Many believe that the name "Schenectady" is derived from the Indian name Schau-naugh-ta-da (or S'guan-ho-hoc-ta-de), meaning "across the pine plains." Arendt Van Curler, a Dutch tradesman is credited with founding Schenectady in 1643. He spotted the land on the river as a location for trading settlement. He wrote to Patroon Van Rensselaer: "half day journey from the Colonie, on the Mohawk River, there lies the most beautiful land that the eye of man ever beheld." The land extended from Schenectady far to the west. In 1661, Van Curler applied to Governor Stuyvesant for permission to settle in the region. While the region was call Curler for a while, he never lived there and did not have much to do with its expansion. Van Curler is remembered for his relationship with the Mohawks who were fond of him. He drowned in Lake Champlain in 1669 when his canoe capsized during a storm en route to Canada. The first person to settle in the area was Alexander Lindsay Glen, a Scotsman who built a home in 1658 near the river across from Schenectady (Scotia). A second house was erected farther from the shore by 1713 by his son, John A. (Sander) Glen, and remained in the Glen-Sanders family until sold in 1963 by Mrs. J. Glen Sanders. In 1765, Schenectady was incorporated as a borough. It was chartered as a city in 1798.
Schenectady County The county took the form of six separate municipalities - a city and five towns - in April 14, 1820. Rotterdam had been the Third Ward of the city and Glenville the Fourth Ward. In 1820 they were incorporated as towns, eleven years after Duanesburg, Niskayuna and Princetown. All had been settled predominately by the Dutch in the mid-1600's.
Duanesburg was named after its founder, Judge James Duane. The first chairman of the Schenectady County Board of Supervisors when it convened in 1809 was General William North, a confidant of George Washington and a Revolutionary War figure. North was instrumental in the formation of Schenectady County.
Union College
Late 1800's Following the Civil War, Schenectady's population began spreading uptown. The first state armory was constructed above Crescent Park in 1868. The First Methodist Church at Lafayette and State Streets were built in in 1872 and St. Joseph's Church directly across the way was built in 1878. In the 1870's many houses were built on Summit Avenue, Hamilton Street and Albany Street . Many shops were also erected in this section of the city - today known as Hamilton Hill. It was on the outlying areas of the city and were considered to be similar to that of the suburbs. The Schenectady population in 1880 was slightly over 13,000. The city included a few factories and rail yards. The business section on State Street west of the canal thrived. Several hotels and shops lined both sides of the street along with private residences up Crescent Park at Lafayette Street. Schenectady transformed from a small canal town to a modern city by the end of the 19th century. Ellis Hospital was established on Jay Street next to city hall. The Edison Hotel, named after the inventor opened next to the State Street rail crossing. The GE Realty Plot, comprising several blocks of real estate to the east of Union College, was formed to ensure a quality residential district for company executives and their families. The Van Curler Opera House was built at Franklin and Jay Streets. The Schenectady public library system was founded, a new bank was built, a morning newspaper - the Schenectady Gazette - was founded, a country club (The Mohawk Golf Club) and several new churches opened in Schenectady. In 1891, electric trolley cars from the Schenectady Railway Company began service.
General Electric Edison moved his electrical machinery shop from Goerck Street in New York City to Schenectady in 1886. He was looking for a site more suitable for expanding and one for lower rent. The Edison Machine Works opened in Schenectady in December 1886. Edison's small shop became the Edison General Electric Company in 1890 and soon after merged with many other electric companies. ------------------------------
1939 - Katharine Burr Blodgett was the first woman
scientist to join the GE Research Laboratory. She invented
non-reflecting, invisible glass in 1939. This was the prototype
of coatings used today on most camera lenses and optical
devices.
The Lunn Era Lunn came to Schenectady in 1905 to become pastor of the First Reformed Church located at Union and Church Streets in Schenectady. By 1908, the pastor grew concerned with city government and addressed political and social issues in his weekly sermons. As the result of urging from the church consistory, Lunn resigned by the end of 1909. This led to what had become known as the Lunn Era. After leaving the First Reformed Church, Lunn formed his own church, founded a newspaper and launched a political career.
