Legendary Locals Of Cohoes

From the establishment of the Iroquois Confederacy to the American Revolution, followed by the Erie Canal and the rise of the Industrial Revolution, Cohoes has played a significant role in the American story. With these great epochs in history have come numerous legendary individuals who have left distinctive marks, from Hiawatha, leader of the Iroquois, to Gen. Horatio Gates, who defeated the British at Saratoga, to leaders of industry like David Wilkinson and Robert Johnston. Cohoes has also been witness to great educators including Chester Arthur, who went on to become president, and notorious political figures like Big Mike Smith. Grace Reavey was the first women appointed to municipal office in New York State, and Virginia McDonald was the first woman elected mayor in the state. The many small businesses that continue to be the lifeblood of the community cannot be forgotten, including the nationally renowned Mohawk Paper and Uncle John's, the quintessential small town diner. These are just a few of the many threads that make up the fabric of the history showcased in Legendary Locals of Cohoes.

New Britain began in 1754 as an ecclesiastical society and farming village, and with few natural resources, was transformed into a modern industrial city by the time of its incorporation in 1871. Attracting waves of immigrant workers and entrepreneurs, this became a diverse but unified community in which people of all ethnicities worked together, served together in times of war, and even played together on the baseball fields. Legendary Locals of New Britain includes remarkable residents among the early inhabitants and settlers; the people and institutions that brought New Britain to cityhood; artists and entertainers; famous or leading immigrants; sports legends; and men and women who have otherwise made their mark on New Britain, the nation, or the world.

Cohoes Revisited continues the pictorial history begun in Cohoes, the Spindle City Historic Society's first book. It offers a second view of the city and its residents from the 19th century forward, honoring the rich heritage of this place near the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, which was transformed from a farming village to a center of commerce by the construction of the Erie Canal. The Cohoes Falls, the largest cataract east of Niagara, made Cohoes an industrial hub. Massive mill buildings, including one of the largest cotton mills in the world, were erected by the riverfront and along a network of power canals. To the mills came thousands of workers, a diverse group of immigrants who have given Cohoes its distinctive character.

The Troy Haymakers were a pioneer baseball team legendary for exploits on and off the field. Formed in 1860 in Troy, New York--a rapidly growing industrial city--the team was embraced by the tough-minded Trojans as emblematic of their vigorous boomtown, rivaling larger, better established cities. The Haymakers were a strong amateur club before becoming a charter member of baseball's first major league, the National Association, and subsequently gaining a franchise in the National League. The team rosters were filled with characters and scalawags along with talented players, including four future Hall of Famers. After losing its National League franchise in 1882, Troy fielded minor league teams for 34 years--with a wistful eye to Haymaker history.

Founded by the Dutch Vanderheyden family in 1787, Troy is one of the most historic cities in the United States. It holds claim to being the birthplace of America's Industrial Revolution, the home of the collar and cuff industry, and a major manufacturer of iron products during the 1800s.

As District Attorney, Thomas E. Dewey cracked Tammany Hall, thought to be the United States' most powerful and corrupt political machine. Yet as Governor, despite his state's vast resources, he could not crack the Upper New York State machine. In this modern-day David vs. Goliath tale, a 24-year-old college professor and engineer leads the challenge to liberate and transform his own upstate community from a 40-year reign of political corruption. In the first half of the 20th century, Michael "Big Mike" Tecumseh Smith founded a political machine which, after aligning with Albany's Democratic powerhouse Dan O'Connell, became impossible to crack. After several generations of inept management, Dr. Paul Van Buskirk rejected his own prominent Republican family's views and publicly called for change. The move, led by Van Buskirk's ruthless, methodical organization, led to the Citizens Party defeating the Democrats in 1963. In this political memoir, Dr. Van Buskirk details the thrilling events leading up to the Citizens Party's nationally-recognized victory over the political machine. It also recounts how, once in office, the Citizens were inspired by President Johnson's progressive War on Poverty to channel their ingenuity and community spirit into revitalizing their decrepit mill town, steering it to become a federally-designated Model City while also earning Look Magazine's highly-competitive All-America City Award. With a sharp wit and a careful eye, Dr. Van Buskirk shares shrewd political observations and offers cautionary advice about the stark differences between running a political campaign and running a city. He also discusses the behind-the-scenes intrigue - including an attempt on his life - that eventually led to the Citizens Party's demise. Despite occurring half a century ago, the tales of corruption and political scheming, as well as the people's rise from apathy to action, will resonate in a current era of political upheaval.

