A Schlepp Through Schenectady - Stockade Sojourn - Part 1

Schenectady, NY - Franny Wentzel - Monday, March 14th, 2011 : goo

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Last December I took a photosafari though Schenectady's Stockade Historic District

This was a lengthy tour which I'll try to break up in stages...

We start by crossing the Erie Boulevard DMZ

At Union Street...

where the city installed these decorative pillars.

The first house we see - on corner of Union & College Place - is a curiously enlongated Italianate structure.

Italianate is a popular style of ornementation here.

As this house shows...

Other houses retain their original Spartan characteristics

The Van Dyke - one of those tony jazz clubs mid-century modern sophistos used to frequent before Rock-n-Roll killed all other cultures.

A few houses set far back into their lots

On the other side of the street are the Westinghouse apartments. The senior George Westinghouse had built an agricuture machine works that was later sold to Thomas Edison for his General Electric company's main plant.

Next door is this awesome gothic residence.

Further down is this Victorian beauty sitting next to...

...this set of plain rowhouses that sit next to...

...thi Italianate trio.

A few elder Colonials look over to...

A pair of sandstone houses designed by H.H. Richardson - point one on the tour map

Next door is the Union Street entrance for St George's Church.

More Union Street houses...

...and point two on the tour...

...this mansard roofed beauty on the corner of Ferry Street

Just down the street is this Federal house.

The Stockade has long been a living part of the city fabric as the Edison - a 1920s apartment building shows.

This was the county courthouse till about 100 years ago when a new building was constructed further uptown.

Slate steps with erosion...

A relative whipper-snapper...

...compared to its 18th century neighbour

Point three on the tour...

...is the First Methodist Church on the corner of Union and Church Street.

When they say 'First Methodist' they're not kidding. One of the first congregations on the whole continent.

The city's first High School - The Union Classical Institute - was housed in this building

For a time was the Mohawk Club - now an inn.

Church Street residences

Another 1920s apartment building

A late-19th century mansion across the street from...

...the oldest house in the city.

No, really...

Corner of Church & Front Street and point four of the tour

Memorial to the 1690 Schenectady Massacre

Schermerhoorn's ride - now a bike trail!

Front Street houses

1752 Abraham Fonda residence

Fancy historic marker for...

The birthplace of Schenectady's first mayor

Hizzoner's tree - stitchpiccy

Years ago I took a Polaroid of this house...

Sadly, new owners toned down the colour scheme a bit.

But further up the block...

...another house keeps the faith

We now arrive at the heart - and point five - of the Stockade...

...the corners of Ferry, Front and Green streets...

...and the statue of Lawrence, a Mohawk tribesman, who aided survivors of the 1690 massacre.

Arthur's Market - closed at the time - was the local food emporium.

Another view down Front street

Quite a few buildings sport these cast-iron stars. They tip the end of bolts used to shore up the old brickwork.

Of course, some are merely 'fashion statements'...

Curious gun-slit windows on the 1780 John Steers house.

The Prairie School makes an appearance...

...at St George's parish school, Point six on the tour.

We took a break on our tour to snap some pictures of the church graveyard - the subject of our next posting.

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