- [Joleene] Tonight on "WPBS Weekly, Inside The Stories."

A reality show is filmed in Oswego County, and "WPBS Weekly will take you behind the scenes to see what the haboob is all about.

And Sackets Harbor is rich in history.

How rich?

We'll take you on a tour of the iconic village.

Also join us as we take you inside the Frederick Remington Museum in Ogdensburg, for a closer look at some truly remarkable pieces.

Your stories, your region, coming up right now on "WPBS Weekly Inside The Stories."

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] "WPBS Weekly Inside The Stories," is brought to you by, the Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation, the Watertown Oswego, Small Business Development Center, Carthage Savings, (mid tempo music) CSX.

The Oswego County Community Foundation, at the Central New York Community Foundation.

The Richard S Shineman Foundation and the Badenhausen Legacy Fund at the Northern New York Community Foundation.

- Good Tuesday evening, everyone.

And welcome to this edition of "WPBS Weekly, Inside The Stories."

I'm Joleene DesRosiers.

It's not often you turn around to see a film crew in your backyard, filming an adventure reality show, but if you live in a Oswego County, you may have seen the action.

If you haven't, allow us to take you behind the scenes of this Canadian based production called, "Great Family Adventure."

(gentle music) (upbeat percussive music) - My name's Ken Whiting.

I'm the president of Heliconia, and the executive producer of "Great Family Adventure."

(dramatic music) Heliconia is a media company that specializes in outdoor and adventure travel productions.

Our mission is to open the door to the great outdoors, and adventure travel.

And really what that means is get people off the iPad and get them in the outdoors and discovering the amazing places in our world.

(mid tempo music) - My name is Emily Jackson, and I'm a world champion kayaker, world traveler, mother, and yeah, just a full time nomad.

- My name is Nick Troutman and I'm a professional athlete.

- Choosing Nick and Emily to follow through the "Great Family Adventure" happened pretty organically, because I've known them for so long.

I've known them since they were very small, before they started even kayaking.

Well, before they became world champion kayakers.

- [Nick] No hands, no hands.

- [Emily] So we're here in Oswego county, in New York.

I've never been here before.

So that's one of the main reasons that we chose it.

When we go out and explore to film our TV show, the "Great Family Adventure," we like to visit places that it's an adventure for all of us.

So we don't know what's in the docket, but it just seemed like a well rounded place, it had a lot to offer.

So the whole family can find something fun and unique to do, and then we can explore it together as a family.

- The "Great Family Adventure" TV show is mainly just a showcase of encouraging families to get outdoors with their families and go on great adventures.

That for me is the main purpose, is really to encourage others, to kind of go explore, maybe get outta their comfort zone, maybe get a little bit wild, get a little bit dirty and try something new, but have a lot of fun with the family along the way.

- [Emily] It can be hard at times to do a lot of traveling, a lot of driving, a lot of teaching parenting, you name it, but I find balance in it by not trying to overextend myself.

I know what my limitations are, and if I'm tired, I say I'm tired, it's unsafe to be driving, and I pull over.

And that's one of the beautiful things about being in the trailer, is my home's with me.

So if I have a need, if I'm sick, if I'm tired, if I'm overwhelmed, I can pull over and just embrace the fact that that's being totally normal and totally human.

So that's kind of how I approach it.

There are times I'm not gonna meet my own expectations, but that's okay, and that's all part of the adventure.

- [Nick] For a lot of people they ask, how is it traveling with such a small confined space?

And I actually think that it's the opposite where I'm like, I love having this much space and love being on the road.

And as far as the confined space, really, it just makes the family so much closer, where there's no rooms to run away to, if there's an argument or something like that.

You have to settle the conversation there in the moment, instead of try to avoid each other with different spaces within a house or something.

So in a lot of ways, it's ideal for me, and I think it works perfect for our family.

- The thing about kids is they add such a dynamic.

You never know what's gonna happen.

And so oftentimes it's the things that happen in between the planned adventures that are the most entertaining, the most fun to watch, and that you learn from.

And so the show is much more than these adventures that they go on, it's all the stuff that happens in between.

- Why does it say poop?

- No it doesn't.

- Yes it does, over there, instead of pop, you wrote poop.

(Emily and Tucker laughing) Wearing a lot of hats and being a full-time traveler can be really hard at times.

I mean, I'm a world champion paddler, I'm a mom, I'm a teacher.

I do all of these different things, but at the same time, living in a trailer and visiting these places, it's a really simple life.

I don't have a lawn cut, I don't have a house that I have to worry about maintaining as much.

So the simplicity combined with everything that I try to do really balances each other out.

So I actually find a lot more time and peace in my trailer to do these fun, adventurous things than I would if I was back at home.

- [Tucker] Mom, are you hot?

- Oh yeah, I am.

