Albany County, New York
Encyclopedia
Albany County is a county
located in the U.S. state
of New York
, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England
(James VII of Scotland). As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204. As originally established, Albany County had an indefinite amount of land, but has only 530 square miles (1,372.7 km²) as of March 3, 1888. The county seat
is Albany
, the state capital.
, and later confirmed on October 1, 1691. The act creating the county vaguely defined its territory "to containe the Towns of Albany, the Collony Rensselaerwyck, Schonecteda, and all the villages, neighborhoods, and Christian Plantaçons on the east side of Hudson River from Roelef's Creek, and on the west side from Sawyer's Creek (Saugerties
) to the Sarraghtoga." The confirmation declared in 1691 was similar but omitted the Town of Albany, substituted "Mannor of Ranselaerswyck" for "Collony Rensselaerwyck", and stated "to the uttermost end of Sarraghtoga" instead of just "to Sarraghtoga". Livingston Manor was annexed to Albany County from Dutchess County in 1717. Albany's boundaries were nailed down more specificially as various state statutes would add land to the county, or more commonly subtract land for the formation of new counties. In 1772 with the creation of Tryon County
and Charlotte County
Albany gained definitive boundaries and included what are now Albany, Columbia, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties; large parts of Greene and Washington counties; and the disputed southwest corner of Vermont.
The city of Albany was the first municipality within this large county, as the village (dorp in Dutch) of Beverwyck
by the Director-General of New Amsterdam, Pieter Stuyvesant, who also established the first court in Albany. Albany was then erected as a city in 1686 by Governor Dongan through the Dongan Charter
. Schenectady
was given a patent with some municipal rights in 1684 and became a borough in 1765. The Manor of Rensselaerswyck was created as a district within the county in 1772, and subsequently divided into two districts, one on each side of the Hudson River in 1779. The west district included all of what is now Albany County with the exception of what lands were in the city of Albany at that time. Though the Manor of Rensselaerswyck was the only district (along with the city of Albany) in what is today Albany County, it was not the only district in what was Albany County at the time. Pittstown
in 1761, and Duanesburgh in 1764, were created as townships. However, when districts were created in 1772 those townships were incorporated into new districts, Pittstown in Schaghticoke and Duanesburgh into the United Districts of Duanesburgh and Schoharie. Schenectady was made from a borough to a district in 1772 as well. Other districts established in 1772 were Hoosick
, Coxsackie
, Cambridge
, Saratoga
, Halfmoon
, Kinderhook, Kings
, Claverack
, Great Imboght
, and the Manor of Livingston
.
In a census of 1697 there were 1,452 individuals living in Albany County, two years later it would be counted as 2,016 at the beginning of King William's War
. By the end of the war in 1698 the population had dropped to 1,482, but rebounded quickly and was at 2,273 by 1703. By 1723 it had increased to 6,501 and in 1731 to 8,573, which was slightly less than the population within the city of New York in the same year. In 1737 the inhabitants of Albany County would outnumber those of New York County by 17 people. In 1774 Albany County, with 42,706 people, was the largest county in colonial New York. According to the first Federal Census in 1790 Albany County reached 75,921 inhabitants and was still the largest county in the state.
on November 1, 1683. At that time it included all of the present Bennington County, Vermont
, all of New York state north of the counties of Dutchess
and Ulster
, and theoretically stretched west to the Pacific Ocean.
On May 27, 1717, Albany County was adjusted to gain an indefinite amount of land from Dutchess County and other non-county lands.
On October 7, 1763, King George III
, as part of his Proclamation of 1763, created the new province of Quebec
, implicitly setting the northern limit of New York at the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude from the Atlantic-St. Lawrence watershed westward to the St. Lawrence River, implicitly setting the northern limit of Albany County, but it was never mapped.
On July 20, 1764, King George III established the boundary between New Hampshire
and New York along the west bank of the Connecticut River
, north of Massachusetts
and south of the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude. Albany County implicitly gained present-day Vermont
. Although disputes occasionally broke out later, this line became the boundary between New Hampshire and Vermont, and has remained unchanged to the present. When New York refused to recognize land titles through the New Hampshire Grants
(towns created earlier by New Hampshire in present Vermont), dissatisfied colonists organized in opposition, which led to the creation of independent Vermont in 1777.
On July 3, 1766, Cumberland County
was partitioned from Albany County to cover all territory to the northern and eastern limits of the colony, including Windsor County, most of Windham County
, and parts of Bennington and Rutland counties in present-day Vermont
.
On June 26, 1767, Albany County regained all of Cumberland County.
On March 19, 1768, Albany County was re-partitioned, and Cumberland County restored.
On March 16, 1770, Albany County was again partitioned. Gloucester County
was created to include all of Orange, Caledonia
and Essex
counties, most of Washington County
, and parts of Orleans
, Lamoille, Addison
and Chittenden
counties in present-day Vermont.
On March 12, 1772, Albany County was partitioned again, this time into the counties of Albany, Tryon
(now Montgomery
), and Charlotte
(now Washington
). This established a definite area for Albany County of 5470 sq mi (14,167.2 km²).
On March 24, 1772, Albany County was partitioned again, with an additional 50 square miles (129.5 km²) handed over to Cumberland County.
On March 9, 1774, Albany County was partitioned again, this time passing 1090 square miles (2,823.1 km²) to Ulster County
.
On April 1, 1775, Albany was again partitioned, this time giving up 60 square miles (155.4 km²) to Charlotte County, who then exchanged this land with a like parcel in Cumberland County.
On January 15, 1777, Albany County was again partitioned, this time on account of the independence of Vermont
from New York, reducing Albany County by an additional 300 square miles (777 km²).
On June 26, 1781, Bennington County, Vermont attempted to annex a portion of Albany County that today includes portions of Washington
and Rensselaer
counties to form what they called "The West Union". The fledgling United States – under the Articles of Confederation
– arbitrated this annexation, and condemned it, resulting in Vermont ceasing the annexation on 1782-02-23.
On April 4, 1786, Columbia County
was created from 650 square miles (1,683.5 km²) of Albany County land.
On March 7, 1788, New York, refusing to recognize the independence of Vermont
, and the attendant elimination of Cumberland County, attempted to adjust the line that separated Cumberland from Albany County in present-day Vermont, but to no effect.
On February 7, 1791, Albany County was partitioned again, this time to form Rensselaer
and Saratoga
counties. Rensselaer received 660 square miles (1,709.4 km²), while Saratoga received 850 square miles (2,201.5 km²). Also the town of Cambridge
was transferred to Washington County
. A total of 1680 square miles (4,351.2 km²) changed hands.
On June 1, 1795, Albany County was once again partitioned, this time losing 460 sq mi (1,191.4 km²) to Schoharie County
.
On April 5, 1798, another partition took place, with 90 square miles (233.1 km²) passing to Ulster County
.
On March 25, 1800, once again Albany County was partitioned, with 360 sq mi (932.4 km² being used to create Greene County
.
On April 3, 1801, all New York counties were redefined, with Albany County gaining 10 sq mi (25.9 km²).
On March 3, 1808, Albany County turned Havre Island over to Saratoga County
, with no resultant loss in land.
On March 7, 1809, Schenectady County
was created from 230 square miles (595.7 km²) of Albany County land.
The result was the production of Albany County as it exists today.
Albany County is in the east central part of New York, extending southward and westward from the point where the Mohawk River
joins the Hudson River
. Its eastern boundary is the Hudson; a portion of its northern boundary is the Mohawk.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau
, the county has a total area of 533 square miles (1,380.5 km²), of which 523 square miles (1,354.6 km²) is land and 10 square miles (25.9 km²) (1.83%) is water.
