South Bethlehem, New York
Encyclopedia
South Bethlehem is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem
, Albany County
, New York
. The hamlet sits on New York State Route 396
(Bridge Street) and lies southwest of the Selkirk Rail Yard
and just north of the Coeymans town line.
, Bridge Street. The heart of the community is the four corners formed by the intersection of Bridge Street with South Street (Albany County Route 101) and Willowbrook Avenue. In the 18th century this place was called Janes Corners for resident Elishama Janes, and Kimmey's Corners in 1864 for Philip Kimmey. The South Bethlehem Plank Road was incorporated in 1851 with a charter lasting 30 years to build and operate a plank road
from Bethlehem Center to South Bethlehem. The road began in Bethlehem Center at an intersection with the Albany and Bethlehem Turnpike, and traveled south to Becker's Corners, this section is today US Route 9W; and then southwest from that hamlet to South Bethlehem, today New York State Route 396. The charter was renewed in 1881 and the use of planks was discontinued in favor of gravel and stone. The South Bethlehem post office
was established in 1874.
Being located just south of the Selkirk Rail Yard most of the residents in the 1920s were employed there. Though the rail yard has lessened in importance and employment, most residents continue to work locally at the SABIC
Innovative Plastics (formerly General Electric
plastics division), the school district, or Owens Corning
.
In 1990 due to the shift of the area from rural farmland and woods to a more residential community the town decided to build South Bethlehem's first park. The South Bethlehem Park is on 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) off South Albany Road purchased by the town in 1989. The playground at the park was built with money and materials donated by around 40 area businesses, including $10,000 of equipment from General Electric. Approximately 30 residents along with 75 employees from General Electric's Selkirk plant donated their time for the construction of the playground. This community activity spawned the birth of the South Bethlehem Area Association. In 1992 after years of controversy and complaints about odor and garbage littering the landscape, a privately owned 3.35 acres (13,557 m²) dump used by Waste Management of Greater Albany was closed.
south to the Coeymans town line.
(R-C-S) and the children attend A.W. Becker Elementary School for kindergarten through fourth grade; and R-C-S Middle and R-C-S High
for fifth through twelfth.
Bethlehem, New York
Bethlehem is a town in Albany County, New York, USA. The population was 33,656 at the 2010 census. The town is south of Albany. Bethlehem includes the following hamlets: Delmar, Elsmere, Slingerlands, Glenmont, Selkirk, South and North Bethlehem. U.S. Route 9W passes through the town...
, Albany County
Albany County, New York
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 . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
, 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...
. The hamlet sits on New York State Route 396
New York State Route 396
New York State Route 396 is an east–west state highway in Albany County, New York, United States. The route is functionally a spur route as it connects to another signed state highway at only one end...
(Bridge Street) and lies southwest of the Selkirk Rail Yard
Rail yard
A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of railroad tracks for storing, sorting, or loading/unloading, railroad cars and/or locomotives. Railroad yards have many tracks in parallel for keeping rolling stock stored off the mainline, so that they do not obstruct the flow of traffic....
and just north of the Coeymans town line.
History
The oldest part of the hamlet is along the main streetMain Street
Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
, Bridge Street. The heart of the community is the four corners formed by the intersection of Bridge Street with South Street (Albany County Route 101) and Willowbrook Avenue. In the 18th century this place was called Janes Corners for resident Elishama Janes, and Kimmey's Corners in 1864 for Philip Kimmey. The South Bethlehem Plank Road was incorporated in 1851 with a charter lasting 30 years to build and operate a 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...
from Bethlehem Center to South Bethlehem. The road began in Bethlehem Center at an intersection with the Albany and Bethlehem Turnpike, and traveled south to Becker's Corners, this section is today US Route 9W; and then southwest from that hamlet to South Bethlehem, today New York State Route 396. The charter was renewed in 1881 and the use of planks was discontinued in favor of gravel and stone. The South Bethlehem post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was established in 1874.
Being located just south of the Selkirk Rail Yard most of the residents in the 1920s were employed there. Though the rail yard has lessened in importance and employment, most residents continue to work locally at the SABIC
SABIC
SABIC is a diversified manufacturing company, active in chemicals and intermediates, industrial polymers, fertilizers and metals. It is the largest public company in Saudi Arabia as listed in Tadawul, but the Saudi government still owns 70% of its shares...
Innovative Plastics (formerly General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
plastics division), the school district, or Owens Corning
Owens Corning
Owens Corning Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of fiberglass and related products. It was formed in 1935 as a partnership between two major American glassworks, Corning Glass Works and Owens-Illinois. The company was spun off as a separate entity on November 1, 1938...
.
In 1990 due to the shift of the area from rural farmland and woods to a more residential community the town decided to build South Bethlehem's first park. The South Bethlehem Park is on 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) off South Albany Road purchased by the town in 1989. The playground at the park was built with money and materials donated by around 40 area businesses, including $10,000 of equipment from General Electric. Approximately 30 residents along with 75 employees from General Electric's Selkirk plant donated their time for the construction of the playground. This community activity spawned the birth of the South Bethlehem Area Association. In 1992 after years of controversy and complaints about odor and garbage littering the landscape, a privately owned 3.35 acres (13,557 m²) dump used by Waste Management of Greater Albany was closed.
Geography
South Bethlehem is at the very southern-most edge of the town of Bethlehem. The South Bethlehem Area Association covers from US 9W west to Albany County Route 102 and from Feura BushFeura 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...
south to the Coeymans town line.
Location
Demographics
In 1886 the population was placed at 135, and in 1906 at around 150 people. In 1987 the estimated population of South Bethlehem was 500 people.Education
South Bethlehem is a part of the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School DistrictRavena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central Schools
The Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central Schools are located in Albany County, New York. There are four schools in the district: Albertus W. Becker Elementary, Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary, R.C.S. Middle School, and Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School . Albertus W. Becker Elementary is located in...
(R-C-S) and the children attend A.W. Becker Elementary School for kindergarten through fourth grade; and R-C-S Middle and R-C-S High
Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School
Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School is a small yet notable high school in Ravena, New York, about 9 miles south of Albany, New York on U.S...
for fifth through twelfth.