The Village Green was constructed in the early 20th century when Louise Eldridge set aside five acres of her estate for a village green. While many greens are meant for grazing, Eldridge solicited help from Beatrix Jones Farrand, an American landscape gardener and architect. The green remains a public park for Great Neck's residents today.
In the summer of 1874, the Martha's Vineyard Railroad was opened to provide passenger travel across the island. Facing a financial crisis in 1873, the railroad was envisioned to bring visitors from the popular tourist town of Oak Bluffs to the old whaling town of Edgartown. Although environmental concerns were raised by residents, the railroad was pushed through and hastily built. Constructed over miles of pristine beaches and water, the railroad destroyed large tracts of wildlife and encroached on the existing ecosystem. The railroad lost in popularity to a horse-drawn trolley line, and was shut down permanently in 1895.
By 1850, a substantial amount of Europeans had permanently settled on Martha's Vineyard. Like in much of New England, little thought was given by the settlers as to the long term health of the land. Aiming to maximize cranberry production, water power, grazing area, and obtain needed firewood, masses of the island's forests were chopped down. Although a decline in human activity would eventually allow for a partial rebound, the once abundant forests have yet to come close to returning to their former glory.
When the Dust Bowl hit the midwest in the 1930s, the semi-arid region of Douglas County was also affected, although not as severely as other parts of Colorado. Native grasses usually kept the topsoil in place, but with an increase in agriculture, the soil was no longer secured to the ground. With a lack of precipitation, droughts intensified, and high winds were able to pick up the topsoil, causing destruction and health hazards. This led the federal government to push for soil conservation.
In 1890, the Castlewood Canyon Dam was constructed in an effort to help irrigate farms in Douglas County. In 1933, the dam broke, causing floodwater to reach Denver. The Denver Flood Control Association was organized by business owners who were affected by the flooding to get the federal government to construct a better flood-control system for Cherry Creek.
In 1602, an English explorer by the name of Bartholomew Gosnold began an exploration of the islands off of Cape Cod (which he discovered and named). Searching for valuable resources, with his crew of 32 men aboard their boat the Concord, Gosnold came upon the island that he would name "Martha's Vineyard," after his mother. Already inhabited by Native Americans who called the island "Noepe" (which translates to "amid the waters,") Gosnold's discovery marked the beginning of the island's exploitation. As Europeans began to settle the island, what once was an abundance of natural resources began to dwindle and the thriving Native populations were pushed to the island's outskirts.
The first portion of the Burlington Bike Path was completed in 1986 along the Burlington waterfront. The path has since been expanded and is one of the main attractions of Burlington still today, and this first step in 1986 was critically important.
In Burlington in 1981, the EPA declared a former barge canal to be a Superfund site. This fit into the political climate at the time, where residents in Burlington were starting to become more aware of environmental issues and started pressuring the city to clean up the water front.
In Burlington in 1823, the Champlain Canal opened, which opened trade to NYC, allowing Burlington to expand into the bustling trade port it was during the 1800s.
After serious water contamination, the EPA announced that the location officially be added to the superfund list. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) would take the lead on cleaning up the site.
The Brooklyn Biological Laboratory would originally host summer courses at the fish hatchery in Cold Spring Harbor during the late 18th century. But in 1893 the Jones Laboratory became the first building of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories and was created to host the Brooklyn Biological Laboratories summer biological science courses for students from the most prominent families in the state. The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories are now one of the most famous laboratories in the world, and is best known for being the home of DNA, because it is where James Watson discovered DNA in 1953.
In 1790 construction on a one class-room school, which would be named Bungtown School, was constructed. This school was the first public school in Cold Spring Harbor and became known as a “Nursery of Sea Captains” as many of the students that attended this school would go on to pursue careers in the booming Cold Spring Harbor whaling industry. On April 23rd, 1790 George Washington passed through Cold Spring Harbor during the construction of Bungtown School, and is known to have helped raise one the buildings rafters, as well as leaving $1 for the workers.
In 1883 New York State created the Trout Hatchery in Cold Spring Harbor. The Hatchery used the natural springs of Cold Spring Harbor in order to bring in freshwater that gave the fish oxygen to survive. The Hatchery was created by the State in order to raise fish that they would later use to fill the Harbor, but served a second purpose as a tourist destination, which it still is to this day.
The postwar boom sees a wave of new cottages, motels, restaurants, and commercial centers built on the Cape. Cape Cod's population increases by 27%. The Cape as it is seen today - a summer tourist destination and economy - is fully solidified.
A group called the Herring Party opposed the installation of a new mill-dam into the Coonamessett River - this dam stopped the flow of fish into the Coonamessett Pond. The Herring Party attempted to blow up the dam with a cannon, but instead the cannon exploded, killing the gunner. As support for the Herring Party faded, so too did support for common rights laws as the American expansionist economy took off.
In 1839, 27 Westborough farmers founded the Westborough Agricultural Society with the hopes of promoting agricultural education and farm related techniques. The individuals hoped to collect and distribute information that would help to increase product and improve the soil. The society held an annual town fair to promote agriculture that included cattle and livestock competitions, plowing demonstrations, exhibitions of new equipment and local products. Along with this, a farmers' market sold locally grown fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains and breads.
In 1824 the Boston-Worcester steam railroad was extended to Westborough. This brought a new era to the town industry as Westborough shipped out boots, shoes, straw hats, sleighs, textiles, bicycles, and other products. Most notably, the town quickly became a primary milk shipper to the Boston community.
On November 18, 1717, Westborough was incorporated as the hundredth town in Massachusetts, with a total of 27 families. Several large farms were soon plotted and mills were set up along the Assabet River and Jackstraw Brook. The town received additional territory from Shrewsbury in 1793.
On March 4th, 1934, the first Snow Train arrived in North Creek, coming from Schenectady! The train carried skiers to Gore Mountain, allowing them to spend the whole day on the slopes, and fall in love with skiing allowing Gore mountain to build it self up into the ski hill it is today. These Snow Trains continued for years due to necessity, and eventually became a historical remembrance event.
After climbing down Marcy late on the thirteenth thanks to the news from Tahawus Guide Harrison Hall, at lake Tear-in-the-Clouds, President Roosevelt raced by carriage from the Tahawus Club to the North Creek train station. It was at the North Creek Station early in the morning on the 14th, where Teddy learned he would be the President of the United States.
In 1894, the Forever Wild clause was added to the New York State constitution, setting up conservation throughout the area. This effectively created the Adirondack Park and allowed conservation ideals to be started throughout the area.