Stillwater, New York

Step back in time at this Tudor Revival-style service station from 1933. Built by the Pure Oil Company, this station originally stood on Broadway in Saratoga Springs. In 1978, it was moved to its current location on…

This unassuming spot played a crucial role in New York's 19th-century transportation revolution. Lock 18 is what's left of the Enlarged Erie Canal, built to head off competition from the rapidly expanding railroads. In…

Ever wonder how goods moved across New York State before highways? This is the Day Peckinpaugh, a tangible reminder of that era. Built in 1921, she's one of only a few surviving large canal motorships. These boats were…

Imagine a city powered by water and fueled by cotton. That's what Harmony Mills was. Starting in the mid-1800s, Harmony Mills became one of the largest textile manufacturing complexes in the United States. The Mohawk…

Known as the 'Mastodon Mill,' this 19th-century factory hints at the industrial boom that shaped the region. Harmony Mill No. 3 was built between 1866 and 1868, and then expanded between 1871 and 1872. It's a four-story…

Right here, on this spot, Saratoga Springs lit up for the very first time. In 1873, the Saratoga Gas, Electric Light and Power Company started building a gas-fired power plant. For over half a century, they kept the…

Hold on, history buffs, because this unassuming spot was once a vital artery in America's booming economy. This district marks a significant expansion of the Erie Canal, a pivotal waterway that transformed American…

Experience the grandeur of this 1874 Second Empire music hall, a stage for countless performances. Built during Cohoes's booming industrial era, the Cohoes Music Hall quickly became a cultural hub. It hosted a variety…

Pull over here and take a look around, because Cohoes wasn't always this quiet. This downtown district was once the heart of a booming industrial city! Back in the 19th century, the Erie Canal and Harmony Mills, one of…

These unassuming row houses tell a story of ambition and industry. They're part of the Olmstead Street Historic District, a snapshot of Cohoes' booming textile industry in the mid- to late-1800s. Back then, Cohoes was a…

Before you, the Delaware and Hudson Railroad Freight House stands as a silent witness to Cohoes' bustling industrial past. This wasn't just a building; it was a vital link in the chain that connected Cohoes to the rest…

This impressive house reminds us that Cohoes was once a booming textile town. Built around 1890, the William J. Dickey House was commissioned by none other than William J. Dickey himself, the superintendent of one of…

Think of this house as a family time capsule. It connects you to the story of Cohoes through the life of a local craftsman. J. Leonard Lackman was a gunsmith and locksmith here in the late 1800s. He built this Queen…

You're approaching a spot that played a role in the Revolutionary War, the Van Schaick House. It was built around 1735 for Anthony Van Schaick. What makes this place special is that during the Revolutionary War, plans…

Step back in time as you approach Oakwood Cemetery, a place where Troy's history rests in peace. In 1848, Troy established this cemetery in response to a growing trend of "rural cemeteries." These weren't just burial…

This cemetery, founded in 1771, holds the remains of early settlers and Revolutionary War veterans. Lansingburgh Village Burial Ground, now part of Troy, New York, was established to serve the growing community. Over…

Imagine living in a time when New York was still finding its footing as a colony. That's exactly what the Fonda House represents. Built around 1727, the Fonda House was likely home to a family deeply involved in the…

Ever wonder where the trains that connected upstate New York were maintained? You're near the spot! In 1871, the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad built a large shop complex here in Green Island. It included a huge car…

Imagine walking on the floor of an ancient sea, right here in upstate New York. Petrified Sea Gardens preserves some of the oldest known fossils on Earth. In the 1920s, geologist Roland T. Bird recognized these strange,…

Imagine Cambridge, New York, frozen in time. This district showcases the architectural growth of Cambridge, especially during its boom years. The Cambridge Historic District, roughly encompassing the village's original…

Right here, in this unassuming house, a young Irish immigrant ignited a movement for women's rights in the workplace. This is the Kate Mullany House, home to the woman who, at just 19 years old, founded the Collar…

Pull over for a sec; this firehouse is a little piece of Troy history! Built in 1891, the Esek Bussey Firehouse, also known as Engine Company 8 or Pumper Number 8, shows how serious the city was about fire protection…

These buildings whisper tales of Troy's roaring industrial past. This small district, now known as the Northern River Street Historic District, was once a vital manufacturing hub, separated from the rest of downtown.…

Ever wonder what it's like to live inside an octagon? This unique house in Hoosick Falls offers a glimpse into a fascinating architectural and social movement from the mid-19th century. In 1853, Ezra Robinson Estabrook…

That red brick castle isn't just for show. It's the Hoosick Falls Armory, a silent witness to over a century of local history, and national service. Built in the late 1800s, this armory housed units of the New York…

