Lansingburgh Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lansingburgh Academy
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Lansingburgh Academy, January 2011
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 27 114th St., Troy, New York |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Architect | Edward W. Loth |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001267 |
| Added to NRHP | October 14, 1976 |
The Lansingburgh Academy was once a special school in Lansingburgh, New York. It was like a high school and college prep school all in one. This academy taught students from the late 1700s until 1900.
In 1900, the building was rented out to the Lansingburgh School District. It became a high school. Later, in 1911, the school district bought the building. Today, it is the Lansingburgh Branch of the Troy Public Library. The Lansingburgh Academy building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means it's a very important historical place!
Contents
History of the Lansingburgh Academy
Starting a New School
On December 24, 1795, a group of important people in Lansingburgh had an idea. They wanted to start a new school called The Lansingburgh Academy. They asked the Regents of the State of New York for permission. The Regents are like a special board that oversees education.
These people had already built a wooden school building. It was on the west side of the village green. Twenty-seven people signed the request for the school. On February 20, 1796, the school officially got its charter. This was signed by John Jay, a very famous person in American history. The charter listed the first sixteen people who would be in charge of the school.
Early Leaders and Big Ideas
The school leaders chose Rev. Chauncey Lee as the first principal. A principal is like the head teacher or director of a school. Rev. Lee was a well-known educator. He even wrote a book called The American Accomptant.
Did you know he invented the dollar sign ($)? He first used it in a textbook published right there in Lansingburgh!
Growing and Moving
By 1820, the first school building was too small. More and more students wanted to learn there. So, a new building was built. This one was made of brick. It was located on the corner of what is now Fourth Avenue and 114th Street. Back then, it was called North Street.
The new building looks almost the same today as it did back then! The land for the new building was given to the school on May 2, 1820.
A Flourishing School
With the new, bigger building, the Lansingburgh Academy became very successful. It had many more facilities, like classrooms and other spaces. For the next eighty years, the school offered an advanced program of study.
Students who graduated from the Academy were so well-prepared. They could even enter college as sophomores! This means they skipped their first year of college.
Famous People Connected to the Academy
Many important people were part of the Lansingburgh Academy's story. Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford was an early president of the school. He later became the president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. This is a famous college today.
Dr. Blatchford also wrote a well-known Greek grammar book. It was used at the Academy and in many colleges. Ebenezer D. Maltbie was in charge when author Herman Melville studied there. Melville wrote Moby Dick. He graduated with a degree in surveying and engineering. Maltbie also wrote a popular book about zoology, the study of animals.
Even a future President of the United States, Chester A. Arthur, taught at the Academy! He taught a course called 'Elements of Law' when he lived in Lansingburgh.
New Uses for the Building
In 1900, Lansingburgh became part of the city of Troy. That year, the Academy's leaders rented the building to the Lansingburgh Free School District No. 1. The school district used it as a high school. They also got to use the school's equipment and its excellent library.
During this time, a large addition was built onto the back of the building. It was about 2,500 square feet (230 square meters). On May 27, 1911, the school leaders sold the Academy building to the Lansingburgh School District. The district continued to use it as a high school. Later, it became a vocational school. It was even used for elementary classes until 1975.
In 1975, a group called the Lansingburgh Citizen's Council got to use the building. They wanted to fix up the old Lansingburgh Academy. Their plan was to turn it into a bigger branch of the Troy Public Library. They also wanted it to be a neighborhood arts center.
In 1976, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This helped protect its history. Also in 1976, the council received a large grant of $350,000 for the project. The work included a new roof, painting, new doors, and a ramp for people with disabilities. They also added new heating and air conditioning. The inside of the building was greatly improved. The project finished in 1980. After a short time in another location, the library reopened in its new home.
The Academy Becomes a Library
In 1938, the Lansingburgh Board of Education decided something important. They voted to let the Troy Public Library use a small room in the former Lansingburgh Academy. They would also provide heat, light, and cleaning services.
The branch library opened on June 15, 1939. It was in a room on the second floor. After only five months, the library's collection of books had doubled! So, the library needed more space. It moved from the second floor to the first floor of the school.
In 1952, the library moved again. It went from the two front rooms to the back of the building. The entrance was then on Fourth Avenue. In 1999, the Troy Public Library bought the Lansingburgh Academy building. They bought it from the Lansingburgh School District.
In 2002, more renovations were completed. These changes almost doubled the size of the library branch. It became an even bigger and better place for the community.
