Menands, New York
Menands | |
|---|---|
| Villageof Menands | |
 Former Bethany PresbyterianChurchin Menands, New York | |
| Etymology: For Louis Menand, an early landowner | |
| Motto: Urban-Suburban Village | |
 Location inAlbany Countyand the state ofNew York. | |
 Location of New York in the United States | |
  Menands Location in New York  Menands Menands (the United States) | |
| Coordinates:42°41′36″N73°43′37″W/ 42.69333°N 73.72694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Albany |
| Settled | 1842 |
| IncorporationasVillage | August 14, 1924 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Brian Marsh |
| • Deputy Mayor | Seth Harris |
| • Trustee | Tim Lane |
| • Trustee | Nicholas Kalogridis |
| • Trustee | Molly Harbour |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.31 sq mi (8.58 km2) |
| • Land | 3.06 sq mi (7.93 km2) |
| • Water | 0.25 sq mi (0.65 km2) |
| Elevation | 36 ft (11 m) |
| Lowest elevation (sea level) | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 4,554 |
| • Density | 1,487.26/sq mi (574.31/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5(EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4(EDT) |
| ZIP code | 12204 |
| Area code | 518 |
| FIPS code | 36-46536[2] |
| GNISfeature ID | 0956959[3] |
| Wikimedia Commons | Menands, New York |
| Website | http:// villageofmenands |
Menands/mɪˈnændz/is avillageinAlbany County, New York,United States. The population was 4,554 at the 2020 census.[4]The village is named after Louis Menand. The village lies inside thetownofColonieand borders the northerncity lineofAlbany.[5]
History
[edit]Menands would have been first spotted by Europeanscirca1609, whenHenry Hudsondropped anchor somewhere near Cuyler or Pleasure Island during his voyage on the river later to be named after him. This would be the furthest north on the river that Hudson would go in theHalf Moon.[6]Today, those islands are connected to the mainland, and are the site ofInterstate 787exits 6 and 7, which includes thecloverleaf interchangewithNY 378and theTroy-Menands Bridge.
When theErie Canalwas constructed in the 1820s, it passed through what would become Menands. Bridges spanned the canal to allow access to the land between the canal and the Hudson. From north to south they were Richardson, Mix, Leary, Keyes, Kanes, Lundergans, Island Park, Delaware and Hudson Railroad, and Garbarance. Most of the names of the bridges were those of the neighboring farm owners.[7]
Louis Menand settled in the village in 1842 and established an important horticultural business. He at first rented land that later became the Home for Aged Men, then in 1847 bought 11acresof land where theAlbany-Watervliet Turnpike(today Broadway) met the road going to Ireland's Corners (todayLoudonville); that road is today calledNew York State Route 378.When the Albany and Northern Railroad was built in 1856, it established a stop in present-day Menands and named the stop "Menand's Crossing", since Menand was the only landowner in that area at the time. When the Albany and Northern became part of theDelaware and Hudson,a station was built at that stop and called "Menand's Station". In the early 1920s, rumors circulated that the city of Albany was going toannexthe area, so on August 23, 1924, a vote was taken and the village of Menands was incorporated by a vote of 167 for and 47 against, the population of the new village at that time being 1,272 people. The boundaries of the new village were those of the 15th School District of the town of Colonie. The original boundaries did not include what are now the Sage Hill Lane, Sky Hollow, and Roost Country Estates; those were annexed later and continue to be in theNorth Colonie Central School District.[7]
In 1938, the first large scaleFederal Housing Administration(FHA) multiple housing project inUpstate New Yorkwas conceived by Harry D. Yates on 13 acres (53,000 m2) of land in Menands.[7]The land was purchased for $20,000,[8]from theVan Rensselaer family,which had owned it since 1639.[7]Original plans called for 30 buildings, but cost overruns trimmed it to 13. All thirteen were named for historic people and locations in the Capital District; subsequent additions have kept to that tradition with the exception of Tremaine House, named for a former New York State Comptroller and Yates House for a former manager of Dutch Village.[8]
In 1940, the now-defunctNew York Herald Tribunedeclared Dutch Village to be "one of the most interesting scale housing developments in the East". The steeped roofs and brick construction were designed to reflect early Dutch architecture. Wards Lane at the time was small and unpaved on a steep slope, but by using money from a federal program designed to pave "farm to market" roads, the project was able to improve the road to Dutch Village without any cost to the village of Menands.[8]
One of the largest printing plants in the eastern USA existed in Menands in the forties and fifties. Williams Press (aka: J. B. Lyons Co.) at its prime employed more than 1,000 people. Built on Broadway with rail tracks behind, Williams printed many of today's magazines such as Business Week, Sports Illustrated and many others, plus most of the New England telephone directories. They were forced to close because of labor issues, location constraints and outdated equipment.
