A history podcast for students made by the Adirondack Experience, the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake, located in the heart of the Adirondack Park of New York State. ADKX-tra Credit is both an introduction to Adirondack history and a resource for tidbits of history, folklore, and facts. Use it with classroom instruction or enjoy as entertainment. New episodes are added every two weeks.
Ask us a question, or tell us what you thought of this episode!Why can't we touch the things on exhibit in museums? What are some of the ways museums keep objects and artifacts safe? Why do we care so much about including interactive pieces in our exhibits here at the ADKX? Learn about all these things and more in this episode of ADKX-tra Credit, featuring interviews from Public Programs Manager Liz Belyea and Registrar Shelby Walton. Explore our digital collections database here while you listen!
Ask us a question, or tell us what you thought of this episode!Do you like maple syrup? Here in the Adirondacks, maple syrup is more than just a sweet treat. It's a major industry and a big piece of New York state history. Listen in to learn about the science behind maple sugaring, and about how Abbott Augustus Low pioneered new syrup making technologies around the turn of the 20th century.
Ask us a question, or tell us what you thought of this episode!The Miracle on Ice was a famous hockey game between the U.S. and the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid N.Y. The Soviet team were professional athletes, many of whom had already competed in and won medals in previous Winter Olympics, meanwhile the American team was made up of minor league and college players. With tensions high because of shaky international relations, this was a game of great significance to the two countries.
Ask us a question, or tell us what you thought of this episode!The Blizzard of 1888The weather on March 11, 1888 was clear and sunny. The calendar said it was still winter but it felt as though spring was on its way. However, by the evening of March 12, 1888 the weather had turned and a major snow storm was pummeling the entire northeast of the United States. Listen in to learn more about the blizzard and its powerful and long term effects.
The Adirondacks survived two major forest fires in the early 1900s. The 'Big Burn' of 1903 destroyed around 464,000 acres of forest and homes. Then in 1908 another fire burned approximately 600,000 acres. As devastating as these events were they helped lead to the creation of the NYS Forest Service.
The first snowmobile was invented in 1922.
Exploring your local cemetary is a great way to find out more about the history of the place you live.
Season 2 starts off with an interview from 1973 with our founder; Harold K. Hochschild.
Steamboats played an important role in the history of the Adirondacks.
George Washington Sears; better known as Nessmuk, paddled the Sairy Gamp through the Adirondack wilderness in the 1880s.
You know about Spring, winter, summer, and autumn. But, do you know about the fifth season? Black Fly Season.
A look at vintage correspondence; letters and postcards from WWII, tourists, locals, and a famous ADK character.
Verpalnck Colvin surveyed the Adirondacks and helped create the Adirondack Park keeping the wilderness "forever wild".
Why did people come to the Adirondack region searching for The American Dream?
ADKX-tra Credit shines a spotlight on another Adirondack cultural institution; The North Star Underground Railroad Museum.
Balsam trees are one of the most popular kind of trees that ends up in people’s home every holiday season. Find out why this conifer tree is an Adirondack Favorite.
In episode 009, we talk about wolves and their long and troubled relationship with people. You will find out the full backstory behind the supposed last wolf in the Adirondacks.
For over hundreds of years, beaver hats were a fashion trend among men. But, in order to make those hats, people needed the fur from a beaver. At one time, the Adirondacks provided the world with many of the beaver pelts needed to make beaver hats. Find out the effects this had on the beaver population in the Adirondacks and what the hat making process involved.
Ghost stories are a type of folklore nearly everyone enjoys. Here are a few Adiorndack stories to chill you this autumn.
An introduction to the life and times of the Adirondack peddler.
In 1900 the shortest standard-gauge railroad in the world began operation. It was just ¾ of a mile long and 6 miles from any other rail line. This episode explores the history of the Marion River Carry Railroad.
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States and is the youngest individual to hold the office. But, do you know the incredible chain of events leading up to Teddy Roosevelt's presidency? In this podcast episode, follow along as we take you on Theodore Roosevelt's Ride to the Presidency.
Navigating the wilderness is no easy task, especially back in the 1800s. Learn about the fascinating job of the Adirondack guide, and their importance in helping visitors discover the lakes, forests, and mountains of the Adirondacks.
The trip from NYC to the Adirondacks was long and difficult in the 1800s.
Since 1957, the Adirondack Experience (formerly the Adirondack Museum) has shared stories of the people who lived, worked and played in the Adirondack Park. The history of the site on which it sits mirrors the history of the Adirondacks itself: from lumber camp to summer hotel to museum to Experience, the museum’s perch above Blue Mountain Lake embodies the transformation of the Adirondacks from wilderness to mineral and lumber resource to resort community to recreation getaway.