Moving to New York
Capital: Albany
State abbreviation/Postal code: N.Y./NY
Governor: Eliot Spitzer, D (to Jan. 2011)
Lieut. Governor: David Paterson (to Jan. 2011)
Senators: Charles E. Schumer, D (to Jan. 2011); Hillary Rodham Clinton, D (to Jan. 2013)
U.S. Representatives: 29
Historical biographies of Congressional members
Secy. of State: Lorraine Cortés-Vásquez (apptd. by governor)
Comptroller: Thomas P. DiNapoli
Atty. General: Andrew M. Cuomo, D (to Jan. 2011)
Entered Union (rank): July 26, 1788 (11)
Present constitution adopted: 1777 (last revised 1938)
Motto: Excelsior (Ever upward)
State symbols:
animal beaver (1975)
fish brook trout (1975)
gem garnet (1969)
flower rose (1955)
tree sugar maple (1956)
bird bluebird (1970)
insect ladybug (1989)
song “I Love New York” (1980)
Nickname: Empire State
Origin of name: In honor of the Duke of York
10 largest cities (2005 est.): New York, 8,143,197; Buffalo, 279,745; Rochester, 211,091; Yonkers, 196,425; Syracuse, 141,683; Albany, 93,523; New Rochelle, 72,967; Mount Vernon, 67,924; Schenectady, 61,280; Utica, 59,336
Land area: 47,214 sq mi. (122,284 sq km)
Geographic center: In Madison Co., 12 mi. S of Oneida and 26 mi. SW of Utica
Number of counties: 62
Largest county by population and area: Kings, 2,486,235 (2005); St. Lawrence, 2,686 sq mi.
State forest preserves: Adirondacks, 2,500,000 ac.; Catskills, 250,000 ac.
State parks: 176
Residents: New Yorker
2005 resident population est.: 19,254,630
2000 resident census population (rank): 18,976,457 (3). Male: 9,146,748 (48.2%); Female: 9,829,709 (51.8%). White: 12,893,689 (67.9%); Black: 3,014,385 (15.9%); American Indian: 82,461 (0.4%); Asian: 1,044,976 (5.5%); Other race: 1,341,946 (7.1%); Two or more races: 590,182 (3.1%); Hispanic/Latino: 2,867,583 (15.1%). 2000 percent population 18 and over: 75.3; 65 and over: 12.9; median age: 35.9.
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State of New York Motto
Excelsior (Ever Upward) is the State's motto. In 1784, during a tour of the State's harbors, waterways and fertile interior, George Washington referred to New York as the "Seat of Empire." Since then, New Yorkers have worked ambitiously to live up to the State's motto and to make "The Empire State" the national leader it is today.
State of New York Flag
The device of arms of the State flag was adopted in 1778 and the present flag is a modern version of a Revolutionary War flag. It is dark blue with the State Coat of Arms in the center. The Coat of Arms shows Liberty and Justice standing either side of a shield upon which is emblazoned the sun rising behind a range of mountains. A three-masted, square-rigged ship and a Hudson River sloop signify commerce. Beneath the shield is the State motto. The original is at The Albany Institute of History and Art.
State of New York Fruit – Apple
Apples were introduced in the 1600s by European settlers who brought seeds to New York. Dried apples were a staple for colonists and hard apple cider was a popular drink.
State of New York Tree - Sugar Maple
The sugar maple yields a sweet sap for syrup and sugar in the spring; its heavy crown of leaves turns to brilliant colors in autumn. The wood makes fine furniture and burns well in woodstoves and fireplaces.
State of New York Flower – Rose
The rose, in all its variety and color, was made the State flower in 1955. Roses have been appreciated throughout the centuries and are considered one of the most popular and widely cultivated flowers in the world today, with over 150 species and more than 20,000 hybrids available.
State of New York Animal – Beaver
To provide beaver pelts to European markets, fur traders settled in the early 1600's near our present capital at Albany, NY - to trade with Indians. Adult beavers are three to four feet long and weigh 40 to 50 pounds.
State of New York Fish – Trout
Found in hundreds of lakes and ponds in the Adirondack Mountains and scattered in cool, clear streams throughout the State, native brook trout, called brookies or speckles, provide fine angling and the best of eating. bluebird picture and sound copyright, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
State of New York Bird – Bluebird
Once-prolific, the red-breasted bluebird has been making a comeback from low numbers in the 1950s. Many people provide special nesting boxes along fencerows for bluebirds. They winter throughout the State.
State of New York Fossil - Sea Scorpion
During the Silurian Age (over 400 million years ago), Eurypterus Remipes, an extinct relative of the modern king crab and sea scorpion, crawled along the bottom of the shallow, brackish sea that extended from Buffalo, NY to Schenectady and south to Poughkeepsie, NY, roughly along the route of the New York Thruway.
State of New York Gem – Garnet
The wine-red garnet which is an eye appealing gem, as well as a prized industrial abrasive, is the State gem.
State of New York Muffin - Apple Muffin
The apple muffin was created for the Bear Road Elementary School children in North Syracuse, who were instrumental in getting the Governor to sign a bill making it the official State muffin.
State of New York Song - "I Love New York"
Words and music by Steve Karmen
I LOVE NEW YORK (repeat three times)
There isn't another like it.
