NEWPORT, R.I. – The Preservation Society of Newport County today received final state approval to reopen the Newport Mansions to visitors under strict health precautions.
The Breakers is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day with the last tour admission at 5 p.m.
The Elms is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day with a final tour admission at 4 p.m. The Servant Life Tour will be available during that same time.
“By reopening The Breakers and The Elms, we will bring in revenue we need to survive, and our visitors will help to jump-start Newport’s economy and support local businesses,” said Trudy Coxe, executive director and CEO of the Preservation Society. “With so many events canceled this summer, the economic stimulus of the Newport Mansions on the city and the state will be greater than ever.”
The Preservation Society hopes to reopen Marble House and Rosecliff later in the season.
In response to the pandemic, all of the Preservation Society’s historic properties and house museums have been closed to the public since March 15. Because 70 percent of the nonprofit organization’s revenue is derived from tour and events admissions, its annual budget has been cut dramatically.
The Preservation Society has prepared the following measures to help protect the health and safety of visitors:
• Audio tour equipment will no longer be distributed. Audio tours of The Elms or The Breakers can be downloaded onto smartphones and visitors can use their own earbuds to listen. The download is free and available through the Newport Mansions app.
• Tickets will be sold only online at NewportMansions.org. Ticket buyers can download and print their ticket at home or show their ticket on their smartphone when they arrive on site. Tickets will be for a specific day and time. Visitors will get to choose when they prefer to visit, subject to availability.
• Preservation Society members will continue to enjoy free admission but must make reservations through NewportMansions.org using their email address and ZIP code.
• A limited number of visitors will be allowed in each house at one time, as determined by state COVID-19 regulations. Staff members will wear face masks and guests will be required to wear masks, too.
• As always, guests will not be allowed to touch any objects or surfaces inside the house except as necessary, such as stair handrails. Staff will wipe down the handrails and any other surfaces visitors might touch throughout the day.
• Restroom attendants will make sure the number of people in each bathroom does not exceed the limit and will clean throughout the day.
• Visitors will be required to maintain a safe distance from each other. Lines on the floors of some rooms will show visitors where to stand until the next spot is available. All tours will be one-directional.
• Because the elevators in The Breakers and The Elms, which require a staff operator, are too small to accommodate people while practicing social distancing, they will not be in operation during the initial phase of reopening.
• The Preservation Society is also working with state officials to devise a plan so guests can purchase sandwiches and snacks from the Welcome Center at The Breakers and enjoy seating on the lawn.
The Preservation Society, which owns and operates 11 historic properties, hosted more than 1 million tours for the fourth straight year in 2019. In July, it delivered the 40 millionth tour since the organization’s founding in 1945.
The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2020, is a nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes, decorative arts and social history. Its 11 historic properties – seven of them National Historic Landmarks – span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.
One of the passenger manifests in the Ellis Island database. A new service enables people to hire a researcher to find their immigrant ancestors among the 65 million arrival records of those who entered the United States through Ellis Island from 1820 to 1957.
The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, the nonprofit that collaborates with the National Park Service and raises funds for the restoration and preservation of these two national monuments, has introduced a new service in response to Ellis Island closing during the COVID-19 crisis. Each year thousands visit the American Family Immigration History Center at Ellis Island to explore their connections to the 17+ million immigrants who entered the U.S. through the Port of New York (1820-1957). Now, a newly created virtual experience replicates a visit to the Family History Center to help people along their genealogical journey.
For a $30 donation, the Foundation’s experts conduct a personalized search of the passenger database, home to about 65 million arrival records. With a successful search, donors receive two copies (a digital version and a hard copy on archival paper) of the Ship Manifest displaying the immigrant’s arrival. The Foundation is also producing a series of videos featuring research tips and interesting stories about Ellis Island’s immigration history.
This team consists of the same research staff you would normally meet at the American Family Immigration History Center on Ellis Island. Your donation secures a 30-minute research session conducted by the team, with the funds supporting the Foundation’s mission and our commitment to keeping these 65 million records available for people all over the globe.
Successful searches will result in the Foundation sending you a free digital copy of the Ship Manifest displaying your ancestor’s arrival in America! In addition, when the Foundation’s office reopens, you will receive a hard copy, on archival paper, sent with free shipping.
Each research session will be 30 minutes in length. During this time, the research team will search the vast records for your ancestor (only one per session; you can purchase more than one session). Allow up to 10 business days to receive your search results. You may purchase more than one session. If you are interested in searching for multiple passengers, you can reserve additional sessions. Research sessions occur without live participation from donor. The research team will reach out to you if they have any additional questions.
How it works
Visit the website shop to make your donation and secure your 30-minute research session.
You will receive a confirmation email from our research team. This email will include a document where you will provide as much information possible about the passenger you’d like us to research. The more information the team has from you, the more they can narrow the search.
After submitting your form, a research team member will be assigned to conduct your search.
If your search is successful, you will receive a free digital copy of the Ship Manifest (up to a $50 savings!)
If your search is unsuccessful, you will receive a 10% off promo code for the Ellis Island Shop.
The Ellis Island Database, which is free for all, is an amazing gateway to history. There are close to 65 million records documenting the people who came to America through the Port of New York, from 1820 to 1957.
In the coming weeks, The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation will unveil a series of videos on social media that will guide you along a genealogical journey, providing research tips and historical fun facts from our staff.
NEWPORT, R.I. – The Preservation Society of Newport County is offering new virtual tours of its historic houses and recent exhibitions as a free activity for people to enjoy while the house museums are closed.
Visitors to the Preservation Society’s website, NewportMansions.org, now can take self-guided 3-D tours through The Elms, Marble House, Isaac Bell House and Hunter House. They can also virtually experience two previous exhibitions at Rosecliff: “John James Audubon: Obsession Untamed” and “Tiffany Glass: Painting With Color and Light.”
“We have had a phenomenal reaction to this,” Preservation Society CEO and Executive Director Trudy Coxe said. “Everybody has been through a Newport Mansion, but it gives you the opportunity, on a room-by-room basis, to zoom in on an object you might not have noticed.”
Preservation Society Research Fellow Sébastien Dutton is working to complete more of these virtual tours, and they will be posted as they are finished. This work is being supervised by Leslie Jones, Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator.
“This technology allows us to digitize the interiors of all our historic properties, in an effort not only to bring these spaces and their content to the public, but also as a matter of our core preservation principles,” Jones said. “It allows for us to not only visually account for the interiors and their aesthetics and the placement of objects, but it also allows us to have accurate measurements of every floor space, every ceiling height, down to the millimeter.”
The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2020, is a nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes, decorative arts and social history. Its 11 historic properties – seven of them National Historic Landmarks – span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development. For more information, visit NewportMansions.org.
(New York, NY) One
hundred years ago, women earned the right to vote with the ratification of the
19th amendment. To honor their fight and commemorate this moment in history, a
collective of New York City cultural organizations has formed the Women’s
Suffrage NYC Centennial Consortium.
The Women’s Suffrage NYC
Centennial Consortium is a collaboration
of cultural organizations citywide that foregrounds exhibitions and programs
that, together, offer a multi-dimensional picture of the history of women’s
suffrage and its lasting, ongoing impact. The consortium has launched www.WomensSuffrageNYC.org to
highlight the activities being presented across New York City throughout 2020.
