New York Trivia & Tidbits - Page 14

Looking for New York trivia? Try our list New York little know facts, tidbits and trivia.

Dairying is New York’s most important farming activity, with more than 18,000 dairy farms. It is also second in the country in apple production.

first appeared: 4/21/2002

The sea scorpion, now extinct, was adopted as the state fossil in 1984. With its broad head and stinger-like tail, it’s a relative of the horseshoe crab.

first appeared: 4/14/2002

Pinstripes were added to New York Yankee jerseys in 1912, and then shelved for two seasons. They were re-introduced in 1915 and have been part of the uniform ever since.

first appeared: 4/7/2002

The county called Columbia—a name once proposed for the United States of America—is the Latin feminine form of Columbus.

first appeared: 3/31/2002

The Mike Weaver Drain Tile Museum in Geneva (pop. 13,617) showcases 350 different types of drain tile, dating back to 100 B.C., and claims to be the world’s largest collection.

first appeared: 3/24/2002

The oldest working harness-racing track in the country was established in 1838 at Goshen (pop. 5,676), which bills itself “The Cradle of the Trotter” for the many area farms producing trotter champions for more than 160 years.

first appeared: 3/17/2002

The apple muffin was adopted as the state’s official muffin in 1987 as a result of student efforts throughout the state. Apple muffins are made by adding small pieces of apple to muffin batter before it’s baked.

first appeared: 3/10/2002

At the Canine Cemetery in Hartsdale (pop. 9,830), a War Dog Memorial, 25 feet high, was dedicated in 1922 to the Red Cross dogs that served all sides during World War I, savings hundreds of lives.

first appeared: 3/3/2002

The first public brewery in America was established by Peter Minuit (1580-1638) at the Market (Marckvelt) field in lower Manhattan.

first appeared: 2/24/2002

It takes about 36 apples (New York’s state fruit) to create one gallon of apple cider. Standard apple trees bear fruit 8-10 years after being planted, whereas a dwarf tree starts bearing in 3-6 years.

first appeared: 2/17/2002

English brewer and merchant Matthew Vassar (1792-1868) founded Vassar College in Poughkeepsie in 1861.

first appeared: 2/10/2002

When it opened in 1825, the Erie Canal was a marvel of engineering and human labor. From Albany to Buffalo—a distance of 425 miles—it opened up the American frontier and made westward expansion inevitable.

first appeared: 2/3/2002

Against its dark blue field, New York’s flag depicts the goddess Liberty holding a pole with a Liberty Cap on top, standing for freedom. On the right is the goddess Justice. On the shield, a sun rises over the Hudson highlands and ships sail the river. Above the shield, an eagle rests on a globe.

first appeared: 1/27/2002

The state was the first to require license plates in 1909, when all its plates had five numbers and the initials, N.Y. Residents today have at least 294 custom plates from which to choose.

first appeared: 1/20/2002

Born in Canandaiqua (pop. 11,264), John North Willys (1873-1935) began his career as a bicycle manufacturer. He went on to four-wheeled vehicles and began producing Willys and Overland automobiles, including the Jeep.

first appeared: 1/13/2002

Salisbury-born Linus Yale (1821-1868), a manufacturer, developed key locks and combination locks. He specialized in bank locks and won fame as an authority on these devices by picking the locks of rival manufacturers.

first appeared: 1/6/2002

Albany-born jurist Learned Hand (1872-1961) wrote more than 2,000 legal opinions during his career, many of far-reaching influence, including questions of copyright, monopoly, and constitutional law.

first appeared: 12/30/2001

Wayne County is so named to honor Gen. Anthony Wayne (1745-1796) whose victory over the confederated American Indian tribes made possible the 1794 treaty of Greenville. The treaty secured western New York for the United States.

first appeared: 12/23/2001

With works ranging from ballet and orchestral music to movie scores, for the better part of four decades Brooklyn-born Aaron Copland (1900-1990) was a premier American composer, producing such works as Appalachian Spring and Fanfare for the Common Man.

first appeared: 12/16/2001

New York State was a principal battleground of the Revolutionary War, with about one-third of the war’s engagements fought on New York soil. The Battle of Saratoga (Oct. 10, 1777) was the turning point of the Revolution, leading to the French alliance and eventually victory.

first appeared: 12/9/2001

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