Continuing the Research on Paleoindian Lifeways - New York State ...

The Magazine
of <strong>the</strong>
New York
State Museum
Vol. 4 • No. 2
Fall 2008
INSIDE:
Illustration Collection
Exhibitions
Curatorial Challenges
of Documenting 9-11
Sturgeon: Albany Beef
Scientific Publications
<strong>Continuing</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Research</strong>
on Paleoindian Lifeways Page 8

contents
Vol. 4 • No. 2
Fall 2008
features
12
17
To Preserve and Protect by Connie Frisbee Houde
After <strong>the</strong> attacks of September 11, 2001, <strong>the</strong> State
Museum took a leadership role in collecting artifacts,
expressions of sympathy, and oral histories to document
<strong>the</strong> historic event. That commitment led to a daunting
curatorial challenge.
A Tradition of Published <strong>Research</strong> by John B. Skiba
Since 1838, publications have provided scientific data about
<strong>the</strong> natural and human history of New York, covering algae
to zinc and many topics in between.
departments
www.nysm.nysed.gov
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3
8
10
20
Director’s Note
Museum News
Discovery Now
New curators bring innovative opportunities
for research.
A New Look at Paleoindian Lifeways in <strong>the</strong> Ice Age
by Dr. Jonathan C. Lothrop
Ceramics: A Window to <strong>the</strong> Past
by Dr. Charles E. Orser Jr.
Hidden Treasures
Priceless Art
Thousands of illustrations in <strong>the</strong> Museum’s collection
have scientific—as well as aes<strong>the</strong>tic—appeal.
by Patricia Kernan
New York Stories
The Beef Is in <strong>the</strong> River
In <strong>the</strong> mid-1800s, sturgeon moved from <strong>the</strong>
Hudson River to center of <strong>the</strong> plate.
by Dr. Robert A. Daniels
Cover Inset: A page from James
Hall’s Natural History of New York
Vol. V. Part II, published in 1879.
On <strong>the</strong> Cover: The Ice Age
Hunters: New York’s First People
life group in Native Peoples of
New York shows how Paleoindians
adapted to <strong>the</strong> harsh environment.
The subject continues to fascinate
Museum archaeologists.

John Whipple
The Magazine of <strong>the</strong>
New York State Museum
director’s note
Maria C. Sparks, Managing Editor
Leigh Ann Smith, Design Consultant
Bonnie Kerrick, Copy Editor
Our State Museum passed an important and long anticipated milestone
in June. The Trustees of <strong>the</strong> Cultural Education Trust met
and approved our plans for <strong>the</strong> renewal of <strong>the</strong> Museum galleries.
The Trust was established in 2006 to oversee <strong>the</strong> expenditure
of <strong>the</strong> $20 million allocated for <strong>the</strong> gallery renewal project. The trustees’
endorsement of our work represents one of <strong>the</strong> last administrative hurdles
in making <strong>the</strong> new galleries a reality. On <strong>the</strong> same day we received approval
to move forward with <strong>the</strong> renewal, we received certificates recognizing <strong>the</strong>
State Museum as <strong>the</strong> “Best Museum” and “Best Museum for Kids” in <strong>the</strong>
Capital Region. This is gratifying recognition of our accomplishments, but it
also streng<strong>the</strong>ns our promise to continually find new ways to engage visitors
in <strong>the</strong> excitement of learning and discovery.
A major reason for <strong>the</strong> Museum’s continued award-winning recognition
is <strong>the</strong> expertise of our staff. In <strong>the</strong> past year we’ve been fortunate to add an
historical archaeologist, Dr. Charles Orser, and a prehistoric archaeologist,
Dr. Jonathan Lothrop, to our highly regarded archaeology program. They are
making significant contributions to our gallery renewal and public programs
while pursuing important research. Both write about <strong>the</strong>ir work for this issue.
Robert Weible, a nationally recognized historian and a former president
of <strong>the</strong> National Council on Public History, has joined our staff as New York
state historian and chief curator of history. What a welcome addition! He
has already developed collaborations with networks of public historians,
taken <strong>the</strong> lead in our planning for <strong>the</strong> “Empire State” gallery, and become
part of <strong>the</strong> Museum’s leadership team.
As you no doubt know, <strong>the</strong> State of New York anticipates difficult
economic times over <strong>the</strong> next few years. The State Museum has established
a strong base of support—in funding, in community ties, and, especially,
in <strong>the</strong> talent and dedication of our staff. We look forward to completing a
gallery renewal that will establish a new benchmark for museum excellence.
All of us at <strong>the</strong> State Museum are excited about building on <strong>the</strong> legacy of
this institution and invite you to join us in our endeavor. Visit our galleries,
attend a public program, renew your membership, make a donation.
Toge<strong>the</strong>r, we will ensure <strong>the</strong> legacy of <strong>the</strong> State Museum for <strong>the</strong> next century.
Cliff Siegfried
Director, New York State Museum
www.nysm.nysed.gov
Design
2k Design
Contributors
Robert A. Daniels
Connie Frisbee Houde
Patricia Kernan
Jonathan C. Lothrop
Charles E. Orser Jr.
John B. Skiba
Advisory Board
Harry M. Rosenfeld
Clifford A. Siegfried
John P. Hart
Mark Schaming
Jeanine L. Grinage
Robert A. Daniels
Penelope B. Drooker
Editorial Board
Carrie Bernardi
Penelope B. Drooker
Cecile Kowalski
Geoffrey N. Stein
Chuck Ver Straeten
Legacy is published quarterly by <strong>the</strong>
New York State Museum Institute,
Third Floor, Cultural Education
Center, Albany, NY 12230. The
New York State Museum Institute,
a private single-purpose 501(c)(3)
charitable organization, supports <strong>the</strong>
exhibitions, research, and programs
of <strong>the</strong> New York State Museum.
The magazine is sent to members
of <strong>the</strong> New York State Museum as
a benefit of <strong>the</strong>ir membership. For
information about membership,
call 518-474-1354 or send an e-mail
to membership@mail.nysed.gov.
© 2008 New York State Museum.
All rights reserved. Contents may
not be reproduced in any manner
without <strong>the</strong> express written permission
of <strong>the</strong> New York State Museum.
2 n Legacy

museum news
NSF grants awarded to
Museum scientists include:
National Science Foundation
Grants Support NYSM <strong>Research</strong>
Museum scientists have
invented an environmentally
friendly way
to control <strong>the</strong> spread of invasive
zebra and quagga mussels, and,
with <strong>the</strong> support of a grant from
<strong>the</strong> National Science Foundation
(NSF), <strong>the</strong> control measure has a
chance to make it to market.
Dr. Daniel Molloy, director
of <strong>the</strong> Museum’s Field <strong>Research</strong>
Laboratory in Cambridge, and
his team of researchers found a
naturally occurring bacterium
that is lethal to zebra and quagga
mussels when ingested. They
screened more than 700 bacteria
before identifying a strain of
<strong>the</strong> common bacterium Pseudomonas
fluorescens that proved
fatal to <strong>the</strong> mussels without
killing fish, o<strong>the</strong>r species of
freshwater clams and mussels,
and o<strong>the</strong>r aquatic organisms. In
March, <strong>the</strong> NSF awarded Marrone
Organic Innovations Inc., of
Davis, California, a grant to
commercialize <strong>the</strong> control method.
The grant includes $275,000 to
support <strong>the</strong> Museum’s ongoing
research efforts related to
developing this effective control
method; chief scientist Denise
Mayer will lead experimentation
at <strong>the</strong> research lab.
The grant is just <strong>the</strong> latest in
a string of NSF grants awarded
to scientists at <strong>the</strong> State Museum
who are working on projects
with implications reaching
beyond New York’s borders. The
Museum has five active grants
from <strong>the</strong> NSF, an impressive
number for a research institution
of its size. The NSF receives
approximately 40,000 proposals
for research, education, and
training projects each year, and
it funds about 27 percent of
those projects, according to <strong>the</strong>
agency’s Web site.
“Any source of outside
funding in support of research
and collections work is important,”
says Dr. John P. Hart, director
of research and collections at
<strong>the</strong> Museum. “Such funding
allows Museum scientists and
historians to pursue important
work that would o<strong>the</strong>rwise
not take place. NSF grants are
especially important because
<strong>the</strong>y are so prestigious and
indicate <strong>the</strong> significance of <strong>the</strong>
research work being done by
Museum scientists.”
• $121,296 to Dr. Julieann
Van Nest for archaeological
research at a large group of
unusual ring-shaped mounds
at Perch Lake in Jefferson
County. Ear<strong>the</strong>rn mounds
were constructed as integral
parts of landscapes extending
back 5,000 years and more
in eastern North America.
The 2,000-year-old mounds
at Perch Lake, which typically
measure 33 feet in diameter
and 0.2 feet high, appear
to represent an overlooked
form of ear<strong>the</strong>n architecture.
Dr. Van Nest works with
members of <strong>the</strong> New York
State Archaeological Association
to explore several
hypo<strong>the</strong>ses about <strong>the</strong> purpose
of <strong>the</strong> mounds.
• $328,616 to Dr. Jason Cryan
to continue a large-scale
investigation into <strong>the</strong> evolution
of spittlebugs, a group of
plant-feeding insects existing
in most terrestrial ecosystems.
Spittlebugs cause heavy
economic damage to crops
such as sugar cane, corn,
and rice, resulting in up to a
70 percent reduction in
harvested crops in infested
areas. The understanding of
spittlebug evolution is critical to
<strong>the</strong> control of several known
crop pests and could help
prevent future outbreaks of
o<strong>the</strong>r spittlebug pests.
• $558,770 to Dr. Roland Kays
to study how rodents help
disperse plant seeds. He is
working with Dr. Martin
Wikelski of Princeton University
at <strong>the</strong> Smithsonian <strong>Research</strong>
s
Top: With support from <strong>the</strong>
National Science Foundation (NSF),
Dr. Jason Cryan investigates
<strong>the</strong> evolution of spittlebugs,
such as this unidentified cercopid
from Zambia.
Bottom: Dr. Roland Kays sets a
motion-sensitive camera trap in <strong>the</strong>
Albany Pine Bush Preserve. With
funding from <strong>the</strong> NSF, he is leading
development of Movebank.org, a
site for biologists to post and share
data on animal movement.
Above, left: Dr. Daniel Molloy
observes juvenile quagga mussels
attached to a sampling plate at
<strong>the</strong> Davis Dam hydropower facility
on <strong>the</strong> Colorado River in Arizona.
Dr. Molloy and his team of
researchers discovered an environmentally
friendly way to control
<strong>the</strong> spread of invasive zebra and
quagga mussels. An NSF grant
provides support for additional
research related to developing this
control agent.
Fall 2008 n 3

