Research: Topics: Environment: Preliminary Guide to Environmental Sources
Preliminary Guide to Environmental Sources
New York State Library
Manuscripts and Special Collections
- Adirondack League Club. Records, 1921-1922.
1 box (.25 cu. ft.)
A private club comprised of individuals interested in the conservation of the Adirondack Park for the purpose of promoting fishing, hunting, and recreation. This organization was headquartered in New York City but had extensive property holdings around Little Moose Lake and Lake Honnedago, both situated in the Adirondack Park. They owned and operated lodges and cabins.
Correspondence and reports created by the club's consulting engineer, Theodore Horton, concerning sanitary conditions at the lodges and cabins. Included are surveys of the water supply and specifications for improving means of garbage and sewage disposal.
- Adirondack Mountain Club. [Ephemera file].
1 folder.
In the New York State Popular Culture Collection.
- Citizen Action of New York. [Ephemera file].
1 folder.In the New York State 20th Century Popular Culture Collection.
- Cooley, George Ralph, 1896-1986. Papers, ca.1946-1986.
9 boxes.
George R. Cooley was born May 29, 1896 in Troy, N.Y. In the fall of 1917 he enrolled at Colgate University, three years after his graduation from high school, during which time he worked at a variety of occupations in order to save enough money for school. Six months after entering Colgate Cooley joined the United States Army, leaving the service ten months later as a second lieutenant.
Upon his return to Troy, Cooley sought employment from a local banker, who instead of giving him a job, advised him to seek his fortunes in bonds. Cooley eventually landed a position at the private banking house of Dillon, Read and Company, here he learned the investment banking business. After being transferred to Albany, Cooley formed his own investment firm, George R. Cooley and Company (now known as First Albany Corporation). Cooley's success in the investment banking business allowed him to "retire" in 1953.
Cooley's retirement from investment banking allowed him to embark on his second career as a botanist and naturalist. He became a fellow of Harvard University's Gray Herbarium and, in 1960, joined the Board of Governors of the Nature Conservancy. He authored a number of papers on botany, especially the plant life of Florida and the Carribean Islands. Cooley identified several new varieties of plant life and was responsible for the further development of botany through the establishment of Cooley Fellowships and Cooley Herbaria at three universities in the United States.
Cooley's interest in the conservation of nature and the Nature Conservancy is further evidenced by his role in founding the Eastern New York Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and the acquisition of several preserves by the conservancy including the Big Bear Swamp and the Hannacroix Ravine. The collection contains correspondence, clippings, printed materials, and fieldbooks relating to Cooley's activities in botany and nature conservation. Included are letters to Cooley regarding surveys of plant life, the establishment of nature preserves, monetary gifts to colleges and universities by Cooley, the formation of local chapters of the Nature Conservancy and other related materials. Also included in the collection are Cooley's fieldbooks, containing the names and locations of thousands of specie of plant life observed by Cooley, and two tapes of an oral interview with Cooley, conducted in the early 1980's.
Finding aids: The collection is currently unprocessed. No finding aids are currently available.
Related records : Nature Conservancy (U.S.). Eastern New York Chapter, Records, 1970-1985. Manuscripts and Special Collections, New York State Library, Albany, N.Y 12230.
- DeSormo, Maitland C. Adirondack Collection, 1843-1955.
6 boxes.
Maitland C. DeSormo is a noted author and collector of material on the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. DeSormo is the author of seven books on the Adirondacks including "The Heydays of the Adirondacks" and "Noah John Rondeau, Adirondack Hermit." With his wife, Sylvia, Desormo owned and operated Adirondack Yesteryears, Inc., a dealership in maps, Seneca Ray Stoddard photographs, paintings and in and out-of-print books. Through his activities as an author and collector DeSormo amassed a sizeable collection of material on the Adirondacks, a portion of which was acquired by the New York State Library. Among the material acquired by the State Library are the records of Prime Brothers, a mercantile company in Upper Jay, N.Y., various record series of official public records of Franklin County, N.Y., several scrapbooks of newspaper clippings on the Adirondacks, and an abstract of vouchers of the N.Y. Conservation Commission for Fighting Forest Fires in 1899 and 1923 in the town of Franklin. Although the collection is diverse and fragmented, it offers an excellent resource for understanding Adirondack History.
Finding aids: Unpublished guide available in repository.
- Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center (N.Y.) [Ephemera file]
1 folder
In the New York State Popular Culture Collection.
- Environmental Advocates (Albany, N.Y.). [Ephemera file].
1 folder.
In the New York State 20th Century Popular Culture Collection.
