author
Edward Hagaman Hall
1858–1936
Best remembered as a New York preservation leader, this writer and editor helped protect historic places and scenic landmarks at a time when many were at risk of being lost. He also had a creative side, with work connected to medal design and historical commemoration.
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About the author
Born in Auburn, New York, on November 3, 1858, Edward Hagaman Hall built a career as a writer, editor, and public advocate for preservation. Sources describe him as the son of Benjamin Franklin Hall, a former mayor of Auburn, and note that he finished at Auburn Academic High School with honors.
Hall became especially important in New York’s early preservation movement. He served as secretary of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society from 1897 to 1927, and was involved in efforts to save notable sites including Poe Cottage and the Billopp House. He is also described as a writer and medallic artist, and is credited with designing the historical medal that commemorated the consolidation of Greater New York in 1898.
He died in 1936, with sources placing his death in Laramie, Wyoming. Although not as widely known today as some public figures of his era, Hall played a meaningful role in preserving the physical history of New York for later generations.