The village's current motto, "Urban-Suburban Village", and its official seal, came into being as part of the village's 50th anniversary celebrations in 1974. The motto and seal were chosen based on contest entries submitted by local school children at Menands Elementary school. Two boys came up with the design for the seal, and the motto was chosen from an entry by a girl in the school's seventh grade class.
Geography
[edit]According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the village has a total area of 3.4 square miles (8.8 km2), of which 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (6.45%) is water.
Menands is along theHudson Riveron the west bank. The village is within the town of Colonie, which is also to the north and west, with the city of Albany to the south. The village is mostly flat with a gentle slope to the west.
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 1,522 | — | |
| 1940 | 1,764 | 15.9% | |
| 1950 | 1,803 | 2.2% | |
| 1960 | 2,314 | 28.3% | |
| 1970 | 3,449 | 49.0% | |
| 1980 | 4,012 | 16.3% | |
| 1990 | 4,333 | 8.0% | |
| 2000 | 3,910 | −9.8% | |
| 2010 | 3,990 | 2.0% | |
| 2020 | 4,554 | 14.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] | |||
As of the census[2]of 2000, there were 3,910 people, 1,906 households, and 968 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,225.1 inhabitants per square mile (473.0/km2). There were 2,073 housing units at an average density of 649.5 per square mile (250.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 83.76%White,9.10%African American,0.13%Native American,4.35%Asian,0.95% fromother races,and 1.71% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 2.71% of the population.
There were 1,906 households, out of which 20.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.2% were non-families. 43.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the village, the age distribution of the population shows 18.5% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $48,456, and the median income for a family was $62,083. Males had a median income of $42,905 versus $31,745 for females. Theper capita incomefor the village was $36,288. About 1.6% of families and 5.4% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
[edit]Amusement
[edit]In the mid-late 19th and early 20th centuries, Menands was a popular destination for entertainment and amusement. Pleasure Island and Park Island (constructed in 1866) had trotting tracks and various entertainment venues.[10]In 1884, the Island Park Association leased the race course, Island Park, directly north of Pleasure Island. It was considered one of the fastest and safest in the nation.[11]
Among the festivities and activities at Pleasure Island were a two-mile (3 km) bicycle race, a sack race, barrel race, swimming exhibition, trotter race, and fireworks.[12]In 1907Al-Tro Island Parkrenovated Pleasure Island, Al-Tro was named for being halfway between Albany and Troy, and the park's manager boasted of surpassingConey Island.The park had a 900-foot-long (270 m) and 40-foot-wide (12 m) boardwalk, with amusements on each side. About halfway down the boardwalk was an amphitheater that could seat 4000, it was one of the largest in the state.[13]At the time Al-Tro Park was considered the finest pleasure resort in northern New York.[14]In the early 1920s Al-Tro closed and the concept was used in the late 1920s by nearby Mid-City Park, an amusement park along Broadway on the other side away from the river, it had a roller coaster, merry-go-round, roller skating rink, and swimming pool; it too would close after a few decades.[12]It was replaced by the current Mid-City Shopping Center.
Baseball was also a popular entertainment venue in Menands bringing in spectators from across the region. Chadwick Park was home to theAlbany Senatorswho played in theNew York State League,Eastern League,International League,New York–Pennsylvania League,and the modernEastern League.[citation needed]On May 30, 1924, the Senators played adouble headerathomeagainst thePittsfield Hillies,the first game lasted 9 innings but the second game went for 20, it is still one of the longest double headers by number of innings in professional baseball.[15]In 1928 Chadwick Park was rebuilt, in 1929 it was renamed Hawkins Stadium,[16]and in 1930General Electricinstalled lights for night games.[17]
It was at Hawkins Stadium that theNew York Yankeesplayed the Albany Senators in 1931 before a crowd of 6,300;Babe Ruthhit twohome runs.[16]The Senators folded in 1959. It too was demolished to make way for the Mid-City Shopping Center and a department type store, which would eventually close and be replaced by the New York State Office of Workers Compensation Board. From June 12, 1947, to September 2, 1963, Empire Raceways was a popular entertainment venue. It was a quarter mile paved oval track and was located close enough to the Hudson River that spectators would sit on the Troy-Menands Bridge and watch the races for free. The location would later become the site of aTwo Guys Department Storeand Interstate 787.[18]