The terrain of the county ranges from flat near the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers to high and hilly to the southwest, where the Helderberg Escarpment
marks the beginnings of the Catskill Mountains
. The highest point is one of several summits near Henry Hill at approximately 2,160 feet (658 m) above sea level; the lowest point is sea level along the Hudson.
, with cold, snowy winters, and hot, wet summers. Albany receives around 36.2 inches (919.5 mm) of rain per year, with 135 days of at least 0.01 inch (0.254 mm) of precipitation
. Snowfall is significant, totaling about 63 inches (1,600.2 mm) annually, but with less accumulation than the lake-effect areas to the north and west, being far enough from Lake Ontario
. Albany County is however, close enough to the coast to receive heavy snow from Nor'easter
s, and the region gets the bulk of its yearly snowfall from these types of storms. The county also occasionally receives Alberta clipper
s. Winters are often very cold with fluctuating conditions, temperatures often drop to below 0 °F (−18 °C) at night. Summers in the Albany can contain stretches of excessive heat and humidity, with temperatures above 90 °F (32.2 °C) and dew points near 70. Severe thunderstorms are common but tornadoes are rare. Albany receives on average per year 69 sunny days, 111 partly cloudy days, and 185 cloudy days; and an average, over the course of a year, of less than four hours of sunshine per day, with just over an average of 2.5 hours per day over the course of the winter. The chance during daylight hours of sunshine is 53%, with the highest percentage of sunny daylight hours being in July with 64%, and the lowest month is November with 37%.
), French Renaissance (the New York State Capitol
), Federal style (the original Albany Academy in Academy Park), Romanesque Revival (Albany City Hall
), Art deco (the Alfred E. Smith Building), and Modern (Empire State Plaza). The cities of Albany, Cohoes, and Watervliet and the village of Green Island are more urban in architecture; while the towns of Colonie, Guilderland, New Scotland, and Bethlehem more suburban and the remaining Hilltowns (Berne, Knox, Westerlo, and Rensselaerville) very rural.
and John Boyd Thacher State Park
. There are also state-owned nature preserves with interactive educational programs such as the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and the Albany Pine Bush. The cities, towns, and villages of Albany County have many municipal parks, playgrounds, and protected green areas. Washington Park in the city of Albany and The Crossing in the town of Colonie are two of the largest. There are many small hiking and biking trails and longer distance bike-hike trails such the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail
which goes from the city of Albany north to Cohoes and then west along the Mohawk River to Schenectady County.
held in the city of Albany every spring at Washington Park
. The tradition stems from when Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd
had a city ordinance passed declaring the tulip
as Albany's official flower on July 1, 1948. The African-American tradition of Pinkster
fest, whose origins are traced back even further to Dutch festivities, was later incorporated into the Tulip Fest. The Albany LatinFest has been held since 1996 and drew 10,000 to Washington Park in 2008. PolishFest is a three day celebration of Polish culture in the Capital District, held in the town of Colonie for the past eight years.
in Guilderland
and Colonie Center
in Colonie with over one million square feet of rentable space in each. A regional mall, the Latham Circle Mall
, is in Latham
(town of Colonie). South of the Latham Circle Mall, in the neighboring hamlet of Newtonville
also within the town of Colonie, is Hoffman's Playland. Hoffman's is a children's amusement park open during the summer. During the winter there are over 18 miles (29 km) of official trails for snowshoeing at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, in the city of Albany and towns of Colonie and Guilderland.
or from a town created from the town of Watervliet.
is the oldest and largest state museum in the country. Many of the museums are historical sites themselves, such as Cherry Hill, the Ten Broeck Mansion
, and the Schuyler Mansion
in the city of Albany and the Pruyn House in Colonie. The Quackenbush House
is the second oldest house in the city of Albany and is part of the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center, which includes a planetarium
. The Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center in the city of Albany includes hands-on activities to learn about the unique Pine Bush Barrens of the city of Albany and towns of Guilderland and Colonie. Covering the history of pharmacy is the Throop Drug Store Museum at the Albany College of Pharmacy. The USS Slater, DE-766 is a World War II Destroyer Escort, the last floating Destroyer Escort, owned by the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum is moored from Spring to Fall at the foot of Quay Street in the Hudson River. The ship is open for tours each week and contains an excellent and well-maintained collection of World War II US Naval artifacts. www.ussslater.org
There are several art museums in Albany County; including the Albany Center Gallery, in downtown Albany, which exhibits works by local artists within a 100 miles (160.9 km) radius of that city; the University Art Museum, at the University at Albany, SUNY
; and the Opalka Gallery, at the Sage College of Albany
. The Empire State Plaza
in Albany has one of the most important state collections of modern art in the U.S.
. In 1996, the The Grateful Dead released a concert album from their March 1990 performances titled Dozin' at the Knick
.
Phil Jackson
won his first championship ring when he guided the Albany Patroons
to the 1984 CBA championship. Three years later, the Patroons completed a 50–6 regular season, including winning all 28 of their home games; at that time, Denver Nuggets
head coach George Karl
was the Patroons' head coach. Future NBA stars Mario Elie
and Vincent Askew
were part of that season's squad. Mike Tyson
received his early training in the Capital District and his first professional fight was in Albany in 1985 and Tyson's first televised fight was in Troy in 1986. He fought professionally four times in Albany and twice each in Troy and Glens Falls between 1985 and 1986.
Since 1988, the Siena College
men's basketball team (the Siena Saints
) have appeared in six NCAA Tournaments
(1989
, 1999
, 2002
, 2008
, 2009
, and 2010
).
. This community is active and has its own synagogue.
of 2000, there were 294,565 people, 120,512 households, and 70,981 families residing in the county. The population density
was 563 people per square mile (217/km²). There were 129,972 housing units at an average density of 248 per square mile (96/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 63.19% White
, 31.08% Black
or African American
, 0.21% Native American
, 2.75% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 1.05% from other races
, and 1.70% from two or more races. 3.08% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 19.2% were of Irish
, 16.0% Italian
, 11.0% German, 6.1% English
and 5.1% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-context=dt&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_PCT016&-CONTEXT=dt&-tree_id= . 90.4% spoke English, 2.7% Spanish and 1.0% Italian as their first language.
There were 120,512 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples
living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,935, and the median income for a family was $56,724. Males had a median income of $39,838 versus $30,127 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $23,345. About 7.2% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.9% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
along with a 39-seat county legislature.
All 39 members are elected from individual districts. Currently, there are 31 Democrats
and 8 Republicans
.
The current County Executive is Michael G. Breslin (D) and the Chair of the Legislature is Daniel P. McCoy (D). Other county elected officials include County Sheriff James Campbell, County District Attorney David Soares
, and County Comptroller Michael F. Conners. The county executive is elected in a countywide vote.
, from the first passenger railroad in the state to the oldest municipal airport
in the United States. Today, Interstates, Amtrak
, and the Albany International Airport
continue to make the Albany County a major crossroads of the Northeastern United States
.
The Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization
(MPO) for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Every metropolitan area in the United States with a population of over 50,000 must have a MPO in order to get any federal transportation funding. The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) uses an MPO to make decisions on what projects are most important to a metro area for immediate versus long term funding. The USDOT will not approve federal funds for transportation projects unless they are on an MPO's list.
. Even before the Interstate Highway System
and the US Highway system, Albany County was the hub of many turnpikes
and plank road
s that connected the region. Today, it is in Albany County that Interstate 87
and Interstate 90
meet. The Thomas E. Dewey New York State Thruway is a toll-road that from Exit 24 in the city of Albany is I-87 and travels south to connect the county with downstate New York
. West from Exit 24 the Thruway is I-90 and connects the county with Schenectady
, Utica
, Syracuse
, Rochester
, and Buffalo
. North of Exit 24, I-87 is the Adirondack Northway and connects the city and county of Albany with their suburbs in Saratoga County
and provides long-distance travel to Montreal
. East of Exit 24, I-90 travels along the northern boundary of the city of Albany and exits the county on the Patroon Island Bridge
into Rensselaer County
to access Albany's eastern suburbs. Interstate 787
connects the Thruway (I-87) to Downtown Albany
, Menands
, Watervliet
, and Cohoes
. US Route 9 enters the county on the Dunn Memorial Bridge
and travels through the city of Albany north connecting it with the suburbs in the Colonie and Saratoga County. US Route 20 also enters the county on the Dunn Memorial Bridge and then travels west through Albany (city) and then the town of Guilderland
. New York State Route 5
and New York State Route 7
are two important highways that bisect the county and serve as important shopping strips.
