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 an important school in Lansingburgh, New York. It was a special kind of school called a seminary, which often prepared students for college or specific professions. The Academy operated from the late 1700s until 1900. At that time, its building was rented out to the Lansingburgh School District.
The school district bought the building in 1911. It was first used as a high school. Later, the Lansingburgh Academy building was sold to the local library system. Since 2007, it has been home to the Lansingburgh Branch of the Troy Public Library. The Lansingburgh Academy was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means it's a special building recognized for its history.
Contents
History of the Lansingburgh Academy
Founding the Academy: A New School for Learning
On December 24, 1795, a group of important people from Lansingburgh asked the State of New York for permission to start a school. They wanted to create a "seminary of learning" called The Lansingburgh Academy. They had already built a wooden school building. This request was signed by 27 people.
The state officially approved their request on February 20, 1796. The document was signed by John Jay, a famous American leader. It also listed the first sixteen people who would be in charge of the school.
Early Leaders and Important Inventions
The people in charge 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 wrote a book called "The American Accomptant." In this book, he invented the dollar sign ($) and used it for the first time. He published this textbook in Lansingburgh.
Expanding the Academy: A New Brick Building
By 1820, the first wooden building was too small for all the students. So, a second, larger building was constructed. This new building was made of brick. It was built on the corner of what is now Fourth Avenue and 114th Street. The 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.
In this new, bigger building, The Lansingburgh Academy did very well for the next eighty years. The school offered such an advanced program of study. Students who graduated from the Academy could often enter college as sophomores. This means they skipped their first year of college.
Famous People Connected to the Academy
Many well-known people were part of the Lansingburgh Academy's history.
- Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford was an early president of the Academy. He later became the president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a famous university. He also wrote an important Greek grammar book. This book was used at the Academy and in many colleges.
- Ebenezer D. Maltbie was in charge of the Academy when the famous author Herman Melville graduated. Melville wrote "Moby Dick." He earned a degree in surveying and engineering from the Academy. Maltbie also wrote a popular book about zoology, which is the study of animals.
- Chester A. Arthur, who later became a President of the United States, taught a class at the Academy. He taught 'Elements of Law' when he lived in Lansingburgh.
Changes and 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 for ten years. The building came with its equipment and a great library. During this time, a large addition was built onto the back of the building. It added about 2,500 square feet (230 square meters) of space.
On May 27, 1911, the rental agreement ended. The Academy's leaders then sold the building to the Lansingburgh School District. The district continued to use it as a high school. Later, it became a vocational school, which teaches job skills. It was even used for elementary school classes until 1975.
In 1975, a group called the Lansingburgh Citizen's Council gained access to the building. The Council quickly created a plan to fix up and restore the old Lansingburgh Academy. Their goal was to use it as a bigger branch of the Troy Public Library. They also wanted it to be a neighborhood arts center.
In 1976, the building was officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also in 1976, the council received a large grant of $350,000 for the project. This money helped pay for many repairs and improvements. These included a new roof, painting inside and out, new doors, and a ramp for people with disabilities. New heating and air conditioning systems were installed. There was also a lot of construction work inside. The project was finished in 1980. After a short time in the Methodist Church, the library reopened in its newly restored home.
Lansingburgh Branch of the Troy Public Library
In 1938, the Lansingburgh Board of Education decided to let the Troy Public Library use a small room in the former Lansingburgh Academy building. They also agreed to provide heat, light, and cleaning services. The branch library opened on June 15, 1939. It was located in a room on the second floor.
After only five months, the library's collection of books had doubled in size. It needed more space, so it moved from the second floor to the first floor. In 1952, the library moved again. It went from the two front rooms to the back of the building, with its entrance on Fourth Avenue.
In 1999, the Troy Public Library bought the Lansingburgh Academy building from the Lansingburgh School District. In 2002, more renovations were completed. These changes almost doubled the size of the library branch.