-------------------------------------- Lunn became Schenectady's first Socialist mayor on January 1, 1912. His administrative assistant early on was Walter Lippman, Harvard graduate who later became noted as a brilliant editor and political analyst. He soon left and went to New York City. During 1912 and 1913 Lunn accomplished what he set out to do. He improved the city water system; arranged better and cheaper paving on the city street; established system of free trash collection in Schenectady; developed the market square off Broadway for early marketing; reassessed real property in Schenectady; established a program of consumer protection; set up maternity clinics and free dental clinics in city schools, surveyed schools to address the shortage of classroom space and organized park commission. Despite opposition from city clergy and civic leaders, Lunn also permitted move theaters and baseball parks to open on Sundays. Lunn founded his own company, Lunn Associates, for the purpose of selling coal, ice, baked goods and groceries to working families at wholesale cost. He involved himself in labor strikes. During the 1913 strike at the GE plant, Lunn worked endlessly to find grounds for peaceful settlement. In 1917 after switching from the Socialist ticket to the Democratic Party, Lunn was elected Congressman. He had become disenchanted with the Socialists over the war issue; he favored the new draft system as the way to mobilize an army for World War I. The Socialists were opposed to the draft and advocated for draftees to resist the war. Lunn served one year in Congress before he returned to Schenectady and was elected mayor for the third time in 1919 and was re-elected in 1921. In 1922 Lunn became the running mate for Alfred E. Smith who was making a bid for Governor. The Smith-Lunn team was elected. In 1925, Lunn was appointed state public service commissioner, a post he held until he retired in 1942.
Dr. Charles P. Steinmetz Steinmetz, who was called an engineering wizard by GE, presented a paper on the Law of Hysteresis which brought him world-wide professional recognition. In 1900, Steinmetz developed the magnetic arc lamp. He presented a lecture to the New York Electrical Society - "Systems of Electric Transmission and Distribution," which gave the pros and cons of AC and DC systems. This presentation was considered a key to acceptance of the power system which evolved worldwide. In 1902 Union College secured Steinmetz as Professor of Electric Engineering. He taught courses, reorganized and modernized the college department. Steinmetz made many presentations and contributions in electrical engineering. He was the first to create artificial lightning and demonstrated his 120,000 volt lightning generator to Thomas Edison and other notable guests in 1922. In addition to being an electrical wizard, brilliant philosopher and mathematical genius, Steinmetz was a leader in public affairs. He was elected President of the Schenectady Board of Education in 1912. As the result of his efforts, eight new schools were built and additions were make to four others. Also under Steinmetz's leadership, the Commission of Parks and City Planning called for a public park system in the city of Schenectady.
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1900 By 1907, downtown Schenectady was altered. The railroad tracks were raised so that grade level crossings could be eliminated. In 1908, a new rail passenger station opened. The streets were paved with granite block and the carbon arc lamps were replaced with modern Buffalo lamps. Overhead wires now hung reminding people that they were living in the New Age with telephones, electric power and trolley lines. Opposite Crescent Park sat Schenectady's first fire station. The paid firefighters worked under the direction of Henry R. Yates, chief engineer. Prior to the permanent station, volunteer firemen manned the pumps. In 1903, Schenectady High School opened on Nott Terrace. A section of the school would be erected eight years later. St. John the Evangelist Church was erected on the corner of Nott Terrace and Union Street. The huge red slate steeple - later replaced by glass - could be seen for miles around. Between 1910 - 1920, many more new buildings were constructed. Among them were the Federal Building (post office) at Jay Street and Liberty Streets, the County Courthouse on State Street hill, the county jail on Veeder Avenue, the trolley waiting room near State and Lafayette Street, Proctors Theatre next to the canal between State and Liberty streets, Central Park east of McClellan Street, a new bandstand in Crescent Park and six new school buildings. The automobiles was becoming more popular and the horse, carriage and wagon was becoming a thing of the past. The 1920's were the best times for the Electric City along the Mohawk River. By 1920, the population had grown to nearly 89,000 and in the next ten years would reach 95,000, its highest ever. The surrounding townships also stretched to more than 50,000 people. The downtown shopping district was booming, auto sales were up and Alco and GE were hiring to keep up with the pace. Movies, stage production ad restaurants were doing just as well. New homes were being built. The new Gateway Bridge opened in 1925. Colonel Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis at the Schenectady Airport two months following his famous flight to Paris in 1927. The Schenectady Airport at this time was unfinished. Three downtown movie houses were built as well as the new Proctors in 1926. The city experienced its share of violence during the 20's with shooting deaths, raids and bootlegging arrests.
