Albany (pop. 99,224) is the capital of New York and one of the oldest cities in the United States. It was first settled in 1624 and became a city in 1686. Albany lies on the Hudson River in eastern New York and has an active port, though it is 150 miles (241 kilometers) from the Atlantic Ocean. The Hudson River has been cleaned out and deepened so that ocean ships can reach the city.
Description.
Albany, the seat of Albany County, covers 21 square miles (54 square kilometers) on the west bank of the Hudson River. The business district lies on a slope leading down to the river. The historic and inner-city neighborhoods are clustered around the downtown area. During the 1900’s, the city expanded westward, and the newer and more prosperous neighborhoods lie mainly to the west and southwest. Albany and two other cities—Schenectady and Troy—form a metropolitan area of 899,262 people. The area is often called the Capital Region.
The State University of New York (SUNY) has its system headquarters downtown at SUNY Plaza (see New York, State University of). The University at Albany is part of the SUNY system. Other colleges in the area include the College of St. Rose, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Russell Sage College, Siena College, and Union University.
Points of interest in the city include the Albany Institute of History and Art; the Ten Broeck, Schuyler, and Cherry Hill mansions, all built in the 1700’s; the State Capitol; and the Empire State Plaza, a large complex of government office towers and other buildings. The plaza includes the New York State Museum; the New York State Library; the Egg, an oval-shaped building with two theaters; and the 44-story Corning Tower, the tallest building in the state outside of New York City.
Economy.
Albany is a center of government, education, health care, banking, insurance, and other service industries. The city is also an important transportation center. Many of Albany’s workers commute, mainly by automobile, from other cities and towns in the Capital Region. The region is sometimes called Tech Valley because of the research universities and high-technology companies located there. Albany International Airport, northwest of the city, serves the region.
Government and history.
Albany has a mayor-council form of government. The mayor and council members are elected to four-year terms.
Iroquois people lived in what is now the Albany area before European settlers arrived. In 1609, the English explorer Henry Hudson and his crew became the first Europeans to reach the site, during a voyage for the Dutch East India Company, a trading firm. In 1624, Dutch settlers established Fort Orange on the west bank of the Hudson River in what is now downtown Albany. The settlement around the fort became the Village of Beverwyck in 1652. In 1664, the English claimed the region, and the settlement was renamed Albany for the Duke of York and Albany, the English king’s brother. On July 27, 1686, Albany received a charter incorporating it as a city.
Albany played a significant role in the American Colonies as an important river port, a fur-trading center, and a military post. The city has the nickname Cradle of the Union because American statesman Benjamin Franklin presented his Plan of Union there at the Albany Congress in 1754. His plan was the first formal proposal to unite the American Colonies. In 1797, Albany was chosen as the state capital.
Albany’s most rapid period of growth followed the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825. The canal opened the way for barge traffic between Albany and Buffalo and connected the Hudson River to the Great Lakes (see Erie Canal). Albany’s population increased from 12,630 in 1820 to 24,209 in 1830. New York’s first railroad, the Mohawk and Hudson, began to operate between Albany and Schenectady in 1831. The city was a major railroad center during the last half of the 1800’s. Transportation, commerce, and industry flourished during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Albany had 94,151 people in 1900, and 134,995 by 1950.
During the last half of the 1900’s, Albany, like many U.S. cities, lost population to the suburbs, and many retail stores moved to suburban shopping malls. Manufacturing declined, and service industries became increasingly important to the economy. The Empire State Plaza was completed during this period as part of a downtown renewal program. In 2009, Albany celebrated the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s first visit to the area.
See also Albany Congress; Kennedy, William; New York.