museum
news
Station in Panama to follow
individual seeds by using a
motion-sensitive radio transmitter
<strong>the</strong>y invented. They
are testing <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>the</strong>ory that
rodents move a seed and bury
it, but are usually killed by
predators before <strong>the</strong>y come
back to eat it.
• $750,000 to Dr. Jason Cryan
to direct research on <strong>the</strong>
evolution of plant-eating
insects in <strong>the</strong> order Hemiptera,
in collaboration with <strong>the</strong>
University of Connecticut and
<strong>the</strong> Illinois Natural History
Survey. This grant is funded
through NSF’s prestigious
“Partnership for Enhancing
Expertise in Taxonomy” (PEET)
program, established to train
<strong>the</strong> next generation of
taxonomists and systematists.
• $1.1 million to Dr. Kays to
establish Movebank.org, a
project to collect data about
animal movement, in collaboration
with Princeton University,
<strong>the</strong> University of Illinois, and
<strong>the</strong> San Diego Supercomputer
Center. Movebank provides a
hub for biologists who track
animals to save and compare
data, and <strong>the</strong> data are
available for o<strong>the</strong>r scientists,
conservation managers, and
educators to use.
Museum scientists and historians
are encouraged to pursue
external funding for research and
collections projects, says Dr. Hart.
In addition to <strong>the</strong> NSF grants,
Museum scientists and historians
have also recently received
grants from <strong>the</strong> U.S. Department
of Energy, U.S. Department
of Interior, and Save America’s
Treasures, among o<strong>the</strong>rs.
Recent Discovery of Ancient Liverwort
Adds to Fossil Record of Paleozoic Flora
Attention paleo buffs:
There is only one place
where you can see a
385 million-year-old liverwort, a
small non-vascular plant similar to
mosses. That place is <strong>the</strong> <strong>Research</strong>
Gallery at <strong>the</strong> State Museum.
An exhibition on paleobotany,
<strong>the</strong> study of <strong>the</strong> biology and
evolution of fossil
plants, presents
recent
State Museum researchers discovered <strong>the</strong> world’s oldest known liverwort,
Metzgeriothallus sharonae, in <strong>the</strong> Middle Devonian rocks of Albany and Greene counties.
This liverwort thrived 385 million years ago and is a near replica of some modern species.
research by Museum staff and
<strong>the</strong>ir associates. In <strong>the</strong> mid-2000s,
State Museum staff discovered
evidence of <strong>the</strong> oldest known
tree and <strong>the</strong> oldest known
liverwort in <strong>the</strong> Catskill-Gilboa
area of New York state. They
collected specimens, photographed
and studied <strong>the</strong>m, and later
reported <strong>the</strong>ir results to <strong>the</strong>
scientific community. The oldest
known tree, Eospermatopteris
with Wattieza foliage, was <strong>the</strong>
dominant tree of <strong>the</strong> Middle
Devonian period, 385 million years
ago. The liverwort, Metzgeriothallus
sharonae, is a thalloid
ra<strong>the</strong>r than a leafy liverwort,
and its appearance is nearly
indistinguishable from some
modern species. Museum
researchers found an abundance
of Metzgeriothallus in <strong>the</strong>
Middle Devonian rocks of Greene
and Albany counties.
“The discovery of <strong>the</strong> liverwort
is important because it has long
been supposed that liverworts
were among <strong>the</strong> earliest colonizers
of <strong>the</strong> land surface, but <strong>the</strong>ir
presence in <strong>the</strong> fossil record has
been very scanty in <strong>the</strong> Paleozoic
(Cambrian through Permian
periods), making it difficult to
sustain <strong>the</strong> supposition,”
says Linda VanAller Hernick,
paleontology collections manager
at <strong>the</strong> State Museum. “With our
discovery, we are able to show
that liverworts were a common
part of <strong>the</strong> Devonian flora.”
A portion of <strong>the</strong> tree’s trunk
and a slab of grey-black shale
containing <strong>the</strong> liverwort are on
view in <strong>the</strong> exhibition.
Editor’s note: A research paper
about <strong>the</strong> discovery of <strong>the</strong> oldestknown
liverwort appears in
Review of Palaeobotany and
Palynology, Vol. 148, Issues 2–4
(January 2008), pages 154–162.
4 n Legacy

Lectures Offer Something for Everyone
The Rocket Car, built in Elmira in 1929, is parked on <strong>the</strong> 4th Floor Terrace Gallery.
The State Museum tries
something a little different
this fall, when curators
present lectures on topics of <strong>the</strong>ir
own choosing, and scientists
present research sure to amaze.
These Museum Series Lectures
take place on Wednesday
evenings at 7 p.m., beginning
October 1 and continuing
through December 17.
The lecture series creates a
sense of excitement about <strong>the</strong>
research and collections of <strong>the</strong>
New York State Museum, says
Dr. John P. Hart, director of <strong>the</strong>
research and collections division.
To start <strong>the</strong> lecture series,
Dr. Jason Cryan, an entomologist
and evolutionary biologist,
discusses his efforts to document
insect biodiversity in <strong>the</strong> world’s
rapidly disappearing jungles
and rainforests. On October 8,
Dr. Robert A. Daniels, curator of
ichthyology, conducts a virtual
tour of <strong>the</strong> Museum’s fish
collection of more than 1 million
specimens and highlights interesting
specimens and research. On
October 15, Martin Pickands,
of <strong>the</strong> Cultural Resource Survey
Program, talks about what
archaeology reveals about New
York’s early hydroelectric industry.
On October 22, Dr. Jonathan
Lothrop, curator of archaeology,
describes how recent archaeological
discoveries fur<strong>the</strong>r understanding
of how Native Americans
adapted to <strong>the</strong> Upper Ohio
Valley, between 6,000 and
4,000 years ago. On October 29,
Senior Historian Geoffrey Stein
shares <strong>the</strong> fascinating story of
bro<strong>the</strong>rs Daniel and Floyd
Hungerford, aviation pioneers
and inventors from Elmira, who
built <strong>the</strong> rocket car—and dreamed
of driving it to <strong>the</strong> moon. A visit
to <strong>the</strong> rocket car exhibit will
follow <strong>the</strong> lecture.
Dr. Charles Orser, curator of
historical archaeology, talks
about a 17th-century basket that
archaeologists recovered from
lower Manhattan in 1984 and
reveals <strong>the</strong> remarkable treasures
found inside on November 5. On
November 12, Dr. Jennifer Lemak,
curator of African-American
history, discusses <strong>the</strong> ironic timing
of emancipation celebrations in
New York state. On November 19,
Dr. Marian Lupulescu, curator of
geology, presents research on <strong>the</strong>
identification and description of
new mineral species and structures.
The series continues on
December 3 with a lecture by
Dr. Dan Molloy, who leads <strong>the</strong>
Museum’s development of a
green alternative to pesticides for
controlling <strong>the</strong> pesky zebra mussel,
an invasive species from Europe.
On December 10, Ron Burch,
curator of art and architecture,
describes how inquiry about a
steamship depicted in a painting
from <strong>the</strong> Museum collection
revealed an intriguing story of
personal risk and corporate high
stakes. The painting can be
viewed in <strong>the</strong> Museum following
<strong>the</strong> lecture. Dr. Jeremy Kirchman
discusses <strong>the</strong> evidence that links
modern birds to extinct dinosaurs
and explains how scientists
reconstruct evolutionary relationships
among groups of species,
on December 17.
The lectures, held in <strong>the</strong>
Huxley Theater, are free and
open to <strong>the</strong> public.
This blue prismatic mineral, called uvite,
is a calcium boron silicate from <strong>the</strong>
tourmaline group of minerals.
Must-See
Exhibitions
Rockefeller at 100
Through October 12
Bank of America
Great Art Series
Latin American and
Caribbean Art: Selected
Highlights from <strong>the</strong>
Collection of The Museum
of Modern Art
Through October 13
Matta (Roberto Sebastián Antonio
Matta Echaurren), Chilean, 1911–
2002. Listen to Living, 1941.
Oil on canvas. 29 1 /2 x 37 7 /8 inches
(74.9 x 94.9 cm). The Museum of
Modern Art, New York. Inter-American
Fund, 1942. © 2008 Artists Rights
Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP,
Paris. Photo: Mali Olatunji, Museum
of Modern Art © 2008
Sheridan Hollow:
A Very Working-Class
Neighborhood
Through October 14
Upcoming
Exhibitions
Bank of America
Great Art Series
Rockwell Kent:
This Is My Own
Opens November 22
For more details on
any of <strong>the</strong> mentioned
exhibitions, see The
Museum Calendar or go
to www.nysm.nysed.gov/.
Fall 2008 n 5

