Kevin Dann
Born on the Island at the Center of the World – Manhattan! – Kevin’s wanderlust & curiosity took him off island to a life of teaching everything from 8th grade physics to Native American History at Rutgers, and most recently, Modern Global History at SUNY Plattsburgh. Along the way he wrote ten books, exploring such arcane topics as serpentine rock, synaesthesia, and the Maya Calendar. In Across the Great Border Fault he explored the histories of the New Yorkers who created the Appalachian Trail and the nation’s first nature trail. He’s led walking, canoeing, and sea kayak tours from the Gaspé Peninsula to Cape May, and wrote the first walking guide to New Jersey.
In 2009, to celebrate both the Champlain & Hudson 400th anniversaries, he walked from Montreal to Manhattan, and then, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge to visit his daughter in Cobble Hill, decided to stay there. He lives in Carroll Gardens, a perfect hub from which to explore, on foot, bicycle, & rollerblades South Brooklyn’s many marvels. He’s convinced that there’s no better way to understand American history & culture than walking the streets of New York.
Don’t be surprised if Kevin breaks into song during a tour. He’s fronted for bands from zydeco to bluegrass; Saturdays usually find him in the back room at Sunny’s in Red Hook, at the city’s wildest acoustic jam session, and Sundays he sings at either Trinity Church Wall Street or The Secret City at Dixon Place on the Lower East Side.