, a four county bus service that also serves Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Saratoga counties. Greyhound Lines
, Trailways, and Peter Pan
/Bonanza buses are all serve a downtown terminal. There is also a Chinatown bus service that leaves from Central Avenue and goes to Chinatown in Manhattan
.
is the only commercial airport in the county. Destinations for flights out of Albany include Toronto; Cleveland, Ohio
; Atlanta, Georgia
; Las Vegas
; Chicago; Charlotte, North Carolina
; and Orlando, Florida
, among many others.
in the city of Albany was abandoned for a new station across the Hudson in the city of Rensselaer
, Albany County has been without a train station. Amtrak has several routes servicing the Albany-Rensselaer Station
. The Adirondack
(north to Montreal, Quebec and south to the city of New York), Empire Service
(west to Buffalo and Niagara Falls, south to New York), Ethan Allen Express (northeast to Rutland, Vermont and south to New York), Maple Leaf (west to Toronto and south to New York), and the Lake Shore Limited (at Albany-Rensselaer separate routes from Boston and New York merge to one train west to Chicago, on way east one train splits to two, one east to Boston another south to New York).
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
(James VII of Scotland). As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204. As originally established, Albany County had an indefinite amount of land, but has only 530 square miles (1,372.7 km²) as of March 3, 1888. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, the state capital.
Colonial
Albany County was created on November 1, 1683 by New York Governor Thomas DonganThomas Dongan, 2nd Earl of Limerick
Thomas Donegan, 2nd Earl of Limerick was a member of Irish Parliament, Royalist military officer during the English Civil War, and governor of the Province of New York...
, and later confirmed on October 1, 1691. The act creating the county vaguely defined its territory "to containe the Towns of Albany, the Collony Rensselaerwyck, Schonecteda, and all the villages, neighborhoods, and Christian Plantaçons on the east side of Hudson River from Roelef's Creek, and on the west side from Sawyer's Creek (Saugerties
Saugerties (village), New York
Saugerties is a village in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 4,955 at the 2000 census.The Village of Saugerties is a Town in the eastern part of the Town of Saugerties. U.S. Route 9W passes through the village...
) to the Sarraghtoga." The confirmation declared in 1691 was similar but omitted the Town of Albany, substituted "Mannor of Ranselaerswyck" for "Collony Rensselaerwyck", and stated "to the uttermost end of Sarraghtoga" instead of just "to Sarraghtoga". Livingston Manor was annexed to Albany County from Dutchess County in 1717. Albany's boundaries were nailed down more specificially as various state statutes would add land to the county, or more commonly subtract land for the formation of new counties. In 1772 with the creation of Tryon County
Tryon County, New York
Tryon County, New York was a county in the colonial Province of New York in the British American colonies. It was created from Albany County on March 24, 1772. It was named for William Tryon, the last provincial governor of New York. Its boundaries extended far further than any current county...
and Charlotte County
Charlotte County, Province of New York
Charlotte County was a county in the colonial Province of New York in the British American colonies. It was created from Albany County on March 24, 1772. The county was named for Charlotte, Princess Royal, oldest daughter and fourth child of George III of the United Kingdom. Its boundaries extended...
Albany gained definitive boundaries and included what are now Albany, Columbia, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties; large parts of Greene and Washington counties; and the disputed southwest corner of Vermont.
The city of Albany was the first municipality within this large county, as the village (dorp in Dutch) of Beverwyck
Beverwyck
Beverwijck was a fur-trading community north of Fort Orange on the Hudson River in New Netherland that was to become Albany, New York, when the English took control of the colony in 1664....
by the Director-General of New Amsterdam, Pieter Stuyvesant, who also established the first court in Albany. Albany was then erected as a city in 1686 by Governor Dongan through the Dongan Charter
Dongan Charter
The Dongan Charter is the 1686 document incorporating Albany, New York as a city. Albany's charter was issued by Governor Thomas Dongan of the Province of New York, a few months after Governor Dongan issued a similarly worded, but less detailed charter for the city of New York. The city of Albany...
. Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
was given a patent with some municipal rights in 1684 and became a borough in 1765. The Manor of Rensselaerswyck was created as a district within the county in 1772, and subsequently divided into two districts, one on each side of the Hudson River in 1779. The west district included all of what is now Albany County with the exception of what lands were in the city of Albany at that time. Though the Manor of Rensselaerswyck was the only district (along with the city of Albany) in what is today Albany County, it was not the only district in what was Albany County at the time. Pittstown
Pittstown, New York
Pittstown is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 5,644 at the 2000 census. It is in the northern part of the county.A small part of the north town line is Rensselaer County's border with Washington County, New York...
in 1761, and Duanesburgh in 1764, were created as townships. However, when districts were created in 1772 those townships were incorporated into new districts, Pittstown in Schaghticoke and Duanesburgh into the United Districts of Duanesburgh and Schoharie. Schenectady was made from a borough to a district in 1772 as well. Other districts established in 1772 were Hoosick
Hoosick, New York
Hoosick is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 6,759 at the 2000 census.The Town of Hoosick is in the northeast corner of the county.- History :...
, Coxsackie
Coxsackie, New York
Coxsackie is the name of more than one place in New York, USA.*Coxsackie , New York*Coxsackie , New York*Coxsackie Correctional Facility...
, Cambridge
Cambridge, New York
Cambridge, New York, may refer to either:* Cambridge , New York, the Town of Cambridge located in Washington County, New York* Cambridge , New York, the Village of Cambridge located within the Town of Cambridge, New York....
, Saratoga
Saratoga, New York
Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census. It is also the commonly used, but not official, name for the neighboring and much more populous city, Saratoga Springs. The major village in the town of Saratoga is Schuylerville which is...
, Halfmoon
Halfmoon, New York
Halfmoon is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 18,474 at the 2000 census. The town is named for the crescent shape of the land between the Hudson River and Mohawk River....
, Kinderhook, Kings
Canaan, New York
Canaan is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,820 at the 2000 census.The Town of Canaan is in the northeast part of the county.- History :The first settlers arrived around 1759....
, Claverack
Claverack, New York
Claverack is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 6,401 at the 2000 census. The town name is a corruption for the Dutch word for "Clover Fields" or "Clover Reach"....
, Great Imboght
Catskill (town), New York
Catskill is a town in the southeast part of Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 11,775 at the 2010 census. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park....
, and the Manor of Livingston
Livingston Manor
This article contains information related to Livingston Manor, the 18th century New York estate. Livingston Manor, New York is a town in Sullivan County...
.
In a census of 1697 there were 1,452 individuals living in Albany County, two years later it would be counted as 2,016 at the beginning of King William's War
King William's War
The first of the French and Indian Wars, King William's War was the name used in the English colonies in America to refer to the North American theater of the Nine Years' War...
. By the end of the war in 1698 the population had dropped to 1,482, but rebounded quickly and was at 2,273 by 1703. By 1723 it had increased to 6,501 and in 1731 to 8,573, which was slightly less than the population within the city of New York in the same year. In 1737 the inhabitants of Albany County would outnumber those of New York County by 17 people. In 1774 Albany County, with 42,706 people, was the largest county in colonial New York. According to the first Federal Census in 1790 Albany County reached 75,921 inhabitants and was still the largest county in the state.