Founding members are the
New-York Historical Society, the Staten Island Museum, the New York
Philharmonic, The New York Public Library, Brooklyn Historical Society, the
Museum of the City of New York, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black
Culture, the Brooklyn Museum, Park Avenue Armory, and Snug Harbor Cultural
Center and Botanical Garden.
Announced programming includes the exhibition Women March at the New-York Historical Society, which explores the efforts of a wide range of women to expand American democracy in the centuries before and after the suffrage victory (February 28 – August 30); Women of the Nation Arise! Staten Islanders in the Fight for Women’s Right to Vote at the Staten Island Museum, which presents the remarkable stories of local suffragists acting on the grassroots level to create the momentum necessary for regional and national change and the bold tactics they employed to win the vote (March 7 – December 30); the New York Philharmonic’s Project 19—a multi-season initiative to commission and premiere 19 new works by 19 women composers, the largest women-only commissioning initiative in history, which launched earlier this month and continues in the spring (May – June) and beyond; and 100 Years | 100 Women a partnership of Park Avenue Armory with National Black Theatre and nine other cultural institutions in New York City to commission work exploring the complex legacy of the 19th Amendment 100 years after its ratification from 100 artists who identify as women or gender non-binary (showcase of commissions on May 16).
The consortium is
committed to showcasing women’s contributions to the past, present, and future.
Though many women were given access to the right to vote 100 years ago, the
fight for equality continues. Their goal is to expand the conversation through
meaningful cultural experiences that convey that all women should be seen, heard,
and counted.
The Women’s Suffrage NYC
Centennial Consortium is co-chaired by Janice Monger, president & CEO of
the Staten Island Museum, and Valerie Paley, director of the Center for Women’s
History and senior vice president and chief historian at the New-York
Historical Society, to bring together a group of vital New York City cultural
organizations with a shared vision to honor the Women’s Suffrage Centennial.
“We are so proud to bring together this
collective of organizations and colleagues who share the vision that women’s
stories are important and need to be told. All of these activities represent
multi-faceted, nuanced cultural and historical insights into the early 20th
century movement and equality in progress today,” said Janice Monger, consortium
co-chair and Staten Island Museum president & CEO.
“In an effort that was many decades in the
making, a century ago, women came together to fight for and win the right to
vote. While that right was not fully and immediately extended to all women,
their continued collective action galvanized movements to expand and give
substantive meaning to American democracy after the suffrage victory,” said
Valerie Paley, consortium co-chair and senior vice president and chief
historian at the New-York Historical Society, where she directs the Center for
Women’s History. “Through these cultural experiences across New York City, we
hope New Yorkers and visitors alike will be inspired by the women who made
history and the women who are making history now,” she added.
The Women’s Suffrage NYC
Centennial Consortium will continue to grow as new programs and exhibitions are
announced during the year.
The Women’s Suffrage NYC
Centennial Consortium has been supported by the founding organizations and
Humanities New York.
This is huge for New York State’s tourism and recreational
opportunities: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s is proposing a $300 million plan
to reimagine the Erie Canal by creating recreational activities on the Canal to
boost tourism and recreational
fishing, mitigate flooding, enhance irrigation and restore wetlands.
“When the Erie Canal was created in the
19th century it set the state and the nation on a path to
prosperity, and this year we will repurpose the canal to fit our state’s
21st century needs,” Governor
Cuomo said. “This bold and visionary plan to transform
this historic waterway will build on the success of the Empire State Trail (750
miles of connected bikeways), grow tourism across Upstate New York,
improve resilience of today’s Canal communities and ensure the
economic sustainability of the waterway into the future.”
“The canals have played a crucial role in New York’s history and
growth, and with the implementation of these new exciting projects, the canals
will remain a vital force and make a positive contribution to the economic
well-being and quality of life in the 225 communities they travel through,”
said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul.
A first phase of funding starting this year – through the New
York Power Authority Board which oversees the Canal Corporation as a subsidiary
– includes a $100 million economic development fund to invest
in communities along the Canal and a separate $65 million investment
in solutions that will help prevent ice jams and related flooding in the
Schenectady area.
The remaining $135 million of the plan’s funding will subsequently be allocated
to research recommended by the Reimagine Task Force, as well
as to solutionsrelated to flood mitigation,
invasive species prevention and ecosystem restoration.
New Economic Development Fund for Canal Communities
In the first phase of the program, a $100 million economic
development fund will support projects that adaptively reuse canal
infrastructure to enhance water recreation, tie the Canal’s new
recreational improvements to the Governor’s Empire State Trail,
celebrate historic canal structures, and develop unique canalside
attractions and activities. Roughly $25 million of that will be allocated
immediately to a set of initial projects:
Connecting Communities: The “Brockport Loop” project in Monroe County will
connect SUNY College at Brockport to the Empire State
Trailand the village of Brockport through
the transformation of a canal guard-gate into a
pedestrian bridge and overlook, with a supporting grant of $2 million
from the Ralph Wilson Foundation.
Celebrating “Iconic Infrastructure”:Interactive, hydro-powered illumination of Canal “movable
dams” – initially in
Amsterdam and Canajoharie in the
Mohawk River valley – will celebrate the Canal’s
heritage and its history as an engineering marvel.
Expanding Water Recreation: A new whitewater destination, at the north end of Cayuga Lake near Seneca
Falls, will rely on existing water control infrastructure to construct an
active water sports course adjacent to the Montezuma National
Wildlife Refuge, to increase eco-tourism and sport visitors to the region.
Adapting Industrial Property for New
Uses: Winner of the Reimagine the Canals competition,
a canalside pocket neighborhood, will be developed by Madison
County in Central New York at a former industrial
property in Canastota along the Old Erie Canal –
demonstrating a new model for 21st century canalside living.
Developing Destination Accommodations: The
historic Guy Park Manor, on the Mohawk River in
Amsterdam, will be reborn as a hospitality destination and a
pedestrian bridge constructed
across the already-existing Canal lock will provide
access to additional overnight accommodation along the Empire
State Trail on the opposite side of the river.
World-Class Fishing and Restored Wetlands
To create world-class fishing in Western New York, the new
plan recommends managing water releases from the Canal to enhance fish
habitat, improve angling opportunities, and extend the fall fishing season in
Lake Ontario tributaries. It also includes funding to expand public
fishing access along key streams in Orleans, Monroe and Niagara
Counties. In addition, it identifies a program to divert Canal water to restore and
re-nourish wetlands in Central New York that were compromised a
century ago by the Canal’s construction. This will allow areas in
close proximity to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, a migratory
stopover for more than 1 million birds each
year, to be significantly enhanced to further
attract naturalists, locals, and visitors from throughout the region and
beyond.
Ideas in this plan originated from the Reimagine the
Canals Task Force recommendations, launched by
Governor Cuomo in May of 2019 to pursue a
comprehensive investigation of how the 195-year-old Erie Canal
could be reimagined for the 21st century. The Reimagine
the Canals Task Force Report was just released.
The Task Force engaged with municipal leaders, stakeholders, local
business owners, scientists and other experts, along with community
members, to identify opportunities and solutions that support a
new vision for future investments in the waterway. Many of the ideas that the
Task Force explored came from the completed Reimagine the Canals competition, held
last year by the New York Power Authority and New York State Canal
Corporation. SUNY’s Rockefeller Institute of Government, on behalf of
the Task Force, conducted a series of outreach sessions during the summer
in five canal communities – Lockport, Brockport, Schenectady, Utica and
Syracuse – to solicit new ideas from the public at large. Ideas were also
solicited on a Reimagine the Canals website, offering more
distant canal users an opportunity to provide their views to the Task Force.
