The Lehigh Valley Railroad Roundhouse was built in 1916 in Manchester, NY, a small town between Rochester and Syracuse. This semicircular building once was a key part of the largest freight yard and locomotive service facility in the world. Almost 450 feet across, the inner part of the semicircle contains 30 service bays where railroad …
The Seven to Save list which was released by the Preservation League of New York State in 2016 included this architectural landmark, the Dutch Reformed Church in Newburgh, NY. The City of Newburgh’s Planning Department arranged for me to see the interior of the church in late March of 2016 so that I could conduct …
Continuing my series of posts on the HABS/HAER photography that I did on a volunteer basis on behalf of the Preservation League of New York State. The second round of Seven to Save photographs that I did in 2018 included a category: Wells Barns. This was a fascinating experience, and gave me access to barns …
I have worked with the Preservation League of New York State on a volunteer basis since 2016, providing HABS/HAER photography for their Seven to Save program. Through this program the League identifies the state’s most important and threatened historic resources. Every two years the League selects seven threatened properties or groups of properties. Over the …
I have had a long-standing relationship with the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, NY. In 2007, I conducted HABS/HAER photography of hydroelectric facilities and dam at canal facilities throughout New York State. The purpose of this volunteer effort was to form the backbone of a major exhibit that opened at the Museum in 2008. In …
In 2011 I had the opportunity to photograph the hydroelectric powerhouse at Proctor, Vermont. This station was built in 1904 as the source of power for the Vermont Marble mill in Proctor. The original generating equipment remained in use, but the new owners of the plant, the Central Vermont Public Service, planned to upgrade the …
Saccarappa Hydroelectric Project, Maine In late 2015, I collaborated with my colleagues at Sutherland Conservation and Consulting on the documentation of a historic hydroelectric station in Westbrook, ME. This hydroelectric project was built on the Presumpscot River in downtown Westbrook in 1907. It was built by the S.D. Warren Company, which made paper from pulp. As …
Byllesby/Buck Hydroelectric Project, VA I’ve been fortunate over my career to work with hydroelectric plants, and with water resources projects generally, throughout the country. As a subject for both HABS/HAER photography and historical research, they are fantastic places to study. The next several posts will include samples from my hydroelectric projects over the years. First …
Last week I discussed, the portion of Binghamton, NY’s Urban Renewal program that was known as Project 1. It was by the far the largest of the urban renewal areas, and incorporated most of the key architectural landmarks of the 1960-1970s. However, Project 1 was only one component in the City’s grand designs. Project 2 …
I’ve described in a previous post the origins of the Broom County Planning Commission, which beginning in the late 1940s provided planning services for the City of Binghamton. In the course of preparing a National Register of Historic Places nomination for the Downtown Binghamton Historic District, my colleague Sam Gruber and I delved into the …