Schenectady

Images of America: New York

by Susan Rosenthal

Schenectady guides us through the fascinating story of this city using timeless images, some of which have never before been published. Midway between New York City and Montreal lies Schenectady, an area that first developed as an outpost to the fur trade and for agriculture. Schenectady's future growth was assured by its location on two major water routes, the Mohawk River and the Erie Canal. Schenectady survived the massacre of 1690 and was chartered as a city in 1798, becoming only the third city in the state. At the time of the charter, Schenectady was 12 miles long by 18 miles wide. The city saw astounding growth during the industrial age which brought not only a flood of new enterprises and commerce but also elegant homes, cobblestone streets, gaslights, and trolley cars. Schenectady also contributed to the development of the the Monitor's turret, M7 tanks, and World War II radio and radar equipment were produced here.

Genres: Local History

128 pages, Paperback

First published December 13, 1999

Reviews

[Stephanie Pieck · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised when I found this book on Bookshare, along with a few others about cities, towns, and villages near my home.
When I discovered that this was a photographic history, I got worried. After all, a photographic history in Braille doesn't sound like a good combination.
However, I give kudos to whoever wrote all the picture captions. They were detailed enough that I was able to learn about the often-surprising history of Schenectady and even grasp some of the details in the pictures--all without being able to see the images.

[Brian Gustavson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book with a lot of historical pictures showing the rich history of Schenectady. If you are from the region or if you love history then this is a must read.