The “Reimagine” initiative builds on successful
efforts by Governor Cuomo to invest in the canal corridor, including
the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative and successful Taste NY program, which have stoked new industries,
businesses and housing in canal communities. Harnessing the Canal’s full
potential to attract more tourism and recreation is a key focus of the
Initiative. Governor Cuomo and state agency and authority staff
will collaborate with Empire Line communities and continue to consult with
Task Force members and other stakeholders to ensure the success
of projects as they move forward.
There are 1.6 million trips taken annually on the Erie Canal Trailway,
the former towpath used by mules and horses to pull barges in the canals’ early
days. The Trailway is part of Governor Cuomo’s Empire State Trail,
which at 750 miles will be the largest state multi-use trail network when
completed in late 2020. Governor DeWitt Clinton began work on the original
Erie Canal on July 4, 1817.
In addition to investing $300 million in the Canal System, there are
also plans to create two new state parks in the
Hudson Valley, add 4,000 acres of land to parks and introduce a $3 billion
“Restore Mother Nature” bond act.
Meanwhile, registration has opened for the
22nd Annual Cycle the Erie, eight-day 400-mile, fully supported biking/camping
trip, from Buffalo to Albany, operated by Parks & Trails NY, taking place
July 12-19, 2020. For information on
Cycle the Erie Canal, call Parks & Trails New York, 518-434-1583, email eriecanaltour@ptny.org or visit www.ptny.org/cycle-the-erie-canal.
Choctaw Nation Constitution of 1838 / The Constitution and Laws of the Choctaw Nation Park Hill, Cherokee Nation: John Candy, 1840. Photo credit: Ardon Bar-Hama
Herman Hollerith’s Punched Card Tabulator. Scientific American, vol. 63., no. 9. New York, 1890. Courtesy of David M. Rubenstein
Free Admission to Civics Exhibitions for College Students Through 2020
NEW YORK, NY – As election year 2020 begins, the New-York Historical Society launches a series of special exhibitions that address the cornerstones of citizenship and American democracy. Starting on Presidents’ Day Weekend, visitors to Meet the Presidents will discover how the role of the president has evolved since George Washington with a re-creation of the White House Oval Office and a new gallery devoted to the powers of the presidency. Opening on the eve of Women’s History Month, Women March marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment with an immersive celebration of 200 years of women’s political and social activism. Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions: Creating the American Republic explores the important roles state constitutions have played in the history of our country, while The People Count: The Census in the Making of America documents the critical role played by the U.S. Census in the 19th century—just in time for the 2020 Census.
To encourage first-time voters to learn about our nation’s history and civic as they get ready to vote in the presidential election, New-York Historical Society is offering free admission to these exhibitions to college students with ID through 2020, an initiative supported, in part, by The History Channel. This special program allows college students to access New-York Historical’s roster of upcoming exhibitions that explore the pillars of American democracy as they prepare to vote, most of them for the first time.
“The year 2020 is a momentous time for both the past and future of American politics, as the centennial of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, coincides with both a presidential election and a census year,” said Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of New-York Historical. “This suite of complementary exhibitions showcases the ideas and infrastructure behind our American institutions that establish and protect our fundamental rights to make our voices heard and opinions count. We hope that all visitors will come away with a wider understanding of the important role each citizen plays in our democracy.”
Meet the Presidents (February 14 – ongoing) Opening on Presidents’ Day Weekend, a special permanent gallery on New-York Historical’s fourth floor features a detailed re-creation of the White House Oval Office, where presidents have exercised their powers, duties, and responsibilities since 1909. Visitors to New-York Historical can explore the Oval Office, hear audio recordings of presidential musings, and even sit behind a version of the President’s Resolute Desk for a photo op.
Presidents can furnish the Oval Office to suit their own tastes, and this re-creation evokes the decor of President Ronald Reagan’s second term, widely considered a classic interpretation of Oval Office design. The Resolute Desk, which has been used by almost every president, was presented by Queen Victoria of England in friendship to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880. The original was made from timbers from the British Arctic explorer ship H.M.S. Resolute, which was trapped in the ice, recovered by an American whaling ship, and returned to England. Other elements reminiscent of the Reagan-era on view include a famous jar of jelly beans, an inspirational plaque reading “It can be done,” and artist Frederic Remington’s Bronco Buster bronze sculpture of a rugged cowboy fighting to stay on a rearing horse.
The Suzanne Peck and Brian Friedman Meet the Presidents Gallerytraces, through artwork and objects, the evolution of the presidency and executive branch and how presidents have interpreted and fulfilled their leadership role. Highlights include the actual Bible used during George Washington’s inauguration in 1789 and a student scrapbook from 1962 chronicling JFK’s leadership during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Meet the Presidents is curated by Marci Reaven, vice president of history exhibits, and Lily Wong, assistant curator.
Women March (February 28 – August 30) For as long as there has been a United States, women have organized to shape the nation’s politics and secure their rights as citizens. Their collective action has taken many forms, from abolitionist petitions to industry-wide garment strikes to massive marches for an Equal Rights Amendment. Women March celebrates the centennial of the 19th Amendment—which granted women the right to vote in 1920—as it explores the efforts of a diverse array of women to expand American democracy in the centuries before and after the suffrage victory. On view in the Joyce B. Cowin Women’s History Gallery, Women March is curated by Valerie Paley, the director of the Center for Women’s History and New-York Historical senior vice president and chief historian, with the Center for Women’s History curatorial team. The immersive exhibition features imagery and video footage of women’s collective action over time, drawing visitors into a visceral engagement with the struggles that have endured into the 21st century.
The exhibition begins with the many ways women asserted political influence long before they even demanded the vote. Objects and images demonstrate how they risked criticism for speaking against slavery, signed petitions against Indian Removal, raised millions to support the Civil War, and protested reduced wages and longer days. A riveting recreation of an 1866 speech by African American suffragist and activist Frances Harper demonstrates the powerful debates at women’s rights conventions. Absence of the vote hardly prevented women from running for political office: one engaging item on display is a campaign ribbon for Belva Lockwood, the first woman to argue before the Supreme Court, who won around 4,000 votes in her own presidential bid.
Multiple perspectives on the vote, including African American and working-class activism, are explored, upending popular assumptions that suffragists were a homogenous group. The 19th Amendment is hailed as a crucial step forward, but recognized as an incomplete victory. One photograph shows an African American women’s voter group in Georgia circa 1920, formed despite wide disenfranchisement, and another shows women of the League of Women Voters who sought to make suffragists’ goals real with legislation that addressed issues such as public health and child welfare. A digital interactive monitor invites visitors to explore the nuances of voting laws concerning women across the entire United States.
