Historic Preservation Advocacy Statewide

Yesterday, the Preservation League of New York State announced its list of "Seven to Save" for 2018-2019. The list includes:

• The Watervliet Shaker National Register Historic District, located in the Town of Colonie, bordered by the Albany airport and two highways, and threatened by encroaching development

• The Erie Canal Schoharie Aqueduct at Fort Hunter in Montgomery County, considered to be "an engineering marvel"

• The South End-Groesbeckville National Register Historic District in Albany, settled in the mid-19th century by Irish and German immigrants who worked on the city's riverfront

• The Haglund Building/Jamestown Arcade, once home to stores, theaters, clubs, and studios

• The Wells Barns, named for their creator and designer, John Talcott Wells, Sr., who developed an ingenious truss system that strengthened the barn's interior framing system while creating open space in the upper sections of the structure

• The Lehigh Valley Railroad Roundhouse in Ontario County, located along the rail line once used to haul coal from Pennsylvania west to Buffalo and east to New York City

• The historic opera houses located throughout New York State--many of which have been lost to demolition, some of which survive but are in need of preservation, but mercifully those close to us--in Hudson and in Ancram--survive and thrive in very good hands.

Click here for more information about this year's "Seven to Save" designees.

The Preservation League of New York State has been doing its "Seven to Save" program since 1999. In the first year, the view from Olana was designated one of the "Seven to Save." In 2001, all of Hudson, threatened by the impacts of the proposed St. Lawrence cement plant, was designated. In 2005, 400 State Street, then the Hudson Area Library, was one of the designees. In 2009, the Jan Van Hoesen House in Claverack and the Dr. Oliver Bronson House were both among the "Seven to Save" for that year. It's been a while since anything in Hudson has been on the list, and that's a good thing.

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