List of New York State Historic Markers in Schenectady County, New York facts for kids

Schenectady County, New York, is a place rich in history, marked by many special signs called New York State Historic Markers. These markers tell stories about important people, buildings, and events that shaped the county, from early settlements and industries to famous battles and inventions. Let's explore some of these fascinating historical spots!

Duanesburg: Early Life and Innovations

Duanesburg is a town with many stories, especially about its early days and the people who lived there.

Community and Faith

Early settlers in Duanesburg built churches and meeting houses that became important centers for the community.

• The Baptist Church was started in 1800. Its current building was built in 1868.
• Near the county line, a Meeting House was built around 1800. It was used by all different religious groups in the area.
• The Quaker Meeting House on Quaker Street was built in 1807, but the Quaker community itself began around 1790.
• The Society of the Reformed Presbyterian Church was formed in 1795. Their church building was constructed in 1836.
• One of the first Baptist preachers in Schenectady County was Reverend Elijah Herrick. He served for 50 years after fighting in the American Revolution.

Homes and Businesses

Duanesburg was also home to important families and early businesses.

• The Duane Mansion, built in 1812, was designed by a famous French artist named Jacques Ramee. It belonged to Catherine Livingston Duane.
• The Frost Homestead was built in 1834 by James Frost. Interestingly, he used parts from an older mansion built in 1808!
• Around 1790, John Sherburne started a tannery (a place that makes leather) near Mariaville. It was a very successful business.
• After the American Revolution, a sawmill and gristmill were built near Eaton Corners. Sadly, floods often destroyed their dams, so they were eventually abandoned.
• An important invention happened at the Old Shop Site near Eaton Corners. In 1814, Benjamin Cummings created the first circular saw in America for his mill in Schenectady!
• The first Post Office and Store in Eaton Corners opened around 1820. Lemuel Easton ran it for many years, bringing the mail on horseback every Saturday.

Glenville: From Ancient Times to Modern Industry

Glenville has a long history, from ancient people to early American settlements and industries.

Ancient History and Paths

Long before European settlers arrived, ancient people lived in Glenville.

• Just north of some gravel hills, there was once a Postglacial Lake. People from an arctic-like culture lived and hunted there a very long time ago.
• The Kinaquariones area was once an ancient Algonkian village. You can still see where their corn pits were! A very old and important path, used by many different groups, ran through this valley.
• Two markers point out a Primitive Path that was a major route for ancient people traveling between the coast and the inland areas.

Early Settlements and Homes

Glenville was one of the first places settled in the Mohawk Valley.

• Around 1720, the Van Eps Family built the first house in this part of the valley. Seven generations of their family lived there!
• The Abraham Glen House, built in 1730 in Scotia, was located where the important King's Highway met the Mohawk River.
• The Glen-Sanders House, built in 1713 in Scotia, used some materials from the very first house built in the Mohawk Valley in 1655 by Alexander Glen.
• The Josias Swart Homestead was called the "Sixth Flat." Josias Swart received the land deed in 1713.
• Around 1770, Harmanus Van Vleck built his home in the dense forest of Van Vleck Home area, a place where wolves, bears, and panthers still roamed.

Community Life and Transportation

Early Glenville had important places for gathering and travel.

• An Early Hotel known as "Upper Nickey's" was built in the 18th century by Nicholas Van Patten. The first Glenville Town Meeting was held here in 1821.
• The First Church in Glenville, called the "Church at the Woestina" (Church in the Wilderness), was built in 1785. It was later moved to Rotterdam in 1812.
• The First Reformed Dutch Church of Glenville was built between 1812 and 1813.
• Hoffmans Ferry was started around 1790 by Harmanus Vedder. It was a way for people to cross the river until J. Hoffman bought the ferry rights in 1835.
• The Mohawk Turnpike in Scotia was a very old highway that went west. It was known as the "King's Highway" and was used as a military road in 1812.
• "The Camp" was a camping ground for American armies on the Mohawk River flats between 1755 and 1812.
• Tinker Hill was the site of a blockhouse (a small fort) built by Captain Turnis Swart. It was fortified and had a cannon during the American Revolution.