Subject: Environmentalists--New York (State - Environmental Planning Lobby (N.Y.) [Ephemera file].
1 oversize folder. 1 standard folder.
In the New York State Popular Culture Collection.
- General Electric Company. Corporate Environmental Programs. Title:
[Ephemera file].
1 oversize folder. 1 standard folder.
In the New York State Popular Culture Collection.
- Hough, Franklin B., 1822-1885. Papers, 1840-1885.
112 boxes.
Physician, scientist, historian, statistician and "father of American forestry." Born in Martinsburg N.Y. July 20, 1822, Hough graduated from Union College in 1843. He was an active researcher and collector of New York State History, directed the 1855 and 1865 New York State Censuses and the 1870 U.S. Census. Hough was extremely active in making known the depletion of American forests and in 1885 drafted the law that led to the preservation of the Adirondack forest. He frequently spoke on forest preservation issues and was the author of a number of reports on the subject. Hough died on June 11, 1885 in Lowville, N.Y.
The Franklin B. Hough papers include Hough's personal and family correspondence, as well as a large collection of professional papers created and collected by Hough. Hough's activities in education, forestry, history, the New York and United States censuses, the U.S. Civil War, and meteorology are all represented by the collection.
Included are correspondence, notebooks, manuscripts of writings, original historical manuscripts, copies of manuscripts, maps, printed materials, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and broadsides. A majority of the material is transcriptions of documents and original writings by Hough. There are a few printed maps (New York State, Bull Run Battlefield, and tax maps) and manuscript copy maps in this collection. The manuscript copy maps are of Civil War battlefields, of Fort Lyon, Virginia; Suffolk, Virginia; Fairfax County, Virginia; Fort Carleton, and Penet Square in Jefferson County; the towns and patents of Greig, Castorville, New Bremen, High Falls, Martinsburgh, Leyden and Watson's West Triangle, Lewis County; and Ogdensberg, St. Lawrence County as well as a notebook with nine maps entitled "Mineral Localities of Northern New York." Two oversize manuscript copy maps are of Lot 611 in the village of Philadelphia, Jefferson County and some of the townships of Jefferson, Lewis, and Herkimer counties.
Finding aids: Unpublished guide available in repository.
- Jerry, Harold A. Papers, 1980-1994.
3 boxes (2.5 cu. ft.)
Harold A. Jerry was on the Governing Council of the Wilderness Society from 1977-1982.
Papers related to legislation and other government policies regarding the Adirondack Park. - Nature Conservancy (U.S.). Eastern New York Chapter. Records, ca.1970-1985.
16 boxes. (16cu.ft.)
The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit membership corporation dedicated to the preservation of natural areas. The organization acquires, through gift or purchase, tracts of land that are important for scientific, scenic or educational reasons. The organization operates through local chapters who manage the lands.
A collection of administrative files, financial records, publications and trustees records of the Eastern New York Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. The records contain the general files of the office, files relating to the acquisition and maintenance of properties, publications from the national and local offices, files relating to nature advocacy activities of the chapter and the minutes of the local board of trustees. The chapter is based in Albany, N.Y.
Finding aids: No finding aids are currently available.
- New York Association for the Protection of Game. Records, 1868-1933.
5 boxes (5 cu. ft.)
The organization's purpose was to advocate laws and promote a public attitude favorable to game protection. Among the members of the organization was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Records of the association including correspondence, 1918-1933; letters to John C. O'Connor, secretary and treasurer of the Association, 1921-1923; ledgers, 1873-1913; minutes of meetings; financial statements; bills and receipts; vouchers; cancelled checks; treasurers' reports, 1890-1931; records of membership; and pamphlets concerning forest, fish and game laws. The collection is highly unorganized and difficult to use.
Finding aids: Unpublished inventory available in repository.
- New York Public Interest Research Group. [Ephemera file]
1 folder.
In the New York State Popular Culture Collection.
- New York State Conference of Mayors. Records, 1945-1971.
21 boxes. (21 cu. ft.)
Arrangement: Correspondence : arranged numerically by code number.
Association of mayors of New York State cities and villages.
Official records of the organization, including publications collected by the association. A majority of the publications are of local laws, codes and ordinances issued by New York state local governments and collected by the association. Also included are subject files of material collected regarding water and sewage, zoning, traffic and other topics of municipal interest. A large percentage of the collection (10 cu. ft.) is correspondence of the organization arranged by a numerical filing system. The correspondence deals with all facets of the organization's operations including legal matters, policy development, annual and special meetings and relations with similiar associations in other states.The collection is unprocessed.