Formation of towns
On March 7, 1788 the state of New York divided the entire state into towns eliminating districts as administrative units by passing New York Laws of 1788, Chapters 63 and 64.Timeline of boundary changes
Albany County was one of the original twelve counties created by the Province of New YorkProvince of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
on November 1, 1683. At that time it included all of the present Bennington County, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, all of New York state north of the counties of Dutchess
Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
and Ulster
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
, and theoretically stretched west to the Pacific Ocean.
On May 27, 1717, Albany County was adjusted to gain an indefinite amount of land from Dutchess County and other non-county lands.
On October 7, 1763, King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
, as part of his Proclamation of 1763, created the new province of Quebec
Province of Quebec (1763-1791)
The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Great Britain acquired Canada by the Treaty of Paris when King Louis XV of France and his advisors chose to keep the territory of Guadeloupe for its valuable sugar crops instead of New France...
, implicitly setting the northern limit of New York at the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude from the Atlantic-St. Lawrence watershed westward to the St. Lawrence River, implicitly setting the northern limit of Albany County, but it was never mapped.
On July 20, 1764, King George III established the boundary between New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and New York along the west bank of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
, north of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and south of the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude. Albany County implicitly gained present-day Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. Although disputes occasionally broke out later, this line became the boundary between New Hampshire and Vermont, and has remained unchanged to the present. When New York refused to recognize land titles through the New Hampshire Grants
New Hampshire Grants
The New Hampshire Grants or Benning Wentworth Grants were land grants made between 1749 and 1764 by the provincial governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth. The land grants, totaling about 135 , were made on land claimed by New Hampshire west of the Connecticut River, territory that was also...
(towns created earlier by New Hampshire in present Vermont), dissatisfied colonists organized in opposition, which led to the creation of independent Vermont in 1777.
On July 3, 1766, Cumberland County
Cumberland County, New York
Cumberland County, New York was a county in the Province of New York that became part of the state of Vermont. It was divided out of Albany County in New York in 1766, but eventually became part of Vermont in 1777...
was partitioned from Albany County to cover all territory to the northern and eastern limits of the colony, including Windsor County, most of Windham County
Windham County, Vermont
Windham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 44,513. Its shire town is Newfane.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, and parts of Bennington and Rutland counties in present-day Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
.
On June 26, 1767, Albany County regained all of Cumberland County.
On March 19, 1768, Albany County was re-partitioned, and Cumberland County restored.
On March 16, 1770, Albany County was again partitioned. Gloucester County
Gloucester County, New York
Gloucester County, New York is a former county in New York that became part of the state of Vermont. It was a part of Albany County in the Province of New York until 1770 and was lost to Vermont in 1777. At that time, Vermont was holding itself out as the Republic of Vermont and did not become a...
was created to include all of Orange, Caledonia
Caledonia County, Vermont
Caledonia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 31,227. Its shire town is St. Johnsbury.The county was given the Latin name for Scotland, in honor of the many settlers who claimed ancestry there....
and Essex
Essex County, Vermont
Essex County is the county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 6,306, making it the least-populous county in both Vermont and New England...
counties, most of Washington County
Washington County, Vermont
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 59,534; Vermont's third-most populous county after Chittenden County and Rutland County. Its shire town is Montpelier, the state capital. The center of population of Vermont is located in Washington...
, and parts of Orleans
Orleans County, Vermont
Orleans County is one of the four northernmost counties in the U.S. state of Vermont. It borders Canada. In 2010, the population was 27,231. Its county seat is Newport. As in the rest of New England, few governmental powers have been granted to the county...
, Lamoille, Addison
Addison County, Vermont
Addison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. In 2010, the population was 36,821. Its shire town is Middlebury.-Geography:...
and Chittenden
Chittenden County, Vermont
Chittenden County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 156,545. Its shire town is Burlington. Chittenden is the most populous county in the state, with more than twice as many residents as Vermont's second-most populous county, Rutland.Chittenden County...
counties in present-day Vermont.
On March 12, 1772, Albany County was partitioned again, this time into the counties of Albany, Tryon
Tryon County, New York
Tryon County, New York was a county in the colonial Province of New York in the British American colonies. It was created from Albany County on March 24, 1772. It was named for William Tryon, the last provincial governor of New York. Its boundaries extended far further than any current county...
(now Montgomery
Montgomery County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
), and Charlotte
Charlotte County, Province of New York
Charlotte County was a county in the colonial Province of New York in the British American colonies. It was created from Albany County on March 24, 1772. The county was named for Charlotte, Princess Royal, oldest daughter and fourth child of George III of the United Kingdom. Its boundaries extended...
(now Washington
Washington County, New York
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,216. It was named for the Revolutionary War general George Washington...
). This established a definite area for Albany County of 5470 sq mi (14,167.2 km²).
On March 24, 1772, Albany County was partitioned again, with an additional 50 square miles (129.5 km²) handed over to Cumberland County.
On March 9, 1774, Albany County was partitioned again, this time passing 1090 square miles (2,823.1 km²) to Ulster County
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
.
On April 1, 1775, Albany was again partitioned, this time giving up 60 square miles (155.4 km²) to Charlotte County, who then exchanged this land with a like parcel in Cumberland County.
On January 15, 1777, Albany County was again partitioned, this time on account of the independence of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
from New York, reducing Albany County by an additional 300 square miles (777 km²).
On June 26, 1781, Bennington County, Vermont attempted to annex a portion of Albany County that today includes portions of Washington
Washington County, New York
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,216. It was named for the Revolutionary War general George Washington...
and Rensselaer
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
counties to form what they called "The West Union". The fledgling United States – under the Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, formally the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement among the 13 founding states that legally established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states and served as its first constitution...
– arbitrated this annexation, and condemned it, resulting in Vermont ceasing the annexation on 1782-02-23.
On April 4, 1786, Columbia County
Columbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
was created from 650 square miles (1,683.5 km²) of Albany County land.
On March 7, 1788, New York, refusing to recognize the independence of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, and the attendant elimination of Cumberland County, attempted to adjust the line that separated Cumberland from Albany County in present-day Vermont, but to no effect.
On February 7, 1791, Albany County was partitioned again, this time to form Rensselaer
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
and Saratoga
Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...
counties. Rensselaer received 660 square miles (1,709.4 km²), while Saratoga received 850 square miles (2,201.5 km²). Also the town of Cambridge
Cambridge (town), New York
Cambridge is a town in Washington County, New York, USA. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 2,158 at the 2005 census.The town of Cambridge contains part of a village, also called Cambridge.- History :...
was transferred to Washington County
Washington County, New York
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,216. It was named for the Revolutionary War general George Washington...
. A total of 1680 square miles (4,351.2 km²) changed hands.
On June 1, 1795, Albany County was once again partitioned, this time losing 460 sq mi (1,191.4 km²) to Schoharie County
Schoharie County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,582 people, 11,991 households and 8,177 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 15,915 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
.
On April 5, 1798, another partition took place, with 90 square miles (233.1 km²) passing to Ulster County
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
.
On March 25, 1800, once again Albany County was partitioned, with 360 sq mi (932.4 km² being used to create Greene County
Greene County, New York
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...
.
On April 3, 1801, all New York counties were redefined, with Albany County gaining 10 sq mi (25.9 km²).
On March 3, 1808, Albany County turned Havre Island over to Saratoga County
Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...
, with no resultant loss in land.
On March 7, 1809, Schenectady County
Schenectady County, New York
Schenectady County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 154,727. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Schenectady. The name is from a Mohawk Indian word meaning "on the other side of the...
was created from 230 square miles (595.7 km²) of Albany County land.
The result was the production of Albany County as it exists today.
