New York

Washington's Harrowing Escape from the Hudson Valley

In October 1776 central Westchester witnessed a critical episode in the early campaign of George Washington’s ragtag Continental Army and its quest for American independence. Often overlooked as just an interval between the disastrous Battle of Brooklyn and victory at Trenton, the Battle of White Plains showcased Washington’s sly strategy of perseverance.  Poor decision making and ignorance of the area’s hilly terrain among British leadership gave the patriot army a chance to secure a path to safety despite being on the run and outmanned. Though British General Howe claimed victory, the battle’s lessons informed Washington’s cat and mouse strategy that ultimately brought success later in the war.  

Author Stephen Paul DeVillo presents just how close the American cause for independence came to being extinguished at the Battle of White Plains.

"Welcome to the spooky streets of Sleepy Hollow! Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. Did you know that Washington Irving based parts of his famous tale on real people and events? Or that some ghosts that haunt this idyllic hamlet date back to the American Revolution? Can you believe that not just Sleepy Hollow is known for its hauntings, but communities all along the Hudson River? Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Sleepy Hollow and the Hudson Valley, and have you sleeping with the light on!"

From Montreal to New York City, the rivers and lakes of the Hudson and Champlain Valleys carved a path through the primeval forests of the Northeast. The rival French and English colonies on either end built strategic strongholds there throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The establishment of Fort St. Frederic at Crown Point gave the French command over the vital Lake Champlain. The French and Indian War saw the construction of frontier forts such as the English Fort William Henry at the headwaters of Lake George. Fortifications sometimes changed hands and names, such as when French-built Fort Carillon became the famed Fort Ticonderoga after a successful English siege. Author Michael G. Laramie charts the attempts to secure the most important chain of waterways in early North America.

Ghost stories from New York State’s famous island have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

Long Island’s haunted history and local legends come to life—even when the main players are dead. Do ghosts lurk in the famed OHEKA Castle? Do the spies of the American Revolution’s Culper Ring still haunt Setauket? Are the colonists at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration historians—or ghosts? Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Ghost stories from the Adirondacks have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! The haunted history of The Mountains comes to life--even when the main players are dead. Visit the Sagamore Resort to catch a glimpse of the spirits who checked in but never checked out. Or look for ghosts amongst the stacks at the Woodgate Free Library. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

The Progressive Era ushered in one of the most transformational periods in New York's history. The excesses of the Gilded Age led to the rise of numerous social and political reform movements. These justice-seeking endeavors reached all corners of the state, including women's suffrage meetings in Seneca Falls, civil rights efforts in Niagara Falls, early environmental conservationism in the Adirondacks and the rooting out of corruption in Albany. In New York City, photographer Jacob Riis documented tenement life in the Lower East Side, bringing awareness of "how the other half lives." Lillian Wald founded the Henry Street Settlement house, providing healthcare and pioneering quality-of-life initiatives for the state's impoverished citizens. Reformers sometimes fell short, as prohibition backfired among the public and too often civil rights for African Americans took a back seat within progressive goals. Author Paul M. Kaplan charts the turbulent times of the Progressive Era throughout New York State.

Ghost stories from Saratoga have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of Spa City comes to life--even when the main players are dead. Visit the Lincoln Baths and take a dip alongside the spirits who linger there. Or catch a glimpse of Sacandaga Reservoir's infamous witch lights. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Welcome to the spooky towns of the Finger Lakes region! Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. Did you know that the depths of Seneca Lake may harbor an ancient lake monster? Or that buildings along the Erie Canal are haunted by ghosts from that bygone era? Can you believe that even the plywood used to build a famous old theater in Ithaca may be haunted? Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see the Finger Lakes, and have you sleeping with the light on!"