No matter where you go.
And nobody can compare it.
It's win and place and show.
New York is special.
New York is diff'rent' cause there's no place else
on earth quite like New York and that's why
I LOVE NEW YORK. (repeat three times)
New York Facts and Trivia
- The first American chess tournament was held in New York in 1843.
- The 641 mile transportation network known as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway is the longest toll road in the United States.
- A brewer named Matthew Vassar founded Vassar College in Poughkeepsie in 1861.
- In 1979 Vassar students were the first from a private college to be granted permission to study in the People's Republic of China.
- The Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan is the only school in the world offering a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing.
- Union College in Schenectady is regarded as the Mother of Fraternities because Delta Phi is the oldest continually operating fraternity and Kappa Alpha and Sigma Phi Societies were started on the campus.
- The Woodstock Music and Arts Fair was actually held in Bethel.
- Dairying is New York's most important farming activity with over 18,000 cattle and or calves farms.
- In 1807 The Clermont made its maiden voyage from New York City to Albany making the vessel the first successful steamboat.
- Sam Schapiro began the Kosher wine industry on New York's Lower East side with their famous extra heavy original concord wine in 1899.
- New York City has 722 miles of subway track.
- Power Mill Park situated outside Rochester has a house on Park Road shaped like a group of mushrooms.
- Chittenago is the home of L. Frank Baum, author of the "Wizard of Oz". It features a yellow brick inlaid sidewalks leading to Aunti Em's and other Oz-themed businesses. Chittenago is the location of an annual Munchkins parade.
- Oneida has the world's smallest church with the dimensions of 3.5' X 6'.
- The first daily Yiddish newspaper appeared in 1885 in New York City.
- The first international sports hero, boxer Bill Richmond of Staten Island, was born August 5, 1763.
- The "New York Post" established in 1803 by Alexander Hamilton is the oldest running newspaper in the United States.
- John Babcock invented both the indoor rowing machine and the sliding seat during the winter of 1869/1870.
- The first railroad in America ran a distance of 11 miles between Albany and Schenectady.
- The first capital of the United States was New York City. In 1789 George Washington took his oath as president on the balcony at Federal Hall.
- Hartsdale has a pet cemetery established in 1896 and containing 12,000 plots.
- In November for Boy Scouts and in March for Girl Scouts the annual Urban Camp-Outs are hosted at the Empire State Building.
- The Catskills are the home of the legend of Rip Van Winkle, brown trout and flycasting.
- The first presentation of 3D films before a paying audience took place at Manhattan's Astor Theater on June 10, 1915.
- Sam Wilson, a meatpacker from Troy who's caricature Uncle Sam came to personify the United States is buried at Troy's Oakwood Cemetery. During the War of 1812, he stamped "U.S. Beef" on his products which soldiers interpreted the U.S. abbreviation as meaning Uncle Sam.
- The Genesee River is one of the few rivers in the world that flows south to north.
- Rochester is known as both the Flour City and the Flower City. The community is home to the first abolitionist group, bloomers, marshmallows, Jell-O, French's Mustard, baby shoes, gold teeth and the mail chute.
- Gennaro Lombardi opened the first United States pizzeria in 1895 in New York City.
- On July 28, 1945 an Army Air Corps B-25 crashed into the Empire State Building at the 79th floor level.
- New York's largest lake in Oneida measures 79.8 square miles.
- New York's highest waterfall is the 215 foot Taughannock.
- The Erie Canal, built across New York State in the 1820s, opened the Midwest to development and helped New York City become a worldwide trading center.
- The first Boy's Club was established in New York City in 1876.
- European settlers who brought seeds to New York introduced apples in the 1600s.
- The Big Apple is a term coined by musicians meaning to play the big time.
- The first Eagle Scout was Arthur R. Eldred from Troop 1 in Oceanside. He was bestowed the honor in May 1912.
- Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp in Narrowsburg is the largest council owned camp in the country.
- Joseph C. Gayetty of New York City invented toilet paper in 1857.
- Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken Jr. played against each other in Rochester vs. Pawtucket Red Sox in the longest game in baseball history. The game went a total of 33 innings.
- The oldest cattle ranch in the US was started in 1747 at Montauk on Long Island.
- Adirondack Park is larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Olympic Parks combined.
- New York was the first state to require license plates on cars.
- Niagara Reservation became the first state park in the United States.
- Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site in Newburgh was the first publicly owned historic site.
- New York State is home to 58 species of wild orchids.
- New York has over 70,000 miles of rivers and streams.
- The first public brewery in America was established by Peter Minuit at the Market (Marckvelt) field in lower Manhattan.
- Mount Kisco's landmark, a statue of Chief Kisco, was once an elaborate fountain for watering horses. The statue stands at the intersection of Routes 117 and 133. D.F. Gorham, a strong supporter of prohibition, presented it to Mount Kisco in 1907. The inscription on the base to the statue reads "God's Only Beverage for Man and Beast."
- The name Canandaigua (pronounced Can-an-DAY-gwa) is derived from a Native American word meaning the chosen spot.
- Horseheads is the first and only village in the United States dedicated to the service of the American military horse.
* data from http://www.50states.com, http://www.all-ny.com and http://www.infoplease.com |
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