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Albany

Albany’s Peter Gansevoort, “The Hero of Stanwix”

August 15, 2023 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Detail from portrait of Gansevoort by Gilbert Stuart, 1794Peter Gansevoort Jr. was born into the Dutch aristocracy of Albany to Harman Gansevoort (1712–1801) and Magdalena Douw (1718–1796). His younger brother Leonard Gansevoort, was politically active, serving in the state assembly and senate, as well as the Continental Congress. [Read more…] about Albany’s Peter Gansevoort, “The Hero of Stanwix”

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, Events, History, Mohawk Valley Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Albany Rural Cemetery, American Revolution, Canada, Cemeteries, Cohoes, DAR, Essex County, Fort Chambly, Fort Edward, Fort George, Fort Oswego, Fort Saratoga, Fort Stanwix, Fort Ticonderoga, Gansevoort, Invasion of Quebec, Lake Champlain, Lake George, Marinus Willett, Military History, Montreal, Monuments, Oneida County, Peter Gansevoort, Political History, Quebec, Richard Montgomery, Schuylerville, Siege of Fort Stanwix, Sullivan_Clinton Expedition, Ticonderoga, Van Schaick Mansion, War of 1812, Warren County

Hudson River Tugboat Views: The West Shore Railroad, Track Walkers & Hoboes

August 9, 2023 by Guest Contributor 3 Comments

Tug Callanan No 1 at Troy June 25, 1954 (Hudson River Maritime Museum)Railroads have been operating along the east shore of the Hudson River for virtually its entire length between New York and Albany since 1851 and along the west shore of the river from Haverstraw [in Rockland County, NY] to a point below West Park [in the Town of Esopus, Ulster County] since 1883, Hudson River boatmen have had plenty of opportunity to observe the changes that have taken place over the years in railroading. [Read more…] about Hudson River Tugboat Views: The West Shore Railroad, Track Walkers & Hoboes

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, New York City Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Cornwall, Dutchess County, Esopus, Great Depression, Greene County, Hudson Highlands, Hudson River, Hyde Park, Labor History, Maritime History, New Jersey, New York Central RR, New York City, railroads, Rockland County, Saratoga and Hudson River Railroad, Steamboating, Stony Point, Transportation History, Ulster County, West Shore Railroad

Side Paths: New York State’s 1890s Bike Trail Network

August 8, 2023 by Dave Waite Leave a Comment

East Avenue sidepath (Monroe County Sidepaths, 1899) Sidepaths were constructed for bicycles in the 1890sAs the 1890s took New York State toward a new century, the use of the bicycle for recreation by both the young and old was sweeping the country. One reason for this growth was the development of a safer, easier-to-ride machine with a smaller front wheel than the earlier high-wheeled bicycles.

Other advances in the development of the bicycle at this time were pneumatic tires and a chain drive that further eliminated the need for the large front tire. [Read more…] about Side Paths: New York State’s 1890s Bike Trail Network

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, New York City, Recreation, Western NY Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Ballston Spa, bicycling, biking, Glens Falls, Lake George, Legal History, Levi P. Morton, Mechanicville, Monroe County, Rochester, Round Lake, Saratoga County, Saratoga County History Center, Saratoga County History Roundtable, Saratoga Springs, trails, Transportation History, Warren County, Waterford

Albany Underground Railroad Center Receives $2 Million Grant

August 4, 2023 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

myers houseA $2 million state grant will help launch the expansion of the Underground Railroad Education Center (UREC), which is currently housed in the former 19th-century home of Black abolitionists Harriet and Stephen Myers, a onetime stop on the Underground Railroad located in Albany‘s Arbor Hill neighborhood. [Read more…] about Albany Underground Railroad Center Receives $2 Million Grant

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Abolition, Albany, Albany County, Black History, Myers House, Myers Residence, Political History, Slavery, Stephen Meyers, Underground Railroad, Underground Railroad Education Center

Public Comments Sought On Albany I-787 Reimaging Project

June 23, 2023 by Editorial Staff 3 Comments

Albany I-787 DOT ProjectNew York State Department of Transportation (DOT) is hosting a public open house related to the new planning and environmental study of I-787 on Tuesday, June 27, from 4:30 to 7:30 pm in the media room of MVP Arena in downtown Albany.