Offering an examination of women’s activism in the century after the Amendment, the exhibition concludes by showing how women engaged with issues such as safe workplaces, civil rights, reproductive justice, and freedom from violence. Photographs and video footage of women building warships, boycotting segregation, urging voters to register, and marching for the Equal Rights Amendment convey the urgency of their desire for full citizenship. The dynamism of women’s collective action continues to the present day with handmade signs from the 2017 Women’s Marches and footage of a variety of marches and speeches on topics ranging from reproductive justice to indigenous peoples’ rights to climate change. Visitors can also learn about many individuals who have been instrumental in women’s activism over the past 200 years in an interactive display compiled by New-York Historical’s Teen Leaders program. Meanwhile, young visitors can explore the exhibition with a special family guide.
Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions (February 28 – May 31) America has been singular among nations in fostering a vibrant culture of engagement with constitutional matters and the fundamental principles of government. Featuring more than 40 books and documents from the Dorothy Tapper Goldman Foundation’s collection, Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions: Creating the American Republic illuminates America’s continuing debates on the role and limits of government and the fundamental rights of all citizens. From the early days of the American Revolution, to the American Civil War, to the eve of World War I, the rare and early printings of state and federal constitutions trace defining moments in American history and are testaments to our nation’s continuing experiment in self-government and the relentless quest for improvement.
Among the highlights on view is a rare example of the original Dunlap and Claypoole 1787 printing of the U.S. Constitution—one of few surviving copies. Manuscripts, such as the first known description of the Great Seal of America from 1782 and a certified 1802 handwritten copy of the 12th Amendment that altered the system for electing the president and vice president are also on view. The Choctaw Nation Constitution of 1838, written by members of the tribe forcibly relocated from Mississippi to Oklahoma, combines American constitutional forms with traditional practices in an effort to preserve self-government and prevent further violations of their fundamental rights. The Constitution of the Republic of Texas (1836) sanctioned slavery and led the United States to initially decline Texas’ requests for annexation; the inclusion of slavery in the Missouri Constitution of 1820 also led to a bitter fight in Congress to deny Missouri admission to the union. The progressive Louisiana Constitution of 1868 of the Civil War Reconstruction period prohibited segregation of schools by race. Kansas was the first of more than 30 states to prohibit alcohol with the Kansas State Prohibition Amendment of 1880, eventually leading to national Prohibition through the 18th Amendment in 1919. The Wyoming Constitution of 1889 declared that “male and female citizens” could exercise all rights equally, including the right “to vote and hold office”—three decades before federal ratification of the 19th Amendment. The bilingual New Mexico Constitution of 1910—Constitution of the State of New Mexico/Constitucion del Estado de Nuevo Mexico—guaranteed that all laws, including the constitution, would be published in both English and Spanish for at least 20 years.
Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions: Creating the American Republic also includes a selection of songs from WNYC’s Radio Lab “27: The Most Perfect Album,” in which contemporary musicians were asked to interpret the 27 amendments of the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights in their own distinctive style with original new music. Musicians include Flor de Toloache, Sons of an Illustrious Father, Nana Grizol, Dolly Parton, and Caroline Shaw. The full album was conceived by the podcast More Perfect, a production of WNYC Studios, and is available for free online.
This exhibition is the first public viewing of these selected historical documents together, and after its run at New-York Historical, it travels to the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia (June 12 – July 5, 2020). Curated by James F. Hrdlicka of Arizona State University with Michael Ryan, New-York Historical vice president and Sue Ann Weinberg director of the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, the exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue written by Dr. Hrdlicka, with a foreword by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and with contributions by Dorothy Tapper Goldman and Robert McD. Parker.
The People Count: The Census in the Making of America (March 13 – June 7) What does it mean to be counted? As the 2020 Census kicks off, The People Count: The Census in the Making of America from the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection provides an in-depth look at the origins and story of the U. S. Census from 1790 through the 1800s, using 30 books and manuscripts that reveal the critical role the Census played in the development of the country. America became the first country to count its inhabitants for reasons of governing, as it dictates the number of House of Representatives seats that each state gets. In the 19th century as the country grew, so did the stakes of the census process, which further drove our nation west—and to war with itself.
The 2020 census will be the 24th decennial count undertaken without fail for 230 years. Censuses before the Constitution were the charge of the Board of Trade, which sent questionnaires to every colonial governor. “The Present State of the British Colonies in America” on display transcribes the results from 1773 to 1775, just as the American Revolution began, describing the people and land that England controlled at the time. On March 1, 1790, the First Census Act passed. The first census took 18 months to finish and counted almost 4 million people. Thomas Jefferson, then secretary of state, improvised a 56-page report, signing and circulating it privately, a copy of which is on view.
The People Count pays particular attention to the problem of the Three-Fifths Compromise, the census-related clause in the Constitution that regarded slaves equal to 60% of freepersons. Unable to vote, enslaved people unwittingly added to the political representation of slaveholders. Displayed in the exhibition is the 1860 census, which counted 3.95 million slaves, an eighth of all Americans, and uncovered that in 10 years the North had gained 41% more people while the South grew by only 27%. On view are printings of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Ninth Census—Volume I, The Statistics of the Population of the United States, the 1870 census, when there was no longer slaves to be counted for the first time in nine censuses.
In the wake of the Civil War as the population grew and expanded west, the 1880 census reports took eight years to finish. An 1890 copy of Scientific American illustrates how the counting was accomplished in less time with the Punched Card Tabulator system invented by Herman Hollerith, a former census employee from Buffalo, New York. Divided into four devices for perforating, reading, and sorting, workers completed 62.9 million returns of 30 questions in less than five years.
The People Count: The Census in the Making of America is curated by Mazy Boroujerdi, advisor to the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection, and by Michael Ryan, New-York Historical vice president and Sue Ann Weinberg director of the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library.
Programming
Historians and scholars engage in a slate of related conversations, lectures,
and intimate salons throughout the winter and spring. Black women and the 19th
Amendment (March 12), older women in American history (March 19), and the life
of Harriet Tubman (April 14) are among the topics explored during Women
March. Programs that focus on the spirit of the law and the separation of
powers (April 30), foreign influence in the 2020 election (May 2), and the
presidents vs. the press (May 21) illuminate the presidency and the importance
of the Oval Office. Scholars discuss power, politics, and madness (February 22)
and the enduring constitutional vision of the Warren Court (April 25), among
other programs focused on civics.
Family programs that take place on select weekends throughout the exhibitions’
run bring history to life for young visitors. One of the highlights is
International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8, when families can make crafts and
meet historical interpreters portraying famous and little known leaders of the
women’s rights movement.
The New-York Historical Society, one
of America’s preeminent cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering
research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that
reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded
in 1804, New-York Historical has a mission to explore the richly layered
history of New York City and State and the country, and to serve as a national
forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of
history. New-York Historical is also home to the Patricia D. Klingenstein
Library, one of the oldest, most distinguished libraries in the nation—and one
of only 20 in the United States qualified to be a member of the Independent
Research Libraries Association—which contains more than three million books,
pamphlets, maps, newspapers, manuscripts, prints, photographs, and
architectural drawings.
The New-York Historical Society is located at 170 Central Park West at Richard
Gilder Way (77th Street), New York, NY 10024. Information: (212) 873-3400.
Website: nyhistory.org. Follow the museum on social media at @nyhistory on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Tumblr.
Save Venice, an American nonprofit organization, has formed an Immediate Response Fund for artistic and cultural heritage recovery following the extreme floods (acque alte) that devastated Venice between November 12-17, 2019. The Embassy of Italy in Washington DC and Save Venice are partnering to raise funds for the Immediate Response Fund, which will support urgent relief efforts and preventative conservation. Donations can be made at savevenice.org/donate by selecting the Immediate Response Fund, and will be matched by Save Venice, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000 through February 2020.
