Albany City Hall

Albany’s City Hall is the magnificent center of local government. Designed by famed architect Henry Hobson Richardson, the construction of City Hall was completed in 1883. Albany City Hall has been acclaimed by critics as one of the most beautiful buildings in America and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

Those who are privileged to work here on a daily basis hope you will share their pride in the history and accomplishments of generations of Albanians. Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to visit Albany’s City Hall and experience it’s unique culture first hand.

http://www.albanyny.org/Government/CityHistory/CityHall.aspx

Why is Gen. Schuyler still in front of Albany City Hall?

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Why is Gen. Schuyler still in front of Albany City Hall?

Meanwhile, the statue itself is a historical oddity.

Built in 1925, it was not constructed out of the city government’s desire to recognize Schuyler's public service to a newborn nation. Instead, It was the work of George Hawley, a wealthy benefactor who commissioned it and convinced city leaders to place it in a highly trafficked roundabout in front of City Hall to honor his deceased wife, Theodora Hawley.

The Times Union's archives suggest that Hawley, a student of the American Revolution, was responding to what he saw as a dearth of public statues to the city’s prominent past citizens.

John Pruyn Library Petition

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For about the past six months, I’ve been going to over to Albany Historian and activist John Wolcott’s house a few hours a week to go through his papers.

This 1965 letter/petition in opposition to the tearing down to John Pryun Library is fascinating — there were a dozen pages of signatures that go along with it.

My theory on why it’s been so cold and wet this spring in Albany.

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My theory on why it’s been so cold and wet this spring in Albany.

  1. They moved the primary to June.
  2. The city’s muggers and pick pockets don’t like to work in hot and humid weather as it keeps people home next to the air conditioning rather then out where they can be easily robbed.
  3. Muggers would protest the muggy weather, embarrassing local politicians that have primaries in June.
  4. Local politicians have ordered the NY State OEM Weather Authority (a little known state agency) to dial down the heat and humidity.

City Hall