Groceries, Provisions, Sarsaparilla

1862’s Schenectady city directory informed us that B. Van Vranken’s grocery and provisions store was at the corner of State and Jay streets. He apparently was also agent for Kirby’s American Harvester.

Meanwhile, over on College Street, Rodgers & Weller were making soda, sarsaparilla, porter, ale, and cider. Their root beer was very popular, and 150 years later, people still have some of their original pottery bottles.