2025 Preservation Association of Central New York CNY History Award The Gilded Age on Syracuse’s James Street
Syracuse University Press is excited to announce The Gilded Age on Syracuse’s James Street by Dennis Connors, edited by Gregg Tripoli, is the 2025 Preservation Association of Central New York CNY History Award winner. The award was presented on December 5 at the Preservation Awards Ceremony, held at St. Paul’s Syracuse, and recognizes and celebrates exceptional work done to document and share Central New York’s irreplaceable architectural legacy. The Gilded Age on Syracuse’s James Street draws on photos and rich archival material from the Onondaga Historical Association to assemble an architectural and social history of Gilded Age James Street. More than just beautiful facades, the mansions and people who inhabited them represented the cultural life, political leadership, industrial growth and social reform that animated Syracuse and the nation during this period of opulence. Author Dennis Connors, former curator of history and executive director of the Onondaga Historical Association, accepted the award at the ceremony.
Connors thanked PACNY for the award and recognition of the book, as well as the organization’s ongoing local mission, saying, “The recognition of this James Street documentation, by the Preservation Association, reflects their mission to show the community the importance of not losing the common heritage embodied in our built culture.”
“Connors’ work reminds us that Syracuse’s past was built with care, creativity, and ambition—and that our future deserves the same,” said Nicole Fragnito, Executive Director of the Preservation Association of Central New York. “The Gilded Age on Syracuse’s James Street is a powerful call to preserve and reuse the remaining historic places that continue to anchor our community's identity, ensuring we do not repeat the losses of the last century.”
For more information, contact Jackson Adams at jadams23@syr.edu or visit https://press.syr.edu/the-gilded-age-on-syracuses-james-street-selected-for-the-cny-heritage-award/