Aug 14, 2007 — The dairy farm-turned ice cream stand is a common sight in the Northeast. And for many people in the Adirondacks only one place will satisfy their ice cream cravings and that's Donnelly's. For over fifty years it has been a favorite summer gathering place in the tri-lakes region. Today, NCPR and TAUNY, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, continue our look at some very special places in the North Country. For most of our features in this series Varick Chittenden and Joel Hurd visit a place, gather interviews and sound and head for home. But for Donnelly's they felt it was important to make several stops in the last few months just t make sure the ice cream is as good as everyone says it is. Here's what they found on this tough assignment.  Go to full article

Jul 24, 2007 — There was a time when the industrial centers of the northeast were filled with social clubs for various communities. These were meeting places for men who flocked to these cities for the good-paying factory jobs that were available. There is no town in Northern New York where this was more true than in Massena, which used to have the most diverse population in the region. These days all of the social clubs that catered to these various communities have gone away, except for one. Today NCPR and TAUNY, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, continue our look at some very special places in the North Country. A few weeks ago, Joel Hurd and Varick Chittenden visited the Italian American Club.  Go to full article

Jul 17, 2007 — The 187th Lewis County Fair starts today. There will be rides, concerts, a demolition derby, and of course, all types of food. Many of the food vendors will have portable facilities that set up for a few days and then move on to the next fair. But one local favorite has been selling its treats from the same building for over 100 years. Today, NCPR and TAUNY, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, continue our look at some very special places in the North Country. Last year, Joel Hurd and Varick Chittenden visited the fair to learn more about Freeman's Taffy Stand.  Go to full article

Jul 13, 2007 — Host Martha Foley and Varick Chittenden of Traditional Arts in Upstate New York explore "Very Special Places," the cultural landmarks in the North Country. This summer during the Eight O'Clock Hour we've already visited a unique Lewis County church, an old department store in Croghan, a summer camp on Lake Champlain, a one-room school in Colton, an historic retreat cottage in the Thousand Islands, and a boatbuilder's shop Saranac Lake. We asked callers to tell us about their significant North Country places.  Go to full article

Jul 11, 2007 — The dying art of building a boat by hand is still being kept alive by a few talented craftsmen in the North Country. The Hanmer boat shop in Saranac Lake has changed hands twice in its nearly one-hundred-year history and is now called the Woodward Boat Shop, but it's mission remains the same: to build and restore the classic Adirondack guide boat. Today NCPR and TAUNY, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, continue our look at some very special places in the North Country. Varick Chittenden has visited the boat shop on several occasions and he talked with Joel Hurd about the shop, and the importance of the Adirondack guide boat to the region's history.  Go to full article

Jul 03, 2007 — Tucked away on Wellesley Island is the private community of Thousand Island Park with its collection of Victorian ginger-bread cottages. Originally a Methodist summer community, the colorful, well-maintained cottages, tabernacle and pavilion are a part of North Country history few people know about. One large cottage at the top of a hill has been associated with the Rama-Krishna sect of Hinduism since the celebrated Swami Vivekananda spent a summer here resting and lecturing a small group of followers in 1893. Since the 1940s it has been the site of an annual spiritual retreat. Today, NCPR and TAUNY, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, continue our look at some very special places in the North Country. Joel Hurd and Varick Chittenden visited Vivekananda Cottage last year when the current swami was hosting over 100 devotees from around the world.  Go to full article

Jun 26, 2007 — The one-room schoohouse used to be a common sight in the North Country. Before school centralization around 60 years ago, these schoolhouses could be seen every couple of miles, since most students had to walk to school. While many of these buildings are now gone or in disrepair, one schoolhouse in Pierrepont still serves the surrounding community. Today NCPR and TAUNY, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, continue our look at some very special places in the North Country. Joel Hurd and Varick Chittenden visited the Cooks Corners Schoolhouse on a sunny June day when fourth graders from Colton-Pierrepont Central School were playing roles of students in the late 19th century.  Go to full article

Jun 20, 2007 — Paul Smiths College has drawn criticism in recent weeks, following the alcohol-related deaths of two students in May. But academic and law enforcement officials across the region say the problem of underage drinking is complicated, with few easy answers. In the final part of our series on alcohol and campus safety, Brian Mann reports that the debate often winds up in a legal and ethical gray zone.  Go to full article

Jun 19, 2007 — This week, we're looking at the issue of drinking and safety on college campuses. Franklin County District Attorney Derek Champagne announced last week that criminal charges are still possible following the alcohol-related deaths of two students at Paul Smiths College. Champagne says state police are still investigating the drownings of 20 year-old Sean Cornell and 18 year-old Lee Walker. The students died when their canoes overturned on Lower St. Regis Lake last month as they returned from a party. State police said drinking alcohol contributed to their deaths. Champagne said they're looking into how Cornell, Walker and other underage students at the party obtained alcohol. Yesterday, Brian Mann reported on the controversy surrounding Paul Smiths College, where five young people have died in the last three years. Brian spoke with Paul Smiths President John Mills, who says the school is working hard to keep older students from supplying liquor to friends who are underage.  Go to full article

Jun 19, 2007 — For many years in the small towns of the North Country, the general store was the center of activity. If you were looking for vinegar, horseshoe nails, a yard of gingham cloth of the latest news from around town, the general store was the place to go. Today, NCPR and TAUNY, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, continue our look at some very special places in the North Country. Joel Hurd and Varick Chittenden visited E.M. Marilley's in Croghan, a place that endured long after the introduction of big box retailers, and claimed to be "dealers in nearly everything."  Go to full article