Central Avenue (Albany, New York) facts for kids

Central Avenue is a very important road in Albany, New York. It's about 18 kilometers (11 miles) long within Albany County. This road is part of a longer 26-kilometer (16-mile) route called the Albany-Schenectady Turnpike. It starts in Albany at Lark Street and goes west through towns like Colonie, New York and Niskayuna, New York, all the way to Schenectady, New York.

While it's called Central Avenue in Albany, in Colonie it's known as Central Avenue or Albany Schenectady Road. When you get to Schenectady County, it changes its name to State Street. This entire route is part of New York State Route 5, which is a major highway stretching all the way to the Pennsylvania state line.

A Road Through Time: Central Avenue's History

Albany, located on the Hudson River, and Schenectady, on the Mohawk River, have always been key places for travel. They connect the Atlantic Ocean to areas west of the mountains that stretch across North America. Albany is as far north as large ships can sail up the Hudson River. Schenectady is the easternmost point where boats can travel on the Mohawk River, because of the Cohoes Falls. Because of this, having a good road between these two cities has always been super important for trade and travel.

Long ago, Native Americans used a path and canoe route called the Iroquois Trail. Around 1660, Dutch settlers cleared a road between the two cities. They called it King's Highway. You can still find parts of it today, like King's Road in Albany and Albany Street in Schenectady.

In 1797, a new, very straight and wide road was built. It was named the Albany-Schenectady Turnpike. This road was the main way to travel and move goods between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes region. This was especially true before the Erie Canal opened in 1825 and the Albany and Schenectady Railroad started in 1831.

Since then, Central Avenue has been the main street for businesses in Albany. It was first called "The Bowery." This name came from the Dutch word "Bouwerie," which meant a farm road. The name changed on July 15, 1867, when Albany's city council officially renamed it Central Avenue.

Managing Central Avenue Today

The Central Avenue area is currently looked after by a group called the Central District Management Association, Inc. This group works like a Business Improvement District. Their job is to help improve the area, make it safer, and support the businesses along Central Avenue. They help keep the street clean and attractive for everyone.

Albany's Chinatown

Around Central Avenue, especially near 303 Central Avenue, you can find a Chinatown. This area is known as a "commercial Chinatown," similar to ones in cities like Las Vegas. It's a place where you can find Chinese businesses and culture.

Albany has a growing Chinese community. The first Chinese business in Albany was recorded in 1877. From 1886 to the 1920s, the number of Chinese laundromats grew quite a bit. Many early Chinese residents came to Albany from New York City by traveling up the Hudson River. They often lived around Green Street and Hudson Avenue.

For a long time, Albany wasn't known for having many Chinese restaurants. But thanks to the growth of new technologies like nanotechnology in the area, more Chinese people have moved to Albany. Because of this, a new Chinatown area has been developing at 303 Central Avenue. It plans to have a teahouse and different Asian stores. This Chinatown is still growing and changing, becoming an important part of Albany's community.

Images for kids

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  The Mohawk Valley transportation route, showing the connection between Albany and Schenectady.