Albany Glassworks Site facts for kids

The Albany Glassworks Site is an archeological site in Guilderland, Albany County, New York. It's a special place where people used to make glass a long, long time ago! This site is about 2 acres (or about the size of two football fields) and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it's an important historical spot in the United States.

A Look Back: The Glass Factory's Story

The Albany Glassworks was a busy factory from 1785 to 1815. It's believed to be one of the very first places in the United States where glass was made.

A man named Leonard de Neufville started the glassworks. He brought skilled glassmakers all the way from the Palatinate region of Germany to help. The factory was built near the Hungerskill river. This area, which is now Guilderland, was a wilderness back then. But it had everything needed to make glass, like wood for the furnaces and other raw materials.

Building the Glassworks

Construction of the new factory began in the winter of 1786. The company made "hollow ware," which means things like bottles. But their main product was window glass. In December 1787, Jean de Neufville wrote that the glass house was doing well. However, they had to stop sending glass to New York City during winter. This was because the Hudson River would freeze, making travel impossible.

New Owners and Growth

The first glass company went out of business in 1791. Four businessmen from Albany took it over. Their names were James Caldwell, Christopher Batterman, Robert McClallen, and Robert MacGregor. They called the factory "The Albany Glasshouse." In 1793, they even got a loan of £3,000 from the New York State government.

In 1793, the company offered a $50 reward. They were looking for someone to find a good source of sand nearby. Sand was a key ingredient for making glass. They also brought special clay for making melting pots and sand for glass from New Jersey. In 1795, the company changed its name again to McGregor & Co.

The Village of Hamilton

In 1796, the owners wanted to create a whole village around the factory. They planned streets and lots, and built 54 houses for the workers. They named this new village "Hamilton" after Alexander Hamilton. He was an important leader and the first Secretary of the Treasury for the United States.

The company then became "The Hamilton Glass Works." Later, it was owned by Patroon Jeremiah Van Rensselaer and the Schoolcraft family. A Patroon was a Dutch landowner who had special rights in New Netherland (which later became New York). By 1813, the factory was making a lot of glass. They produced 500,000 feet of window glass each year! Both Alexander Hamilton and General Philip Schuyler had invested a lot of money in this glass factory. The glassworks finally closed down in 1815.

Discovering the Past: Archeology

The archeological site was first found by an archeologist in 1961. Archeology is the study of human history and prehistory through digging up old sites and artifacts. More investigations happened in 1963 and later years.

When the site was nominated for the National Register, several studies had already been finished. Archeologists were able to find the main melting furnace. This is where the glass was heated and shaped.