The New Albany, 1891 — No. 3

We’ll skip around the rest of the 38 items on the list of
the new wonders of Albany that emerged in the decade before 1891.

12th. The new Public Hall. A structure which is
the pride of every Albanian, and will be for a hundred years to come. No city
In America has so fine a public hall, theatre and opera house combined in one
spacious, comfortable and perfectly safe building.

I have no idea what or where this Public Hall was, but it
came at a time when every city was proud of its auditorium. Having a place for
enlightening lectures, high-class entertainment and fine music was a
prerequisite for being a city of note. Luckily we still have the Palace
Theater, for surely a denizen of the 1890s who was shown our major public
auditorium, whatever name it goes by these days, would surely think we were
showing him the new penitentiary. Concrete walls, slab and bench seats, and all
the charm of a run-down dormitory? Not what a city would be proud to show off.

13th. The New Armory. Close to the new hall
stands the new armory of the Tenth Battalion, a fitting home for the local
military of which Albany always has had reason to feel proud.

Speaking of grand spaces. Luckily this landmark still stands, long after the Tenth
Battalion has gone. That it is primarily the home of roller derby does not
diminish its importance.

14th. The new Protestant Episcopal Cathedral, the
first of its kind, almost the only one of its kind, in the United States.

Akum Norder gave a wonderful history of the Episcopal Cathedral, perhaps the largest
structure ever to be completely overshadowed by another structure. In that
alone, it is definitely the only one of its kind.

17th. The new Executive Mansion, another noble
addition to the state buildings of which Albany has so great a share.

Still a lovely structure that somehow should have lifted its neighborhood higher than
it has. Unfortunately, it lacks a great name like “Drumthwacket.” I highly
suggest we take up the task of naming the mansion before another century has
passed.

18th. The National Commercial Bank building,
which would be considered an ornament to any city in the Union.

Another lovely structure that survived. National Commercial Bank and Trust Company was
headquartered in Albany for something like a hundred years. It changed its name
to Key Bank and decided that was more of a Cleveland kind of name, and off it
went. Don’t get me started.

19th. The Albany County Bank, unique, substantial
ornamental.

On this one, don’t get me started for a different reason.
This building was so lovely it just makes me want to cry that it is gone, and
that it has been replaced by a brick and concrete abortion of a plaza from the
’70s. If Marcus Reynolds could see this, he’d never stop stabbing his eyes out.

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