Voorheesville, New York
Encyclopedia
Voorheesville is a village within the town of New Scotland
in Albany County
, New York
, United States
. It is a suburb of Albany and part of the city's historic metropolitan area. The population was 2,789 at the 2010 census. The village is named after a railroad attorney, Alonzo B. Voorhees.
The village is situated by the north town line of New Scotland
In 1864, two railroads
were built through the town of New Scotland, headed west from the Hudson River
, both trying to find a way around the Helderberg Mountains. The Albany and Susquehanna line and the New York, West Shore and Buffalo railroads crossed one another in a farm field. Subsequently a village grew up around the crossroad and in 1899 the village of Voorheesville, named for the aforementioned railroad attorney, was incorporated. In 1871, the A&S was leased to the Delaware and Hudson Railroad. These railroads crossed at South and North Main, and for a significant period of time there was a passenger train that came through Voorheesville. Voorheesville for several years in its early days (it was originally referred to as Union Depot before being named after Alonzo B. Voorhees) was somewhat of a tourist attraction. The village boasted a hotel, the Friars Grove Hotel, located right across Grove Street from the train station. Just next to the hotel was a brick oven bakery, and further up Grove was a cider mill. The mill was bought out by Duffy Mott and Mott's Cider before eventually closing. The village also claimed the renowned Harris House, a tavern and hotel for the "weary traveler", a foundry that closed after a fire whose remnants still stand today, and Vly Creek (which runs through the entire village before connecting to the Normanskill Creek in Guilderland) was damed up near the present day elementary school as a swimming hole. Historically until 2003/2004, the village railroad crossing was unique only like one other location in the United States in that four different sets of railroad tracks ran through the village and crossed at one point. The double tracked CSX (former NYC, PC, Conrail) line is still frequently used, while the remains of the D&H line west of the village is leased to SMS Rail lines, which services the Northeast Industrial Park. The Westshore line remained unused. In 2003 and 2004 the D&H line east of the village was torn up, leaving the crossing to be only a part of history.
Athletics at Voorheesville high school include boys and girls tennis, cross country, soccer, track, basketball, swimming (teamed together with neighboring Guilderland High School), and volleyball. Single sex sports include softball, baseball, and football. Co-ed sports are cheerleading, wrestling, bowling, and golf. Their mascot is the Blackbird and they claim three NYSPHSAA titles with Boys Soccer in 1990, and Girls Basketball in 1998 and 2002. In the 2002-2003 school year a brand new gymnasium was opened that seats roughly 500 with the unique aspect of bleachers only on the south side of the gymnasium. That fall also saw brand new soccer and football fields opened along with the school's first running track. The football field was dedicated to former coach and player Tom Buckley who died in the mid 1980's. Just a quarter mile down Route 85 A lie additional practice soccer fields as well as another baseball field, collectively known as the satellite fields. Voorheesville's student body is very active in supporting its teams despite its relatively small numbers. The "Birdcage" is often found at boys basketball games loudly supporting the team. Voorheesville competes in Classes B, CC, C, and D depending on the sport.
Clayton A. Bouton offers a variety of clubs and activities including Model United Nations, Ski Club, Mock Trial, SADD, National History Club, Student Government, Torch (yearbook), The Helderbarker (school newspaper), Builders Club (affiliated with the New Scotland Kiwanis), Speech and Debate Club, and National Honor Society. The fine arts department has been widely recognized, with NYSMA award winning band and chorus groups. The school also boasts a strong tradition in Drama Club; the Voorheesville Dionysians traditionally present an annual Shakespeare production in the fall and a musical in the spring. Famous alumnae include actress Yvonne Perry
, pop singer Nikki Cleary
and UMaine basketball player Ethan Mackey class of 2010.
New Scotland, New York
New Scotland is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 8,648 at the 2010 census.The town is southwest of Albany, New York, the state capital. New Scotland is centrally located in the county.-History:...
in Albany County
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a suburb of Albany and part of the city's historic metropolitan area. The population was 2,789 at the 2010 census. The village is named after a railroad attorney, Alonzo B. Voorhees.