“Save Venice was born in the aftermath
of the terrible floods of November 1966, and the November 2019 floods
underscore the urgency of our mission,” said Save Venice Chairman Frederick Ilchman. “The Immediate Response
Fund will allow Save Venice to move quickly to mitigate the effects of
corrosive saltwater and deposits in flooded churches, museums, and comparable
public buildings, to support emergency conservation treatment for paintings,
stonework, floors, wooden furnishings, and books and archival documents, as
well as to undertake preventative conservation to minimize damage from future
floods. We will continue to do what our track record proves we do best: protect
Venice’s irreplaceable artistic heritage.”
The Italian Ambassador, Armando Varricchio, noted, “Venice has deep
historical roots and is a modern and vibrant city, innovative and open to the
future with a strong entrepreneurial and industrial background. Venice and
Venetians are resilient. They will rise to this challenge,” adding that “the legacy
of the past, the energy and dynamism of nowadays Venice are the solid
foundations on which to build a bright future for the city.”
Dr. Ilchman said, “We are honored to
partner with the Embassy of Italy on this important initiative to make a difference
for Venice, and we express our gratitude to Ambassador Varricchio.”
Headquartered in New
York City, Save Venice maintains a full-time office in Venice with staff
members diligently overseeing each conservation site. They are collaborating
with conservators and local authorities to assist with damage assessment and
plans for the recovery process. As new environmental challenges arise, Save
Venice and its family of experts are prepared to devise and implement
additional preservation protocols. The Board of Directors of Save Venice is
convinced that the time to act is now.
Save
Venice is a leading American non-profit organization dedicated to
preserving the artistic heritage of Venice, Italy for the world. Founded in
response to the floods of 1966, the worst in recorded history, and incorporated
in 1971, Save Venice has since worked tirelessly to preserve, protect, and
promote the art and culture of Venice and has funded the conservation of more
than 550 projects comprising over 1,000 individual artworks. In 2015, Save
Venice established the Rosand Library & Study Center in Venice, creating a
nexus for the research of Venetian art, history, and conservation. Save Venice
also provides grants for fellowships, exhibitions, and publications to advance
Venetian scholarship and conservation.
Set on 450 acres of parkland, Dromoland Castle dates back to 16th century Ireland when it was home of the O’Brien family, whose lineage dates back 1,000 years to Brian Boru, one of the last High Kings of Ireland. Converted to a hotel in the 1960s and fresh off a $20 million renovation and restoration, Dromoland Castle exhibits the best of its regal Irish heritage.
As frosty days turn to
long nights, there’s no need to escape the cold. Put the winter doldrums aside
and embrace the best that the season has to offer, Downton Abbey-style, at
Ireland’s Dromoland Castle. Think: Cozy spaces. Evenings spent by the fire.
Brisk walks through the countryside. Days idle by, with opportunities to enjoy
falconry or horseback riding. Warm up with afternoon tea or a signature spa
treatment. Nights are for indulging in an artful take on traditional Irish
ingredients at The Earl of Thomond Restaurant before retiring to the cocktail
bar for a tarot-card inspired libation or a glass of Irish whiskey. Then, it’s
off to the stately guest rooms for a restful night before beginning another day
as a royal.
If Ireland’s temperate
climate isn’t enough to lure travelers from the States – though it’s chilly,
the daily low rarely dips below freezing – Dromoland Castle in County Clare has
a number of winter specials on offer. Stay two nights and receive a special
rate that includes a five-course Table d’Hote Dinner in the Earl of Thomond
Restaurant. The two-night package starts at $700 based on double occupancy. Or,
gather your gal pals for a special wine weekend from February 21–22. The
getaway includes a six-course meal that showcases the best of the Co. Clare
culinary scene, paired with six different wines. Rates start at $881 for the
two-night package.
Set on 450 acres of
parkland with 97 rooms and suites, Dromoland Castle dates back to the 16th
century when it was home of the O’Brien family, whose lineage dates back 1,000
years to Brian Boru, one of the last High Kings of Ireland. Converted to a
hotel in the 1960s and fresh off a $20 million renovation and restoration,
Dromoland Castle exhibits the best of its regal Irish heritage.
Central to Dromoland
Castle’s appeal is its location. Just 15 minutes from Shannon Airport,
Dromoland sits at the gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way – the 1,553-mile route
along Ireland’s west coast. Dotted with small fishing villages, the trail
passes vivid seascapes, with plenty of opportunities to stop to enjoy a local
catch. The Cliffs of Moher, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is just an hour’s
drive from the Castle. And the limestone, lunar-like landscape of the Burren
National Park is only 45 minutes away.
Though surrounded by
Ireland’s famously dramatic landscapes, Dromoland Castle is just an hour away
from Galway, which will be the European Capital of Culture in 2020. The arts
abound, as the city has been designated a UNESCO City of Film, and it has a vibrant
musical, theater and literature scene. Dublin, home to the newly opened Museum
of Literature Ireland, is 2.5 hours east.
Families: Multigenerational families have the perfect venue at Dromoland,
which features something for each age group – tennis lessons, bespoke golf
clinics, horse and buggy rides, archery, garden tours, falconry, bubble baths
on demand, and even a genealogy expert to help trace any Irish familial roots.
Golf: No one does greens better than Ireland. With its 18-hole parkland course,
Dromoland offers expert lessons at its School of Golf, as well as a newly
renovated driving range that feature “power tees,” eliminating the need for
bending down to replace a tee each time.
Dromoland is perfectly
suited to enjoy Ireland’s famed links courses – Lahinch, Ballybunion
and Tralee – as well as the new Adare Manor, which will host the Ryder Cup in
2026. Stay at Dromoland and transfer between the courses via helicopter – which
the Castle can arrange – or simply take advantage of Dromoland’s ability to
book a tee time.
Weddings: All of Dromoland Castle can be rented out for royally lavish
weddings. Among the Irish touches: The bride can make her entrance via horse
and carriage; bagpipers can create fanfare as the guests arrive; tents or even
glass pavilions can be erected on-site; step dancers can perform; and fireworks
over the golf course will end the evening with a pop!
Dunluce Castle, Antrim. Vagabond Adventure Tours creates opportunities for visitors to embrace Ireland by walking, biking, horseback riding and kayaking its lands and waters, imbibing history and culture along the way.
COUNTY WICKLOW, Ireland– With the European Union’s approval, Britain has received an extension to its exit (Brexit) until 31 January 2020. Rob Rankin, founder and owner Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland, is taking a wait-and-see-attitude concerning the UK Parliament’s vote to uphold or not the exit date that could change how the UK does business with Europe — and also on the Emerald Isle.
Maybe Brexit will be washed down the drain over a toast with its trading bloc partners since 1993. Maybe not. In the meantime Rankin’s team offers a list of ideas to visitors to Ireland who may want to know what the fuss is all about. In Dublin, the gateway city for Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland, historic attractions are two-a-penny. Guests are invited to discover for themselves the bullet holes on the General Post Office that betray its role at the heart of the 1916 Easter Rising. The National Museum is housed in a former barracks. Glasnevin Cemetery holds an array of independence heroes and an excellent museum.
