RESOURCES FOR ALBANY COUNTY HISTORY

• The Colonial Albany Social History Project was created "to understand pre-industrial community life by studying the contributions of the diverse individuals who lived in the city of Albany during its formative years." Among the items of interest located on the Colonial Albany Social History Project are:
  • A database of the biographies for the approximately 16,000 people who lived in Albany from the cities original settlement until 1827.
  • A Timeline of Albany: 1624-1827
  • Public Programs
• University at Albany M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives: Neighborhood and Community Associations. Among the collections found in the M.E. Grenander archives are:
  • The records of Bethlehem Work on Waste, a local environmental organization that was active from 1989 until 1995.
  • The records of The Brothers, an Albany-based Civil Rights groups that was active during the 1960s.
  • The records of local organizations dedicated to preserving the historic neighborhoods and architecture of the city of Albany.  The archives include the records of the Albany Center Square Neighborhood Association from 1957 to 1988; the Council of Albany Neighborhood Associations, and other local groups.
  • The records of the United Tenants of Albany which document the history of the organization from its formation in 1972 through 2001.
  • The collection documents the history of the YWCA of Albany from its foundation in 1888.
• The Albany Academy Archives serves to collect, preserve and exhibit historical material related to Albany Academy and the city of Albany.
• Archive collections of the Albany Institute of History and Art
 Among the collections to be found in the Albany Institute of History & Art Archives are:
• Almanacs for the city of Albany dating from approximately 1732 through 1926
• Architectural drawings including the works of Robert W. Gibson and Marcus Reynolds.
• Bibles of significant Albany families dating from the early 17th century until the late 19th century."
• Broadsides of the "­anti-rent wars," Albany temperance meetings and commemorative events dating from the late 1700s.
• City Directories of the city of Albany dating back to 1813. The archives also possess various directories for the cities of Troy, Colonie and Schenectady.
• Deeds may be found dating from 1652-1900. Included are several in Dutch and some Native American examples.
• Family History includes biographical information on many families in the Albany area.
• The Manuscript Collection includes the family papers of the Cornings, the Van Rensselaers, and John V. L. Pruyns.
• Maps
• Newspapers dating from the 1700s through the 1900s. Newspapers of regional and special interest are also included in the collection.
• Albany Public Library holdings include both the history of the city and genealogical information.
• The Berne Public Library local history collection  contains monographs on the history of the area, the Town of Berne and Albany and Schenectady Counties. The archives include cemetary records, family histories and genealogies of local families.
• The Berne Historical Project was recently awarded a 2004 Certificate of Commendation from the Upstate History Alliance for its community history website
• The Bethlehem Public Library emphasizes the history of the town of Bethlehem and Albany County.  The collections of both local history and genealogy are "quite comprehensive."  City Directories for area communities are also located in the collection.
• The Cohoes Public Library Local History Collection
 includes manuscripts and holdings of historical materials pertaining to Cohoes and the surrounding area including Troy.
• The Guilderland Public Library possesses materials on the history and genealogy of Guilderland, Albany County, and Schenectady County.  The newspapers includes the Altamont Enterprise, the Turnpike Record and the Heiderberg Sun.
• The Voorheesville Public Library's  local history collection includes materials relating to the history of Voorheesville, the town of New Scotland and Albany County.
• The Watervliet Public Library   contains materials on Watervliet, Troy and Albany County. The focus of the collection is the city of Watervliet and includes city directories and town histories.
• The Westerlo Public Library's  local history collection contains information on the villages of Westerlo, South Westerlo, Greenville and the surrounding areas.
• The William K. Sanford Library   contains materials about the Town of Colonie, villages within the town and Albany County.

• Albany Times Union