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I got yer Throwback Thursday right here, pal
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This is us, rockin’ the ’80s, in front of the Pyramid jewelers in the National Savings Bank Building on State Street. I believe we were going to a record convention, comic book convention, some sort of thing across the street at the then spanking new Hilton. I remember thinking that Conrad Hilton wouldn’t have…
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Lark Street, ca. 1970
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I posted this on Flickr a couple of years ago, a very random shot found among my grandmother-in-law’s photographs. A very weird shot, in that we can’t imagine what they were up to in that part of town; there are a couple of others just as random. I’m now pretty convinced this is Lark…
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The “Bazaar Shirt” of Van Gaasbeek
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1888: “The Empire State – Its Industries and Wealth” featured sketches of businesses across the state, including many in the capital. Among them was a sketch of the firm of W. Van Gaasbeek, manufacturers of the celebrated “Bazaar Shirt.” W. Van Gaasbeek & Co., manufacturers of the celebrated “Bazaar Shirt” and Dealers in Fine…
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No worries, Hoxsie will be back
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As you may know, Hoxsie is on the move. His personal history is all in boxes. Fear not, daily nonsense will return very soon. In the meantime, enjoy this little artifact from very near our new home, from a simpler time when hospitals gave out matches. So you could smoke.
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The End of the Argus
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The Editor and Publisher magazine edition of January 15, 1921, noted the sudden closing of The Argus, possibly Albany’s oldest newspaper at the time. Albany Argus Ends Career of 108 Years Sold to Knickerbocker Press and Merged with Jan. 14 Issue — Argus Staff Dropped on Two Days’ Notice Albany, N.Y., Jan. 12 —…
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Women – Can they be trusted to make ice cream?
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A 1918 edition of “The Ice Cream Journal” contained this treatise on “Women in Our Industry,” by C.D. Monroe of The Albany Ice Cream Company. It’s a little hard to read without applying modern sensibilities, but just remember, 96 years ago, those were different times. It was in June, 1918, that we started to…
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What-nots AND bric-a-brac
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I don’t know anything about Adams of 91 and 93 North Pearl St., but in 1891 they were having a big sale on every kind of furniture, not to mention what-nots and bric-a-brac. You can hardly even find a bric-a-brac store these days.
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The A.M.E. Church
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The Albany Hand-book, 1881: African Methodist Episcopal Church, The, is at 365 Hamilton st. Colored folks worship here, but white people are also welcome so long as they behave themselves. Numbering must have changed, as this can’t be any other than the First Israel African Methodist Episcopal Church, built in 1854 at what is…
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Academy Park
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Again from The Albany Hand-Book of 1881, of which we can never get enough: Academy Park, consists of one and eighty-two one-hundredths acres, bounded by Elk and Eagle sts., Washington ave., and Park place, and just now is in a dilapidated condition. As soon as the old Capitol is removed, and Capitol Park laid…
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The Abattoir
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From The Albany Hand-Book of 1881: Abattoir, The, or public slaughterhouse is situated on Brevator st., nearly three miles west of the City Hall. Slaughtering is prohibited (except by consent of the Common Council) within the limits of 160 rods west of Allen st., on the west; Warren st., Delaware ave., Second ave. and…