museum
news
Rediscover
Mammals Revealed
The popular exhibition about <strong>the</strong>
discovery and documentation
of secretive creatures is presented
online at www.nysm.nysed.gov/
mammalsrevealed/.
Museum
Welcomes
New State
Historian
After nearly 30 years with
state and federal historical
organizations in
Massachusetts and Pennsylvania—
most recently as <strong>the</strong> director of
public history at <strong>the</strong> State Museum
of Pennsylvania—nationally recognized
historian Robert Weible
has joined <strong>the</strong> State Museum in
<strong>the</strong> dual role of chief curator of
history and state historian.
As <strong>the</strong> Museum’s chief curator,
Weible manages history collections
and helps develop content for
exhibitions and public programs.
In his public role as state historian,
he works with local historians and
academic and cultural institutions
to build better understanding and
appreciation of New York state’s
history among both residents and
non-residents.
During <strong>the</strong> short time he has
been in New York, Weible has
delivered <strong>the</strong> keynote address
at <strong>the</strong> annual conference of <strong>the</strong>
Association of Public Historians
of New York State (APHNYS) and
spoken at several of <strong>the</strong> association’s
regional meetings. He
has also participated in History
Day activities in New York City
and Cooperstown and helped
APHNYS and staff from Hudson
River Greenway develop <strong>the</strong>
Henry Knox Cannon Trail, among
o<strong>the</strong>r collaborative efforts.
“A relationship with <strong>the</strong>
public is at <strong>the</strong> heart of public
history,” says Weible, a former
president of <strong>the</strong> National Council
on Public History.
A Look Back
New York City Subway Car
Comes to Albany
Some of <strong>the</strong> Museum’s
exhibitions staff quip that <strong>the</strong>
Museum was built around
<strong>the</strong> subway car on exhibit in
New York Metropolis Hall. While
it may be true that neighboring
exhibitions were planned around
<strong>the</strong> 60-foot-long, 40-ton car, <strong>the</strong>
car came into <strong>the</strong> Museum just
as we do—through a door.
In <strong>the</strong> late 1970s, Museum
staff were planning <strong>the</strong> metropolis
exhibition and wanted to include
a subway car to represent transportation
in <strong>the</strong> New York metro
area. “We wanted something
that would catch <strong>the</strong> interest of
<strong>the</strong> public,” says David Gould,
<strong>the</strong>n supervisor of <strong>the</strong> exhibition
planning staff. The Metropolitan
Transportation Authority had set
aside car No. 1801 in <strong>the</strong> R-9
series for preservation, Gould
recalls. Built in 1940 for <strong>the</strong> Sixth
Avenue line, this particular car
was <strong>the</strong> second-to-last one built
in <strong>the</strong> series. It was part of a fleet
of nearly identical cars used on
<strong>the</strong> city-owned Independent
subway line from <strong>the</strong> 1930s until
March 31, 1977. The cars featured
ceiling fans for ventilation,
uncovered incandescent light
bulbs, and rattan-like seat
upholstery. Car No. 1801 could
accommodate 276 passengers,
56 seated and 220 standing.
The subway car’s two-day
journey to <strong>the</strong> State Museum
began on October 25, 1979.
The subway car was part of <strong>the</strong>
collection of <strong>the</strong> Metropolitan
Transit Authority’s Transit
Museum in Brooklyn. The car
traveled, as part of a freight train
specially made by Conrail, from
<strong>the</strong> 38th Street rail yard at
Parkville in South Brooklyn to <strong>the</strong>
rail yard at <strong>the</strong> Port of Albany. At
Albany, professional riggers lifted
<strong>the</strong> subway car body, separating
it from its trucks (wheels and
motors), and put it on a flatbed
trailer. The trucks were placed on
a second flatbed trailer, and <strong>the</strong>
two trailers traveled north on
South Pearl Street and up Madison
Avenue to <strong>the</strong> Museum. The
Knickerbocker News, Albany’s
now defunct afternoon paper,
reported on <strong>the</strong> progress and
published a front page photograph
of <strong>the</strong> subway car on both days.
Riggers hoisted <strong>the</strong> trucks,
followed by <strong>the</strong> subway car
body, and moved <strong>the</strong>m inside
<strong>the</strong> Museum through large
“elephant” doors. The subway car
was reassembled in its current
location, where it sits on real rails
and ties, says Senior Historian
Geoffrey N. Stein, who curates
<strong>the</strong> transportation collections and,
who, along with Gould, rode in
<strong>the</strong> subway car for part of <strong>the</strong>
trip. A diorama showing a
1950s scene with figures of a
motorman and passengers was
6 n Legacy

Museum Volunteers in Action
For a UAlbany Student, Coyote <strong>Research</strong>
Evolves into Ph.D. Studies
The New York City subway car arrived
at <strong>the</strong> State Museum in October 1979
and became a fixture in New York
Metropolis Hall.
created for one end of <strong>the</strong> car.
No changes were made to
<strong>the</strong> remainder of <strong>the</strong> car—<strong>the</strong>
part open to <strong>the</strong> public—but
<strong>the</strong> Museum added a film,
“Working <strong>the</strong> A Train,” that
airs on a monitor inside. In
addition, <strong>the</strong> car’s route sign
was turned to “A” to reflect
<strong>the</strong> popular 1941 song “Take
<strong>the</strong> A Train” by <strong>the</strong> Duke
Ellington Orchestra.
Initially, <strong>the</strong> subway car
was part of a larger exhibition
about transportation in <strong>the</strong>
New York metropolitan region.
The exhibition officially opened
on July 4, 1981, when <strong>the</strong>
Museum celebrated <strong>the</strong> opening
of New York Metropolis Hall.
The transportation exhibition
also featured a bus manufactured
by <strong>the</strong> Fifth Avenue
Coach Co. in 1925, a hansom
cab [now on <strong>the</strong> 4th Floor], as
well as models of locomotives
and coaches used on <strong>the</strong>
Long Island Railroad. That
exhibition was disassembled in
2002 to accommodate The
World Trade Center: Rescue,
Recovery, Response.
Nearly two years ago, as
a new intern in <strong>the</strong>
Museum’s mammal lab,
Abigail Curtis was uneasy about
seeing and working with <strong>the</strong>
coyote carcasses brought to <strong>the</strong>
Museum for research.
That was a long time ago.
Abigail—who graduated this
past May from <strong>the</strong> University at
Albany with a Bachelor of Science
in biology—has spent hundreds
of hours cleaning and measuring
mammal specimens. There are
200 to 300 coyote specimens in
<strong>the</strong> collection, and she’s probably
seen <strong>the</strong>m all.
Abigail has been working
with Dr. Roland Kays on research
into how eastern coyotes evolved
to become <strong>the</strong> top predator in
<strong>the</strong> region. Coyotes are not
native to <strong>the</strong> region, and those
in <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>ast are larger than
coyotes in <strong>the</strong> western United
States, possibly because <strong>the</strong>y’ve
hybridized with wolves. Abigail
took on <strong>the</strong> morphology part of
<strong>the</strong> research project, measuring
coyote skulls to show <strong>the</strong>
variations between coyotes from
different states. She has examined
more than 300 skulls from
across <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>ast, as well as
from western states. In addition
to measuring specimens at <strong>the</strong>
State Museum, this quest has
taken her to museums in New
York City and Maine and at
Harvard University and Cornell
University. The research has
benefited her academic studies
at <strong>the</strong> University at Albany, where
she received an award for her
undergraduate <strong>the</strong>sis on <strong>the</strong>
subject and graduated a year early.
Her work is also helping <strong>the</strong>
broader coyote research project
at <strong>the</strong> Museum led by Dr. Kays.
“Abbie hit <strong>the</strong> coyote research
project at full speed,” says Dr.
Kays. “I’m glad her time working
Abigail Curtis interned and volunteered in <strong>the</strong> mammal lab for two years, an experience
that put her on <strong>the</strong> path to a Ph.D. program at UCLA.
with us at <strong>the</strong> Museum also
helped her develop such a keen
interest and skill in research.”
When she came to <strong>the</strong>
Museum in October 2006,
Abigail knew she wanted to be
a zoologist. She worked with
several scientists on various
projects, including <strong>the</strong> dissection
and preparation of birds with
Dr. Jeremy Kirchman, isotope
prep work with paleontologist
Dr. Robert Feranec, and
skeletal preparation and
cataloging coyote specimens
with Dr. Kays. The more she
worked on skeletons, <strong>the</strong> more
questions she had.
Her undergraduate <strong>the</strong>sis
has answered some of <strong>the</strong>se,
but more questions remain. To
continue following her passion
for biology, Abigail plans to
extend her work to more
comparisons with western
coyotes, as well as research on
fossil animals from <strong>the</strong> La Brea
Tar Pits. She starts a Ph.D.
program at UCLA in September
and will keep Dr. Kays as an
adjunct advisor. The hours she’s
logged at <strong>the</strong> Museum represent
a great amount of work, but it
was also <strong>the</strong> start of a career.
“It’s been <strong>the</strong> best thing
coming here,” she says of her
time at <strong>the</strong> Museum.
The New York State Museum
offers many interesting and
educational opportunities
for volunteers, interns, and
those interested in community
service placements. For more
information, call 518-402-5869.
Fall 2008 n 7