Industry and Nature

Glenville also had early industries and interesting natural features.

• A Cement Mill operated here from 1825 to 1845. John Van Eps & Sons made the first hydraulic cement in this part of New York State.
• Around 1770, early settlers built a sawmill at Crabb Kill. Later, from 1840 to 1860, Rockwell Harmon had a tannery and shoeshop there.
• Fall Tree Kill was named by the first settler of the region. Native Americans used a fallen tree as a bridge to cross this stream.
• Wolf Hollow is a fascinating natural spot where the Earth's surface rocks have shifted by 1000 feet! In 1669, the Mohawk people ambushed their Algonkian enemies here.

Niskayuna: Historic Churches and Trails

Niskayuna has markers highlighting its early religious life and important travel routes.

• The Niskayuna Dutch Reformed Church was built in 1828, but it was preceded by an earlier church from 1760 and a "House of Prayer" from about 1754.
• The Albany Path was an old trail through pine forests. It became a wagon, stagecoach, and military road, and is now State Street and Route 5 to Albany.

Princetown: Early Settlers

Princetown has a marker about one of its first families.

• The Liddle House was built in 1793 by Robert Liddle, an early settler of Duanesburg who came all the way from Scotland.

Rotterdam: Ancient Homes and Wilderness

Rotterdam features some of the oldest houses in the Mohawk Valley.

• The Bradt House, built in 1735, is an example of an early Dutch farmhouse. To its west was the "Woestina," meaning "Wilderness."
• The Jan Mabie House, built in 1670, is one of the oldest houses in the Mohawk Valley. It was built by Daniel Janse Van Antwerpen and was the westernmost settlement on the "Groote Vlackte" (Great Flats).

Schenectady: A City of Firsts and Famous Visitors

Schenectady, the county seat, has a rich history of settlement, military events, and important institutions.

City Beginnings and Growth

Schenectady has grown from a small settlement to a bustling city.

• Schenectady was settled by the Dutch in 1661. It became a borough in 1765, a city in 1798, and the county seat in 1808.
• The Schenectady Academy was built in 1785 by the Dutch Church. It was used by Union College from 1796 to 1804 and later became the City Hall.
• The Yates House is thought to be the oldest house in the city, a typical 18th-century home of Abraham Yates.

Military and Transportation

Schenectady played a role in many wars and was a key transportation hub.

• In 1760, General Amherst led 6,000 Americans, 4,000 British soldiers, and 200 boats through Schenectady on their way to capture Montreal.
• On June 11, 1779, Clinton's Expedition left Schenectady with 1,500 men and 200 boats for the Sullivan Campaign against the Iroquois.
• The Ride of Symon Schermerhorn on February 8, 1690, was a heroic act. Even though he was wounded, he rode 20 miles to Albany to warn settlers about an attack.
• An Early Bridge, a wooden suspension bridge designed by Theodore Burr, was built here in 1808. It was even used by the Saratoga Railway from 1832 to 1839.
• The South Shore Road was an important colonial and revolutionary road that went to Fort Stanwix and Oswego. Troops used this route in five different wars.

Early Industries and Institutions

Schenectady was a place of innovation and community building.

• The First Mill in the Mohawk Valley was built by Sweer Teunsie on Mill Kill in 1666. It was destroyed by a flood in 1673 but rebuilt, becoming the area's first industry.
• Free Masonry began in Schenectady in 1774 with the founding of St. George's Lodge, No. 6.
• The Robert Sanders House, built in 1750, was visited by George Washington in 1775. It later became the Schenectady Female Academy.
• St. George's Church was organized in 1736, and part of the current church was built in 1759. It was even used as barracks during the American Revolution.
• Union College was granted its charter in 1795. Its North and South College Buildings were built between 1813 and 1814, also designed by Jacques Ramee.