Highly recommended in Belfast is an on-own Black Cab tour that offers a unique perspective on the capital of Northern Ireland. Guests listen to expert personal commentary on a guided tour through unionist and nationalist communities, learning about the late 20th century ‘The Troubles’ while viewing political murals and signing names to a peace wall.
Itineraries encompassing Derry include a guided walking tour around the historic walled city of Derry/Londonderry that showcases the Guild Hall and a siege cannon while shedding light on the nationalist neighborhood where the Northern Irish Civil Rights movement was born in the late 1960s, leading to a virtual 30-year war between Catholics and Protestants.
And other itineraries including Cork, also known as the Rebel County, share stories of the action here during the early 1920s War of Independence and ensuing Civil War. Michael Collins was ambushed and assassinated at Béal na Bláth. Picturesque Cobh was a center of resistance in 1916.
“It’s a no-brainer to say that this ours is a complicated history,” adds Rankin. Vagabond Tours of Ireland assists its guests in scratching the surface of the history of why there are two separate Irelands. This history goes back well into the 16th century when the island was like a piece of fabric being stretched between Gaelic-speaking Catholics and the English who spoke English and who were eventually predominantly Protestant.
“Today Brexit has become our own three-legged milking stool,” Rankin explains. The three legs are:
European Union (EU) – since 1993 a commerce-driven alliance of European nations, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
United Kingdom (UK) – inclusive of Great Britain (Scotland,
Wales, England) and Northern Ireland (six counties that are culturally British
out of an overall 32 counties on the island). This bloc known as the UK has
voted to disengage from the EU because of a perception that the UK doesn’t
enjoy full sovereignty in the EU.
Republic of Ireland – represents 26 of 32 counties on the
Emerald Isle, is not part of the UK bloc and enjoys 80% to 90% support for
continuing its own EU membership. The Republic of Ireland fought and won
independence from the UK from 1916 to 1921. The six counties in the northern
part of Ireland demanded that their union with the UK and the British crown
remain intact, resulting in Northern Ireland. When the UK voted to remove
itself (Brexit) from the EU, the independent country Republic of Ireland
determined to remain within the EU.
Customs and tariff protocols between the Republic of Ireland
(EU) and Northern Ireland (UK) have been operational and peaceful for nearly
two decades. Residents and visitors to Ireland and the UK enjoy visa-free
travel to each other’s countries. All sides have agreed that this situation
will continue post-Brexit.
What is of concern, adds Rankin, is that without a so-called backstop built
into the negotiations, the now a ‘soft’ border between the Northern Ireland and
the Republic of Ireland could once again become a ‘hard’ border that in turn
could pick at century-old scars. The relationship between the Republic of
Ireland and Northern Ireland has steadily improved since the landmark peace
accord of 1998. What’s known as the Good Friday Agreement ended paramilitary
activity and customs infrastructure at north/south border crossing points. The
British army was removed from Northern Ireland.
No matter Brexit’s outcome – or not – Rankin and his team are high on 2020
bookings, already strong.
“We envisage no major disruption. The bright side is, we hope, more opportunity
to explain Irish history,” he says.
Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland offers two styles of culturally immersive
travel. Vagabond Adventure Tours (the
division hosting the Epic Irish Food Adventure Tour) are for active travelers
who want to mix up hiking, kayaking and biking and other outdoor adventures
with history, culture, dining and shopping. Driftwood Journeys of Discovery follow
similar itineraries but at an intimate and in-depth looking and lingering pace,
sans the physical exertion.
On all of its tours, Vagabond staff curate locally owned accommodations, pubs
and restaurants that help serve their goal of authenticity. In the end the
mission is to have guests “love Ireland as much as we do.” Transport is in a
custom Mercedes ‘Vagatron’ or special mini-buses which allow access beyond
where regular tour buses go.
For details on all of Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland itineraries,
availability and for 2019 reservations, visit https://vagabondtoursofireland.com/. Call toll
free (from the US) 1.833-230-0288; in Ireland 00353 (0) 1 5634358; or
email: info@vagabond.ie.
Since 2002 Vagabond Adventure Tours has been creating opportunities for
visitors to embrace Ireland by walking, biking, horseback riding and kayaking
its lands and waters, imbibing history and culture along the way. In 2013 the
company was honored by National Geographic Traveler with a Top
50 Tour of a Lifetime distinction. In 2015 and 2017 Vagabond Small Group Tours
of Ireland was named the “Best Adventure Experience” at the Irish Tourism
Awards. In 2017, Vagabond became Ireland’s first tour operator to achieve
Ecotourism Gold Level Certification. In 2018, Vagabond Tours won The Green
Tourism & Entertainment category in Ireland’s most prestigious Green
(business) Awards. And in February 2019, the company won two top Irish Tourism
Industry Awards for the Best Ireland Ancient East Tourism Experience and Best
Environmental Tourism Innovation.
WASHINGTON, DC—Halloween 2019 – Just in time for Halloween 2019,
Historic Hotels of America has released its list of Most Haunted Historic
Hotels. A membership organization of more than 300 hotels with long and storied
histories, some hotels have reported ghosts and paranormal activity throughout
the halls and in guestrooms giving those who stay a fright – and they don’t
just come out at Halloween. From ghosts who have been around since the
Revolutionary War to jilted lovers, heartbroken, there are an abundance of
ghostly sightings in historic hotels.
Concord’s Colonial Inn (1716)
Concord, Massachusetts
The original part of the Inn was built in the early 1700s before the
Revolutionary War. With such a long and robust history, it’s no wonder there
are spirits that still wander the halls of this historic hotel. One of the most
famous, haunted and sought-after guestrooms is room 24. During the
Revolutionary War, the right side of the Inn was privately owned by Dr. Timothy
Minot. When patriot soldiers were injured at the Battles of Lexington and
Concord at the North Bridge, they were brought to his home to be cared for. Dr.
Minot used what is now the Liberty Room as a hospital and room 24 as an
operating room. Several soldiers who were operated on in room 24 died during
surgery. They were then carried directly downstairs into room 27, which was
used as a morgue. It’s no wonder then that guests have reported lights
flickering in room 27 or turning on and off completely. One guest woke up in
the middle of the night and every light was on in the room, including the
television! Others have heard hushed whispers coming from the closet and have
seen the door to the room slamming shut on its own.
The Red Lion Inn (1773)
Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Ghostly rumors continue to swirl at the inn which has seen the likes of many
paranormal investigators and mediums. The fourth floor, in particular, has been
said to have the most activity. Both cleaning staff and guests have claimed to
see a “ghostly young girl carrying flowers” and “a man in a top
hat.” It has been said that guests have awoken to the feeling of someone
standing over them at the foot of the bed. Cold spots, unexplained knocks, and
electrical disturbances have all been reported. Guestroom 301 is also known to
be a haunted hot spot.
Omni Parker House, Boston (1855)
Boston, Massachusetts
This hotel was opened by Harvey Parker and he was involved with the operations
of the building until his death in 1884. Over the years, many guests have
reported seeing him inquiring about their stay—a true “spirited” hotelier even
after his death.