- [Ken] The hope with the "Great Family Adventure," is that it will be a long running series where we really get to follow Nick, Emily and the kids, the family, for an extended period of time, and to really see the transformation.

That would be really fun to watch.

But on top of that, aside from having a successful series, a big goal of the show and all our shows is to inspire people, to get outdoors, to go explore, to get off the iPad and go explore the amazing world we have around us.

- To anybody out there that is thinking about doing something like this, that sees the TV show and might be encouraged, please just take the action, whether it be going to your local park, whether it be going to a state park or getting wild and crazy going to a national park or going overseas somewhere, just go on a trip, spend some time with your family outdoors and going to an adventure.

- The family wrapped filming in Oswego County in May, and is headed to England for the Kayak World Championships this summer.

Look for the second season of "Great Family Adventure," coming soon on networks like Outside TV, the Bally Sports Network, the Nautical Channel, Go USA, other on demand streaming platforms, and of course, right here on WPBS.

(mid tempo music) There's a mental health crisis unfolding among our youth today, which is why nationally PBS will be airing a documentary next week called "Hiding In Plain Sight."

The film produced by Ken Burns gives voice to the experiences of young people who struggle with mental health challenges, and focuses on the importance of awareness and empathy.

We spoke with Ottawa psychotherapist, Jack LaFleur, who tells us, looking for signs of struggle early on can make all the difference in the world.

(gentle music) - [Narrator] All of us are affected by mental health challenges in some way, whether in our own lives or the life of someone we know often "Hiding In Plain Sight."

- [Joleene] Young people as young as 10, and really with some cases, even younger are suffering with mental health conditions they hide behind.

About 75% of mental illness has onset before the age of 25.

- I think there is a public perception out there that says, "Oh, well, these young people have.... "They've got so many resources, "they're so full of vitality and life, "and they're just getting started.

"What problems could they possibly have?"

- [Joleene] Despite those resources, experts have determined that our young people hesitate to reach out because it is the first and most intimidating step they need to take in order to get help.

- We need our children to understand that no matter how difficult something is to talk about, they need to be able to talk about it.

They need to have a safe environment to be able to open up dialogue, to be able to work through concerns and fears and so forth, and have that support at home.

- [Joleene] Alexa Backus Chase, understands the need for this safe space threefold.

As an educator, leader and someone who has a family member who suffered with mental illness, her desire as the St Lawrence County Youth Bureau Director, to change the way the community approaches the issue is deep.

Tonight a panel discussion at Heuvelton Central Schools is taking place with teen ambassadors, other leaders and parents who have lost children to suicide or online challenges.

- So on tonight's panel discussion, the role of the teen ambassadors is to really be able to view portions of "Hiding In Plain Sight," and also just to offer comments and their individual insight, their own experiences.

And I feel that it's going to be more impactful hearing from teens, right in St. Lawrence County.

What are they hearing?

Let's give them a voice, let's have them be heard as they're viewing this documentary.

- Meantime, counselors and therapists, like Jack LaFleur are working harder to educate parents and children all while creating a safe space for young people to open up.

How early should we start teaching children about self-awareness and empathy.

And how does that play a part in their mental health?

- That's a great question.

'Cause I have found myself working with parents to work with their children as young as age seven.

I think we can be teaching them about emotional literacy, teaching them a vocabulary that they can learn and they can use with us, when we need to check in with them.

I think it can start as early as age six, age seven.

- I feel that the school districts are doing a phenomenal job at meeting the social emotional needs of our youth in St. Lawrence County.

I feel strongly that also goes back into the household.

I feel that parents, again, it's our responsibility to support what kids are learning in the classroom.

We need our children to understand that no matter how difficult something is to talk about, they need to be able to talk about it.

They need to have a safe environment to be able to open up dialogue, to be able to work through concerns and fears and so forth, and have that support at home.

- [Joleene] In St. Lawrence County alone, a massive task force has been assembled that focuses on sextortion and teen suicide awareness and prevention.

The public defender's office, the Sheriff's department, public health officials and other community partners are ready to do what it takes to prevent young folks from suffering in silence.

It's time for our children to speak and time for us to really, really listen.

- We tend to overestimate their resilience.

We don't give them the mic for this.

It's like, tell us your experience.

Not the one mitigated through your parents' narrative, but your experience.

- "Hiding in Plain Sight," youth mental illness premieres on WPBS, June 27th and 28th at 9:00 PM.

For "WPBS Weekly" in St. Lawrence County, I'm Jolene DesRosier.

If you live here in the North country, you may have visited Sackets Harbor.

But are you aware of the rich military history connected to the village?

If not, lean in, this history lesson is for you.

(mid tempo music) - [Brian] Historic Sackets Harbor, a small village on the border of the US and Canada on Lake Ontario, was significantly involved in the war of 1812.

