History of Albany
The area of present-day Albany was originally inhabited by Algonquian Indians. The first European establishment was a French fort on Castle Island, built in 1540, which was destroyed in a flood soon after completion. The first permanent settlement was the Dutch Fort Nassau in 1614, later rebuilt as Fort Orange. When the English captured New Netherland in 1664, they renamed the settlement to Albany, after the Duke of Albany. It was chartered as a municipality in 1686. Representatives of seven colonies met in Albany in 1754, when Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union, one of the important precursors to the U.S. Constitution. During and after the American Revolutionary War, the population in Albany started to grow as more and more people from surrounding counties recognized the city’s advantages, especially the position. In 1797, the state capital was permanently moved to Albany.
Albany was an important transportation center, with steamboats on the Hudson (which at the time was the eastern terminus of the Erie Canal), the turnpike and the railroad. In addition to transportation, the city prospered on industry and business as well, especially beer, publishing, iron foundries, fur, wheat, lumber and meat, as well as banks. American Express was founded in Albany in 1850, originally as an express mail business. Albany was one of the first cities in the world to have a sewer and public water system and also one of the first to install electricity and gas.
In 1908, Albany got one of the world’s first commercial airports. In the 1940s and the 1950s, growth and development in the city were slowed down, mostly due to urban sprawl. America’s longest serving mayor and the most notable mayor of Albany, Erastus Corning II, managed to save the historic neighborhoods from destruction. With him and the Governor Nelson Rockefeller, the city got most of its large structures, such as the Empire State Plaza, SUNY Albany campus and W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus. Major projects from the 1960s and the 1970s include Interstate 787 and South Mall Arterial. Today, Albany is a center of higher education, healthcare and high-tech industry.
Geography and Climate of Albany
Albany is situated on the west bank of the Hudson River, some ten miles from its confluence with the Mohawk River. Normans Kill and Patroon Creek are the other two major streams in the city. There are four lakes within Albany city limits: Buckingham Lake, Rensselaer Lake, Tivoli Lake and Washington Park Lake. The highest elevation in Albany is 324 feet and the lowest point is on the Hudson, at two feet above sea level. The city consists of gently rolling hills.
The climate in Albany is humid continental, the summers are hot and wet and the winters are cold and snowy.
Albany is a typical northeastern city of immigrants. First dominated by the Dutch, German and English, it grew in population mainly due to European immigrants from Italy, Ireland and Poland. After the 1950s, it saw a rise in Asian and African American population as well.
Today, the racial makeup in the city is 54% non-Hispanic White, 30.8% Black or African American, 10.6% Hispanic or Latino, 5% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.7% two or more races and 3.2% some other race.
In 2000, the median household income in Albany was $41,911 and the per capita income was $25,504.
The economy in Albany is based on government, healthcare and education. Because of this, the city was usually immune to recessions in the past, however the current recession, with its roots in Wall Street issues, seems to be more difficult for Albany to deal with.
High-tech industry has been a fast-growing sector for the city and its surrounding area. Albany is the center of the so-called “Tech Valley” and a new leader in nanotechnology.
Other significant sectors include manufacturing (sporting goods, felt products, beer, cement, dental products, steel products, chemicals), finance, real estate and insurance.
Albany has a number of museums, historic sites and landmarks, such as New York State Archives, New York State Museum, Albany Institute of History and Art, Broeck Mansion and the USS Slater.
Because it is set conveniently between New York City, Boston, Montreal and Buffalo, Albany is an important stop for many touring acts and artists, who perform either at large and mid-sized venues such as TU Center, The Egg and the Palace Theatre, or in a number of smaller clubs in the city.
Albany hosts a number of annual and seasonal events, most notably the Tulip Festival, Alive at 5 and the Price Chopper Fabulous Fourth and Fireworks Festival.
Education in Albany
The city has a long history of higher education. In 2005 it was ranked third in the Forbes “The Best places with the Best Education” survey. Some of the best institutions of higher education in the city include SUNY Albany (the flagship campus of the State University of New York), Empire State College, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, the College of Saint Rose, Sage College of Albany, Maria College, Excelsior College, Mildred Elley, Hudson Valley Community College and the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Sports and Transportation
Albany does not have a major league professional sports team. It has one active minor league team - the Albany Devils of the American Hockey League.
Major highways in and around Albany include I-87, I-90 and I-787. Passenger rail service is offered by Amtrak and intercity bus lines include Greyhound, Trailways and Peter Pan. Public transportation in the city and the neighboring towns and cities is provided by the Capital City Transportation Authority.
The nearest airport is Albany International Airport in Colonie, served by six major airlines.