discovery now
A New Look
at Paleoindian
Lifeways in
<strong>the</strong> Ice Age
By Dr. Jonathan C. Lothrop
Reinvestigation of <strong>the</strong> Potts
site; excavations show how <strong>the</strong>
Paleoindian encampment was
located on a glacial ridge overlooking
<strong>the</strong> Ontario Lake plain.
Dr. Jonathan C. Lothrop
joined <strong>the</strong> New York State
Museum as curator of
archaeology in January
2008. Between 1988 and
2007, he worked for
engineering firms in New
Jersey and Pennsylvania as
a principal investigator and
archaeology manager for
cultural resource management
projects. His research
interests include prehistoric
hunter-ga<strong>the</strong>rers in nor<strong>the</strong>astern
North America,
stone tool technology, and
integrating archaeological
and geological data to
interpret prehistoric sites.
The New York State Museum
has a tradition of significant
research on <strong>the</strong> archaeology
of New York by both current and
former staff. Much of what we
know about <strong>the</strong> occupation of
New York by prehistoric Native
Americans reflects <strong>the</strong> work of
former State Archaeologists William
Ritchie and Robert Funk. Like
me, <strong>the</strong>y shared an interest in
archaeological evidence for <strong>the</strong>
first documented people to
colonize New York—known as
Paleoindians. Entering <strong>the</strong> state
roughly 13,000 years ago at <strong>the</strong>
end of <strong>the</strong> Pleistocene era or
“Ice Age,” <strong>the</strong>se hunter-ga<strong>the</strong>rers
adapted to a harsh environment
that persisted for perhaps ano<strong>the</strong>r
1,500 years.
My graduate anthropology
work at Binghamton University
in <strong>the</strong> 1980s included reinvestigation
of <strong>the</strong> Potts archaeological
site, a Paleoindian encampment
in Oswego County first studied
by State Archaeologist William
Ritchie in 1962. Our excavations
at Potts recovered fluted spear
points and o<strong>the</strong>r stone tools
discarded by <strong>the</strong>se people during
seasonal visits to this glacial ridge
top on <strong>the</strong> Ontario Lake plain.
My analysis of <strong>the</strong> artifacts we
recovered, and also of those in
NYSM collections from earlier
research at Potts, offered new
insights into how <strong>the</strong>ir technology
helped Paleoindians adapt to
The Ice Age Hunters diorama reveals Late Pleistocene Native American lifeways, circa
13,000–12,000 years ago, in New York’s Hudson Valley region.
New York’s Ice Age environment.
When I was hired as <strong>the</strong>
curator of archaeology for <strong>the</strong>
Museum late last year, I was, not
surprisingly, thrilled that <strong>the</strong> job
description included archaeological
research on Late Pleistocene
Paleoindian adaptations.
Dr. Ritchie’s successor,
Dr. Robert Funk, also made
important contributions to our
understanding of Paleoindian
peoples. Perhaps best known is
his investigation of <strong>the</strong> West
A<strong>the</strong>ns Hill site in Greene County
in <strong>the</strong> late 1960s. His excavations
at this Hudson Valley site revealed
how Paleoindians quarried chert
or flint from outcrops on this
bedrock ridge to manufacture
stone implements <strong>the</strong>y carried on
<strong>the</strong>ir seasonal travels across New
York. The findings of this investigation
are vividly portrayed in
<strong>the</strong> Ice Age Hunters diorama in
<strong>the</strong> Native Peoples of New York
gallery. I plan to focus my future
research first on Paleoindian sites
elsewhere in <strong>the</strong> Hudson Valley
in order to broaden our understanding
of this fascinating
chapter in New York prehistory.
These are exciting times for
Paleoindian studies. Armed with
an expanded database, research
has moved beyond excavating
and interpreting isolated sites to
syn<strong>the</strong>sis of archaeological data
on <strong>the</strong>se Late Pleistocene peoples
for entire regions. Archaeologists
are trying to understand both <strong>the</strong>
adaptations of Paleoindians, and,
more broadly, what <strong>the</strong>se findings
tell us about <strong>the</strong> peopling of <strong>the</strong>
New World at <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong>
Pleistocene era. In this effort, we
are collaborating with scientists
in o<strong>the</strong>r disciplines—geologists,
paleobotanists, and paleontologists—to
better understand <strong>the</strong>
Ice Age landscapes and environments
of Paleoindians. I am
particularly excited by <strong>the</strong> chance
to collaborate with <strong>the</strong> Museum’s
o<strong>the</strong>r Quaternary scientists,
several of whom are conducting
related research on <strong>the</strong> Late
Pleistocene of New York. n
8 n Legacy

Ceramics:
A Window to <strong>the</strong> Past
By Dr. Charles E. Orser Jr.
The New York State Museum
holds a truly exceptional
collection of historic-period
archaeological materials. The
breadth of this collection, along
with <strong>the</strong> reputation of <strong>the</strong>
Museum as a world-class research
facility, means that <strong>the</strong> Museum
can be an important voice in
historical archaeology. The
practice of historical archaeology
has exploded around <strong>the</strong> world
over <strong>the</strong> past 20 years, and <strong>the</strong>
Museum’s commitment to <strong>the</strong>
field is noteworthy. I am proud to
follow in <strong>the</strong> footsteps of Charles
Fisher, <strong>the</strong> first curator of historical
archaeology at <strong>the</strong> Museum.
I gained my archaeological
experience excavating at historic
sites in <strong>the</strong> Midwest and South
(including at <strong>the</strong> first site of <strong>the</strong>
manufacture of Tabasco Brand
Pepper Sauce in Louisiana!) and
at <strong>the</strong> famous 17th-century
fugitive slave kingdom of Palmares
in nor<strong>the</strong>ast Brazil. Recently, I
spent 14 summers excavating in
Ireland at <strong>the</strong> cabin sites of
families evicted during <strong>the</strong> Great
Famine. I’ve always been interested
in <strong>the</strong> role of common, everyday
ceramics in daily life, and, in
Ireland, I was <strong>the</strong> first archaeologist
to study traditional Irish
ceramics from a social perspective.
My interest in ceramics has led
me to undertake a ceramicsbased
project at <strong>the</strong> Museum.
My goal is to create a fully
searchable Web-based resource
that includes information about
Dutch colonial ceramics from
10 archaeological sites in <strong>the</strong>
Hudson Valley. The artifacts are
now housed in <strong>the</strong> Museum as
well as at <strong>the</strong> New York State
Office of Parks, Recreation, and
Historical Preservation and at <strong>the</strong>
Albany Institute of History and
Art. Both institutions are partners
in <strong>the</strong> project. When completed,
<strong>the</strong> database will be widely used
by researchers around <strong>the</strong> world.
Archaeologists find ceramics
to be especially fascinating
because <strong>the</strong>y are so mundane.
Everyone uses dishes today,
and <strong>the</strong> situation was not much
different in recent centuries. My
research shows that <strong>the</strong> remains
of dishes can reveal much about
past diet, availability, affordability,
and personal preference. We
Buff ear<strong>the</strong>nware shards with brown combed decoration
archaeologists
are fortunate
because we
can take <strong>the</strong>
often-tiny shards
we find in our
excavations and
compare <strong>the</strong>m
with whole pieces in museum
collections. The study of colonial
Dutch ceramics is especially exciting
because we can also compare
<strong>the</strong> shards with vessels shown in
17th-century paintings. Many
Dutch masters depicted people
using ceramic dishes. Sometimes
<strong>the</strong> dishes hold fish and, at o<strong>the</strong>r
times, bread; sometimes <strong>the</strong>y lay
tipped over on <strong>the</strong> floor or are
held precariously in a tavern-goer’s
hand. But in every case, <strong>the</strong>
paintings give us a peek inside
Dutch culture. Also, when
archaeologists find Dutch ceramics
at Native American
village sites, we are allowed to
glimpse <strong>the</strong> process of cultural
contact. At <strong>the</strong>se sites, <strong>the</strong> ceramics
express both <strong>the</strong> exchange of
<strong>the</strong> objects <strong>the</strong>mselves and <strong>the</strong>
ideas that accompanied <strong>the</strong>m.
Historical archaeology, <strong>the</strong>
study of <strong>the</strong> most recent centuries,
is adding new chapters to <strong>the</strong>
human story. The New York
State Museum’s collections and
its commitment to archaeology
and history provide special
opportunities for <strong>the</strong> people of
New York to learn about our
most recent ancestors and to see
something of ourselves in <strong>the</strong>
daily lives of those who came
before us. n
Blue hand-painted delft tile
Dr. Charles E. Orser Jr.
is curator of historical
archaeology at <strong>the</strong> New
York State Museum.
Before joining <strong>the</strong> Museum
in February 2008, he was
Distinguished Professor
of Anthropology at Illinois
State University. He has
directed archaeological
excavations in North
America, Brazil, and
Ireland. His research focus
is <strong>the</strong> historical archaeology
of <strong>the</strong> Atlantic World.
The author of 10 books,
he is also <strong>the</strong> founder of
<strong>the</strong> International Journal of
Historical Archaeology.
Fall 2008 n 9

