Travels in the 2nd half

    It can be difficult to develop a museum run by the government of a state. It has to chase several goals, all while trying to not offend anyone. A state museum usually has to present the political history of the state, explore its its natural beauty and resources, and also its cultural history. Three tightropes to balance on. The New York State Museum, in Albany, does a very good job on all three strands.   New York Cultural Education Center by UpstateNYer via wikimedia The New York State Museum occupies the first and fourth floors of the Cultural Education Center, part of the Empire State Plaza. The museum was founded in 1836, making it the oldest state museum in the country. From 1912 until 1976 it was housed in the State Education Building. When former Gov. Nelson Rockefeller built the government complex in Albany, he included a beautiful new home for the New York State Museum.   Hats of some of Albany's Church Ladies The majority of the collection takes up th...

  I first drove through the town of Hudson, New York , forty years ago. Back then it was in the midst of a huge local depression. The deindustrialization of the northern half of the United States had hit the area hard, and its main drag, Warren Street was filled with empty storefronts. It industrial buildings had been abandoned. There was no reason to stop in Hudson in 1986.   Over the decades things started to change. A few new businesses opened. Some artists were discovering the northern Hudson River Valley, where they could get large homes and studios at small prices, but Hudson was still a town in distress in the early 2000’s. Then the pandemic happened. People in New York City and Albany started looking for places to escape to, especially if they could work from home, and Hudson had a lot to offer. As a real estate agent might say, “It has good bones.’    Many of the buildings in town were constructed out of brick, and while they needed work, they were still in ...