Two Guys was just one of the retail locations in Menands that made Menands a shopping destination for the surrounding area. In addition to Two Guys there was aWoolworth,Montgomery Wards,several grocery stores, and various other shops along Broadway. The Two Guys location on Broadway, located next to the Troy-Menands Bridge, was one of only two in the area, the other being in downtownSchenectady.[citation needed]Another retail landmark in Menands was the Montgomery Ward Retail Store and Warehouse built in 1929, it was one of nine similar buildings built in the 1920s,[19]and one of four that still remain.[citation needed]The building had its own railroad spur that allowed boxcars to be unloaded inside, making delivery of goods to the building easier.[19]Montgomery Wards left the building in the early 1980s. Today the building is office space, mostly geared towards state agencies.[19]Woolworth was located at the Mid-City Shopping Center, it closed in 1997.[20]
Important locations
[edit]- Albany Rural Cemetery- though most of the cemetery is outside the village, a portion along Cemetery Drive purchased by the cemetery in 1920 is within the village
- Troy-Menands Bridge- crosses the Hudson River and connects the village to the city of Troy
- Riverview Center- formerMontgomery Wardstore and distribution center, today thisArt Decooffice building houses video game developersVicarious Visionsand state workers, and has 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2) of space. It also is the tallest building in the town of Colonie
- Capital District Farmers Market- The Capital District Cooperative, Inc., created in 1933, is one of the largest farmers markets in the region
- TheAlbany Felt Company Complex,Menand Park Historic District,Henry M. Sage Estate,andSt. Agnes Cemeteryare listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[21][22]
Infrastructure
[edit] |
Fire department
[edit]Menands has a local volunteer fire department. Menands Fire Co.#1 was founded March 3, 1923, and was incorporated in February 1931. In 1936, the Hudson Mohawk Volunteer Firefighters Association was founded at the Menands Fire Co. In 1983, Menands Fire Co.#1 moved into the new Fire House, adjacent to old Fire House. The old Fire House was renovated for use as the Menands Police Department and Village Court.
Police department
[edit]The first constable in Menands served in a part-time position. The first police chief was appointed by the Village Trustees in 1924, when the village was incorporated.
Notable people
[edit]- George Deukme gian(1928-2018), 35thGovernor of California,was born in Menands.
References
[edit]
Media related toMenands, New Yorkat Wikimedia Commons
- ^"ArcGIS REST Services Directory".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedSeptember 20,2022.
- ^ab"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
- ^"US Board on Geographic Names".United States Geological Survey.October 25, 2007.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
- ^United States Census, 2020 Report, Menands CDP, New Yorkhttps:// census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Menands%20village,%20New%20York
- ^"2. Newyork, 1935",Bertolt Brecht in America,Princeton University Press, pp. 6–20, December 31, 1983,retrievedJuly 10,2023
- ^Cuyler Reynolds (1906).Albany Chronicles.J.B. Lyon Company. p.11.RetrievedDecember 24,2009.
- ^abcdHoward Menand."History of Menands"(PDF).Village of Menands. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on May 15, 2008.RetrievedJuly 18,2009.
- ^abcFrances Ingraham (September 30, 1990)."Dutch Village revisited exhibition looks back 50 years at ambitious apartment project".Albany Times Union.RetrievedDecember 25,2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^"Census of Population and Housing".Census.gov.RetrievedJune 4,2015.
- ^George Rogers Howell and Jonathan Tenney (1886).Bi-centennial history of Albany, N.Y. from 1609 to 1886.W.W. Munsell and Company. p. 945.RetrievedDecember 24,2009.
- ^Arthur James Weise (1886).The city of Troy and its vicinity.Edward Green. p.179.RetrievedDecember 24,2009.
pleasure island albany.
- ^abPaul Grondahl (September 16, 2003)."Decades later, Pleasure Island resurfaces"(PDF).Albany Times Union.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on February 24, 2012.RetrievedDecember 24,2009.
- ^"Al-Tro Island Park in readiness for the public"(PDF).The Sunday Record. June 30, 1985. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on February 5, 2012.RetrievedDecember 24,2009.
- ^"The Motorman and Conductor".13(3). 1905: 21.RetrievedDecember 24,2009.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^"Appendix 7: Chronological listing of all doubleheader marathons of 26 or more innings, as well as listing by innings and evolution of records"(PDF).The Society for American Baseball Research.RetrievedDecember 24,2009.
- ^abDavid Pietrusza."David Pietrusza's Capital Region Baseball Timeline Part III: 1931-1950".RetrievedDecember 24,2009.
- ^Don Rittner (2008).Albany Revisited.Arcadia Publishing. p. 88.ISBN978-0-7385-5652-9.
- ^"Empire Raceways".North American Motorsports/Krusty Motorsports.RetrievedDecember 25,2009.
- ^abcRobin Wood (December 17, 2004)."Old landmark has new lease on life".Albany Business Review.RetrievedDecember 25,2009.
- ^Rachel Beck (July 18, 1997)."Woolworth to close all US stores".Albany Times Union.RetrievedDecember 25,2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^"National Register Information System".National Register of Historic Places.National Park Service.July 9, 2010.
- ^"National Register of Historic Places Listings".Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 2/10/14 through 2/14/14.National Park Service. February 21, 2014.
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