Albany, NY

ALBANY, city, capital of the state of New York, and seat of justice of Albany county, situated on the west side of Hudson river. 145 ms. N. of New York, and 164 ms. W. of Boston. Rising by a bold ascent from the water, and crowned with the glittering domes of capitol and city-hall, it presents an interesting appearance from the river, and creates anticipations which are rarely realized on entering its streets… (Fanning's, 1853)
Place Unit Type
City or Town
Containing Unit
Albany County, NY

Albany, New York (Fanning's, 1853)

Gazetteer/Almanac
ALBANY, city, capital of the state of New York, and seat of justice of Albany county, situated on the west side of Hudson river. 145 ms. N. of New York, and 164 ms. W. of Boston. Rising by a bold ascent from the water, and crowned with the glittering domes of capitol and city-hall, it presents an interesting appearance from the river, and creates anticipations which are rarely realized on entering its streets…
Few inland cities combine so many natural advantages for trade, improved by such extensive and costly public works as Albany. It is the terminus of the Erie canal, and the great chain of railroads which connects the central counties of New York, the great lakes, and their vast shores. The Green Mountain state sends its productions to Albany through Lake Champlain and the Champlain canal. Some of the products brought through these channels, pass through Massachusetts to Boston by railroad; more are whirled in a few hours to New York, by the gigantic Hudson River railroad, which now sweeps majestically through the solid mountains and rocky headlands which skirt mat mighty stream. Steamboats, schooners, and sloops, also convey large cargoes to and from the towns along the route. Pop. in 1790, 3,498; in 1800, 5,349; in 1810, 9,356; in 1820, 12,630; in 1830, 24,238; in 1840, 33,721; in 1850, 50,763.
Fanning's Illustrated Gazetteer of the United States.... (New York: Phelps, Fanning & Co., 1853), 21.
Date Type
Abraham Lincoln arrives in New York City on his pre-inaugural tour Campaigns/Elections
Abraham Lincoln reaches Albany, New York on his pre-inaugural tour and speaks at the capitol Campaigns/Elections
Across the river from the New York capital, a huge fire in East Albany destroys two freight depots Crime/Disasters
An early thaw causes heavy ice damage and severe flooding along the riverbanks of New England Crime/Disasters
At Albany, thousands of citizens file past Abraham Lincoln's coffin in the State Capitol Personal
Brooklyn Excelsiors leave on the first baseball tour Education/Culture
Four thousand "Wide Awake" club members march in a torch-lit parade through Albany, New York Campaigns/Elections
- Heavy snow and high winds pound upstate New York. Crime/Disasters
In Albany, a fire in a library at the New York State Capitol causes moderate damage but no injuries Crime/Disasters
In Albany, Civil War general murders well-known lawyer and member of the New York Constitutional Convention. Crime/Disasters
In Albany, New York, an evening altercation leads to a fatal shooting Crime/Disasters
In Albany, New York, soldiers attack a public meeting protesting the arrest of Clement Vallandigham Campaigns/Elections
In Albany, the combined houses of the New York Legislature elect Ira Harris to the U. S. Senate Campaigns/Elections
In Albany, well-known piano manufacturing firm suffers devastating fire Crime/Disasters
In cricket, the St. George's Club of New York City lose their first match of the season Education/Culture
In East Albany, New York, gunfire erupts in police court as family members seek revenge on two rapists Crime/Disasters
In New York State, fire completely destroys the Albany Academy of Music. Crime/Disasters
In New York, the new railroad bridge linking Albany and Rensselaer across the Hudson opens for service Science/Technology
In New York, the new railroad bridge linking Albany and Rensselaer across the Hudson takes its first traffic Science/Technology
Millard Fillmore marries Mrs. Caroline Carmichael McIntosh in Albany, New York Personal
Near New York, the steamer "Isaac Newton" explodes and burns in the Hudson River, killing twelve Crime/Disasters
- New York Democrats meet in convention at Albany to nominate candidates for the fall elections. Campaigns/Elections
New York Republicans elect Ira Harris to replace W.H. Seward in the United States Senate Campaigns/Elections
- President Lincoln's funeral train makes its way across upstate New York to Buffalo Personal
Prince Albert pays a visit to the United States Military Academy US/the World
Runaway slave receives congratulations at State Capitol building in Albany, NY Slavery/Abolition
Runaway slaves pass through Albany, NY with help from local officials Slavery/Abolition
Striking railroad company workers riot in Albany, New York Business/Industry
The 1867 New York State Constitutional Convention opens in Albany, New York. Lawmaking/Litigating
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is chartered in the New York Legislature Lawmaking/Litigating
The big Hudson River steamer "St. John" suffers a massive boiler explosion and fifteen people are killed Crime/Disasters
The New York Legislature passes its first animal anti-cruelty law, to be enforced by the ASPCA Lawmaking/Litigating
- The New York State Anti-Slavery Convention meets in Albany and advocates the dissolution of the Union Slavery/Abolition
The Prince of Wales visits Albany, New York US/the World
The trustees of the Dudley Observatory in Albany, New York reclaim the premises from its scientific staff Science/Technology
Violent storm strikes Albany, New York Crime/Disasters
Birthplace of
Burial Place of
Date Title
John Henry Hill to William Still, October 4, 1853
Boston (MA) Herald, "Untitled," October 31, 1856
William Jones to William Still, January 1, 1857
New York Times, “Semi-Annual Meeting of the State Temperance Society,” June 16, 1857
Charleston (SC) Mercury, "Runaway Negros," February 15, 1858
St. Louis (MO) Republican, “Let the Jubilee be General,” August 29, 1858
New York Times, “Railroad Casualties,” September 3, 1858
Jacob Blockson to William Still, December 26, 1858
Charleston (SC) Mercury, “The South Carolina Legislature,” December 30, 1858
New York Times, “Sleeping Cars upon Railroads,” December 31, 1858
Lowell (MA) Citizen & News, “Mortality in New York,” March 7, 1859
Louisville (KY) Journal, “‘U. G.’ Railroad Statistics,” March 14, 1859
New York Times, “Albany and Richmond,” June 29, 1859
New York Times, “An Unwise Letter,” August 5, 1859
New York Herald, “The Morals of Politics,” August 7, 1859
New York Times, “Breaking Up Rapidly,” September 12, 1859
New York Herald, “Air Navigation over the Atlantic,” September 24, 1859
Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune, "Opinions of the People," December 3, 1859
New York Herald, “The South and Southern Safety,” December 4, 1859
New York Herald, “The Runaway Slaves,” January 5, 1860
New York Herald, "The Underground Railroad and Its Victims," January 5, 1860
Richmond (VA) Dispatch, “The Underground Railroad,” January 7, 1860
James A. Briggs to Salmon Portland Chase, March 17, 1860
New York Herald, “The Quarantine Question and the Approaching Summer,” May 13, 1860
New York Herald, “The Reception of the Nomination of Douglas,” June 24, 1860
New York Herald, “Trouble Among the Republicans,” August 5, 1860
Milwaukee (WI) Sentinel, "Perilous Balloon Descent," September 27, 1860
Savannah (GA) News, “Disinterested Black Republican Patriots,” May 22, 1861
Thurlow Weed to Abraham Lincoln, August 18, 1861
Chicago (IL) Tribune, “Secession Organs in the North,” August 20, 1861
Abraham Lincoln to Erastus Corning and others, June 12, 1863
Abraham Lincoln to Horatio Seymour, August 7, 1863
How to Cite This Page: "Albany, NY," House Divided: The Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College, https://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/index.php/node/11889.