Who is john boyd thacher

We get in touch once a month with our most important news, stories, and updates. A park loved by generations We have worked to preserve land atop and around the Helderberg Escarpment , while enhancing the centerpiece of these ancient cliffs—John Boyd Thacher State Park. A gem of the Capitol Region In , the original acres of the park were donated by Emma Treadwell Thacher, in honor of her husband and former Albany Mayor John Boyd Thacher, to be used as a public park and nature preserve. Building on the Thacher Legacy For years, despite the popularity of Thacher, which welcomes more than , people every year, the park has operated without a central welcome center.

While this step met with much opposition it was carried to a successful issue and now the farmers who bring to the new market their produce and the people who purchase it are all delighted with the change. In the winter of public notice was given that Judge A. But a little over two weeks of that probationary period remained, and a meeting was called on December 14, , at which Mayor Thacher presided, and at which it was determined to make a last expiring effort to raise the money and secure the Bleecker fund.

Committees were organized throughout the city, representing every walk and condition in life and daily meetings were held. Considering the time given and the amount required the task seemed superhuman. In the month of February, , Mayor Thacher organized and successfully inaugurated a winter carnival, the first of its kind ever held south of Montreal. Following the expiration of his mayoralty term came the presidential contest of and, having been chosen president of the state league of democratic clubs, Mr.

Thacher conceived the original idea of making a canal-boat canvass from one end of the state to the other. The canal boat Thomas Jefferson was fitted up and speakers of national renown accompanied the boat from Buffalo to Albany. The enthusiasm aroused by this unusual means of campaigning was very great, but the candidates of the party for national election were defeated.

Had there remained two weeks more of the campaign it is believed the result would have been different. Immediately after the election, in accordance with a long-cherished plan and to afford a needed rest, Mr. Thacher and his wife went to the far east and spent the winter in Turkey and Egypt. Thacher has been called a man of hobbies. He devotes most of his spare time to the collection of fifteenth century printed books and the gathering of autographs.

He has the largest known collection of fifteenth century printing, illustrating the different presses. To collect these as a pastime and to his manufacturing interests as a business, Mr. He collaborated with Gov. Grover Cleveland to reform the spoils system and rampant patronage and corruption that flourished in Albany. He left the state Legislature when he was elected mayor of Albany in , a position held by his father and his son, John Boyd Thacher II.

While running his business and political affairs, Thacher found time to indulge his passion as a collector. He acquired valuable autographs, including all the signatures of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence. Part of his autograph collection is now housed in the Indiana University Library. Thacher also was a serious researcher, who published articles and books on Shakespeare and Columbus, his favorite subject.

Two of the volumes concern special events: the World Columbian Exposition in , and the centenary celebration of Albany as the capital of New York State.

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