Finding aids: Unpublished inventory available in repository.
- Partridge, Edward L. 1853-1930. Papers, 1905-1929.
4 boxes (1 cu. ft.)
Obstetrician in New York City and promoter of laws and legislation to preserve the natural features of the Palisades and Hudson River Highlands. He was successful in working with other individuals in realizing the establishment of Bear Mountain and Harriman State Parks and construction of Storm King Highway.
Papers relating specifically to Edward L. Partridge's endeavors to preserve the natural environment of Hudson Highlands and Palisades. It includes correspondence with state and federal officials regarding proposed and enacted legislation protecting those lands as well as with other prominent individuals who shared his interest, such as Mary W.A. Harriman, Geoge F. Kunz, Henry Fairfield Osborn, Gifford Pinchot, John Burton Payne, and Charles M. Schwab. Other papers include memoranda and reports related to Partridge's position as Commissioner for the Palisades Interstate Park; scrapbook of newsclippings, and periodicals articles chronicling the establishment of Bear Mountain and Harriman State Parks and construction of Storm King Highway and Bear Mountain Bridge.
Finding aids: Unpublished finding aid in repository.
- Powell, George May, 1835-1905. Papers, 1860-1915.
5 boxes.
George May Powell was a philanthropist and public speaker on progressive and religious issues of the late 19th Century. Powell's public career started in his 20's as a noted statisician in the U.S. Treasury Department during the Civil War. After the war Powell became very involved in three publishing companies which combined his business and social reform interests. Powell also founded several social reform organizations. He was a noted public speaker, writer and cartographer. He also delved into photography as well as design and promotion of his inventions of an improved rifle and army cot.
The George May collection is comprised of correspondence to various business, religious and personal associates. Letters concerning the Civil War, such as the entrance of black troops into Richmond, Lincoln's assassination, and letters to Andrew Carnegie and Theodore Roosevelt about labor arbitration are some of the more noteworthy subjects of these correspondences. Powell's speeches on various topics and issues of the late 19th century, temperance, economics and forest preservation, provide great insight into the concerns of upper middle class reformers in post-Civil War America. The collection is also comprised of agreements and specifications of Powell's invention of an improved rifle and army cot during the Civil War, diaries of Powell's day to day activities and observations, as well as documents concerning Powell's publishing interest and philanthropic and religious organizations, such as the Evangelical Press Association and the Pennsylvania Sabbath School Association. Charters of social organizations such as the Arbitration Council and the Intensive Agricultural Society and the legal and personal papers of Mrs. Powell's sister, Margaret Moody, are also included.
The collection is also comprised of numerous late 19th century photographs, most of which are cartes de visite and cabinet card portraits of unidentified people. The remainder of the photos are of Powell's friends and family. These photographs are from a number of studios in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Finding aids: Unpublished finding aid available in the repository.
- Rainforest Alliance. [Ephemera file].
1 folder.
In the New York State 20th Century Popular Culture Collection
- Sierra Club. Hudson-Mohawk Group (Albany, N.Y.) Inter-Power Litigation
files, 1991-1992.
5 boxes (5 cu.ft.)
Legal citations: Accession record-July 10, 1996
- Southern Adirondack Library System. [Ephemera file]
1 folder
In the New York State 20th Century Popular Culture Collection.
- Weedsport Rod and Gun Club. Records, 1936-1942.
1 box.
Sportsman's club at Weedsport, N.Y. Correspondence between club president, Evrand H. Kerns, and various state government officials, scientists, sportsmen's groups and magazine editors concerning predator and vermin control, bounties and introduction of exotic species of game.
Finding aids: No finding aids are currently available.
- Wilderness Society. Records, 1977-1983.
12 boxes.
Arrangement: Arranged into 10 record series.
The Wilderness Society is a non-profit organization, whose primary purpose is the preservation and protection of wildlands in the United States. Founded in 1935, it has been involved in major conservation battles for decades. Foremost among the Society's achievements was the enactment of the Wilderness Act of 1964, which established a national wilderness preservation system. It has organized citizen conservation groups to help shape government decisions on land use policy; monitors Federal actions affecting wilderness: testifies before Congress on a wide range of land preservation issues; and educates the public about important conservation issues.
The collection of the Wilderness Society Papers consists of twelve Hollinger boxes of material, generated by Harold A. Jerry, while serving on the Governing Council, from November 1977 to October 1982. The collections consist mostly of correspondence, memorandums, financial records, policy reports, and printed materials. Finding aids: Unpublished guide available in repository.