Verdoy, New York
Encyclopedia
Verdoy, formerly known as Watervliet Center, is a hamlet of the town of Colonie in Albany County
, New York
. Much of Verdoy is in the Airport Noise Overlay District due to its immediate proximity to Albany International Airport
's main north/south runway, which was recently extended by 1,300 feet to the north, moving it even closer to Verdoy. The former Troy & Schenectady Branch of the New York Central Railroad
runs along Verdoy's northern border with the Mohawk River; it is now part of the Mohawk Hudson Hike/Bike Trail
.
of the post office
he built a hotel, store, and several shops. The hamlet was known as Morrisville for sometime in his honor.
In the 19th century Watervliet Center was home to Yearsley's Public House at the corner of Troy-Schenectady Road and Old Niskayuna Road. Elsie Lansing Whipple and Jesse Strang stopped at Yearsley's during a storm just before Strang would murder Whipple's wealthy husband at the Cherry Hill
mansion in Albany
.
In 1991 the New York State Department of Transportation
widened Route 7 to include a 12 feet (3.7 m) center turning lane between St. David's Lane in Niskayuna and Wade Road east of Verdoy. The 6.4 miles (10.3 km) long widening demolished nine homes and two businesses along with taking several vacant properties.
Much of Verdoy's history has been moved to save it from development and the airport noise district. Houses found in the 1970s to be experiencing high noice levels were purchased by the Albany County Airport (today the Albany International Airport
) beginning in 1981 and 22 were demolished in 1992. The Buhrmaster barn was originally built in 1760 along the Mohawk River
on River View Road, but burned in the late 19th century. It was then reconstructed but the barn retained many of its original features such as the Dutch door
, hand-hewn beams and wooden pegs. When the New York State Barge Canal changed the shoreline of the Mohawk River in 1915 the barn was rolled uphill being pulled by horse and rolled on logs. The barn was moved again in 1988 to the Pruyn House historical site. The Verdoy School was built in 1910 as a one-room schoolhouse and was used up until 1958 when the North Colonie Central School District
started using it as a storage building. In 1995 the school district donated the building to the town of Colonie. As part of the town's centennial the Centennial Commission paid for the school to be transported to the Pruyn House on Old Niskayuna Road in Newtonville
for use as a museum.
Due to being in the path of an runway the airport has condemned the airspace above buildings, including the former Verdoy firehouse. In 1998 the airport purchased the Verdoy Volunteer Fire Department's firehouse on Route 7 and rented it back to the department for $1.00 a year. The station, at 8000 ft2 became too small for a new ladder truck the department needed for newer and taller buildings there were being built in the district such as the airport control tower
and the Hilton
hotel; in 2000 the fire department moved to its current location further up the road with a 2150 ft2 building.
, west of the Colonie hamlet of Latham
and between Albany International Airport
and the Mohawk River
.
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Much of Verdoy is in the Airport Noise Overlay District due to its immediate proximity to Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
's main north/south runway, which was recently extended by 1,300 feet to the north, moving it even closer to Verdoy. The former Troy & Schenectady Branch of the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
runs along Verdoy's northern border with the Mohawk River; it is now part of the Mohawk Hudson Hike/Bike Trail
Mohawk Hudson Hike/Bike Trail
The Mohawk Hudson Hike/Bike Trail is a trail in Albany and Schenectady counties in New York's Capital District. It is also the easternmost segment of the New York State Canalway Trail....
.
History
Lewis Morrris came to the area of present-day Verdoy, then known as Watervliet Center, in 1835; along with being the second postmasterPostmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of the post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
he built a hotel, store, and several shops. The hamlet was known as Morrisville for sometime in his honor.
In the 19th century Watervliet Center was home to Yearsley's Public House at the corner of Troy-Schenectady Road and Old Niskayuna Road. Elsie Lansing Whipple and Jesse Strang stopped at Yearsley's during a storm just before Strang would murder Whipple's wealthy husband at the Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill (Albany, New York)
Cherry Hill, also known as Historic Cherry Hill, is a historic home and museum located at Albany, Albany County, New York. It was built in 1768 and is a -story, rectangular wood-frame dwelling sheathed in clapboard. It features a gambrel roof with dormers and wooden porches with turned...
mansion in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
.
In 1991 the New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
widened Route 7 to include a 12 feet (3.7 m) center turning lane between St. David's Lane in Niskayuna and Wade Road east of Verdoy. The 6.4 miles (10.3 km) long widening demolished nine homes and two businesses along with taking several vacant properties.
Much of Verdoy's history has been moved to save it from development and the airport noise district. Houses found in the 1970s to be experiencing high noice levels were purchased by the Albany County Airport (today the Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
) beginning in 1981 and 22 were demolished in 1992. The Buhrmaster barn was originally built in 1760 along the Mohawk River
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
on River View Road, but burned in the late 19th century. It was then reconstructed but the barn retained many of its original features such as the Dutch door
Dutch door
A Dutch door , or stable door , or half door , is a door divided horizontally in such a fashion that the bottom half may remain shut while the top half opens...
, hand-hewn beams and wooden pegs. When the New York State Barge Canal changed the shoreline of the Mohawk River in 1915 the barn was rolled uphill being pulled by horse and rolled on logs. The barn was moved again in 1988 to the Pruyn House historical site. The Verdoy School was built in 1910 as a one-room schoolhouse and was used up until 1958 when the North Colonie Central School District
North Colonie Central Schools
North Colonie Central Schools is a public school district located in Colonie, New York.-Merger with Maplewood-Colonie Common School District:In October 2007, the annexation of Maplewood-Colonie Common School District with the North Colonie Central School District was approved, 1446 yes to 277 no,...
started using it as a storage building. In 1995 the school district donated the building to the town of Colonie. As part of the town's centennial the Centennial Commission paid for the school to be transported to the Pruyn House on Old Niskayuna Road in Newtonville
Newtonville, New York
Newtonville is a hamlet in the town of Colonie in Albany County, New York, United States. Located along U.S. Route 9, the hamlet is just south of Latham and north of Loudonville. Colonie Town Hall is located in the hamlet of Newtonville.-History:...
for use as a museum.
Due to being in the path of an runway the airport has condemned the airspace above buildings, including the former Verdoy firehouse. In 1998 the airport purchased the Verdoy Volunteer Fire Department's firehouse on Route 7 and rented it back to the department for $1.00 a year. The station, at 8000 ft2 became too small for a new ladder truck the department needed for newer and taller buildings there were being built in the district such as the airport control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
and the Hilton
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
hotel; in 2000 the fire department moved to its current location further up the road with a 2150 ft2 building.
Geography
While Colonie's hamlets do not have specifically demarcated borders, Verdoy is generally considered to include the areas along New York State Route 7New York State Route 7
New York State Route 7 is a 180-mile long New York State Highway that runs from the New York/Pennsylvania border south of Binghamton, New York to the New York/Vermont border east of Hoosick. Most of the road runs along the Susquehanna Valley, closely paralleling Interstate 88 throughout...
, west of the Colonie hamlet of Latham
Latham, New York
Latham is a hamlet in Albany County, New York, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 9 in the town of Colonie, a dense suburb north of Albany.-History:...
and between Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
and the Mohawk River
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
.
Location
Services
The hamlet and surrounding areas, including the Albany International Airport is served by the Verdoy Volunteer Fire Department. The department serves approximately 7,500 residents (in 2000) and covers 7.5 miles (12.1 km) of the town of Colonie.External links
- Town of Colonie (includes Verdoy)