hidden treasures
Priceless Art
Natural and cultural history illustrations
provide a visual record
of research and publication activities
By Patricia Kernan
Patricia Kernan is staff
scientific illustrator for
research and collections at
<strong>the</strong> New York State Museum.
She curates <strong>the</strong> natural and
cultural history illustration
collection and <strong>the</strong> Focus
on Nature: Natural History
Illustration exhibitions.
Deep in <strong>the</strong> heart of <strong>the</strong>
biology collection,
tucked between <strong>the</strong>
insects and bryophytes, is a row
of cabinets filled with biological
illustrations. These are only a part
of <strong>the</strong> approximately 15,000 to
20,000 illustrations that were
created for research, publications,
and exhibitions since <strong>the</strong> first
surveys of <strong>the</strong> state’s natural
resources in <strong>the</strong> early 1830s. Most
of <strong>the</strong> earliest illustrations are no
longer extant, lost over time
through moves, fires, and mishaps.
However, many of those created
since <strong>the</strong> mid-late 19th century
are still stored in various collection
areas of <strong>the</strong> Museum.
The importance of natural
history and cultural illustrations
cannot be over emphasized. They
are an integral part of <strong>the</strong> process
and results of research activities.
Before photography, illustration
was <strong>the</strong> means by which specimens
and research were recorded,
and often it is still <strong>the</strong> most
concise way to achieve <strong>the</strong> clearest
and most lasting depiction. In
some cases, illustrations are all
that are left of artifacts and
specimens that no
longer exist or have
been lost. In o<strong>the</strong>r cases,
illustrations are considered part of
<strong>the</strong> type specimens, such as many
of <strong>the</strong> more than 2,000 species
named by Charles H. Peck, a
world-renowned, pioneering
mycologist who was <strong>the</strong> state
botanist from 1868 to 1913.
Many illustrations in <strong>the</strong>
Museum’s collection have popular
as well as scientific appeal.
One example is <strong>the</strong> work of Mary
Banning, who donated her life’s
work, illustrations for The Fungi
of Maryland. O<strong>the</strong>r examples are
<strong>the</strong> paintings for Birds of New
York by Louis Agassiz Fuertes, a
well-known illustrator living in
<strong>the</strong> early 20th century; <strong>the</strong> mixed
media images for Bird Life by
Ernest Thompson Seton; and <strong>the</strong>
beautiful fish paintings, primarily
done by Ellen Edmunson, for <strong>the</strong>
Conservation Department (now
Department of Environmental
Conservation) Watershed Fish
Surveys from 1926
to 1939. Not so well
known, but equally exquisite,
are <strong>the</strong> ink wash illustrations by
George Barkentin for Crinoids of
New York and George Simpson
for Paleontology of New York.
More recent botanical illustrations
include bryophytes (mosses
and liverworts) by Ted Baim,
a botanist associated with <strong>the</strong>
Landis Arboretum, and work
by some of <strong>the</strong> most notable
contemporary illustrators for
The Flora of New York.
In addition to <strong>the</strong> historically
important works, <strong>the</strong> collection
has expanded through <strong>the</strong> Focus
on Nature Purchase Awards.
Illustrations are selected from <strong>the</strong>
international, biennial exhibition
Focus on Nature: Natural History
Illustration as examples of excellent
contemporary illustration. n
To see additional images, go to
www.nysm.nysed.gov/collections/
biology/illustrations/.
10 n Legacy

Clockwise from top: Mary Banning, Honey Agaricus (Agaricus mulleus), watercolor/
pen and ink on paper, c. 1875; Wendy Smith, Lasiurus Bats of North America (Lasiurus
borealis, L. seminolus, L. intermedius, L. ega, L. cenereus, Lasionycteis noctivagans),
watercolor on paper, 2006; Alan Male, Beautiful Jumping Spider (Philaeus chrysops),
gouache and watercolor on paper, 1997; Frances Fawcett, Milkweed Habitat
(Asclepias syriaca), carbon dust on drafting film, 2007; and Ellen Edmonson, Nor<strong>the</strong>rn
Pike (Esox lucius), watercolor, c. 1927.
Left page: Jessie Salmon, American Ginseng (Panax quinquifolius), watercolor on
paper, 1999.
Fall 2008 n 11

To Preserve
The staff members working with artifacts from <strong>the</strong> World
are deeply involved with learning <strong>the</strong> best way to manage
Connie Frisbee Houde is
a research and collections
technician working on
<strong>the</strong> World Trade Center
collection at <strong>the</strong> New York
State Museum.
By Connie Frisbee Houde
The World Trade Center
collection is like no o<strong>the</strong>r
under <strong>the</strong> Museum’s
stewardship, and it continues to
expand. The collection ranges
from entire vehicles and World
Trade Center building components
to nearly all that remains
of two airplanes to hundreds of
thousands of sympathy items
sent to New York City respite
areas and firehouses. When <strong>the</strong>
Museum took a leading role in
<strong>the</strong> documentation and preservation
of artifacts from <strong>the</strong> tragedy
on September 11, 2001, no one
could foresee <strong>the</strong> magnitude of
<strong>the</strong> materials or <strong>the</strong> daunting
challenge of working with <strong>the</strong>m.
The public’s response to
September 11th created a
legacy of thoughts and actions,
expressed in such tangible
artifacts as letters, banners,
quilts, and o<strong>the</strong>r artwork. The
spectrum of materials, from
homes to schools to businesses
and o<strong>the</strong>r organizations,
encompasses a cross section
of our society. The response
showed immediacy unlike any
o<strong>the</strong>r event in our nation’s
history. The sympathy quickly
touched countless recovery
workers. In <strong>the</strong> future, this
material will be an extremely
unique window into <strong>the</strong>
attitudes and emotions of
that period. The volume and
ephemeral nature of <strong>the</strong>
response, however, challenges
<strong>the</strong> preservation of that record.
(From Save America’s Treasures
grant application, 2006)
Finding a Focal Point
By August 2007, <strong>the</strong> Museum
had four staff members, partially
funded by a Save America’s
Treasures grant, dedicated to
<strong>the</strong> rehousing and cataloging of
<strong>the</strong> World Trade Center collection.
This collections team met that
summer with objects conservators
Patricia and James Hamm of Fine
Arts Conservation and Technical
Services in Clarence Center, New
York, for guidance. “The responses
can be thought of as occupying
rings of importance surrounding
<strong>the</strong> primary event, similar to <strong>the</strong>
12 n Legacy

