Heritage New York Program George E. Pataki Governor Richard White-Smith Executive Director PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release August 13, 2001 Contact: Richard White-Smith (518) 473-8591 PUBLIC FORUMS ANNOUNCED FOR AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR HERITAGE TRAIL Richard White-Smith, Executive Director of the Governor's Heritage New York Program, today announced the schedule for nine public forums on the state's American Revolutionary War Heritage Trail initiative to be held around the state. Local elected officials, historians, Revolutionary War site operators and private citizens are encouraged to attend. The schedule of dates and locations is enclosed. Governor Pataki recently established the Heritage New York Program with a primary purpose to organize a series of thematic Heritage Trails. One of these trails, the American Revolutionary War Heritage Trail, will help to preserve, protect, interpret, link, and promote significant historic sites associated with New York's important role in the American Revolution. The Heritage New York Program will also administer Governor Pataki's recently announced $1 million matching capital grant program to help municipalities and non-profit organizations preserve and interpret important Revolutionary War sites. "The primary purpose of the Revolutionary War public forums is to get participation and input on this important initiative from a broad spectrum of interested citizens - from local elected officials to site operators," explained Rich White-Smith. The public forums will assist us in ensuring that all important Revolutionary War sites are identified and given consideration for inclusion in the Heritage Trail. We are also seeking feedback on proposed grant program guiding principles, and information on critical capital needs, as well as, ways to improve promotion of these sites. The forum will include a briefing on the American Revolutionary War Heritage Trail initiative and the proposed grant program. Each forum will also feature an informative presentation on the region's role in the Revolutionary War by an expert. A similar schedule of public forums will be announced in early fall for the Underground Railroad Heritage Trail, which will link historic sites that tell the story of New York's significant role in the Underground Railroad and anti-slavery movement. - 30 - REGION/COUNTIES/DATE & TIME/LOCATION HISTORY/PRESENTER SOUTHERN TIER/BINGHAMTON Delaware Chenango Broome Cortland Tioga Steuben Schuyler Chemung Tompkins Tuesday Aug. 28, 7:00 pm Binghamton Visitors Center @ Roberson Museum and Science Center 30 Front St. Binghamton Directions Contact #: (607) 772-0660 Joseph Fischer, PhD Military Historian/Author of A Well-Executed Failure: The Sullivan Campaign against the Iroquois, July-September 1779 CENTRAL NEW YORK Onondaga Oswego Lewis Jefferson Cayuga Seneca Yates Wayne Ontario Livingston Wed. Aug. 29, 7:00 pm Seneca Falls Heritage Area Visitor Center 115 Fall St. Seneca Falls Directions Contact #: (315) 568-2703 Pete Jemison Manager Ganondagan State Historic Site WESTERN NEW YORK Niagara Erie Chautauqua Cattaraugus Orleans Genesee Wyoming Allegany Monroe Thurs. Aug. 30, 7:00 pm Niagara Reservation Visitor Center Niagara Falls Directions Contact #: (716) 278-1770 Douglas DeCroix Director of Interpretation Fort Niagara MOHAWK VALLEY Madison Otsego Montgomery Fulton Schoharie Herkimer Oneida Tuesday Sept. 4, 7:00 pm Herkimer County Community College Robert McLaughlin Center, Room CC 228 100 Reservoir Rd Herkimer NYS Thruway Exit 30 (Herkimer) Take right onto Mohawk St. and a left onto Caroline St. to the end. Follow the signs to HCCC. For directions help, go to: www.hccc.suny.edu/admissions/index or call (315) 866-0300 Rachel Bliven Interpretive Program Coordinator Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor Commission LAKE CHAMPLAIN Warren Essex Clinton Hamilton St. Lawrence Wed. Sept. 5, 7:00 pm Crown Point State Historic Site Visitor Center Crown Point @ Lake Champlain Bridge Directions Contact #: (518) 597-3666 Bill Farrar Historic Site Manager Crown Point State Historic Site and Tom Nesbitt Historic Site Interpreter Crown Point State Historic Site LONG ISLAND Nassau Suffolk Thurs. Sept. 6, 7:00 pm Planting Fields State Historic Park Horticultural Center Planting Fields Rd Oyster Bay Directions Contact #: (516) 922-7604 Andrew Batten Executive Director Raynham Hall Museum NEW YORK CITY Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Tuesday Sept. 11, 6:00 pm Federal Hall National Memorial 26 Wall St. @ Nassau St. Manhattan Directions Contact #: (212) 825-6883 Steve Laise Chief of Interpretation National Park Service, Manhattan Sites HUDSON VALLEY Westchester Rockland Orange Putnam Dutchess Ulster Sullivan Wed. Sept. 12, 7:00 pm Bear Mountain State Park Overlook Lodge Bear Mountain From Bear Mountain Circle, take Rt. 9W south. Go about 100 yards and take the first right onto Overlook Lodge Road and continue to the end Directions Contact #: (845) 786-2701 Jim Johnson Military Historian for the Hudson River Valley Visiting Professor of History, Marist College CAPITAL REGION Greene Columbia Rensselaer Albany Schenectady Saratoga Washington Wed. Sept. 19, 7:00 pm Albany Institute of History & Art 125 Washington Ave. @ Dove St. Albany Parking available behind Institute and on street Directions Contact #: (518) 463-4478 William Valosin Park Ranger National Park Service Saratoga National Historical Park