Radio
1930's During the winter of 1930-31, the Great Depression hit Schenectady. Employees were getting slapped with pink slips. The welfare department was relied upon to provide only assistance checks. While the banks experienced "runs on funds" they all remained solvent except Capitol Trust Company which collapsed in 1931. The new City Hall opened in 1931. The city's population reached its highest ever tallying 95,692. After this time it slid downward. In 1940 the population was counted at 87,549. The U.S. census registered 65,877 in 1980. Analysts reported that the depression forced many to move in search of work and cheaper lodging. In the 1940's GE and the American Locomotive were hiring. Like most cities in the U.S., Schenectady was getting ready to face the threat of another world war. General Electric kept many employed as it manufactured radar and sonar devices, bombsights, engines for planes and ships as well as other war materials. The American Locomotive was turning out war supplies for Great Britain. After 1945, veterans returned home. Most went back to old jobs or received an education though the GI Bill. The Schenectady Railway Company ran buses until it folded in 1951 which left Schenectady without public transportation until the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) was formed in 1970. In 1949, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL) began operating in Niskayuna under federal direction. It was joined by General Electric's new Research and Development Center. In 1952, downtown State Street was repaved with macadam. Storeowners began installing new facades in anticipation of what they thought would be busy days ahead. Things didn't go quite the way business owners thought they would go. The shopping malls were closing. Buildings were vacating. The stream of shoppers was nonexistent during the holiday seasons. Traffic jams were no longer and parking spots were easy to find. The post-war baby boom caused the city school system to expand facilities. Grout Park, Paige and Zoller were built and additions were made to several existing building. Linton High School opened in the mid-1950;s. In 1953 Schenectady's Little League All-Stars were runners-up in the 1953 Little League World Series at Williamstown Pennsylvania. The next year Schenectady claimed the championship. Near the close of the 1960 presidential campaign, both Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy made stops in Schenectady. Throughout the 1960's, Schenectady's downtown district continued to deteriorate. The Plaza Theater, the Erie Theater, Washburn Hall at Union College and McLane's Hotel were not only closed but destroyed. In 1968 Hotel Van Curler and the Alco plant closed. The city's afternoon newspaper, The Union Star was sold to Hearst Newspapers in 1969. The Schaffer Library at Union College opened during the '60s. The remodeled courthouse that became the County Judicial Building, the six-story County Office Building and the new Schenectady County Public Library also opened. Things still didn't look good in downtown Schenectady until mid-way through the 1970's when revitalization plans showed promise. The Union Railroad Station was torn down in 1971 and was replaced with a modern terminal and new parking lot. Barney's, Wallace's, Grant's all closed in 1973. A group comprised of civic and business leaders were determined to help the failing economy. The group, called FOCUS, worked with the City Council to assist merchants, build off-street public parking lots and apply for state and federal funding. Arthur Cotton Moore, nationally known architect submitted a restoration plan to rebuild downtown using the old structures. The plan was widely accepted. During the late 70's, downtown Schenectady began to see a surge in renovation and reconstruction. Some of the architect's ideas were implemented including the development of Canal Square - the block bordered by Broadway, State, Clinton and Smith Streets The Barney Company warehouse on Liberty Street became a modern apartment complex. By the close of the 1970's there was reason to be hopeful. In the Spring of 1980, the Hulett Street trolley bridge was torn down. Work began on the Cotton Factory Hollow Bridge over I-890 in Pleasant Valley. Preliminary work began on a four-lane bridge spanning the Mohawk River from Maxon Road to Freeman's Bridge Road on the Glenville shore. The Oak Street Bridge off Guilderland Avenue was also replaced. In 1983 24,000 out of 32,000 voters went to the polls and Karen Johnson was elected as mayor. Johnson was the first woman mayor in the city's history and the first Democrat since Samuel S. Stratton. She defeated Frank J. Duci who had been mayor for 12 years, by 302 votes. Johnson held the post until 1992 when Frank Duci was again elected. Downtown Schenectady continued to change. In 1984, a pedestrian mall was built on the Jay Street block between Franklin and State streets. Sidewalks were widened to provide ore pleasant surroundings for shoppers. The old railroad underpass on State Street was also cleaned and painted. Schenectady city officials were working on plans for a 50-acre Schenectady Center to be located on Broadway. The former Barney Co. building was expected to be converted into 72 apartments in an attempt to draw more suburbanites back into the city. In 1996 Albert P. Jurczynski was elected mayor. Jurczynski had served on Schenectady City Council since from 1984 - 1995. He served as Schenectady's mayor for eight years. In 2004, Schenectady's current mayor Brian U. Stratton was elected.
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