NYS-DOC
• Stein, Conrad. America the Beautiful, New York. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 1993.
  NYSL Call Number: TBBL, BR 09011

Long Island and New York City

• Dolkart, Andrew S. Saving Place: 50 years of New York City landmarks. New York, New York: The Monacelli Press, 2015.
  NYSL Call Number: R 974.71, qS267, 215-855
• New York State Traveler's Companion. Albany, N.Y.: New York State Dept. of Commerce, 1977.
  NYSL Call Number: COM, 255-3, NEWYS, 88-19886, NYS-DOC  
• Randall, Monica. The Mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast. New York: Rizzoli, 2003.
  NYSL Call Number: R 974.721, qL849 87-33789, 2003
• Shamis, Bob. New York in Color. New York: Abrams, 2011.
  NYSL Call Number: C 779.99747, qS528, 212-2162
  

Hudson Valley and Catskills

• Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt: Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, New York. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 2015.
  NYSL Call Number: I 29.6/6: F, 85
• Kraehmer, Steffen T.. 100 Great Places...... Just North of New York City: An A to Z Topical Guide to Hudson Valley Tourist Sites. Modena, New York: TWS Resources, 2009.
  NYSL Call Number: R 917.47304, K891, 217-1374
• Margolies, John. Resorts of the Catskills. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1979.
  NYSL Call Number: R 974.738, qR434
• Richman, Irwin. The Catskills in Vintage Postcards. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 1999.
  NYSL Call Number: R 974.738, C367, 200-15467
• Russell, Dunn. Catskill Region Waterfall Guide: Cool Cascades of the Catskills & Shawangunks. Hensonville, N.Y.: Black Dome Press, 2004.
  Call number C 917.4738, D923, 205-5370, 2004
• Ryan, James Anthony. Frederic Church's Olana: Architecture and Landscape As Art. Hensonville, NY: Black Dome Press, 2001.
  NYSL Call Number: C 759.13, qR988, 201-10109
• Vanderbilt Mansion : Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Hyde Park, New York. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 2015.
  NYSL Call Number: I 29.6/6: V, 28/2/2015

Capital - Saratoga

• Cockey, Elizabeth Jane. Upstate New York: Towns That We Love. Austin, TX: Bridgeway Books, 2008.
  NYSL Call Number: R 974.749, qW317, 210-1603
• Roseberry, Cecil R. Capitol Story. Albany, State University of New York Press, 2014.
  NYSL Call Number: R GEN, 050-4, CAPST, 83-70980, 2014
• The counties of New York State. New York: New York Telephone Company, 1948.
  NYSL Call Number: R 974.7, N5596c
• Thurheimer, David C. Landmarks of the American Revolution in New York State: [A Guide to the Historic Sites Open to the Public]. Albany: New York State American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, 1976.
  NYSL Call Number: R 974.7, T536, 1976

Adirondacks and Thousand Islands Seaway

• Dunn, Russell. Adirondack Trails with Tales: History Hikes Through the Adirondack Park and the Lake George, Lake Champlain, and Mohawk Valley Regions. New York: Black Dome Press Corp., 2009.
  NYSL Call Number: C 917.475, D923, 212-2520
• Fischer, George. Castles & Cottages: River Retreats of the Thousand Islands. Erin, Ont.: Boston Mills Press, 2004.
  NYSL CALL NUMBER: C 917.4758, F529, 205-1865
• Folino, Thomas F., Alexandria Bay. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2004.
  NYSL Call Number: R 974.757, A382, 206-5599
• The Flame : Sharing the Spirit of the Lake Placid Olympic Region. Lake Placid, N.Y.: New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority, Public Affairs Dept., 1998.
  NYSL Call Number: OLY, 575-3, FLAME 203-47, 1998, FAL/WIN UNB, NYS-DOC
• Stoddard, Seneca Ray. The Adirondacks Illustrated. Albany: Weed, Parsons & Co., printers, 1874 [reprinted 1983].
  NYSL Call Number: R 917.4753 S6a, 1983
• Truesdale, Hardie. Adirondack High: Images of America's First Wilderness. Woodstock, Vt.: Countryman Press, c2005.
  NYSL Call Number: C 917.47504, T866, 205-8758

Central New York and Finger Lakes

• Dropkin, Robin. Cycling the Erie Canal: A Guide to 400 miles of Adventure and History Along the Erie Canalway Trail. Parks & Trails New York, 2004.
  NYSL Call Number: C 796.64097, D786, 205-7977
• Feil, Charles. The Finger Lakes Region of New York: A View from Above. Scarborough, Me.: VFA Pub., 2005.
  NYSL Call Number: C 779.36747, qF297, 206-5525
• I [love] NY Winter. New York (State). Dept. of Economic Development. 2009-2010.
  NYSL Call Number: ECO, 240-3, ILNYS, 89-13767, 2009/10, NYS-DOC 
• Main Street to Market: Picnic on the Farm:  Agricultural Destinations Along the New York State Thruway & Canal Corridors. Albany, N.Y.: New York State Thruway Authority, 2008.
  NYSL Call Number: THR, 500-4, MAISM, 208-7874, NYS-DOC 
• Valenti, Dan. Baseball Comes Home: A History of the Baseball Hall of Fame Game: 1940-2008.
  Richfield Springs, NY: CR Custom Publishing, 2008.
  NYSL Call Number: R 974.774, qC778, 212-1253

Greater Niagara and Chautauqua Allegheny

• Olenick, Andy. Historic New York: Architectural Journeys in the Empire State. Rochester, N.Y.: Landmark Society of Western New York , Inc. in conjunction with Preservation League of New York State and New York State Council on the Arts, 2006.
  NYSL Call Number: 974.7 O456 207-3127
• Schuman, Michael. New York State's Special Places: Day Trips, Weekends and Outings in the Empire State. Woodstock, VT.: Countryman Press, 1988.
  NYSL Call Number: R 917.470443, S392, 89-1439
• Taylor, Frank Hamilton. Summer Driftings Among the Lakes of Central and Western New York: A Guide for Tourist Travel. Astoria, N.Y.: J.C. & A.L Fawcett, 1994.
  NYSL Call Number: R 917.478, T241, 97-18819

Exhibit curated by Jane Bentley and Shawn Lemieux