The Heart Of Central New York

In The Heart of Central New York: Stories of Historic Homer, NY Martin A. Sweeney makes the past come alive through this collection of articles from his column in The Homer News. Through his writing, Sweeney offers readers a glimpse of the excitement he brought to his classrooms by bringing to life the people, events, manners, and mores of the past in a community that is the heart of Central New York State. This compilation represents Sweeney’s successful efforts as a public historian in using the press as a tool for generating interest in his community’s unique historical identity.With annotations and a touch of humor, this book illustrates for current and emerging public historians how to successfully engage a community in acknowledging their history matters—that the fibers of “microhistory” contribute to the rich tapestry that is county, regional, state, and national history.

The people of Central New York know there's something different--perhaps strange--in the air. Across this vast and often wild region, history and lore are remarkably and markedly unusual. Ancient Iroquois mystical traditions still infuse the landscape with a sense of the otherworldly, and for some, witchcraft was a constant fear throughout the nineteenth century. Monsters and even fairies roam the region, frightening or delighting those who say they have encountered them. Visit the world's smallest church in Oneida and North America's only Tibetan monastery, Namgyal, in Ithaca. Join local folklorist Melanie Zimmer as she explores the curiosities of Central New York.

A group of strangers risk death along the New York State Thruway to save a soldier from a burning truck. The true story, as told by football legend Jim Brown, of how the number 44 rose to prominence at Syracuse University. The beautiful yet tragic connection between Vice President Joseph Biden and Syracuse. The impossible account of how Eric Carle, one of the world’s great children’s authors, found his way to a childhood friend through a photograph taken in Syracuse more than eighty years ago. All these tales can be found in The Soul of Central New York, a collection of columns by Sean Kirst that spans almost a quarter-century. During his long career as a writer for the Syracuse Post-Standard, Kirst won some of the most prestigious honors in journalism, including the Ernie Pyle Award, given annually to one American writer who best captures the hopes and dreams of everyday Americans. For Kirst, his canvas is Syracuse, an upstate city of staggering beauty and profound struggle. In this book, readers will find a nuanced explanation of how Syracuse is intertwined with the spiritual roots of the Six Nations, as well as a soliloquy from a grieving father whose son was lost to violence on the streets. In these emotional contradictions—in the resilience, love, and heart-break of its people—Kirst offers a vivid portrait of his city and, in the end, gives readers hope.

Central New York, a region renowned as one of the snowiest in the world, has a long and stormy relationship with its winters. From the Lake Ontario port in Oswego to the busy streets of Syracuse and Utica, every community in the region has found themselves buried from brutal snowstorms. Author Jim Fafaglia draws from personal memories, family diaries and newspaper accounts to craft a two-hundred year history of Central New York's whiteouts, blizzards and snowstorms.

Accordion-style book unfolds into a stunning 30-foot-long panoramic travelogue of New York.