Many visitors to New York are very
surprised by its variety - large urban areas, small towns, farmland,
and even wilderness. That is to say, it is a geographer's playground!
As a geography teacher, I am interested in New York's landscape,
people, history, climate, and economy. When I travel throughout the
state, I try to zero in all the geographic aspects. The purpose of this
website is to share my thoughts about the geography of the Empire State
with you. Hopefully, you will learn a lot just by reading these web
pages. To get the full impact, however, you need to get outside. Get
out on the road! And, better yet, get
out and
walk!
Geography is not an
indoor sport.
This is very much a work in progress. The format of the pages is all
new, which hopefully will make it easier for browsing. Another new
section is the
Freedom Trails North page
(on the Underground Railroad in New York). And for those of you who are
looking for good travel ideas in the Empire State, may we suggest our
Bonus Section with ideas of
road trips, scenic views, short walks, historic places, and cultural
institutions.
There are several main components of
Geography of New York
State. First, it is suggested that you read over the
pages on
Physical Geography,
Human Geography, and
Economic
Geography.
Then you might want to visit the ten different regions of New York
State. Most of them are completed, but I am still working on Downstate
New York regions (Long Island, Hudson Valley, and New York City). To
see the Regions Map,
click on the
Regions
of
New
York
link. There is also a new section on the
Erie
Canal,
with suggested places to visit to see both the modern waterway and
historic
canals.
For educators, there is a special section with
Lessons on North America. They are
interdisciplinary, and can be used in most grade levels, with some
modification.
And now there is a new section titled
Lessons
on
the
Geography
of
the
Underground Railroad in New York State.
If you have any thoughts or photographs to share, please feel free to
contact me. Thank you for visiting!
- Tim McDonnell