and Protect
Trade Center and <strong>the</strong> events of September 11, 2001,
this vast and diverse collection
ripples created when a pebble is
dropped into a pool of water,”
said Patricia Hamm. “Those items
that occurred later, even minutes
later, are slightly less important
and are relegated to a lesser ring
of time.” Curatorial priorities for
<strong>the</strong> WTC collections have incorporated
this simple and helpful
philosophy. Our “pebble” was <strong>the</strong>
moment <strong>the</strong> airplanes struck <strong>the</strong>
towers. Representing this moment
are <strong>the</strong> airplane fragments,
components from <strong>the</strong> buildings,
and crushed vehicles such as <strong>the</strong>
Engine 6 pumper. Museum staff
members were able to retrieve
many of <strong>the</strong>se artifacts while
working closely with federal, state,
and city agencies during <strong>the</strong>
sorting operation at <strong>the</strong> Fresh
Kills recovery site on Staten Island
in early 2002.
Continued study and interpretation
has guided <strong>the</strong> appropriate
classification of <strong>the</strong> collections
as we move out from <strong>the</strong> center
ripple. The next ring includes
artifacts representing immediate
reactions to <strong>the</strong> events of
September 11th. The Museum
has a substantial collection of
<strong>the</strong> missing person posters that
were left throughout <strong>the</strong> city by
families and friends of those lost.
New York University students
donated nearly 200 large paper
scrolls from <strong>the</strong>ir Union Square
memorial. On <strong>the</strong> afternoon of
September 11th, and for <strong>the</strong> rest
of that week, <strong>the</strong>y set out paper
and pens to encourage comments
and conversation about <strong>the</strong>
tragedy. The immediacy of <strong>the</strong>se
comments remains striking. Highresolution
scans of <strong>the</strong> scrolls
have been made and <strong>the</strong> originals
have been archivally preserved.
In <strong>the</strong> months following <strong>the</strong>
tragedy, sympathy material from
across <strong>the</strong> nation and <strong>the</strong> world
flooded <strong>the</strong> recovery site, respite
areas, and firehouses. The State
Museum has become <strong>the</strong> ad hoc
depository for much of this
material. A 70-foot-long memorial
fence from Liberty Plaza (a block
away from <strong>the</strong> Trade Center) was
transferred to <strong>the</strong> Museum by <strong>the</strong>
City of New York in April 2002.
The several hundred artifacts on
<strong>the</strong> fence have been stabilized
and cataloged. Similarly, <strong>the</strong> more
International Response
In 2003, Yvonne Breitmar and
Andreas Renner, students at
<strong>the</strong> Padagogische Hochschule
Karlsruhe in Germany, created this
tapestry depicting <strong>the</strong> events of
September 11th . They had been
studying <strong>the</strong> Bayeux Tapestry, an
embroidered depiction of <strong>the</strong> Battle
of Hastings in 1066, and chose as a
final project to create
a tapestry representing an iconic
event in <strong>the</strong>ir lifetime. The Museum
collections team learned about
this tapestry while reading an
article entitled “Life in <strong>the</strong> TV:
The Visual Nature of 9/11 Lore and
Its Impact on Vernacular Response”
by Rosemary Hathaway. After
contacting Hathaway and making
several inquiries, <strong>the</strong> collections
team connected with <strong>the</strong> artists,
who donated <strong>the</strong> tapestry to <strong>the</strong>
State Museum in November 2007.
The tapestry is part of <strong>the</strong> exhibition
September 11, 2001: A Global
Moment, on view at Le Mémorial
de Caen in France.
Fall 2008 n 13

With objects deteriorating
because of <strong>the</strong> materials used to
construct <strong>the</strong>m, digital imaging of
<strong>the</strong>se artifacts is a priority. The
Fulton Street Viewing platform
(a portion shown above) was one
of <strong>the</strong> first collections recorded,
preserving <strong>the</strong> information and
making it more accessible.
than 300 sheets of heavily
inscribed and decorated plywood
from <strong>the</strong> city’s Fulton Street
viewing platform came to <strong>the</strong>
Museum. The emotionally
ladened inscriptions are from <strong>the</strong>
many thousands who used <strong>the</strong>
platform from December 2001 to
July 2002. The 4-foot by 8-foot
panels have also been digitally
photographed to record <strong>the</strong>se
comments, done with fugitive
inks on very acidic board. Several
thousand cubic feet of cards,
letters, and banners have come to
<strong>the</strong> Museum from <strong>the</strong> Salvation
Army, <strong>the</strong> Fire Department of
New York, <strong>the</strong> American Red
Cross, and from respite areas
such as Saint Paul’s, Nino’s, and
<strong>the</strong> “Hilltop Café,” <strong>the</strong> respite
site at Fresh Kills.
Our Stewardship Begins
T
“ he physical reorganization
and consolidation of <strong>the</strong>
collections since August 2007
has been a great and welcomed
success,” says Senior Historian
Craig Williams, curator of <strong>the</strong>
collection. “The intensity and
unpredictability of <strong>the</strong> Museum’s
documentation work in New York
City in 2001 and 2002 precluded,
at <strong>the</strong> time, a systematic approach
to storage and housing. Indeed,
this work occurred as <strong>the</strong>
Museum’s general collection was
in <strong>the</strong> process of being moved
to new storage quarters, ano<strong>the</strong>r
extreme complication. Artifacts
came in any manner of temporary
container and were stored
wherever space allowed.”
Museum staff have since
processed more than 120 individual
collections. Some consist of a
single item, such as an ironworker’s
hard hat or <strong>the</strong> badly damaged
van used that morning by <strong>the</strong> one
FBI agent killed. O<strong>the</strong>r collections
present greater curatorial
challenges. The objects that are
most directly connected to <strong>the</strong>
World Trade Center site are often
coated with dust from <strong>the</strong> site
and must be handled with <strong>the</strong>
appreciation that this material
may contain microscopic human
remains. Because of <strong>the</strong> diverse
and non-archival materials used
to make many of <strong>the</strong>se items, we
must make decisions concerning
<strong>the</strong> optimal methods of maintaining
<strong>the</strong>m for future generations.
The events of September 11th,
2001, inspired an instantaneous
and near-universal
response, manifested in <strong>the</strong>
form of art work, letters, and
crafts; many of <strong>the</strong>se materials
were made from typical
school materials such as acidic
construction paper, glitter,
craft glue, and various incompatible
materials which are
now interacting and hastening
deterioration such as <strong>the</strong> fading
of inks, <strong>the</strong> cracking and
peeling of paints on banners,
and <strong>the</strong> separation of component
pieces such as buttons
and ribbons from original
pieces. The impromptu outdoor
memorials led to objects,
especially paper objects, being
exposed to water and wea<strong>the</strong>r,
rendering <strong>the</strong>m illegible,
fragile, and moldy. Sympathy
material laminated by wellmeaning
caretakers will rapidly
A Global
The State Museum partners
with a French museum
for a new exhibition
about September 11th
An emergency sign from
Stairwell B of one of <strong>the</strong>
collapsed World Trade Center
towers. A metal fragment from
United Airlines Flight 93. A heavily
soiled and severely damaged
firefighter’s boot. Posters listing
names of <strong>the</strong> missing. A United
Mileage Plus Card carried by
Lisa Frost, a passenger on
United Airlines Flight 175. The
dust-covered suede shoes Kayla
Bergeron carried as she exited
<strong>the</strong> North Tower minutes before
it crumbled to <strong>the</strong> ground.
These artifacts and personal
belongings—plus more than
100 o<strong>the</strong>r artifacts and hundreds
of photographs—are part of
an exhibition organized by <strong>the</strong>
New York State Museum for Le
Mémorial de Caen, a museum
dedicated to peace, in Caen,
France (pictured at right).
The exhibition, September 11,
2001: A Global Moment, explores
<strong>the</strong> personal and historical significance
of September 11, 2001,
with a comprehensive look at <strong>the</strong>
events of that day; <strong>the</strong> search for
human remains, personal effects,
and criminal evidence during <strong>the</strong>
extensive recovery operation; and
<strong>the</strong> response of individuals from
around <strong>the</strong> world. It also includes
a timeline of events, biographies
of several victims and survivors,
and documentary films. In an
effort to provide context, <strong>the</strong>
exhibition includes a section on
al Qaeda and biographies of
continued on page 16
14 n Legacy

Moment
<strong>the</strong> hijackers. It also includes information
about <strong>the</strong> hijackings of
American Airlines Flight 77 that
rammed <strong>the</strong> Pentagon and United
Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in
Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Le Mémorial de Caen, primarily
a museum about World War II
events and <strong>the</strong> aftermath, also
celebrates recipients of <strong>the</strong> Nobel
Peace Prize and includes exhibitions
about <strong>the</strong> successes and failures of
peace. The museum, located near
<strong>the</strong> Normandy American Cemetery
and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer,
draws more than 400,000 visitors
annually, according to its Web site.
While <strong>the</strong> museum has exhibited a
piece of steel from <strong>the</strong> World Trade
Center since 2003, this is <strong>the</strong> first
exhibition of its kind in Europe.
The exhibition will be on view
through December 31, 2008.
“It’s gratifying to bring this story
to a large audience,” says Mark
Schaming, director of exhibitions
and public programs at <strong>the</strong> State
Museum. “Every person you meet
in France can tell you where he or
she was on September 11th. This
is a very powerful piece of history
for <strong>the</strong>m as well.”
Already what Schaming calls
an “enormous story” involving
recovered artifacts, oral histories,
documentaries, and personal items
loaned by survivors and families,
<strong>the</strong> Museum’s narrative of
September 11th gains ano<strong>the</strong>r
chapter with this exhibition. Visitor
comments will be recorded, and,
at <strong>the</strong> conclusion of <strong>the</strong> exhibition,
archived at Le Mémorial de
Caen and at <strong>the</strong> State Museum,
where <strong>the</strong>y will become part of
<strong>the</strong> Museum’s collection.
—Maria C. Sparks
Fall 2008 n 15

