Lisha Kill, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lisha Kill Lisha's Kill
hamlet
Etymology: from creek of same name and name of a local Native American who is buried along its banks
Lisha Kill Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
Region	Capital District
County	Albany
Settled	1790s
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	12304
Area code(s)	518

Lisha Kill is a small community called a hamlet in the town of Colonie, New York. It is located in Albany County. Lisha Kill sits along New York Route 5, also known as Central Avenue. This road is in the western part of the town. The hamlet gets its name from a creek called Lisha Kill. The word kill means "creek" or "stream" in Dutch. There's a local legend that the creek is named after a Native American woman. She is said to be buried along its banks.

Exploring Lisha Kill's Past

The story of Lisha Kill is closely connected to the creek it's named after. Long ago, the creek was called Lysiens Kill. A local legend says it was named for a Native American woman. She was supposedly buried along the creek's banks.

Early Settlers and Famous Families

Some of the first people to settle here were from the Lansing family. This family was well-known in nearby Albany and Cohoes. Jacob Lansing is thought to be the very first settler in the area. Another early settler, John V.A. Lansing, arrived in 1792. His old house is still standing today. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1985. This means it's an important historical building.

Later, in 1875, Henry O. Lansing owned a saw mill. This mill used water or steam power from the Lisha Kill creek. Many Lansing family members were important leaders in the local Dutch Reformed Church during the late 1800s. A man named Colonel Jon T. A. Lansing and his four sons owned four large farms. These farms covered about 160 acres (0.65 km²). Today, more than half of this land is where the Town of Colonie Golf Course is built.

Growth and Development in the 1800s

An important road called the Albany and Schenectady Turnpike was built in 1799. This road connected the cities of Albany and Schenectady. It ran right through the middle of Lisha Kill. There was even a toll-gate here where travelers had to pay. Because of this road, Lisha Kill quickly grew into a busy place in the 1800s.

The hamlet had many businesses. There was a blacksmithy, a hotel, and several stores. Josiah Stanford ran a tavern here. He was the father of Leland Stanford, who later became a famous Governor of California. A post office was set up in Lisha Kill in 1830.

Schools and Education

Children in Lisha Kill attended two school houses back then. One was Watervliet School House (WSH) 7, located on Consaul Road. The other was WSH 8, found in Stanford Heights. Today, students from Lisha Kill go to Veeder Elementary School. After that, they attend Lisha Kill Middle School, which opened in 1959. Finally, they go to Colonie High. All these schools are part of the South Colonie Central School District.

The Dutch Reformed Church

Most people living in Lisha Kill were of Dutch ancestry. They belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church. For a while, they traveled to the Niskayuna Reformed Church to worship. But in 1852, they asked to have their own church. Their request was approved. The Dutch Reformed Church of Lisha's Kill started meeting in Watervliet School 8. Then, in 1854, a new church building was finished and dedicated. This church is still used today. It is the second oldest Reformed Church in Colonie.

Where is Lisha Kill?

Lisha Kill is located in the western part of the town of Colonie. It is centered along Central Avenue, which is also known as New York Route 5. This area is found between the larger cities of Albany and Schenectady. The Lisha Kill creek also runs through the area. It flows across Central Avenue.

Nearby Places

	Hamlet of Stanford Heights	Town of Colonie Golf Course
		Hamlet of Lisha Kill
			Hamlet of Maywood