Geography
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
joins the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. Its eastern boundary is the Hudson; a portion of its northern boundary is the Mohawk.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 533 square miles (1,380.5 km²), of which 523 square miles (1,354.6 km²) is land and 10 square miles (25.9 km²) (1.83%) is water.
The terrain of the county ranges from flat near the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers to high and hilly to the southwest, where the Helderberg Escarpment
Helderberg Escarpment
The Helderberg Escarpment is an escarpment in eastern New York, roughly west of the city of Albany....
marks the beginnings of the Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
. The highest point is one of several summits near Henry Hill at approximately 2,160 feet (658 m) above sea level; the lowest point is sea level along the Hudson.
Climate
The Capital District has a humid continental climateClimate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
, with cold, snowy winters, and hot, wet summers. Albany receives around 36.2 inches (919.5 mm) of rain per year, with 135 days of at least 0.01 inch (0.254 mm) of precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
. Snowfall is significant, totaling about 63 inches (1,600.2 mm) annually, but with less accumulation than the lake-effect areas to the north and west, being far enough from Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. Albany County is however, close enough to the coast to receive heavy snow from Nor'easter
Nor'easter
A nor'easter is a type of macro-scale storm along the East Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada, so named because the storm travels to the northeast from the south and the winds come from the northeast, especially in the coastal areas of the Northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada...
s, and the region gets the bulk of its yearly snowfall from these types of storms. The county also occasionally receives Alberta clipper
Alberta clipper
An Alberta clipper is a fast moving low pressure area which generally affects the central provinces of Canada and parts of the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the United States. Most clippers occur between December and February, but can also occur occasionally in the month of November...
s. Winters are often very cold with fluctuating conditions, temperatures often drop to below 0 °F (−18 °C) at night. Summers in the Albany can contain stretches of excessive heat and humidity, with temperatures above 90 °F (32.2 °C) and dew points near 70. Severe thunderstorms are common but tornadoes are rare. Albany receives on average per year 69 sunny days, 111 partly cloudy days, and 185 cloudy days; and an average, over the course of a year, of less than four hours of sunshine per day, with just over an average of 2.5 hours per day over the course of the winter. The chance during daylight hours of sunshine is 53%, with the highest percentage of sunny daylight hours being in July with 64%, and the lowest month is November with 37%.
Architecture
Albany County has a myriad of different architectural styles spanning centuries of development. Within the city of Albany alone there is Dutch Colonial (the Quackenbush HouseQuackenbush House
Quackenbush House is a historic building in Albany, New York. It is a house with a double-pitched gable roof that was built in about 1736. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.-History:...
), French Renaissance (the New York State Capitol
New York State Capitol
The New York State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of New York. Housing the New York State Legislature, it is located in the state capital city Albany, on State Street in Capitol Park. The building, completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million , was the most expensive government...
), Federal style (the original Albany Academy in Academy Park), Romanesque Revival (Albany City Hall
Albany City Hall
Albany City Hall is the seat of government of the city of Albany, New York. It houses the office of the mayor, the Common Council chamber, the city and traffic courts, as well as other city services. The current building was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson in his particular Romanesque style and...
), Art deco (the Alfred E. Smith Building), and Modern (Empire State Plaza). The cities of Albany, Cohoes, and Watervliet and the village of Green Island are more urban in architecture; while the towns of Colonie, Guilderland, New Scotland, and Bethlehem more suburban and the remaining Hilltowns (Berne, Knox, Westerlo, and Rensselaerville) very rural.
Parks
Albany County is home to the Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center, which opened in July 2001 and is located near the shore of Thompson's Lake between the two state parks that are in Albany County- Thompson's Lake State ParkThompson's Lake State Park
Thompson's Lake State Park is a state park located near East Berne, New York, in Albany County.The park offers a beach, a playground and playing fields, picnic tables, recreation programs, a nature trail, fishing and ice fishing, a boat launch, a dump station, campground for tents and trailers,...
and John Boyd Thacher State Park
John Boyd Thacher State Park
John Boyd Thacher State Park is a state park located 15 miles southwest of Albany, New York near Voorheesville, in Albany County on State Route 157...
. There are also state-owned nature preserves with interactive educational programs such as the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and the Albany Pine Bush. The cities, towns, and villages of Albany County have many municipal parks, playgrounds, and protected green areas. Washington Park in the city of Albany and The Crossing in the town of Colonie are two of the largest. There are many small hiking and biking trails and longer distance bike-hike trails such the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail
Mohawk Hudson Hike/Bike Trail
The Mohawk Hudson Hike/Bike Trail is a trail in Albany and Schenectady counties in New York's Capital District. It is also the easternmost segment of the New York State Canalway Trail....
which goes from the city of Albany north to Cohoes and then west along the Mohawk River to Schenectady County.
Festivals
One of the largest events in Albany County is the Tulip FestTulip Festival (Albany, New York)
The Tulip Festival, also known as TulipFest, is held in Albany, New York every spring at Washington Park. The tradition stems from when Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd got a city ordinance passed declaring the tulip as Albany's official flower on July 1, 1948. In addition, he sent a request to Queen...
held in the city of Albany every spring at Washington Park
Washington Park Historic District (Albany, New York)
Washington Park in Albany, New York is the city's premier park and the site of many festivals and gatherings. As public property it dates back to the city charter in 1686, and has seen many uses including that of gunpowder storage, square/parade grounds, and cemetery...
. The tradition stems from when Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd
Erastus Corning 2nd
Erastus Corning 2nd was an American politician. He was Mayor of Albany, New York for more than 40 years, from 1942 to 1983, when Albany County was controlled by one of the last two classic urban political machines in the United States. Albany's longest serving mayor, the Democrat died in office in...
had a city ordinance passed declaring the tulip
Tulip
The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, which comprises 109 species and belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus's native range extends from as far west as Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia, and Iran to the Northwest of China. The tulip's centre of...
as Albany's official flower on July 1, 1948. The African-American tradition of Pinkster
Pinkster
Pinkster is a spring festival, taking place in late May or early June. The name is a variation of the Dutch word Pinksteren, meaning "Pentecost". Pinkster in English almost always refers to the festivals held by African Americans in the Northeastern United States, particularly in the early 19th...
fest, whose origins are traced back even further to Dutch festivities, was later incorporated into the Tulip Fest. The Albany LatinFest has been held since 1996 and drew 10,000 to Washington Park in 2008. PolishFest is a three day celebration of Polish culture in the Capital District, held in the town of Colonie for the past eight years.
Amusement
Albany County has two shopping malls that are classified as super-regional malls (malls with over 800,000 sq ft), Crossgates MallCrossgates Mall
Crossgates Mall is a shopping mall located in Albany, New York, United States, not far from Schenectady. The mall opened on March 4, 1984, and in October 1994 underwent a large expansion that nearly doubled its size. It now has a gross leasable area of with two floors including 250 shops and...
in Guilderland
Guilderland, New York
Guilderland is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. In the 2010 census, the town had a population of 35,303. The town is named for the Gelderland province in the Netherlands....
and Colonie Center
Colonie Center
Colonie Center is a shopping mall located in Albany at the intersection of Central Avenue, Wolf Road, and Interstate 87. Opening in 1966, it was the first enclosed shopping mall in New York State's Capital Region. The mall has successfully updated its tenant mix, image, and look on an ongoing basis...
in Colonie with over one million square feet of rentable space in each. A regional mall, the Latham Circle Mall
Latham Circle Mall
Latham Circle Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located adjacent to the Latham Circle in Latham, New York. Built in 1957 as Latham Corners Shopping Center, the mall was renovated several times in its history. It is anchored by JCPenney, Regal Cinemas, Burlington Coat Factory, and Lowe's Home...
, is in Latham
Latham, New York
Latham is a hamlet in Albany County, New York, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 9 in the town of Colonie, a dense suburb north of Albany.-History:...
