Hiking alongside history at John Brown Farm State Historic Site
The first year giving guided, unguided 'First Day Hikes'
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Updated: 6:26 PM EST Jan 1, 2021
The first year giving guided, unguided 'First Day Hikes'
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Updated: 6:26 PM EST Jan 1, 2021
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NBC5 NEWS AT 5:30 STARTS NOW GOOD EVENING, I'M STEWART LEDBETTER. UP TOP : MANY IN OUR REGION LACED UP THEIR BOOTS... AND SET-OUT FOR A FIRST-DAY HIKE TODAY. BUT NBC5'S ELENA BARILLA TELLS US HOW SOME HIKERS IN LAKE PLACID ALSO GOT A TASTE OF HISTORY. A 270-ACRE PIECE HISTORY NESTLED RIGHT IN THE ADIRONDACKS. THE FORMER HOMESTEAD TO ABOLITIONIST JOHN BROWN... IS A STATE HISTORIC SITE. (NAT OF GUIDE)"A PLACE AMERICA'S LONG AND CONTINUING FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AND JUSTICE." HIKERS COMING FOR THEIR FIRST TREK OF THE YEAR... TO LEARN AND TAKE IN THE FRESH AIR ON GUIDED AND UNGUIDED TOURS. (BRENDAN MILLS/JOHN BROWN FARM SITE MANAGER)"THAT'S ONE THING WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY IS THAT WE HAVE A WONDERFUL TRAIL SYSTEM. YOU CAN CROSS COUNTRY SKI, YOU CAN SNOW SKI, OR JUST HIKE." (CLAIRE THAYER/LIVES IN LAKE PLACID) "IT'S SPECIAL OUT HERE, IN FRONT OF THE MOUNTAINS, THE MEADOWS , THE SKI JUMPS AND THE HORIZON. IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL PLACE." (FRANK TEEGELAAR/LIVES IN KEENE) THIS PLACE OF COURSE HAS A BIT OF SPECIAL HISTORY HERE AS WELL, WHICH WE LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE KIDS." NEW YEAR'S DAY IS ALSO THE SAME DAY THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS ISSUED... STAFF HOPES THAT RESONATES WITH PEOPLE ON THEIR EXPLORATIONS TODAY. JOHN BROWN FARM ACTUALLY SAW ALMOST DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF VISITORS IN 2020 COMPARED TO 2019. THEY ATTRIBUTE THAT ONLY PARTLY TO THE PANDEMIC... WITH MORE PEOPLE WANTING TO GET OUTDOORS. (MARTHA SWAN/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JOHN BROWN LIVES "THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR OF ANGUISH AND SUCH VIOLENCE AGAINST THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR." SWAN CALLS JOHN BROWN FARM... A HUMAN RIGHTS DESTINATION. (MARTHA SWAN/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JOHN BROWN LIVES) A PLACE OF DEEP MEANING FOR PEOPLE, BLACK AND WHITE, FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT RACIAL JUSTICE IN OUR COUNTRY." ONE HIKER SAYS SHE CHOSE TO SPEND THE FIRST DAY OF THE YEAR HERE... BECAUSE THIS PLACE REPRESENTS HOPE FOR HER. (SILVIA FRANCO) "WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE MOVEMENT. WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE CHANGE." (SILVIA FRANCO/LIVES IN KEENE) "GATHERINGS LIKE THESE WILL HELP SPREAD THE WORD AND HOPEFULLY M