The Sagamore (1883)
Bolton Landing, New York
The Sagamore has its own American ghost story. Opened in 1883 as a
playground resort for summer residents of Millionaire’s Row, this rambling
historic hotel sits in a 6 million-acre state park and is rumored to
accommodate a ghost or two. Stories persist of the ghost of a silver-haired
woman wearing a blue polka-dot dress descending from the second floor to the
Trillium, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant.
1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa (1886)
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
The 1886 Crescent Hotel, well known today as being a mountaintop spa resort in
the Arkansas Ozarks, was once used as a Cancer Curing Hospital which was under
the control of the hospital’s owner, reported charlatan Norman Baker from
Muscatine, Iowa. Baker operated his Eureka Springs’ facility from 1937
until December 1940. There are many paranormal patrons with terrifying tales to
tell. Among those are Michael, the Irish stonemason who, while constructing the
building back in 1885, fell to his death in the footprint of what is now Room
218. He has thought to be a frequent visitor to the room since the day of
his death. There’s also Theodora – a patient and helper during the days when
the hotel was owned Norman Baker, resides in Room 419. Guests have
reported that she will put bags in front of the door from the inside making it
hard for guests to open their door upon their return. Dozens and dozens of
ghost like encounters, and creepy, unexplained occurrences happen at this hotel
on a regular basis.
Jekyll Island Club Resort (1887)
Jekyll Island, Georgia
Over the years, the Jekyll Island Club Resort has seen many families come and
go since it opened in 1887. With all that time, comes the stories and
mysteries, the staff, as well as guests have encountered firsthand. One such
encounter involves the family of J.P. Morgan. Sans Souci, one of the buildings
at the Jekyll Island Club Resort, is a handsome four-story structure erected in
1896 as one of the first condominiums to ever be built. It was built originally
for families to use, including the family of J. Pierpont Morgan. His family
rooms were located on the third floor, north end of the property facing the
Jekyll River. He was particularly fond of the large porch which graced the
front of his apartment allowing him a beautiful view of the river. Mr. Morgan
was a lover of cigars. As the story goes, one could tell where he was by following
the trail of smoke. In order to avoid criticisms for his favorite hobby, he
would rise early every morning by 5 am to have a smoke on the porch. While most
contemporary guests are not rising at such an early hour for a cigar, those who
have stayed in the Morgan’s old apartment swear they have awakened to the faint
smell of cigar smoke wafting about when there is absolutely no one else awake.
Union Station Nashville, Autograph
Collection (1900) Nashville, Tennessee
One of Nashville’s most iconic landmarks, Union Station Hotel resides
in a building that previously served as the city’s buzzing
railway station. Guests are reminded of the building’s rich
history through another kind of encounter: with the hotel’s
resident ghost, Abigail. Legend has it that during World War
II a young woman, Abigail, said goodbye to her soldier
on the Union Station train platform before he shipped off to France.
When she arrived at that same spot to greet him on his return, she
was instead met with word that he was killed in action.
Distraught, Abigail threw herself in front of a passing
locomotive. The forlorn spirit of Abigail, still looking for her
lost love, can reportedly be seen wandering the main
terminal and her presence felt in Room 711. Now
known as the Abigail Room, guests can request to stay
in the haunted suite, which is decorated unlike any other room
in the hotel with antique
furnishings, a four-poster bed and artwork inspired by her
tale.
Moana Surfrider, A Westin
Resort & Spa (1901) Honolulu, Hawaii
On February 28, 1905, the untimely death of Jane Stanford, co-founder of
Stanford University, made headlines everywhere. Stanford, who was vacationing
in Hawaii following a strychnine poisoning attempt on her life, died in her
room at the Moana. There have been reports that the ghost of Stanford still frequents
the hotel, whose beautiful ocean vistas brought her short-lived peace. Guests
and hotel staff have said that they’ve seen her walking at night trying to find
her room. Omni Mount Washington Resort,
Bretton Woods (1902) New Hampshire
Known affectionately by staff members as “the princess”, Caroline Foster, was a
long-time inhabitant of the hotel. Princess Caroline Foster’s ties to the
resort go back to its inception when her husband, railroad tycoon Joseph
Stickney, built the grand resort in 1902. Incorporating special accommodations
for his wife, construction of the resort included an indoor swimming pool and a
private dining room for Caroline known today as the “Princess Room.” A
prominent figure at the resort since its opening, many guests who have visited
continue to report sightings of the regal Caroline. Visions of an elegant woman
in Victorian dress are often spotted in the hallways of the hotel, there are
light taps on doors when no one is outside and items suddenly disappear and
then reappear in the exact place they were lost. But perhaps the most
common sighting of the beloved Caroline is in room 314, where guests report
seeing a vision of the woman sitting at the edge of their bed.
The Seelbach
Hilton Louisville (1905)
Louisville, Kentucky
Legend says two lovers were to be married at the hotel in 1907, but the groom
met an untimely death on his way to the wedding. His distraught bride threw
herself down the elevator shaft, falling ten stories to her death. The bride is
said to continue to haunt the halls of this historic hotel.
Mizpah Hotel (1907)
Tonopah, Nevada
Built in 1907 and beautifully restored to its former grandeur and glory. The
hotel is home to several ghostly figures. One of which is the former bellhops
has been seen roaming the halls of the hotel trying to give guests a hand with
their luggage. The town of Tonopah was well known for silver mining and just
beneath the Mizpah are old mining tunnels. The hotel had a run-in with a few
very greedy miners and lost out on a large sum of money. As legend is told,
three miners dug a hole into the old bank safe and robbed the hotel. One of the
men turned his back on his two accomplices and shot them. He left them for dead
and took off with the money and was never been caught. To this day, those two
miners still lurk in the basement of the Hotel.
The Omni Grove Park Inn (1913)
Asheville, North Carolina
There is a strange, but gentle spirit residing within the gray, granite walls
of Asheville’s historic Grove Park Inn. Known simply as the “Pink Lady”, she
has been seen, felt and experienced by hotel employees and guests for nearly a
century. Although the Pink Lady is believed to have met her demise on the Palm
Court floor after falling two stories from the fifth floor to the third floor,
she has been seen and experienced in a number of places throughout the resort.
The Pink Lady has been described as a dense pinkish smoke with a presence that
can be felt by guests throughout the grounds of the Inn.
La Fonda (1922)
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Shot to death in 1867 in the hotel lobby, John P. Slough, Chief Justice of the
Territorial Supreme Court, is said to have never left. Meanwhile, a distraught
salesman, who jumped into the hotel well after losing a card game, has been
seen emerging from the fountain by visitors and guests alike.
The Emily Morgan San Antonio- a
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel (1924) San Antonio,
Texas
The Emily Morgan is known to be one of the most haunted hotels in all of Texas.
According to various reports, even some given by the hotel’s own management
team, the most haunted floors are the seventh, ninth and fourteenth floors in
addition to the basement.
It was these particular floors that at one time functioned as the psychiatric
ward, surgery level, waiting area and morgue, respectively. At the Emily
Morgan, almost all of the paranormal reports involve ghosts and spirits from
days gone by when the building was the medical building.
Guests have reported strange things occurring on these particular levels. Those
staying on the fourteenth level of the Emily Morgan generally have one thing to
say: that the smell is acutely reminiscent of a hospital. Guests have reported
to opening the doors to the hallways only to find a scene from a hospital
waiting right inside.