Tells the forgotten but surprising stories of the many handsome and significant buildings in downtown Troy, New York. Located about 150 miles north of Manhattan, on the east bank of the Hudson River, the city of Troy, New York, was once an industrial giant. It led the nation in iron production throughout much of the nineteenth century, and its factories turned out bells and cast-iron stoves that were sold the world over. Its population was both enterprising and civic-minded. Along with Troy’s economic success came the public, commercial, educational, residential, and religious buildings to prove it. Stores, banks, churches, firehouses, and schools, both modest and sophisticated, sprouted up in the latest architectural styles, creating a lively and fashionable downtown. Row houses and brownstones for the middle class and the wealthy rivaled those in Brooklyn and Manhattan. By the mid-twentieth century, however, Troy had dwindled in both prominence and population. Downtown stagnated, leaving building facades and interiors untouched, often for decades. A late-blooming urban-renewal program demolished many blocks of buildings, but preservationists fought back. Today, reinvestment is accelerating, and Troy now boasts what the New York Times has called “one of the most perfectly preserved nineteenth-century downtowns in the United States.” This book tells the stories behind the many handsome and significant buildings in downtown Troy and how they were designed and constructed—stories that have never been pulled together before. For the first time in generations, scores of Troy buildings are again linked with their architects, some local but others from out of town (the “starchitects” of their day) and even from Europe. In addition to numerous historic images, the book also includes contemporary photographs by local photographer Gary Gold. This book will inform, delight, and surprise readers, thereby helping to build an educated constituency for the preservation of an important American city. “Diana Waite has labored long to bring us the architectural history of Troy, which is said to have one of the most perfectly preserved downtowns in the United States. Great architects designed some of the city’s impressive buildings—Richard Upjohn, Leopold Eidlitz, Marcus T. Reynolds; but so did architects fairly early in their careers—such as George B. Post, who did the iconic flatiron Hall building on First Street, and the very visible Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. The book is also a wistful tour of the lost past—truly magnificent structures and sumptuous interiors that fell to the wrecking ball. And here are the stories behind major landmarks—such as the Approach staircase up to RPI (or down to Troy); the struggle to raise a monument at the center of the city to Troy’s fallen soldiers from three wars; and the complex installation of six major Tiffany windows in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The book is abundantly illustrated, with maps, and written in lively narrative style. Ms. Waite often quotes newspaper accounts of construction as it was happening, which vivifies her history.” — William Kennedy “Urban economist Edward L. Glaeser proclaims cities the triumph of humanity, both the ultimate expression of human culture and the engine that has propelled human progress. In this insightful and beautifully illustrated book, Diana Waite tells the story of one exceptional, mostly nineteenth-century example: Troy, New York. Troy is a rare gem, largely unspoiled by the forces that turned so many of America’s towns into wastelands of asphalt. As architects, planners, and policymakers struggle to define a twenty-first-century world that kicks the habits of our fossil-fuel-addicted modernity, that rediscovers how to make places for people, that builds strong communities, studying places like Troy takes on entirely new relevance. The Architecture of Downtown Troy paints a picture of the evolution of a historic town that provides valuable lessons for building the world of tomorrow.” — Carl Elefante, 2018 President, The American Institute of Architects “Diana Waite’s history of Troy’s downtown buildings describes the importance and diversity of this city’s distinctive architecture. Her clear narrative of Troy’s nineteenth-century growth, fires, early twentieth-century expansion, and its engagement of nationally recognized architects is excellent and supported by voluminous photographs. Troy is fortunate that twentieth-century ‘urban renewal’ occurred in a corner of the central business district, leaving intact so much of the city’s well-designed commercial, educational, and residential buildings. This new book presents an accurate, readable, and cohesive history of Troy. It is a must read.” — Matthew Bender IV “The pleasure of Troy isn’t discovering a single old building, but finding yourself lost among dozens of them. You may feel as if it were 1880, and you were strolling home to Washington Park, perhaps just for a change of collar.” — New York Times

Every year Tortoise sleeps through winter. He assumes he isn't missing much. However, his friends are determined to prove otherwise! Will Tortoise sleep through another winter, or will his friends convince him to stay awake and experience the frosty fun of winter? Best-selling author Katy Hudson's charming picture book will have everyone excited for winter.