(town of Colonie). South of the Latham Circle Mall, in the neighboring hamlet of Newtonville
Newtonville, New York
Newtonville is a hamlet in the town of Colonie in Albany County, New York, United States. Located along U.S. Route 9, the hamlet is just south of Latham and north of Loudonville. Colonie Town Hall is located in the hamlet of Newtonville.-History:...
also within the town of Colonie, is Hoffman's Playland. Hoffman's is a children's amusement park open during the summer. During the winter there are over 18 miles (29 km) of official trails for snowshoeing at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, in the city of Albany and towns of Colonie and Guilderland.
Municipalities
Albany County is composed of three cities and 10 towns. Albany, Cohoes, and Watervliet are the three cities. The ten towns are Berne, Bethlehem, Coeymans, Colonie, Green Island, Guilderland, Knox, New Scotland, Rensselaerville, and Westerlo. Additionally there are six villages within five towns. The town of Colonie has two villages, one also named Colonie and one named Menands. The town of Green Island is coterminous with the village of the same name. Ravena is within the town of Coeymans, Altamont in the town of Guilderland, and Voorheesville in the town of New Scotland. Albany is the second oldest city in the state of New York based on date of incorporation as a city. All towns in Albany County were created from the town of WatervlietWatervliet (town), New York
For the Shaker village, see Watervliet Shaker Historic District.The town of Watervliet was a town that at its height encompassed most of present-day Albany County and the majority of the current town of Niskayuna in neighboring Schenectady County, in the state of New York, United States...
or from a town created from the town of Watervliet.
Culture and contemporary life
Albany is often derided as "Smallbany" (also spelled Smalbany) for its perceived lack of culture and as a backwater in tourism circles, even though it consistently ranks high on lists of top cities/metro areas for culture, such as being 23rd in the book Cities Ranked & Rated. Albany is home to some of the oldest museums, historical sites, and places of worship in the state of New York and the United States; some of the finest collections of historical artifacts and art can be found in Albany County.Museums
Albany County has many historical sites and museums covering a wide-range of topics and time periods. The Albany Institute of History and Art founded in 1791 is one of the oldest museums in the United States, and the New York State MuseumNew York State Museum
The New York State Museum is a research-backed institution in Albany, New York, United States. It is located on Madison Avenue, attached to the south side of the Empire State Plaza, facing onto the plaza and towards the New York State Capitol...
is the oldest and largest state museum in the country. Many of the museums are historical sites themselves, such as Cherry Hill, the Ten Broeck Mansion
Ten Broeck Mansion
The Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, New York was built in 1797. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. A decade later it was included as a contributing property to the Arbor Hill Historic District – Ten Broeck Triangle when that neighborhood was listed on the...
, and the Schuyler Mansion
Schuyler Mansion
Schuyler Mansion is a historic house at 32 Catherine Street in Albany, New York, United States. The brick mansion is now a museum and an official National Historic Landmark. It was constructed from 1761 to 1762 for Philip Schuyler, later a general in the Continental Army and early U.S. Senator,...
in the city of Albany and the Pruyn House in Colonie. The Quackenbush House
Quackenbush House
Quackenbush House is a historic building in Albany, New York. It is a house with a double-pitched gable roof that was built in about 1736. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.-History:...
is the second oldest house in the city of Albany and is part of the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center, which includes a planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
. The Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center in the city of Albany includes hands-on activities to learn about the unique Pine Bush Barrens of the city of Albany and towns of Guilderland and Colonie. Covering the history of pharmacy is the Throop Drug Store Museum at the Albany College of Pharmacy. The USS Slater, DE-766 is a World War II Destroyer Escort, the last floating Destroyer Escort, owned by the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum is moored from Spring to Fall at the foot of Quay Street in the Hudson River. The ship is open for tours each week and contains an excellent and well-maintained collection of World War II US Naval artifacts. www.ussslater.org
There are several art museums in Albany County; including the Albany Center Gallery, in downtown Albany, which exhibits works by local artists within a 100 miles (160.9 km) radius of that city; the University Art Museum, at the University at Albany, SUNY
University at Albany, SUNY
The State University of New York at Albany, also known as University at Albany, State University of New York, SUNY Albany or simply UAlbany, is a public university located in Albany, Guilderland, and East Greenbush, New York, United States; is the senior campus of the State University of New York ...
; and the Opalka Gallery, at the Sage College of Albany
Sage College of Albany
Sage College of Albany, SCA for short, is located at 140 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, New York, 12208. Along with Russell Sage College and the Sage Graduate School, it is one of the three colleges that make up The Sage Colleges. It is also home to Sage After Work, which offers a variety of...
. The Empire State Plaza
Empire State Plaza
The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza is a complex of several state government buildings in downtown Albany, New York....
in Albany has one of the most important state collections of modern art in the U.S.
Performing arts
Albany County itself owns the largest venue for performing arts in the county, the Times Union Center, which was originally built as the Knickerbocker Arena; it opened on January 30, 1990 with a performance by Frank SinatraFrank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
. In 1996, the The Grateful Dead released a concert album from their March 1990 performances titled Dozin' at the Knick
Dozin' at the Knick
Dozin' at The Knick is a recording of the Grateful Dead performing live in concert at the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, New York. It was recorded from March 24-26, 1990 and was released in 1996. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on March 28, 2000. Fans of the Dead frequently refer to the...
.
Sports
Many athletes and coaches in major sports have begun their careers in Albany County. NBA head coach of the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
won his first championship ring when he guided the Albany Patroons
Albany Patroons
The Albany Patroons were a professional basketball team that played in the Continental Basketball Association ....
to the 1984 CBA championship. Three years later, the Patroons completed a 50–6 regular season, including winning all 28 of their home games; at that time, Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
head coach George Karl
George Karl
George Matthew Karl is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player. He is the current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. On December 10, 2010 he became the seventh coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins.-Biography:Karl was born in Penn Hills,...
was the Patroons' head coach. Future NBA stars Mario Elie
Mario Elie
Mario Antoine Elie is an American former professional basketball player and coach. Currently, he works as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings.-Early life and career:...
and Vincent Askew
Vincent Askew
Vincent Jerome Askew is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 1987 NBA Draft...
were part of that season's squad. Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
received his early training in the Capital District and his first professional fight was in Albany in 1985 and Tyson's first televised fight was in Troy in 1986. He fought professionally four times in Albany and twice each in Troy and Glens Falls between 1985 and 1986.
Since 1988, the Siena College
Siena College
Siena College is an independent Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Loudonville, in the town of Colonie, New York, United States. Siena is a four-year, coeducational, independent college in the Franciscan tradition, founded by the Franciscan Friars in 1937. It has 3,000 full-time students and...
men's basketball team (the Siena Saints
Siena Saints men's basketball
The Siena Saints men's basketball team represents Siena College in Loudonville, New York, United States. The Division I program competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Saints are coached by Mitch Buonaguro who just completed his first season as head coach at Siena after serving as...
) have appeared in six NCAA Tournaments
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
(1989
1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1989, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Seattle, Washington...
, 1999
1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1999, and ended with the championship game on March 29 at Tropicana Field in St....
, 2002
2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 2002, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Atlanta, Georgia...
, 2008
2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
, 2009
2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
, and 2010
2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
).
Religious life
Albany County is home to one of the few Karaite Jewish communities outside IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. This community is active and has its own synagogue.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 294,565 people, 120,512 households, and 70,981 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 563 people per square mile (217/km²). There were 129,972 housing units at an average density of 248 per square mile (96/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 63.19% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 31.08% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.21% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.75% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.05% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.70% from two or more races. 3.08% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 19.2% were of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 16.0% Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, 11.0% German, 6.1% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 5.1% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-context=dt&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_PCT016&-CONTEXT=dt&-tree_id= . 90.4% spoke English, 2.7% Spanish and 1.0% Italian as their first language.
