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Archiver > NYALBANY > 2001-12 > 1007966677


From: Cliff Lamere <>
Subject: [NYALBANY] Watervliet - Town and City. Also a bit about Menands.
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 01:44:37 -0500
References: <MBBBIIIHHFFOFJCJNAAGOEPHCEAA.duclos@localnet.com>


The Village of Menands was once part of the Town (not city) of Watervliet. Many people on this list will be familiar with Watervliet as a city (formed 1898), but not as a Town (formed 1788). Today, Menands is a village in the Town of Colonie.

The Town of Watervliet included all of Rensselaerswyck west of the Hudson River except the city of Albany when it formed in 1788. From what I have read, that means that it was a square that was about 24 miles on a side. The northern edge of Rensselaerswyck was about at the Mohawk River (where the city of Cohoes is today).

In NY, a town is the same as a township in many other states. A town contains one or more villages, usually several hamlets, and much rural area. Villages have a mayor and other officials, and they provide services like snow removal and trash pickup. Hamlets are unincorporated areas that have a concentration of people and usually some businesses (gas station, grocery store, restaurant, pharmacy, etc.). Hamlets have no officials and provide no services. Hamlets rely on the towns for their services. In summary, NY counties are made of towns and cities. Towns are made of rural areas, villages, and hamlets.

The Town of Watervliet included the present Town of Niskayuna, which is now in Schenectady Co.
Eventually, 9 other Towns were cut out of the Town of Watervliet, and then in 1895, the Town of Colonie formed from it. One year later, in 1896, the remaining part of the Town of Watervliet became the city of Watervliet. The Town of Watervliet ceased to exist. Most of this information came from "Bi-centennial history of Albany : history of the county of Albany, N. Y., from 1609 to 1886, with portraits, biographies and illustrations" - by Howell and Tenney, assisted by local writers (published 1886).

In the city of Watervliet there are no cemeteries. There are three Catholic cemeteries nearby, however. They are St. Patrick's, St. Agnes and St. Basil's cemeteries. The nearest Protestant cemetery is Albany Rural Cemetery (in Menands instead of Albany) which had its first burial in 1845. Over 100,000 people are buried there.

Cliff


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