The village is situated by the north town line of New Scotland
History
The area was settled by farmers sent by the Rennselaer family. In the 19th Century, their descendants rebelled against the patroon system, fomenting a Rent War.In 1864, two railroads
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
were built through the town of New Scotland, headed west from the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, both trying to find a way around the Helderberg Mountains. The Albany and Susquehanna line and the New York, West Shore and Buffalo railroads crossed one another in a farm field. Subsequently a village grew up around the crossroad and in 1899 the village of Voorheesville, named for the aforementioned railroad attorney, was incorporated. In 1871, the A&S was leased to the Delaware and Hudson Railroad. These railroads crossed at South and North Main, and for a significant period of time there was a passenger train that came through Voorheesville. Voorheesville for several years in its early days (it was originally referred to as Union Depot before being named after Alonzo B. Voorhees) was somewhat of a tourist attraction. The village boasted a hotel, the Friars Grove Hotel, located right across Grove Street from the train station. Just next to the hotel was a brick oven bakery, and further up Grove was a cider mill. The mill was bought out by Duffy Mott and Mott's Cider before eventually closing. The village also claimed the renowned Harris House, a tavern and hotel for the "weary traveler", a foundry that closed after a fire whose remnants still stand today, and Vly Creek (which runs through the entire village before connecting to the Normanskill Creek in Guilderland) was damed up near the present day elementary school as a swimming hole. Historically until 2003/2004, the village railroad crossing was unique only like one other location in the United States in that four different sets of railroad tracks ran through the village and crossed at one point. The double tracked CSX (former NYC, PC, Conrail) line is still frequently used, while the remains of the D&H line west of the village is leased to SMS Rail lines, which services the Northeast Industrial Park. The Westshore line remained unused. In 2003 and 2004 the D&H line east of the village was torn up, leaving the crossing to be only a part of history.
Demographics
According the 2000 Census, the racial makeup of the village was 98.7% White, 0.6% African American, 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and 0.1% Some Other Race. Of the 2,705 person total population, 35 were not White alone or in combination.Education
Voorheesville's two schools service the village itself, most parts of the Town of New Scotland and the Village of Slingerlands, with some students coming from the outskirts of the Town of Guilderland, Town of Bethlehem, and Village of Altamont.Athletics at Voorheesville high school include boys and girls tennis, cross country, soccer, track, basketball, swimming (teamed together with neighboring Guilderland High School), and volleyball. Single sex sports include softball, baseball, and football. Co-ed sports are cheerleading, wrestling, bowling, and golf. Their mascot is the Blackbird and they claim three NYSPHSAA titles with Boys Soccer in 1990, and Girls Basketball in 1998 and 2002. In the 2002-2003 school year a brand new gymnasium was opened that seats roughly 500 with the unique aspect of bleachers only on the south side of the gymnasium. That fall also saw brand new soccer and football fields opened along with the school's first running track. The football field was dedicated to former coach and player Tom Buckley who died in the mid 1980's. Just a quarter mile down Route 85 A lie additional practice soccer fields as well as another baseball field, collectively known as the satellite fields. Voorheesville's student body is very active in supporting its teams despite its relatively small numbers. The "Birdcage" is often found at boys basketball games loudly supporting the team. Voorheesville competes in Classes B, CC, C, and D depending on the sport.
Clayton A. Bouton offers a variety of clubs and activities including Model United Nations, Ski Club, Mock Trial, SADD, National History Club, Student Government, Torch (yearbook), The Helderbarker (school newspaper), Builders Club (affiliated with the New Scotland Kiwanis), Speech and Debate Club, and National Honor Society. The fine arts department has been widely recognized, with NYSMA award winning band and chorus groups. The school also boasts a strong tradition in Drama Club; the Voorheesville Dionysians traditionally present an annual Shakespeare production in the fall and a musical in the spring. Famous alumnae include actress Yvonne Perry
Yvonne Perry
Yvonne Perry is an American actress. After years doing commercials, and nearly a year as part of the improv team tricking people for Candid Camera, her big break came in 1992 when she landed the role of Rosanna Cabot on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns...
, pop singer Nikki Cleary
Nikki Cleary
Brittney Rose "Nikki" Cleary is a pop-rock singer who was born in Albany, New York.Cleary first hit the pop market with the catchy song "I.M. Me" while still using her given name. Her debut album, Everything I Wished For, was released independently under the Free Falls record label in 2002 after...
and UMaine basketball player Ethan Mackey class of 2010.