Category: Miscellany

Apparently, in 1964, opening your garage door by remote control was something akin to magic. That’s the only explanation why you’d want to find a creepy wand-waver in a tux and top hat waiting for you when you arrived home. Actually, I guess he’s the reason you’d want to be able to open the…

In 1917, George wanted to let Miss Blanche Barker of Turin, N.Y., know that he’d be spending his vacation in Albany Sunday. Hoxsie’s taking a little vacation, too. Back in a few days.

In 1978, ATM cards weren’t even called that yet. National Commercial Bank and Trust Co. was going by the moniker “The Bank,” and was one of the first banks to offer an ATM card, which they called the Bank Key. Not too long after, National Commercial would drop “The Bank” and become “Key Bank.”…

This ad from the 1976 Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s program promotes a thirty-minute documentary about our community’s history produced by The Bank, as the National Commercial Bank and Trust Company was stylishly calling itself. It was offering this 16mm film to any interested group or organization. We simply must find a copy of this…

In 1872, when this ad ran in the Troy Times, the Button Engine Works was one of the best-known manufacturers of fire engines in the country. The works was founded by Lysander Button, a Connecticut native by way of Albany, who became a machinist in the Waterford shop of John Rogers, who made fire…

In 1933, the Delaware and Hudson Railroad (you may recognize its headquarters. Or its other headquarters) could carry you from New York to Montreal, overnight or during the day, in just 10 hours. Today, Amtrak from New York to Montreal takes 10 hours, 51 minutes. Just going from  Albany to takes eight hours, or…

In 1934, Ivanhoe Mayonnaise did something I don’t think I’ve ever seen another product do: it published its recipe, “in case you’d like to make it yourself.” The recipe is straightforward enough, though the makers warn that “if you haven’t an electric mixer it will require three-quarters of an hour of hard work.” Then…

Another reminder that yes, there was slavery in the Capital District. This handbill from 1809, part of the Albany Institute of History and Art collection, calls for the return of a slave to Abel Whalen of Milton. A Runaway Negro. RAN AWAY From the subscriber on the night of the 11th inst. a Negro…

Okay, this is not technically an historical marker; in fact, it’s a highway marker, from along River Road in Rexford. But still, it’s my favorite marker ever. Because totally unnecessary hyphenation.

When I was a child, I was often stuck in my great great aunt’s house on rainy summer afternoons with absolutely nothing to do but read the same two Mad magazines, engage my aunt and my great grandmother in a game of Carrom, or break out “The Game of Peter Coddle’s Trip to New…