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The Albany skyline at night
New York State Capitol
City Hall
Rockefeller Plaza
The Lakehouse in Washington Park |
About Albany,
New York
Welcome to Albany, New York's historic
Capital City on the banks of the mighty Hudson River! Albany is firmly
rooted in its history and moving toward the future. Albany is the
capital city of New York State, with a population of about 95,000. It
has a total area of 21 square miles, located on the Hudson River,
approximately 136 miles north of New York City.
ALBANY’S WEATHER
Albany has four distinct seasons, with cold, snowy winters, and hot, wet
summers.
In October, the average high temperature in Albany NY is 58.3 and the
average low temperature is 38.0, with a daily average of 0.16 inches of
precipitation.
ALBANY’S HISTORY
Albany is one of the oldest continuing settlements in the nation. The city still
serves under its original charter, which dates back to July 22, 1686
In 1540 French traders (perhaps the first Europeans to visit the area)
built a primitive fort on Castle Island; this fort was soon abandoned
due to flooding.
Permanent European claims began when Englishman Henry Hudson, exploring
for the Dutch East India Company on the Halve Maen (or Half Moon),
reached the area in 1609.
Albany as we know it today first began as a Dutch trading post, built in
1624 and named Fort Orange. Nearby areas were incorporated as the
village of Beverwyck in 1652.
When the land was taken by the English in 1664, the name was changed to
Albany, in honor of the Duke of York and Albany.
Albany was formally chartered as a municipality by Governor Thomas
Dongan on July 22, 1686. The "Dongan Charter" was virtually identical in
content to the charter awarded to the city of New York three months
earlier. Pieter Schuyler was appointed first mayor of Albany the day the
charter was signed
Albany had roughly 500 people in 1686 and had slowly grown over the next
100 years to 3,498 in the first national census (1790). By 1810 Albany,
with 10,763 people, was the 10th largest city in the nation. In the 1830
and 1840 censuses, Albany moved up to 9th largest, then in 1850 back to
10th. This was the last time the city was in the top ten largest cities
in the nation.
In 1797, the state capital of New York was moved permanently to Albany.
The State Capitol building was begun in 1867 and finished in 1899 when
Governor Theodore Roosevelt declared the building completed. It was
inspired by the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) in Paris, France. Notable
architectural features include its "Million Dollar Staircase."
Albany's location on the Hudson River made it a center of transportation
from the outset. In 1807, Robert Fulton initiated a steamboat line from
New York to Albany. On October 26, 1825 the Erie Canal was completed,
forming a continuous water route from the Great Lakes to the city of New
York.
ALBANY’S ECONOMY
The economy is heavily dependent on the state government, with much of
Albany's (and indeed, much of the Capital District's) population being
employed by various state departments and legislators.
Albany is increasingly seen as a leader
in nanotechnology, with the University at Albany's nanotechnology
program being respected as a national leader. The city is at the center
of a 19-county region in eastern New York state branded as "Tech Valley"
due to the growing number of companies, entrepreneurs and research
facilities focusing on high-tech industries such as nanotechnology,
biotechnology, homeland security, information technology and alternative
energy.
For more information about the City of
Albany, visit the following websites:
Albany
County Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Official Site of the
City of Albany NY
Capital News 9
The
Times Union
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