There were 120,512 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,935, and the median income for a family was $56,724. Males had a median income of $39,838 versus $30,127 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $23,345. About 7.2% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.9% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Albany County was governed by a board of supervisors until 1967. On January 1, 1968 a 39 member County Legislature came in to being. On January 1, 1976, Albany County government was revised once more when a new county charter went into effect with provisions for a county executiveCounty executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
along with a 39-seat county legislature.
All 39 members are elected from individual districts. Currently, there are 31 Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and 8 Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
The current County Executive is Michael G. Breslin (D) and the Chair of the Legislature is Daniel P. McCoy (D). Other county elected officials include County Sheriff James Campbell, County District Attorney David Soares
David Soares
P. David Soares is the current Albany County District Attorney. He is a Democrat.- Personal life :Soares was the youngest of the six children of Lucas and Lidia Soares. When he was six years old his family moved to Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He received a Bachelor's Degree in communications from...
, and County Comptroller Michael F. Conners. The county executive is elected in a countywide vote.
| Name | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|
| James J. Coyne, Jr. | Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
January 1, 1976 – December 31, 1991 |
| Michael J. Hoblock | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
January 1, 1992 – December 31, 1994 |
| Michael G. Breslin | Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
January 1, 1995 – |
| District | Legislator | Party | Residence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George L. Infante | Democrat | Albany Albany, New York Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River... |
| 2 | Lucille McKnight | Democrat | Albany |
| 3 | Wanda Willingham | Democrat | Albany |
| 4 | Virginia Maffia-Tobler | Democrat | Albany |
| 5 | Norma Chapman | Democrat | Albany |
| 6 | Christopher T. Higgins | Democrat | Albany |
| 7 | Brian Scavo | Democrat | Albany |
| 8 | Douglas Bullock | Democrat | Albany |
| 9 | Donald Rahm | Democrat | Albany |
| 10 | Daniel P. McCoy chairman | Democrat | Albany |
| 11 | Gary Domalewicz | Democrat | Albany |
| 12 | Frank Commisso majority leader Majority leader In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the... |
Democrat | Albany |
| 13 | William M. Clay | Democrat | Albany |
| 14 | Raymond Joyce | Democrat | Albany |
| 15 | Phillip Steck | Democrat | Loudonville Loudonville, New York Loudonville is a hamlet in the town of Colonie, in Albany County, New York, United States. Loudonville was a census-designated place in the 1970, 1980, and 1990 US Census, but ceased to be in the 2000 Census.The area is not precisely defined... |
| 16 | Robert Beston | Democrat | Watervliet Watervliet, New York Watervliet is a city in Albany County in the US state of New York. The population was 10,254 as of the 2010 census. Watervliet is north of Albany, the capital of the state, and is bordered on the north, west, and south by the town of Colonie. The city is also known as "the Arsenal City".- History... |
| 17 | Sean E. Ward | Democrat | Green Island Green Island, New York Green Island is a coterminous town and village in Albany County, New York, USA some 8 miles north of Albany, New York. Green Island is one of only five such town-village amalgams in New York. The population was 2,620 at the 2010 census... |
| 18 | Shawn Morse | Democrat | Cohoes Cohoes, New York Cohoes is an incorporated city located at the northeast corner of Albany County in the US state of New York. It is called the "Spindle City" because of the importance of textile production to its growth. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 16,168... |
| 19 | Gilbert Ethier | Democrat | Cohoes |
| 20 | Timothy Nichols | Democrat | Latham Latham, New York Latham is a hamlet in Albany County, New York, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 9 in the town of Colonie, a dense suburb north of Albany.-History:... |
| 21 | David Mayo | Democrat | Latham |
| 22 | Patrick Timmins | Democrat | Albany |
| 23 | Peter Tunny | Republican | Niskayuna |
| 24 | Carl Zeilman | Republican | Albany |
| 25 | Ryan Horstmyer | Democrat | Loudonville |
| 26 | William Hoblock | Republican | Loudonville |
| 27 | Patrice Lockart | Republican | Albany |
| 28 | Christine Benedict minority leader Minority leader In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position... |
Republican | Albany |
| 29 | Lee Carman | Republican | Schenectady |
| 30 | Bryan Clenahan | Democrat | Albany |
| 31 | William Aylward | Democrat | Altamont |
| 32 | Mary Lou Connolly | Democrat | Albany |
| 33 | Herbert W. Reilly | Democrat | Voorheesville |
| 34 | Thomas Cotrofeld | Democrat | Delmar Delmar, New York Delmar is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York. A census-designated place has been established since 1980 by the US Bureau of Census for tabulating the population of what the census has defined as the boundaries of the urbanized area in and around Delmar. The population was... |
| 35 | Charles S. Dawson | Democrat | Glenmont Glenmont, New York Glenmont is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York. Glenmont is in the northeastern corner of the town and is a suburb of the neighboring city of Albany... |
| 36 | Richard Mendick | Republican | Selkirk Selkirk, New York Selkirk is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York. It is located south of the city of Albany, it is an suburb of that city.... |
| 37 | Peter Clouse | Republican | Coeymans Coeymans (CDP), New York Coeymans is a hamlet in Albany County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 835.Coeymans is a community in the southeastern part of the Town of Coeymans... |
| 38 | Charles Houghtaling | Democrat | Feura Bush Feura Bush, New York Feura Bush is a hamlet in the town of New Scotland, Albany County, New York. It is in the southeast corner of the town, along the Bethlehem town-line, eight miles south of Albany... |
| 39 | Alexander Gordon | Democrat | Berne Berne, New York Berne is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 2,794 at the 2010 census. The town is at the west border of Albany County.- History :... |
Educational institutions
- Albany College of Pharmacy
- Albany Law SchoolAlbany Law SchoolAlbany Law School is an ABA accredited law school based in Albany, New York. It was founded in 1851 by Amos Dean , Amasa Parker, Ira Harris and others....
- Albany Medical CollegeAlbany Medical CollegeAlbany Medical College is a medical school located in Albany, New York, United States. It was founded in 1839 by Amos Dean, Dr. Thomas Hun and others, and is one of the oldest medical schools in the nation...
- Bryant & Stratton College
- Excelsior CollegeExcelsior CollegeExcelsior College is a private, non-profit institution of higher education in Albany, New York. It is a constituent member of The University of the State of New York, and has its own charter and Board of Trustees. Excelsior College offers degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level...
- The College of Saint RoseThe College of Saint RoseThe College of Saint Rose is a private, independent, coeducational college in Albany, New York, founded in 1920 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. The College enrolls a total of approximately 5,000 students ....
- Sage College of AlbanySage College of AlbanySage College of Albany, SCA for short, is located at 140 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, New York, 12208. Along with Russell Sage College and the Sage Graduate School, it is one of the three colleges that make up The Sage Colleges. It is also home to Sage After Work, which offers a variety of...
- Sage Graduate SchoolSage Graduate SchoolSage Graduate School is a graduate school in upstate New York. It is a member of The Sage Colleges, and operates both in Troy, New York on the campus of Russell Sage College, and in Albany, New York on the campus of Sage College of Albany. It was founded in 1949 and offers master's and doctoral...
- Siena CollegeSiena CollegeSiena College is an independent Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Loudonville, in the town of Colonie, New York, United States. Siena is a four-year, coeducational, independent college in the Franciscan tradition, founded by the Franciscan Friars in 1937. It has 3,000 full-time students and...
- State University of New York at Albany
Transportation
Albany County has long been at the forefront of transportation technology from the days of turnpikes and plank roads to the Erie CanalErie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
, from the first passenger railroad in the state to the oldest municipal airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in the United States. Today, Interstates, Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, and the Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
continue to make the Albany County a major crossroads of the Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
.
The Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization
Metropolitan planning organization
A metropolitan planning organization is a federally-mandated and federally-funded transportation policy-making organization in the United States that is made up of representatives from local government and governmental transportation authorities...
(MPO) for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Every metropolitan area in the United States with a population of over 50,000 must have a MPO in order to get any federal transportation funding. The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) uses an MPO to make decisions on what projects are most important to a metro area for immediate versus long term funding. The USDOT will not approve federal funds for transportation projects unless they are on an MPO's list.
Interstate and other major highways
Albany County is situated at a major crossroads of the Northeastern United StatesNortheastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
. Even before the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
and the US Highway system, Albany County was the hub of many turnpikes
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
and plank road
Plank road
A plank road or puncheon is a dirt path or road covered with a series of planks, similar to the wooden sidewalks one would see in a Western movie. Plank roads were very popular in Ontario, the U.S. Northeast and U.S. Midwest in the first half of the 19th century...
s that connected the region. Today, it is in Albany County that Interstate 87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
and Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
meet. The Thomas E. Dewey New York State Thruway is a toll-road that from Exit 24 in the city of Albany is I-87 and travels south to connect the county with downstate New York
Downstate New York
Downstate New York is a term denoting the southeastern portion of New York State, United States, in contrast to Upstate New York. The term "Downstate New York" has significantly less currency than its counterpart term "Upstate New York", and the Downstate region is often not regarded as one...
. West from Exit 24 the Thruway is I-90 and connects the county with Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
, Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, and Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. North of Exit 24, I-87 is the Adirondack Northway and connects the city and county of Albany with their suburbs in Saratoga County
Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...
and provides long-distance travel to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. East of Exit 24, I-90 travels along the northern boundary of the city of Albany and exits the county on the Patroon Island Bridge
Patroon Island Bridge
The Patroon Island Bridge is a major crossing of the Hudson River in Albany, New York. The bridge carries Interstate 90, in the east-west direction, over the Hudson River between Albany and Rensselaer Counties....
into Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
to access Albany's eastern suburbs. Interstate 787
Interstate 787
Interstate 787 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New York. I-787 is the main highway for those traveling into and out of downtown Albany. The southern terminus is at the Interstate 87/New York State Thruway exit 23 toll plaza southwest of downtown Albany...
connects the Thruway (I-87) to Downtown Albany
Downtown Albany Historic District
The Downtown Albany Historic District is a 19-block, area of Albany, New York, United States, centered around the junction of State and North and South Pearl streets . It is the oldest settled area of the city, originally planned and settled in the 17th century, and the nucleus of its later...
, Menands
Menands, New York
Menands is a village in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 3,990 at the 2010 census. The village is named after Louis Menand...
, Watervliet
Watervliet, New York
Watervliet is a city in Albany County in the US state of New York. The population was 10,254 as of the 2010 census. Watervliet is north of Albany, the capital of the state, and is bordered on the north, west, and south by the town of Colonie. The city is also known as "the Arsenal City".- History...
, and Cohoes
Cohoes, New York
Cohoes is an incorporated city located at the northeast corner of Albany County in the US state of New York. It is called the "Spindle City" because of the importance of textile production to its growth. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 16,168...
. US Route 9 enters the county on the Dunn Memorial Bridge
Dunn Memorial Bridge
The Dunn Memorial Bridge, officially known as the Private Parker F. Dunn Memorial Bridge, carries US 9 and US 20 across the Hudson River between Albany, New York and Rensselaer, New York. Completed in 1967 to replace an earlier span bearing the same name, the highway bridge has a steel girder...
and travels through the city of Albany north connecting it with the suburbs in the Colonie and Saratoga County. US Route 20 also enters the county on the Dunn Memorial Bridge and then travels west through Albany (city) and then the town of Guilderland
Guilderland, New York
Guilderland is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. In the 2010 census, the town had a population of 35,303. The town is named for the Gelderland province in the Netherlands....
. New York State Route 5
New York State Route 5
New York State Route 5 is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and several other smaller cities and...
and New York State Route 7
New York State Route 7
New York State Route 7 is a 180-mile long New York State Highway that runs from the New York/Pennsylvania border south of Binghamton, New York to the New York/Vermont border east of Hoosick. Most of the road runs along the Susquehanna Valley, closely paralleling Interstate 88 throughout...
are two important highways that bisect the county and serve as important shopping strips.
Mass transit
Albany County is served by the Capital District Transportation AuthorityCapital District Transportation Authority
The Capital District Transportation Authority is a public benefit organization that provides transportation in the Capital District of New York State...
, a four county bus service that also serves Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Saratoga counties. Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
, Trailways, and Peter Pan
Peter Pan Bus Lines
Peter Pan Bus Lines is a long-distance bus carrier headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts. It operates in the northeastern United States. Over four million passengers per year travel on Peter Pan's bus routes....
/Bonanza buses are all serve a downtown terminal. There is also a Chinatown bus service that leaves from Central Avenue and goes to Chinatown in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Airports
Albany International AirportAlbany International Airport
Albany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
is the only commercial airport in the county. Destinations for flights out of Albany include Toronto; Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
; Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
; Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
; Chicago; Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
; and Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, among many others.
Rail
Since 1968 when Union StationUnion Station (Albany, New York)
Union Station, also known as Albany Union Station, is a building in downtown Albany, New York. Built during 1899–1900, it originally served as the city's railroad station but now houses bank offices...
in the city of Albany was abandoned for a new station across the Hudson in the city of Rensselaer
Rensselaer, New York
Rensselaer is a city in Rensselaer County, New York, United States, and is located on the Hudson River directly opposite Albany. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,392; in 1920, it was 10,832. The name is from Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original landowner of the region in New...
, Albany County has been without a train station. Amtrak has several routes servicing the Albany-Rensselaer Station
Albany-Rensselaer (Amtrak station)
The Albany – Rensselaer Rail Station is a long-distance rail terminal in Rensselaer, New York, located 1.5 miles from downtown Albany across the Hudson River. , the station was Amtrak's tenth-busiest station and by 2010 it had become the ninth-busiest...
. The Adirondack
Adirondack (Amtrak)
The Adirondack is a passenger train operated daily by Amtrak between New York City and Montreal. The trip takes approximately 11 hours to cover a published distance of , traveling through the scenic Hudson Valley and the Adirondack Mountains...
(north to Montreal, Quebec and south to the city of New York), Empire Service
Empire Service (Amtrak)
The Empire Service is a train service operated by Amtrak within the state of New York in the United States. Trains on the line provide frequent daily service along the 460-mile Empire Corridor between New York City and Niagara Falls, New York...
(west to Buffalo and Niagara Falls, south to New York), Ethan Allen Express (northeast to Rutland, Vermont and south to New York), Maple Leaf (west to Toronto and south to New York), and the Lake Shore Limited (at Albany-Rensselaer separate routes from Boston and New York merge to one train west to Chicago, on way east one train splits to two, one east to Boston another south to New York).
See also
- List of counties in New York
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Albany County, New York
- List of people associated with Albany County, New York
- Albany County Sheriff's Department
External links
- Albany County official website
- Albany.com City Guide
- Summary early history of Albany County, NY
- Early history of Albany County towns
- Albany Hilltowns is a One-Place Study on the history of the Albany County Hilltowns of BerneBerne, New YorkBerne is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 2,794 at the 2010 census. The town is at the west border of Albany County.- History :...
, KnoxKnox, New YorkKnox is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 2,692 at the 2010 census.The Town is in the northwest part of Albany County and is west of Albany, the state capital.- History :...
, WesterloWesterlo, New YorkWesterlo is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 3,361 at the 2010 census.The town is on the south border of Albany County.- History :...
, and RensselaervilleRensselaerville, New YorkRensselaerville is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 1,843 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Stephen Van Rensselaer...
, and the families that lived there.