The destruction of Albany’s structural heritage is not a new topic. William Kent, in addressing the changes that had overcome Albany in the early decades of the 19th century, lamented the march of modernity. In 1854, he was complaining: “The architecture of Holland and ancient Albany was not that of Virtuvius [sic] or Palladio;…

On a February evening in 1854, a gentleman by the name of William Kent stood before the Young Men’s Association of Albany and delivered his recollections of Albany, which he had left 30 years before, and to which he returned, in his estimation, a stranger. As he described it, “Albany, in the first decade of…

I don’t know much about 4 Hisgen Brothers, other than there were at least four of them, and they manufactured axle grease right here in Albany. This ad from 1898 represents that their axle grease was the best in the world for wagons, buggies, and all kinds of journals. That usage of journal (“the…

In 1912, the journal “Educational Foundations” carried this account of the dedication of New York’s grand new State Education Building: “Without Scandal” We dedicate a building which has been carried to an admirable and complete fruition, without scandal, and within the first appropriation that was provided for it.” These words were uttered by Dr.…

Chancellor Whitelaw Reid, at the State Education Building’s dedication ceremonies in 1912, said, “We are proud that the great structure comes to us absolutely free. There is no debt on it. They issued no bonds for it and anticipated no income. The people of New York have equipped their Board of Regents and Department…

If you were an academic, from pretty much anywhere, Albany was apparently the place to be one hundred years ago as the State Education Building was dedicated. Across the three days, there were six formal sessions, a major reception, open house at the Governor’s Mansion, attended by representatives from 120 higher education institutions throughout…

The State Education Building, an indispensable and unforgettable part of the Albany streetscape, one of the most distinctive pieces of classical architecture in the country and purportedly the longest Corinthian colonnade, was dedicated precisely one hundred years ago. In the century that has passed, the State Museum that once drew throngs of schoolchildren into…

From 1898, an advertisement for John Harrigan’s Sons (whose names, it would appear were Harvey, Daniel and Joseph), undertakers. This lovely building was at the corner of Chapel and Canal streets; Canal is now known as Sheridan Avenue. I can’t tell which corner this was on, but the only surviving building from that era…