The presence of soldiers there was key to the creation of Madison Barracks, housing for soldiers, and eventually led to the establishment of what is now Fort Drum.

Augustus Sacket, in whose honor the village is named, founded the village at 1801 as a potential trade site with Canada.

But his little village on the Harbor soon became the center for military activity during the war of 1812 instead.

Sacket was a lawyer and hailed from New York City.

He was also an entrepreneur and land developer.

Like so many others at the time, Sacket saw the potential of developing land in Northern New York.

After seeing the area, he and his business partners bought several parcels and began selling them off.

Sacket built his house there, which still stands today, as the visitor center.

The founder eventually moved to Pennsylvania where he purchased and developed even more land.

With plenty of timber and a protected Harbor on lake Ontario, Sackets Harbor had long established, a strong ship building industry.

The attributes that enticed Augustus Sacket and other settlers to the Harbor were the very same that brought conflict to its shores, namely the war of 1812.

- The USS Oneida was here, and the crew and the troops were to manage the embargo, which was here along the border with British held Canadian side.

So in Sackets Harbor, they already knew that this was the best natural port on Lake Ontario on the American side, therefore Sackets Harbor became the headquarters for the Army, the Navy and the Marines.

- [Brian] Two battles were fought at Sackets Harbor.

The second and more significant battle occurred in 1813.

In an attempt to destroy the American shipyard, a British Canadian force launched an attack on May 29th.

At that time, most American forces were across Lake Ontario, attacking Fort George.

The British saw an opportunity to take control of the Harbor and swooped in.

The historic battle lasted only three hours.

- At that time, most of the troops were in the Niagara frontier.

The British commanders realized and understood that the community of Sackets Harbor was not well defended.

They felt this was a good time to come over and capture Sackets Harbor.

- [Brian] The remaining Americans drove off the enemy, but their narrow victory was marred by a fire that destroyed their military stores.

During the remainder of the war, Sackets Harbor was an active station, where Naval ships were constructed and supplied.

This included an American warship known as the USS Superior.

It was nearly finished, save a massive hemp cable that would be crafted into her rigging and anchor ropes.

But with the British controlling the waters, there was no way it could be delivered by ship.

It would have to be delivered by hand.

Made in the shipyards of Boston, the giant cable stretch nearly 600 feet, measured 21 inches around and weighed almost five tons.

Unable to reach the Harbor by water, the Americans landed their supply in Ellisburg, New York, where they successfully ambushed the British in the pivotal Battle of Big Sandy, on May 29th and 30th, 1814.

After the battle, it was still too dangerous to return to the lake.

The supplies, including the massive hemp rope would have to be taken the remaining 20 miles by land to Sackets Harbor.

Far too large for any wagon, it was decided the only way to get the five ton cable to the Harbor, was to carry it.

In a feat true to American spirit, local soldiers, farmers, and merchants banded together to help carry the rope, in an event that would later become known as The Great Cable Carry.

In 2014 on the 200th anniversary, North country volunteers reenacted the event, carrying a less heavy version of the rope along the same trail used two centuries ago.

- By carrying the cable in the cannon, after the Battle of Big Sandy now we had the biggest ship on the lake.

Now we had superiority.

We had the largest ship, and that meant that no longer could the British free wheel on the lake.

And so we now had control of the lake.

They went back to Kingston and stayed for the rest of the war.

It was something that was necessary for us to win the war.

We had to have that superiority.

- [Brian] In December of 1814, the Treaty of Gent, officially ended the war of 1812, and the lake Ontario fleet was placed in storage at Ship House Point.

These significant events in Sackets Harbor are part of what led to the eventual establishment of what is now known as Fort Drum.

- [Announcer] The historic piece you just watched comes from an original four part documentary series called "Discovering Jefferson County."

The series was produced right here at WPBS.

If you'd like the entire series at your fingertips, you can order your own copy and enjoy all four parts in the comfort of your own home.

- Speaking of history, a small museum in the heart of Ogdensburg, expands and deepens the appreciation and work of artist Frederick Remington.

This next segment was made possible, thanks to the Dorothea Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund.

It is the Frederick Remington Art Museum.

And visitors discover how this 19th century artist chronicled the American old West using different mediums.

(people chattering) (gentle music) - Most people know Frederick Remington as an artist of the Western frontier, and they're not wrong.

He gave lasting shape to all of the major features of the Western genre.

The scenes and settings and situations, the action, the mood, the plots, the props, and certainly the cast of characters.

So it's really hard to overestimate his contributions to the iconography and ethos of the Western frontier that continues to resonate in American political and social life today.

But he was not only a Western artist, he was from this region of far Northern New York, near the Canadian border.

You could say new York's Northern frontier.

He was born in nearby Canton and he maintained really close ties to this area throughout his life.

And he spent most of his artistic career in and around New York City.

