Albany, USA

[RobertWalpole]

Stunning!!! What a surprise!!

[whatsthepoint13]

Wow, Albany is much more urban than I had thought. It seems much larger than its population would suggest. Thanks!

[MTLskyline]

Thanks for the pics! I remember being quite impressed with the size and architecture of Albany when I first went there about 10 years ago. It's about a 4 hour drive from Montreal, a bit past the midway point to New York City. I don't think most Canadians are aware that it is actually worth seeing too. When in Albany, one must eat at Jack's Oyster House.

That said, I don't recall if there is any Dutch/Flemish-style architecture there. Do any of the buildings date from the New Netherland period?

[Austinlee]

One of the most visually interesting US cities because of the huge contrast of architecture.

[CassGilbert]

Thanks for the comments, everyone! It's been awhile since I visited the city now, I should probably go there again.

Originally Posted by MTLskyline

Thanks for the pics! I remember being quite impressed with the size and architecture of Albany when I first went there about 10 years ago. It's about a 4 hour drive from Montreal, a bit past the midway point to New York City. I don't think most Canadians are aware that it is actually worth seeing too. When in Albany, one must eat at Jack's Oyster House.

That said, I don't recall if there is any Dutch/Flemish-style architecture there. Do any of the buildings date from the New Netherland period?

I don't think there's anything left from the New Netherland period. There are some rare structures from early 18th century, but I doubt anything of the 1600s survived. There is, however, a preserved etching in the Library of Congress, made in 1789 showing the then-100plus year old rowhouses from the New Netherland period. I guess they were demolished in the 19th century. The Dutch legacy seems all but forgotten locally, you won't hear anyone say "I'm from the New Netherlands" like people may say about being from New England.


http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/200...192a9c8c93f089

Here's an interesting representation of the original fort in 1624

http://puttingzone.com/indians2.html

I also found this: House of the First Dutch governors, Albany, NY

http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/scandocs/largeimg/albany.htm

[pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce]

I would love to have seen Albany in its prime. It still looks pretty good today...great bones.

[MTLskyline]

Thanks for the response! It's too bad that none of the original buildings are standing, I love those roofs.

[Benonie]

Wow! Albany looks like a very attractive city to me. We've past there by train, but we'd better get out for a visit. Nice pics!

[Chef]

Originally Posted by CassGilbert

I don't think there's anything left from the New Netherland period. There are some rare structures from early 18th century, but I doubt anything of the 1600s survived. There is, however, a preserved etching in the Library of Congress, made in 1789 showing the then-100plus year old rowhouses from the New Netherland period. I guess they were demolished in the 19th century.

I have a book called Upstate Travels which is a collection of letters written about upstate New York by European travellers in the early 19th century. In one of the letters there is a reference to the original dutch town being razed after the revolution. It had apparently become a dilapidated slum and was then the victim of early urban renewal.

[gatt]

nice architecture.

[mrnyc]

ahh those albany tales!

bonus points to whoever gets that reference

very nice shots here. love the obs deck views.

[beyondtheforest]

The oldest surviving building in Albany dates from the 1720s. Here is an interesting page about it:

http://albanynyhistory.blogspot.com/...est-house.html

Some of the earliest buildings may have been torn down for the modernist state capital complex.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by beyondtheforest

The oldest surviving building in Albany dates from the 1720s. Here is an interesting page about it:

http://albanynyhistory.blogspot.com/...est-house.html

Some of the earliest buildings may have been torn down for the modernist state capital complex.

wow good find - so one dutch era house left as far as is known!

hopefully someone will renovate it or at least stabilize it.

fyi the address listed is 48 hudson avenue.