Elsmere, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elsmere
hamlet
Etymology: For Robert Elsmere, hero of Mrs. Humphry Ward's 1888 book titled Elsmere
Elsmere Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
Region	Capital District
County	Albany
Town	Bethlehem
Settled	1920s
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	12054
Area code(s)	518

Elsmere is a small community, called a hamlet, located in the town of Bethlehem in Albany County, New York. It is like a neighborhood of the nearby city of Albany.

A main road, New York Route 443 (also known as Delaware Avenue), runs through Elsmere. This road is important for people traveling to Albany. Many shops and offices in Elsmere are found along Delaware Avenue, including a large shopping area called Delaware Plaza.

Elsmere does not have its own Post Office or ZIP Code. It shares these with the nearby hamlet of Delmar. So, if you send mail to Elsmere, you would use "Delmar 12054" as the address.

History of Elsmere

Elsmere grew up along Delaware Avenue, which used to be called Delaware Turnpike. Before 1928, the area was mostly farmland.

Growth and Development

Suburban homes started to appear in Elsmere after 1928. This was when the Delaware Avenue Bridge opened. This new bridge made it much easier to travel directly to Albany. Before the bridge, people had to use smaller, winding roads.

The original center of Elsmere was where Elsmere Avenue and Delaware Avenue meet. By 1993, Delaware Avenue had become very busy with businesses. Many businesses even took over old houses. Delaware Plaza, built in 1955, is often seen as the "center" of Elsmere.

Education in Elsmere

Elsmere is part of the Bethlehem Central School District. This school district is known for being excellent.

Local Schools

Elsmere Elementary School is located right in the hamlet on Delaware Avenue. The Bethlehem Central School District provides transportation for students.

Students living in Elsmere attend these schools:

• Elsmere Elementary (Elsmere): For grades K-5
• Bethlehem Central Middle School (Delmar): For grades 6-8
• Bethlehem Central High School (Delmar): For grades 9-12

The school district's sports teams are part of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Section 2.

Public Library

The Bethlehem Public Library serves Elsmere. It is located in Delmar.

Emergency Services

Elsmere has several important services to keep its residents safe.

Law Enforcement

The Town of Bethlehem Police Department protects Elsmere. Other police services are also available. These include the Albany County Sheriff Office and the New York State Police.

Ambulance Services

Delmar-Bethlehem EMS provides ambulance services to Elsmere. They work with the Albany County Sheriff Office EMS Unit.

Fire Department

The Elsmere Fire District and Elsmere Fire Company A, Inc. work together. Their main goal is to protect lives and property from fires.

Elsmere Fire District

The Elsmere Fire District was created in 1928. It provides fire protection and education. It also supports ambulance services and helps with hazardous materials. The District manages the money used for fire safety programs.

The Elsmere Fire District has two stations:

• Headquarters: Located at 15 West Poplar Drive, Delmar, NY 12054
• South Station: Located at 578 Feura Bush Rd, Glenmont, NY 12077

Elsmere Fire Company A, Inc

This group was formed in 1922. It is made up of volunteer firefighters. There are about 80 firefighters and over 200 social members. They are the ones who actually fight fires and carry out the goals of the Fire District.

The Elsmere Fire Company has a drill team called the Elsmere Wanderers. This team competes in firefighting competitions across the state. These competitions involve races that use everyday firefighting skills.

Transportation

Elsmere has several ways to get around, including roads, airports, and buses.

Roads

Elsmere is connected by many important roads.

Interstate Highways

• Interstate 87: This highway is part of the New York State Thruway. It passes through the northeast part of Elsmere. The closest entrance to the Thruway is at Exit 23 in Albany.

Federal Routes

• US Route 9W: This road forms the eastern border of Elsmere.

State Routes

• NY Route 32: Also known as Delmar Bypass, it runs from US-9W to the border with Delmar.
• NY Route 335: Known as Elsmere Ave, it connects Delaware Ave to Feura Bush Rd.
• NY Route 443: Called Delaware Ave, this is seen as Bethlehem's "Main St." It runs from the Albany border to the border with Delmar.
• NY Route 910A: Known as Feura Bush Rd, this is an older route that connects to US-9W.

Important Town Roads

Some other important local roads include:

• Wemple Rd
• Kenwood Ave
• Bender Ln
• Beacon Rd

Airports

• Albany International Airport (ALB): This is the closest major airport. It is about 10 miles north of Elsmere. It offers flights to many US cities.
• South Albany Airport: This is a smaller airport for general aviation. It is about 4 miles southwest of Elsmere.

Buses

The Capital District Transit Authority (CDTA) provides bus service to Elsmere. All buses have bike racks and are wheelchair accessible.

• Trunk Route 18 - Delaware Ave (Blue): This bus runs daily along Delaware Ave (NY-443). It has stops within Elsmere, including near Elsmere Elementary School.
• Neighborhood Route 107 - Albany Glenmont (Green): This bus runs daily. While it doesn't stop directly in Elsmere, it has stops nearby on US-9W.
• Express Route 519 - Delmar Bypass Express (Yellow): This bus runs on weekdays. It has stops near Elsmere, like the Elm Ave Park & Ride.

Railroad

Elsmere does not have a passenger train station today.

Historic Railroads

Elsmere used to have passenger train service. The Albany & Susquehanna Railroad came through Elsmere in 1863. Later, it became part of the Delaware & Hudson Railroad. A train station was built in Elsmere in 1899.

Passenger service stopped in 1933 because more people started using cars and buses. Freight trains continued to use the line until the early 1990s. In 2009, the train line was bought by Albany County. It was then turned into the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail. This is a path for walking and biking. You can still see parts of the old Elsmere train station today.