The study to re-imagine the I-787 corridor, taking into account its proximity to the Hudson River, is at the center of local efforts to re-imagine the former Albany Basin by the Albany Waterway Canal Project. [Read more…] about Public Comments Sought On Albany I-787 Reimaging Project

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History, Nature, Recreation Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Albany Waterway Canal, development, DOT, Economic Development, Erie Canal, Hudson River, I-787, Transportation, Transportation History

Albany’s Philip Schuyler Statue Removed From City Hall

June 14, 2023 by Editorial Staff 8 Comments

Philip Schuyler Statue being removed from Albany City Hall in June 2023A statue of Philip J. Schuyler (1733-1804) has been removed from outside of Albany’s City Hall. Mayor Kathy Sheehan ordered the statue removed in 2020 because Schuyler was a slaveholder. Sheehan said at the time that removing the statue was one way to acknowledge the enduring legacy of slavery. [Read more…] about Albany’s Philip Schuyler Statue Removed From City Hall

Filed Under: Arts, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, American Revolution, Battle of Saratoga, Black History, Military History, Monuments, Philip Schuyler, Political History, Public History, Saratoga National Historical Park, Saratoga Patent, Schuyler House, Schuyler Mansion, Schuylerville, sculpture, Slavery

Caring for Albany’s Poor: Some History

June 6, 2023 by Peter Hess Leave a Comment

Albany County Almshouse in 1932Albany, New York’s Dutch Church started a “Poor Fund,” probably shortly after the arrival of Dominie Johannes Megapolensis (1603–1670) in 1642. Disbursements were being made from the fund by 1647. Albany’s Patroon, Dutch merchants and others contributed to the collections of the church and the church in turn was made contributions to support the community’s impoverished residents. [Read more…] about Caring for Albany’s Poor: Some History

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Albany Med, Coeymans, Crime and Justice, Guilderland, Legal History, liquor, Medical History, Political History, poverty, Public Health, Social History, Vice

Marquis de Lafayette at Albany During the Revolution

May 30, 2023 by Peter Hess Leave a Comment

George Washington and Lafayette at Mount Vernon, 1784 by Rossiter and Mignot, 1859Just prior to victory of American colonists at the Battles of Saratoga, the Continental Congress replaced Major General Philip Schuyler as Commander of the Northern Army with General Horatio Gates. Many colonial military units from New England had been reluctant to assist at Saratoga to serve under a “Dutch commander” but readily reported to serve under the English-born Gates. [Read more…] about Marquis de Lafayette at Albany During the Revolution

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, American Revolution, Battle of Saratoga, George Washington, Horatio Gates, Lafayette, Military History, Philip Schuyler

Albany’s Abraham Ten Broeck: A Short Biography

May 15, 2023 by Peter Hess Leave a Comment

Abraham Ten Broeck portrait by John Roberts circa 1796-1800Abraham Ten Broeck was born in 1734 to Dirck Ten Broeck (1686-1751) and Margarita Cuyler (1682–1783). Abraham was one of twelve children born to the couple. Abraham first-generation grandfather had come to America from Holland in 1626 on the same ship with Peter Minuit, the first Director General of the Dutch colony of New Netherland. [Read more…] about Albany’s Abraham Ten Broeck: A Short Biography

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Abraham Ten Broeck, Albany, Albany County, Albany County Historical Association, American Revolution, Mechanicville, New Netherland, Philip Livingston, Philip Schuyler, Political History, Rensselaer County, Rensselaerswijck, Saratoga Patent, Schuyler Mansion, Schuylerville, Ten Broeck Mansion, Van Rensselaers, Watervliet

New Yorkers Serving in Alaska Territory, 1908-1910

May 14, 2023 by Rebecca Rector 1 Comment

Schmitter_divorceWhile transcribing Alaska Territory records for the National Archives, I noticed two interesting men who were working with the native tribes. A little research revealed they were both from New York State. Here are their stories. [Read more…] about New Yorkers Serving in Alaska Territory, 1908-1910

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History, New York City Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Cultural History, Folklore, Herkimer COunty, Indigenous History, Montgomery County, Religious History

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