The Day and Its
Aftermath
See artifacts from <strong>the</strong> World
Trade Center as well as images
of impromptu memorials online
at www.nysm.nysed.gov/wtc/.
This online exhibition presents
<strong>the</strong> history of <strong>the</strong> World Trade
Center, a timeline of events on
September 11, 2001, and details
about <strong>the</strong> rescue and recovery
efforts. Survivors, family members,
and rescue and recovery workers
tell <strong>the</strong>ir own stories, in <strong>the</strong>ir
own voices, and images capture
<strong>the</strong> events of that day.
deteriorate; candle wax residue
on paper memorial pieces will
continue to cause damage.
(From Save America’s Treasures
grant application, 2006)
Artifacts from <strong>the</strong> events of
September 11th continue to arrive
at <strong>the</strong> Museum. When <strong>the</strong> aircraft
carrier/museum Intrepid prepared
for its famous move across New
York harbor, <strong>the</strong> staff transferred
its collections of Trade Center
artifacts to <strong>the</strong> State Museum.
The first museum at <strong>the</strong> Trade
Center site, <strong>the</strong> Tribute Center,
works with State Museum curators
to document and preserve
<strong>the</strong> many artifacts left at <strong>the</strong>ir
facility by family members,
survivors, and rescue/recovery
workers. The State Museum
worked this past spring with <strong>the</strong>
Port Authority of New York &
New Jersey and <strong>the</strong> Metropolitan
Transportation Authority with
<strong>the</strong> documentation and recovery
of artifacts from <strong>the</strong> Cortlandt
Street Subway Station, <strong>the</strong> last
pre-September 11th structure to
be removed from <strong>the</strong> site. Oral
histories continue to be collected.
Recent interviews include New
Collections staff members visit <strong>the</strong> National Institute of Standards and Technology in
Maryland, where steel from <strong>the</strong> World Trade Center was brought for analysis.
York National Guard troops who
were stationed at <strong>the</strong> site, K-9
search and rescue teams, and <strong>the</strong>
World Trade Center Families for
Proper Burial.
Determining what to save
has often involved factors beyond
what is normally considered in
<strong>the</strong> Museum’s curatorial office.
Through <strong>the</strong>ir work, <strong>the</strong> staff
organizing and safeguarding this
collection focuses on telling <strong>the</strong>
story of <strong>the</strong> September 11th
tragedy, <strong>the</strong> public response, and
recovery operation as accurately
and completely as possible.
“In caring for this vast
collection now, we are giving
someone 20 years from now,
who has <strong>the</strong> distance of time,
<strong>the</strong> chance to evaluate what
happened that day.” n
Above: Bridget Enderle, a research and
collections technician, prepares to scan
a section of <strong>the</strong> paper scrolls that New
York University students posted in
Manhattan’s Union Square. The scrolls
serve as a record of immediate reactions
to September 11th and reveal a developing
conversation among many people, in many
different languages.
16 n Legacy

h
A Tradition of
Published <strong>Research</strong>
hby John B. Skiba
Since 1838, publications have provided scientific data
about <strong>the</strong> natural and human history of New York
How were “diamonds” discovered in New York? Did hostilities exist
among <strong>the</strong> Native American tribes prior to <strong>the</strong> arrival of European
settlers? What geographic region was known as “land of <strong>the</strong> dark
people”? What dinosaur left evidence of his existence in New York? These
and o<strong>the</strong>r topics are <strong>the</strong> subject of published books, maps, charts, memoirs,
and leaflets in <strong>the</strong> disciplines of anthropology, biology, geology, paleontology,
and history as <strong>the</strong>y pertain to <strong>the</strong> natural and human history of New
York. These data are published by <strong>the</strong> New York State Museum’s Scholarly
Publication Program and are available in technical and popular formats that
appeal to a wide audience of scholars and o<strong>the</strong>r individuals whose interest
in New York extends through <strong>the</strong> natural sciences and history.
Above: Agriculture of New York, An Account of <strong>the</strong> Classification, Composition, and Distribution of Soils and Rocks
Toge<strong>the</strong>r with Descriptions of The More Common and Injurious Species of Insects (1854)
John B. Skiba is manager of <strong>the</strong> Office of Cartography and Publications at <strong>the</strong> New York State Museum.
Fall 2008 n 17

Throughout
its 170-plus-year history,
<strong>the</strong> New York State Museum,
designated as <strong>the</strong> Geologic and
Natural History Survey in 1836 and
commissioned as <strong>the</strong> New York
State Museum of Natural History
in 1870, has published in excess
of 1,000 books on research
supported by <strong>the</strong> institution and
its extensive scientific collections.
These informative and educational
volumes often provide previously
undiscovered information or
augment existing knowledge.
The first published book,
an annual report to <strong>the</strong> state
Legislature issued in 1838,
identified natural resources of
<strong>the</strong> state, <strong>the</strong> impetus being
<strong>the</strong> Legislature’s concern with
Pennsylvania’s lucrative coal
industry established just across
New York’s border. A subsequent
four-volume report titled Final
Reports of <strong>the</strong> New York State
Natural History Survey, published
in 1842, furnished an inventory
of natural resources within a
specific region of <strong>the</strong> state and
provided significantly more detail
compared to <strong>the</strong> broad approach
available in <strong>the</strong> previously published
single edition. A profusion
of subsurface data included in
<strong>the</strong> 1842 edition were <strong>the</strong> result
of extensive excavation work for
<strong>the</strong> Erie Canal. This report was
<strong>the</strong> first attempt by New York
geologists to classify rock types
across such a vast region of <strong>the</strong>
state. The report included a
multi-colored
map illustrating
rock units titled
Geological
Map of <strong>the</strong>
State of New
York by Legislative Authority.
A significant number of <strong>the</strong>
Museum’s publications remain
classics in <strong>the</strong>ir respective disciplines.
James Hall, known as <strong>the</strong>
fa<strong>the</strong>r of modern paleontology
in North America, authored a
13 quarto set of volumes titled
Paleontology of New York.
The series, with its first volume
published in 1847 and <strong>the</strong> last in
1894, remains a paleontological
reference to this day. Ebenezer
Emmons, a State Geological
Survey geologist, published a
synopsis on <strong>the</strong> distribution of
soils and common and injurious
insect specimens in <strong>the</strong> state in
1854. The watercolor illustrations
in <strong>the</strong> volume represent <strong>the</strong> first
published color images of insects
previously rendered in black and
white. Charles H. Peck’s 1887
report to <strong>the</strong> Legislature identified
edible mushrooms within New
York. Subsequent works by Peck
illustrate sketches of more than
1,800 species of mushrooms and,
in order to capture <strong>the</strong> specimen
in its natural habitat, were drawn
in <strong>the</strong>ir natural environment by
Peck or his assistants.
A Range of Publications
The diversity of <strong>the</strong> program
and <strong>the</strong> degree of scholarly
research necessitated <strong>the</strong> creation
of specific categories for determining
<strong>the</strong> level of research
and whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> work would be
subject to periodic revision.
• The Bulletin Series, created in
1892, represents <strong>the</strong> State
Museum’s classic scholarly series.
Bulletins document original
current research on all aspects
of New York’s natural and
human histories and also
contain reports based on <strong>the</strong>
Museum’s collections. Issues in
this series are expected to have
a very long period of relevance.
• The Circular Series, created
in 1928, represents research
summaries, indices, short
reports, and catalogs requiring
periodic updates.
• The Educational Leaflet Series
was established in 1933 and
was designed to create a venue
to publish popular and educational
books and pamphlets
intended for students, teachers,
and interested members of
<strong>the</strong> general public. Educational
Leaflets are published in
various formats extending from
single-page documents to
multiple-page, bound volumes.
• The Map and Chart Series, first
introduced in 1960, combines
large format graphics with
associated text with emphasis
on <strong>the</strong> graphic in lieu of
descriptive text. The primary
18 n Legacy

