“The Albany Hand-book” of 1884 included this lovely illustration of the still-lovely Albany Academy building, which dates to 1815. While reciting its long academic history, the author also noted that one of the most important developments in creating the modern world took place right in this building:
“It was in the upper rooms of this building that Joseph Henry, who from 1826 to 1832, was one of the professors, first demonstrated the theory of the magnetic telegraph in transmitting intelligence, by ringing a bell through a mile of wire strung around the room. It only remained for Prof. Morse to invent the code of signals, and the machine for making them, and the thing was done. As has been well said,
“‘The click heard from every joint of those mystic wires which now link together every city and village all over this continent, is but the echo of that little bell which first sounded in the upper room of the Albany Academy.’”
Missing from this old view is the statue of Joseph Henry that now stands appropriately before the staircase. If you don’t know about Joseph Henry, please do yourself a favor and find out.
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