Right here, in this building, instruments were made that helped build America. The W. & L. E. Gurley Company, housed in this building since 1862, was a leading manufacturer of precision measuring instruments like…

This isn't just another college building; it's a place where healing and art intertwine. West Hall, now home to RPI's Arts Department, started as something quite different: the Old Troy Hospital.Built between 1868 and…

Get ready to step back in time to an era of vaudeville and early cinema at Proctor's Theater! Built in 1914 by Frederick Freeman Proctor, a local entertainment mogul, this theater was designed for live vaudeville…

This old hotel once bustled with travelers, a vital stop on journeys across New York. Built around the mid-1800s, this building known as the Delaney Hotel, North Hoosick Hotel, and Hathaway Hotel, served as a stagecoach…

Check out that building! It's a survivor from Troy's booming past. This is the Cannon Building, the oldest one standing on Monument Square. It was designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, a pretty famous architect in his…

Listen closely, because these walls have heard some of the greatest music ever performed! Troy Savings Bank Music Hall is famous for its incredible acoustics. Completed in 1875, the hall was built above the Troy Savings…

Climb this historic fire tower for panoramic views and a sense of the vital role it played in forest protection. Constructed in 1924 by the Aermotor Corporation, the Dickinson Hill Fire Tower was a key part of New…

Walk the halls where suffragette Susan B. Anthony spent her childhood, shaping the future of women's rights. This unassuming house in Battenville, New York, was home to the Anthony family from 1833 to 1839, when Susan…

Pull over for a minute - this old building has seen a lot of history! The Stoops Hotel, right here in Battenville, has been a landmark for travelers for over two centuries. The oldest part of the building dates back to…

You’re driving past a place that’s been making big booms for over two centuries! This is the Watervliet Arsenal, the oldest continuously operating arsenal in the entire United States. Founded on July 14th, 1813, during…

This unassuming building at the Watervliet Arsenal hints at a history of innovation and military might. Built in 1859, the Iron Building is a rare example of pre-fabricated cast iron construction. Its Italianate styling…

Pull over, because this pioneering school for young women has been shaping leaders since the early 19th century! You’re approaching the Emma Willard School, originally the Troy Female Seminary, a true landmark in…

This iron works once housed the most powerful vertical water wheel in the world. The Burden Iron Works, located here on the Hudson River and Wynantskill Creek in Troy, New York, was a major industrial complex. It was…

Live like a Nobel Prize winner: this is where physicist-chemist Irving Langmuir called home. Built around 1900, this house on Stratford Road was the residence of Irving Langmuir. He worked at General Electric in…

This planned community was designed to house the employees of a company that changed the world. The General Electric Realty Plot, right here in Schenectady, was born from a deal between Union College and General…

This unassuming field played a pivotal role in the birth of the United States. On August 16 08 1777, the Battle of Bennington unfolded right here. It wasn't actually in Bennington, Vermont, but nearby in Walloomsac, New…

Right here, near Albany, you're passing the birthplace of Shakerism in America! This is where it all began. In 1776, the Watervliet Shaker community was established, becoming the very first Shaker settlement in the…

Imagine standing where Native Americans thrived for millennia and where Dutch settlers first built their lives in this region. That's Schuyler Flatts. For centuries, this fertile land along the Hudson River was home to…

This seemingly quiet corner of Loudonville hides a grand estate with a past stretching back to the mid-19th century. The Whitney Mansion, originally built around 1840, started as a much smaller home. It wasn't until the…

Behold the Nott Memorial, an elaborate 16-sided building that stands as the architectural centerpiece of Union College. Dedicated to Eliphalet Nott, who served as president of Union College for an incredible sixty-two…

Step back in time as you approach Albany Rural Cemetery, a final resting place for some truly remarkable figures. Established in 1844, this sprawling cemetery became the burial ground for many notable individuals,…

Get ready to be starstruck! Right here in Schenectady stands Proctor's Theatre, a place where vaudeville dreams came alive and countless stars graced the stage. Designed by architect Thomas Lamb, Proctor's Theatre…

This brick building standing before you isn't just a building; it's a silent witness to Schenectady's military past. Built in 1936, the Schenectady Armory housed two units of the New York Army National Guard for…

This unassuming spot just outside Schenectady is where American industrial research was born! Back in 1900, General Electric established its Research Laboratory here. It was the first of its kind in the U.S., a…

Imagine the weight of history in this quiet place. This is Grant Cottage, where Ulysses S. Grant, the celebrated Civil War general and former president, spent his final weeks. Struggling with throat cancer and facing…

Ever wonder how the paper industry got its felt? This spot played a big role.The Albany Felt Company started here in 1902, building its first factory to make industrial felt for paper mills.That factory became the…