A complete listing of
<strong>the</strong> Museum’s scholarly
publications is available
at www.nysm.nysed
.gov/publications/.
purpose of <strong>the</strong> series is to
document surface and subsurface
data that are difficult to
present in o<strong>the</strong>r formats. Many
geologic maps are published in
this series.
• The Memoir classification
represents comprehensive
works on topics in New York’s
natural history, history, and
prehistory. This class of published
works, first issued in 1889, is
appropriate for documenting
historical record.
• Established in 1986, <strong>the</strong>
Software Series was developed
to publish data digitally. These
data are produced primarily as
an interactive educational tool
and are available in various
electronic formats.
Quality Reference Material
The Scholarly Publication
Program continues to produce
high-quality material that reflects
<strong>the</strong> advanced level of scientific and
historical research and expertise
at <strong>the</strong> Museum. The inventory of
many volumes has been depleted,
requiring second and third reprint
editions. Numerous scholarly
works serve as reference material
for educational institutions and
supplement course curricula.
Bulletin 384, New York Projectile
Points, A Typology and Nomenclature,
a profusely illustrated
volume with descriptive text,
provides detailed information
referencing stone projectile points
found throughout <strong>the</strong> state. The
volume was <strong>the</strong> first attempt to
classify New York projectile points
in a single, comprehensive book
ra<strong>the</strong>r than in individual site
reports. Educational Leaflet 28,
Geology of New York, A Simplified
Account and <strong>the</strong> accompanying
Geological Highway Map, present
a synopsis of how bedrock was
formed and landscape evolved
in non-technical prose. Demand
for <strong>the</strong> bound volume and multicolored
map necessitated several
reprint editions. Many Bulletin
Series volumes are no longer
available as bound editions;
however, <strong>the</strong> State Library has
electronically scanned Bulletins
1 through 495 and made <strong>the</strong>m
accessible as digital copies at
www.nysl.nysed.gov/scandocs/
historical/.
Recent publications such as
<strong>the</strong> award-winning Bulletin 509,
Before Albany, An Archaeology
of Native-Dutch Relations in <strong>the</strong>
Capital Region, 1600–1664;
Bulletin 507, Fabulous Fossils,
300 Years of Worldwide <strong>Research</strong>
on Trilobites; Bulletin 502, Natural
History of <strong>the</strong> Albany Pine Bush;
Memoir 27, The Motorcycle
Industry in New York State, A
Concise Encyclopedia of Inventors,
Builders, and Manufacturers;
Software Series 4, The Science
and Art of <strong>the</strong> Facial Reconstruction
Process; and Map and
Chart 44, Bedrock Geology
of <strong>the</strong> Fulton Chain-of-Lakes,
West Central Adirondack
Mountains, New York
reflect <strong>the</strong> continuing high
standard of publications
produced by <strong>the</strong> State
Museum’s research and
collections division.
<strong>Continuing</strong> research on
New York’s Algonquian Peoples,
archaeological site exploration in
Albany, <strong>the</strong> economic impact of
railroad crossings in <strong>the</strong> Sou<strong>the</strong>rn
Tier, glacial deposits in <strong>the</strong> White
Plains region, <strong>the</strong> interaction
between prehistoric human and
plant populations, and vascular
flora in <strong>the</strong> Adirondack Region
constitute pending publications
about New York’s diverse natural
and human histories. These will
provide information unavailable
elsewhere and reflect <strong>the</strong>
Museum’s strength in providing
knowledge about New York’s
prehistory, history, ecology,
economy, and environment.
The Scholarly Publication
Program represents a broad spectrum
of research conducted by
State Museum staff and o<strong>the</strong>r
professionals whose research is
specific to New York. From Marcy
to Montauk, from railroads to
mushrooms, from pre-habitation
research dating millions of years
ago to Native American occupation
thousands of years ago, <strong>the</strong>
published work exemplifies <strong>the</strong>
extensive range of study supported
by <strong>the</strong> research and collections
division of <strong>the</strong> State Museum. n
Clockwise from top left:
Natural History of New York
Vol. V. Part II, written by
James Hall (1879); Museum
Bulletin 509, Current
Approaches to <strong>the</strong> Analysis
and Interpretation of Small
Lithic Sites in <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>ast
(2008); Museum Circular 68,
Ambulances in New York
1911–2004 (2005); Museum
Bulletin 505, James Eights:
Antarctic Explorer, Albany
Naturalist, His Life, His
Times, His Work (2005); and
Museum Bulletin 506, The
Challenge: An Algonquian
Peoples Seminar (2005).
Fall 2008 n 19

new york stories
The Beef Is in <strong>the</strong> River
By Dr. Robert A. Daniels
An engraving of sturgeon with a
fishing camp in <strong>the</strong> distance from
The Hudson from <strong>the</strong> Wilderness
to <strong>the</strong> Sea by Benson J. Lossing
(Virtue & Yorston: New York, 1866).
Dr. Robert A. Daniels
is assistant director of
research and collections
and <strong>the</strong> curator of ichthyology
at <strong>the</strong> New York
State Museum. He studies
stream fish ecology.
Albany beef, Cape Cod turkey, and Bombay
duck share several traits. First, despite <strong>the</strong>se
names, all are fish and second, none was
highly regarded as food initially. Apparently if you
have a lot of something and nobody really wants it,
<strong>the</strong> best way to market it is to pretend that it is
something that it is not.
Take sturgeon for example. Sturgeon is an ancient
fish, and two species inhabit <strong>the</strong> Hudson River.
Atlantic sturgeon is <strong>the</strong> larger, with fish caught in
recent decades weighing 200 pounds. Shortnose
sturgeon is a relatively small sturgeon, about 40 inches
as a maximum length. Atlantic sturgeon is an
anadromous fish, spending most of its life in <strong>the</strong>
sea, but spawning in freshwater. Both species of
sturgeon can live well over 100 years. Unlike Atlantic
sturgeon, Shortnose sturgeon is endangered.
Early reports suggested that <strong>the</strong> Hudson River
teemed with sturgeon. Probably most of <strong>the</strong> reports
refer to Atlantic sturgeon, which grew to huge
sizes—15 feet long and 800 pounds. Abundant and
big, nei<strong>the</strong>r species was a popular food fish. The
early Dutch and English inhabitants of <strong>the</strong> Hudson
Valley ignored sturgeon. That all changed in <strong>the</strong>
mid-19th century. By <strong>the</strong> 1850s, smokehouses in
New York City began to process sturgeon and
peddle <strong>the</strong> product among <strong>the</strong> growing immigrant
population. Smoked halibut had been <strong>the</strong> popular
fish for <strong>the</strong>se poor, largely European immigrants,
but as halibut increased in price, <strong>the</strong>y gladly switched
to sturgeon, what <strong>the</strong> fisherman derisively called
“Albany beef.” It is not clear whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> sturgeon
or Albany was <strong>the</strong> focus of <strong>the</strong> derision.
The term was defined in Bartlett’s Dictionary of
Americanisms in 1848 as “sturgeon, a fish common
in <strong>the</strong> Hudson River.” By <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> Civil War,
<strong>the</strong> tide had turned, and Albany beef had become
a popular food fish along <strong>the</strong> river from New York
City to Albany. It was still inexpensive and abundant.
In <strong>the</strong> 1880s, in Albany alone, more than 1,000
pounds a week were sold at 18 cents a pound, and
demand exceeded supply. During one week in
1881, 4,500 pounds were sold. Several enterprising
individuals had begun to exploit <strong>the</strong> caviar market,
and o<strong>the</strong>rs rendered <strong>the</strong> offal into clean-burning
lamp oil that was reported to be superior to that
from whales.
Albany beef had arrived. It had become a source
of pride for Albany—an all-purpose fish that
provided food, light, employment, and an exportable
product. One enterprising individual developed a
method for canning sturgeon meat in 1882 and
believed his genius entitled him to <strong>the</strong> exclusive use
of “Albany beef” as a trademark. His petition was
denied because <strong>the</strong> term was in common usage.
By <strong>the</strong> turn of <strong>the</strong> century, <strong>the</strong> biggest of <strong>the</strong>
sturgeon had been caught, and <strong>the</strong> number of fish
caught each year declined. The boom was over, and
Albany beef disappeared from <strong>the</strong> market.
Sturgeon still spawn in <strong>the</strong> Hudson River, but
<strong>the</strong>se are relatively small fish when compared with
those reported 150 years ago. Nei<strong>the</strong>r species is
secure, but if conservation efforts are successful,
<strong>the</strong>se large fish may again become abundant. n
20 n Legacy

close-ups
Tell us what you think
about Legacy. Send
your comments to
nysmfeedback@
mail.nysed.gov.
Clockwise from top left: Pressure gauge on <strong>the</strong> portable steam engine made by Watertown Steam
Engine Co. in 1890, Adirondack Hall; U.S. mail box, New York Metropolis Hall; trout in <strong>the</strong> camping
life group, Adirondack Hall; and wigwam, New York Metropolis Hall.
For a schedule of exhibitions, programs, and events, see The Museum Calendar or visit
www.nysm.nysed.gov/calendar
The New York State Museum is a program of The University of <strong>the</strong> State of New York/The State Education Department