Colonie

Leland Stanford, The Bull’s Head & Albany’s 19th Century Cattle Market

May 11, 2022 by John Warren Leave a Comment

California’s 8th Governor and long-time Senator Leland Stanford, namesake of Stanford University and one-time president of the Central Pacific Railroad, has a unique connection to New York State’s Capital District.

Leland was born in Watervliet in 1824, the son of Josiah Stanford and Elizabeth Phillips. Among his seven siblings were New York Senator Charles Stanford (1819-1885) and Australian spiritualist Thomas Welton Stanford (1832-1918). The elder Stanford was a wealthy farmer in the eastern Mohawk Valley before moving to the Lisha Kill in Albany County where Leland was born. [Read more…] about Leland Stanford, The Bull’s Head & Albany’s 19th Century Cattle Market

Stony Creek Reservoir: A Short History

June 15, 2020 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

The Town of Colonie in Albany County, NY, owns the Stony Creek Reservoir located in southern Clifton Park, just above Vischer Ferry in Saratoga County. It was completed in 1953 at a cost of $1,800,000 and covers 297 acres holding 1.4 billion gallons of water that is carried by pipes under the Mohawk River to the residents of Colonie.

The Latham Water District closed the floodgates on the dam across Stony Creek in the beginning of June 1953. By June 14 the lake began to form with a depth of 12 feet. [Read more…] about Stony Creek Reservoir: A Short History

Historians Podcast: Schuyler Flatts in Colonie, NY

August 2, 2019 by Bob Cudmore Leave a Comment

This week on The Historians Podcast, Colonie town historian Kevin Franklin explains the historic importance of Schuyler Flatts, now a town park between Menands and Watervliet near the Hudson River.

The land previously was a home of the prominent Schuyler family and an early residence of Arent Van Curler, the founder of Schenectady. [Read more…] about Historians Podcast: Schuyler Flatts in Colonie, NY

Can You Identify These Photos?

November 23, 2014 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

An old photo album of the Fairview Home For Friendless Children was recently rediscovered while beginning an inventory process of materials in the Collection of the Town of Colonie Historian’s Office and Historical Society.

In the album were these three photos depicting a deep gorge with either a train or trolley trestle in the background, and a view of a very interesting mill complex that may have existed in the Capital District area. [Read more…] about Can You Identify These Photos?