Back in the early part of the century (the real century, you noobs), a group of engineers formed the Albany Society of Civil Engineers. In addition to going to meetings and presenting papers (such as “Concrete,” and “A New Type of Highway Bridge Abutment”), the engineers went on field trips. Well, they called them “tours.” Where did they go?
In 1907, they visited the cement works at Hudson, the filtration plant of the Albany Water Works, and the United States Arsenal at Watervliet. In some form or another, all those things are still there.
In 1908, they visited State Road No. 385 (Albany-Schenectady). The road pre-dated even the earliest comprehensive numbering system, but let’s presume it’s current Route 5. They also visited Forest Park, an amusement park in Ballston Lake; let’s presume they were there to study dynamic forces produced by merry-go-rounds.
In 1909, they visited the Barge Canal at Waterford. With some major modifications, that’s still there, too.
In 1910, they visited reconstruction work on the Albany Southern Railway, and the Champlain Canal between Waterford and Stillwater.
In 1912, they visited the “New State Power House” on Sheridan Avenue. That’s still there. They also visited the barge canal again, because no engineer can resist the allure of a good canal lock, and they even took an expedition to the Helderberg Mountains, “under the personal direction of Dr. J. M. Clarke, State Geologist.”
Surprisingly, for a time when government was small and industry was large in Albany, the membership of the Society was heavily public-sector:
