New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Schenectady County Historical Society

The Slow Death of Slavery in Dutch New York

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Where Did All the Slaves Go?The Dutch had an important influence in developing and maintaining slavery in what is now New York State. Indeed, to understand the history of slavery in New York we need to recognize it as more distinctly Dutch.

Dutch attitudes about the utility and morality of slavery presented a major roadblock in attempts to end slavery in New York State through gradual abolition, by resisting the political and legal changes that ultimately brought about the end of slavery in the state in 1827. [Read more…] about The Slow Death of Slavery in Dutch New York

Alcohol, Sovereignty, and Social Segregation in New Netherland

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Alcohol, Sovereignty, and Social SegregationAlcohol was a subject of deep concern for Indigenous nations and settler governments in early America, but, though all agreed that the alcohol trade was dangerous, they did not assess the problem or its remedies in the same ways. [Read more…] about Alcohol, Sovereignty, and Social Segregation in New Netherland

The Transcontinental Railroad & The Capital District

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OnJupiter locomotive May 10, 1869 the first United States Transcontinental Railroad was completed when a 17.6-karat gold ceremonial spike was driven into a railroad tie by Leland Stanford.

Begun in 1863, the “Pacific Railroad” or “Overland Route” was a joint, although competitive, endeavor between the Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR), moving east from San Francisco to meet the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) which headed west from Council Bluffs, Iowa. The two railroad lines finally met at Promontory Point, Utah, after workers laid 1,912 miles of contiguous track. [Read more…] about The Transcontinental Railroad & The Capital District

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in Schenectady

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Buffalo BillOn the evening of January 11, 1917, the Schenectady Daily Union announced the passing of William Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody, who died the day before in Denver, Colorado, at age 71.

The Union Star described Cody as a “remarkable man,” a “hero of thousands of exploits,” and published a photograph of Cody with an extensive survey of his life and career as a guide, trapper, Pony Express rider, stagecoach driver, Civil War veteran, Medal of Honor recipient for gallantry, buffalo hunter (thus the nickname “Buffalo Bill”) and master showman. [Read more…] about Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in Schenectady

Schenectady Aflame: The Great Fires of the 19th Century

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Schenectady AflameDuring the 19th century, four major fires burned significant portions of Schenectady in 1803, 1819, and 1861. (You can read about the 1861 Fire here).

The Schenectady County Historical Society (SCHS) will host “Schenectady Aflame: The Great Fires of the 19th Century,” a program set for Saturday, February 3rd. [Read more…] about Schenectady Aflame: The Great Fires of the 19th Century

A Frontier Place: The Transformation of Colonial Albany, 1756-1763

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A Frontier Place The Transformation of Colonial AlbanyColonial Albany’s location meant that residents experienced war and the military as a matter of daily life, taking an economic and psychological toll on the residents. Albany residents’ interactions with the British army during the French and Indian War ultimately transformed Albany’s insular backcountry culture and society. [Read more…] about A Frontier Place: The Transformation of Colonial Albany, 1756-1763

John Isaac DeGraff: Schenectady’s First Elected Mayor

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John Isaac DeGraffJohn Isaac De Graff (October 2, 1783 – July 26, 1848) was a U.S. Representative from New York. Born in Schenectady, De Graff attended the common schools and Union College and engaged in mercantile pursuits and the practice of law in that city.

He served in the War of 1812 and was elected as a Jacksonian Democrat to the Twentieth Congress (March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1829). [Read more…] about John Isaac DeGraff: Schenectady’s First Elected Mayor