So he's an artist that was very keyed into the New York art scene of his day.

He was keeping abreast of and responding to all of the art movements that were shaping American art in his period, and integrating those movements into his own work.

He's somebody that I think goes well beyond the simple characterization as a Western artist.

In particular, he did quite a number of Eastern and Northern paintings, and in some cases, sculptures, and those works are perhaps less well known, but show us an artist who is much wider in his vision than he's often credited for.

Frederick Remington was a remarkably prolific artist.

In the course of his career, he created over 3,200 finished, signed, flat works, paintings and drawings.

He created 22 different subjects in bronze, and he was also a writer.

He wrote the equivalent of eight books in addition to all of his work in the visual arts.

So it can be really challenging to try to summarize his complete body of work given how vast it is.

This museum exists largely through the foresight and generosity of Eva Remington, Frederick Remington's widow.

After his untimely death in 1909 at the age of 48, she eventually would move to here Ogdensburg, New York, which is near to the summer home that they had for many years on the St. Lawrence River and where she like Frederick Remington had many friends.

In addition to the Remington exhibits that are always the primary focus for visitors to the museum.

The Remington Museum also features changing exhibits by contemporary artists.

The museum also has an education center, which is the home of our children's museum.

As we know art museums are often hands off places.

Children cannot touch any of the original works of art on display here in the galleries, but in our children's museum, we've got a fully equipped art studio for children so that they can explore painting and drawing and sculpting, and also engage in creative play in rooms dedicated to Remington in the North country and Remington out West.

We're sitting in the Albert P. Newell gallery, one of two main galleries that are dedicated to exhibiting Frederick Remington's artwork here at the Frederick Remington Art Museum.

So this is Frederick Remington's 1898 oil painting, "The Charge of the Rough Riders."

Remington's created a very heroic view of the battle at the San Juan Heights, and he's used this inverted triangle here as the main compositional form.

And you see that he's put Teddy Roosevelt up there on his horse, Little Texas, leading the charge.

This is a good example of a painting that captures a snapshot of action, that's part of a larger story where we know something happened before, we know something is coming after.

In this case, it was an illustration for a story written by Theodore Roosevelt to tell the story of the taking of the San Juan Heights.

So this is the "Broncobuster."

It is quintessential Remington.

He's thrown us right in the midst of the conflict between civilization and the wild and the outcome is yet to be determined.

We really get to spend some time thinking over how this one is gonna play out.

So this painting, "The Last March," is a good example of those late works that we were talking about, where he gets a little darker in his tone.

And that's both literally.

So this is one of his nocturnes, the night scenes that he painted.

So he's trying to capture the effect of darkness of moonlight in the dark, but it's psychologically dark as well.

We've got this riderless horse who is just this really poignant central figure that the wolves are circling around it.

It does not look like things are going to have a happy ending for the horse, but the horse keeps plodding forward with resignation, and it just evokes such feelings about loneliness and the inevitability of death.

- The museum is open year round with reduced hours during the off season.

Visit frederickremington.org for more information.

That does it for us this Tuesday evening, join us next week for a fresh look "Inside The Stories."

Water safety tips magnified, as we prepare for one of the busiest days on the water this summer, Independence Day.

And meet Dr. Diana Barford-Kroeger, an Irish born botanist and author, living in the forests of Ottawa.

She just may change your mind about climate change.

Also next week, New York City based folk guitarist, Scott Bravo visits our studios.

Born and raised in Syracuse, this powerful musician shares his Slough style of playing.

Meantime, we wanna tell your story.

If you or someone in your community has something meaningful, historic, inspirational, or heroic to share, please email us at wpbsweekly@wpbstv.org, and let's share it with the region.

That's it for now everyone.

We'll see you again next weeknight, goodnight.

(mid tempo music) - [Announcer] "WPBS Weekly Inside The Stories" is brought to you by, the Daisy Marque Jones foundation, dedicated to improving the wellbeing of communities by helping disadvantaged children and families.

Online at dmjf.org.

The Watertown Oswego, Small Business Development Center, a free resource offering confidential business advice for those interested in starting or expanding their small business.

Serving Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego counties since 1986.

Online at watertown.nysbdc.org.

Carthage Savings has been here for generations, donating time and resources to this community.

They're proud to support WPBS TV.

Online at carthagesavings.com Carthage Savings, mortgage solutions since 1888.

Additional funding provided by CSX, the Oswego County Community Foundation at the Central New York Community Foundation, the Richard S Shineman Foundation.

(gentle music) And the Badenhausen Legacy Fund at the Northern New York Community Foundation.

- In full characterization as a Western artist, in particular, he did quite a number of Eastern and Northern paintings, and in some cases, sculptures, and those works are perhaps less well known, but show us an artist who is much wider in his vision than he's often credited for.

(gentle music)