Francis Marion Hotel (1924)
Charleston, South Carolina
In the early 1930s, New Yorker Ned Cohen was visiting his Southern lady friend
in Charleston. Whatever happened was never clear, but he was found face down,
body smashed in the middle of King Street facing toward the old Citadel’s
parade grounds. Today, visitors hear eerie and unexplained sounds at night, all
too familiar to the bell staff and room attendants walking the halls. Sounds of
rustling silk drapes, rattling windows, and an unexplained vision of a man
questioning either himself or the witness. Some see the ghost in short
sleeves, others just feel his presence throughout the hotel.
Hawthorne Hotel (1925)
Salem, Massachusetts
The city of Salem is notorious for the Salem Witch Trials in 1692 and is prone
to hauntings and spirits of its own. The hotel has ghost stories, mostly
attributed to the sea captains who were returning to their gathering place. In
particular, guests staying in rooms 612 and 325 have reported of lights turning
off and on and experiencing a general uneasy feeling throughout the
rooms.
Hotel Viking (1926)
Newport, Rhode Island
Hotel Viking has had many guests and staff members come and go, reporting
stories of spirited guests. The story that has been reported repeatedly is of a
little boy is often seen cleaning the floors of the historic wing of the hotel.
There have been about 10 different guests regaling a similar story of a young
boy cleaning. This has also been confirmed by most of the housekeeping
staff.
Hotel Saranac, Curio Collection
by Hilton (1927) Saranac, New York
This historic hotel was built on foundation of a former High School. It is the
only hotel building remaining of 13 luxury hotels that once served this
community. While fires led to the downfall of some of the area’s hotels,
survived by design: made of steel and brick, Hotel Saranac was the area’s
first fireproof hotel. The hotel had a civil defense tower on top,
where it is said that Boy Scouts would wait to watch for Russian Bombers. Room
308 – Emily Balsam, was a guest at Hotel Saranac and worked at a local college.
She had a cat. The story is told that she was not feeling well for a while and
got tired of people checking on her and just wanted to be left alone. She had
her phone disconnected and stopped all housekeeping. She did not want to
be disturbed for any reason. No one saw much of her after that. At some point
the guest and staff started to complain about the smell coming from that room
and the cat always “crying” and Emily refused to answer the door. The
manager at the time went up to talk to her and found she had been dead for
weeks and the cat was still alive. The cat was taken to a shelter but it is
said that the ghost of Emily’s cat can still be heard crying or scratching at
the wall, perhaps wandering the hotel looking for her.
Hotel Monteleone (1886) New
Orleans, Louisiana
A maid, known as “Mrs. Clean” reputedly haunts the hotel. Paranormal
researchers once asked why she stayed, and the maid, whose mother, grandmother,
and great-grandmother also worked at the hotel, said she was picking up after
housekeeping to ensure high standards.
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn
& Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
It is said that ghosts haunt where they were the happiest. Fairmont Sonoma
Mission Inn & Spa welcomes guests past and present and tells the tales of
guests who never wanted to leave. When the evenings are still and the fog rolls
in from the Bay, a hauntingly beautiful woman has been seen strolling the
hallways of the Inn in period dress. Victoria, as she is fondly referred to by
many of the Inn’s tenured employees and whose family traces back to the
founding fathers of Sonoma Valley, is said to have celebrated her wedding and
many anniversaries at the resort.
Hassayampa Inn (1927)
Prescott, Arizona
The year it opened, the Hassayampa Inn developed its most famous legend. A very
young bride named Faith Summers checked into a balcony suite with her much
older husband in 1927. According to the story, Faith’s husband went out to buy
cigarettes and never returned. Faith waited for three days and then took her
life in despair. Since then, countless hotel guests and employees have reported
encounters with a young woman throughout the hotel crying at the end of a bed,
dressed in a pink gown in the hallway, appearing and disappearing from rooms.
One housekeeper saw a woman by a bed, holding flowers and crying. When asked if
she needed help, the woman vanished. Kitchen staff have reported feeling
Faith’s presence in the kitchen, right before the burners on the stove suddenly
went out. Others have reported strange cold spots in Faith’s honeymoon suite.
The heartbroken ghost appears unable to move on from her anguish. Many think
that though Faith is heartbroken, she enjoys staying at the Hassayampa
Inn.
The Don CeSar(1928) St. Pete Beach, Florida
Over the years there have been a number of reported “sightings” and strange
occurrences at this historic hotel. Although there are various stories, the
most common presence felt through the building is that of Mr. Thomas
Rowe, the man who brought the Don CeSar to life and is the focal point of the
love story surrounding the hotel. It is rumored that people have reported
seeing Mr. Rowe throughout the hotel, on the beach, and even interacting
with guests and staff. In the evening it has been reported that from time to
time guests have looked up to the windows on the fifth floor and see the figure
of a man watching from above.
Lord Baltimore Hotel (1928)
Baltimore, Maryland
Over the course of its more then 90-year history, the Lord Baltimore Hotel has
had reports of paranormal activity. Built in 1928, the hotel was one of the
tallest building in the city (the Great Fire of 1904 destroyed Downtown
Baltimore) and around the time of the Great Depression, there were at least 20
documented reports of “jumpers” from the 19th floor rooftop
deck. The most spoken about is that of a couple who attended an event at the
hotel with their daughter – and then proceeded to jump off the building. Their
daughter, “Molly,” is typically seen in the halls wearing a white dress and
playing with a red ball. There has also been a lot of paranormal speculation
around a handprint of a child on a wall in one of the hotel’s penthouses that
won’t go away.
Omni Shoreham Hotel,
Washington, DC (1930) Washington, DC
During the Shoreham’s early years, three people died unexpectedly in suite 870.
At that time the apartment was occupied by one of the hotel’s owners, Henry
Doherty. Juliette Brown, the family’s housekeeper dropped dead mysteriously one
night at 4 am. Doherty’s daughter and wife also perished mysteriously in the
same suite. During its vacancy there were claims of mysterious noises, doors
slamming shut and furniture moving—many of which happened around 4 am, the time
of Juliette’s death.
Tubac Golf Resort and Spa (1959)
Tubac, Arizona
There have been hauntings throughout the resort that have been reported by
guests by at least four unique ghosts including a boy, a lady in gray, a very
active gentleman spirit, and a cowboy. Some of these spirits are believed to
date back to the early age of the resort when it was the Otero Ranch. The
haunts have been investigated by the Phoenix, Arizona Paranormal Society and
featured on the “Haunted Series, Arizona.”
“The spirits reported to reside within these Historic Hotels of America have
been described as sad to happy, shy to friendly, slowly meandering to in a
rush, in work clothes to elaborately dressed, and range from young to old,”
said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Director, Historic Hotels of America and
Historic Hotels Worldwide. “Some pre-date the construction of the hotel and
others figure prominently from the early years of the historic hotels.”
Historic
Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels.
Historic Hotels of America has more than 300 historic hotel members. These
historic hotels have all faithfully maintained their authenticity, sense of
place, and architectural integrity in the United States of America, including
44 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
Historic Hotels of America is comprised of mostly independently owned and
operated historic hotels. More than 30 of the world’s finest hospitality
brands, chains, and collections are represented in Historic Hotels of America.
To be nominated and selected for membership into this prestigious program, a
hotel must be at least 50 years old; have been designated by the U.S. Secretary
of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for
listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having
historic significance. For more information, visit HistoricHotels.org.
