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Saratoga
Springs, NY – November 2024 / NewsmakerAlert: The
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation
and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) announces the release of a new installment
of the interactive, online timeline ‘Blazing
a Trail: A History of New York State Parks and Historic Sites’ in celebration
of New York State Parks’ Centennial. This project employs photographs,
illustrations, paintings, documents, archival footage, maps, and narrative
to tell the story of the development of the New York State Parks system.
This
era, titled “Rockefellers’ World,” marked a significant shift in leadership
at Parks as longtime chair Robert Moses exited the agency after a clash
with Governor Nelson Rockefeller. Rockefeller’s brother Laurence became
the new chair of the State Council of Parks. With a firm belief in the
essential nature of outdoor recreation and the vital importance of environmental
conservation guiding the brothers, they restructured the agency and expanded
the system to meet an overwhelming demand for outdoor recreation. They
also introduced cultural offerings, returning state historic sites to the
auspices of parks and opening Artpark and the Saratoga Performing Arts
Center. The newest installment, “The Rockefeller Era,” is available
here, along with previously released eras.
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“As
we learn about the ideals that guided the development of the system during
this era, we see strong parallels in the values that guide our agency’s
work to this day, particularly the importance of nature and outdoor recreation
to physical and mental wellness and the urgent need to conserve our shared
environment,” said Commissioner Pro Tempore of the Office of Parks, Recreation
and Historic Preservation Randy Simons. “As ‘Blazing A Trail’ moves into
more contemporary eras which many New Yorkers will remember, it is our
hope that the timeline sparks nostalgia, encourages conversations between
generations, and offers a different lens through which to view these eras.
I invite you to join the more than 6,000 people who have viewed this innovative
project.”
In
the first eras, users learned about the drive to conserve natural spaces
during the rapid development of the late 1800s and the shift in focus from
preservation to recreation. They met leaders who were instrumental in creating
the system of parks and historic sites we know today and guiding its development.
The third era took users into the Great Depression and New Deal years,
exploring how this challenging time for the park system became a watershed
moment with the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps, and examining
the role of the park system during World War II. In the fourth era, users
got a look at the seismic societal shifts in the post-war period through
the lens of the park system.
Additional
eras launching throughout the next few months will cover the creation of
the modern Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP),
efforts to expand the agency’s diverse portfolio of parks, further codification
of historic preservation, the rise of urban and linear parks, the shifting
challenges of conservation, and the recovery from disinvestment induced
by the Great Recession. The remaining eras are 1972-1999, 2000-Today, and
Tomorrow and Beyond. Each era includes the individual histories of the
parks and sites added in the timeframe.
‘Blazing
A Trail’ is one of several initiatives celebrating the Parks Centennial.
Others include an
exhibit in the New York State Capitol’s State Street Tunnel currently
on view; the Share Your Story
project, which invites people to tell their own stories relating to Parks
and Sites; the Centennial
Challenge, which encourages people to win prizes by participating in
various activities at parks and sites; the release of the Centennial Collection
merchandise; and the launch of the documentary “From
Land To Legacy,” produced by PBS affiliate WMHT. Centennial events
and exhibits, ranging from parties to special hikes and programs, will
continue at individual parks and historic sites through the close of 2024.
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New
York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP)
oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf
courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million visits in
2023. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.NY.gov,
download the free NY State
Parks Explorer app or call 518-474-0456. Join us in celebrating our
Centennial throughout 2024, and connect with us on Facebook,
Instagram,
X
(formerly Twitter) and the OPRHP Blog.
Source
Document
Media
Contact:
Dan
Keefe
Public
Information Officer
518-486-1868
news@parks.ny.gov |
