Historical Markers in
Rensselaer County, New York

90 First Street 92 First Street A Gathering Storm A Panoramic View of American History A President with Poestenkill Connections Albert Pawling Amos Eaton Battle of Bennington Battle of Bennington Battle of Bennington Battle of Bennington First Engagement Battle of Bennington Second Engagement Bennington Battle Field Bennington Battlefield Bennington Battlefield Bennington Battlefield Berlin, New York War Memorials Bernard Uhlein Birthplace (1776) of Simon Fraser Blooming Grove Brainard Rural Brimmer Farm Burden Iron Works Came to America Chester A. Arthur Church of the Holy Cross Citizen Genet Col. Joseph Allen David Defreest Dist. 2 School District No. 6 E. & S. Wilson – Brick Manufactory Eagle Bridge Buskirk Veterans Memorial Early Cemetery Early Tavern Early Toll Road (Berlin, NY) Ebenezer Emmons Edith McCrea House Emma Hart Willard Emma Willard First Meeting House in Hoosick Falls First Reformed Church Former Church Fort Crailo Fort Crailo Fort Crailo Gardner Earl Memorial Chapel & Crematorium Gasholder House Gen. Henry Knox Trail Gen. Henry Knox Trail Gen. Henry Knox Trail George Henry Thomas Gilead Church Glass Lake Glen Douglas Farm Grafton Inn Grandma Moses Hans Van Buren Henderson E. Van Surdam Herman Melville Historic Oakwood Cemetery History of 1819 Fifth Avenue Hoags Corners Home of Big Thunder Home of Philip P. Dater Hoosick Falls Elks Lodge 178 B.P.O.E. Hoosick World War II Memorial Hoosick WW I & II Memorial In Honor of Those In Memoriam John Paine Julia Blanche S. Clum Julia Howard Bush Memorial Center Kate Mullany House Kinney Farm Lakes to Locks Passage Lansingburgh Liberty Street Presbyterian Church Little Red Schoolhouse Locking Through Log Meeting House Cemetery Major General John Ellis Wool Major General Joseph Bradford Carr Massachusetts Volunteers at Bennington Michael Burke Nassau Academy Nassau Village Natty Bumppo New Hampshire Regiment New Hampshire Troops Norman Rockwell Oakwood Cemetery Old Maple Grove Old Mount Ida Cemetery On This Site Patriots of Vermont Poestenkill War Memorial Rensselaer County Spanish-American War Memorial Rev. Peter Havermans Reynolds Farm San Francisco Giants Sand Lake Baptist Church Sand Lake Union Sand Lake Veterans Memorial Park Second Ward World War II Memorial September 11th Memorial Site of First Hoosick Baptist Church Snyder’s Lake St. Croix Church St. Peter's Cemetery Stephentown War Memorial Suffragist The Evangelican Lutheran Church of West Berlin The Great Fire of 1862 The Rescue of Charles Nalle Third Street Burial Grounds, 1824 Town of Grafton War Memorials Town of Hoosick Civil War Memorial Town of Hoosick Honor Roll Town of Hoosick War Memorial Town of North Greenbush War Memorial Town of Petersburgh Honor Roll Trade Partners Along the Hudson Trinity Lutheran Church Troy, N.Y. Hall of Famers Twiss House T'was The Night Before Christmas Uncle Sam Uncle Sam Monument Unity House Founded Valley Falls WWI & WWII Memorial Van Alen Home Van Veachton Rogers Vermont Rangers Veterans Memorial W & L E Gurley Building Walloomsac M.E. Church Walter Abbott Wood Warren Family Mortuary Chapel: 1861 Washington Park Weatherwax Home Welcome to the Collar City! West Hall William Henry Freeman Wilson Farmhouse Wood Park World War Memorial "Ball Seminary" “Big Thunder” “Had day lasted an hour longer . . .” “the first link in the chain of successes which issued in the surrender at Saratoga ...” “Uncle Sam” “Uncle Sam” Wilson’s Home
New York State was home to several utopian communities in the 19th century, including the Oneida Community in central New York, which practiced communal living and free love, and the Shakers, who were known for their furniture and craftsmanship.
New York random facts
Rensselaer County is located in the eastern part of the state of New York and has a rich and diverse history that dates back to the early 17th century. Originally inhabited by the Mohican Native American tribe, the land was first explored by European settlers in the early 1600s. The Dutch were the first to establish a permanent settlement called Beverwyck, which served as a trading post along the Hudson River.

In 1664, the British took control of the area and renamed it Albany after the Duke of York and Albany. Rensselaer County was officially established in 1791, named after the influential Dutch landowner, Kiliaen van Rensselaer. The county grew rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, with the construction of the Erie Canal in the early 19th century, which connected the Hudson River to the Great Lakes, boosting trade and transportation.

During the American Revolution, Rensselaer County played a significant role. The Battle of Bennington, a pivotal event in the war, took place just across the border in present-day Vermont. Several notable figures emerged from the region, including Samuel Wilson, who inspired the national symbol "Uncle Sam," and Emma Willard, a pioneer in women's education.

Today, Rensselaer County is known for its thriving industries, including technology, healthcare, and education. It is home to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, one of the oldest technological universities in the United States. The county also boasts a diverse cultural scene, with numerous museums, parks, and landmarks that showcase its historical significance.

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Rensselaer County, New York.

  • 1609 - Henry Hudson explores Hudson River
  • 1624 - Dutch establish Fort Orange
  • 1630 - Patroonship of Rensselaerswyck established
  • 1664 - English take control of Fort Orange
  • 1776 - Battle of Bennington during American Revolution
  • 1791 - Rensselaer County formed from Albany County
  • 1826 - Construction of Erie Canal begins
  • 1857 - Troy becomes a city
  • 1862-1865 - Rensselaer County contributes troops during the Civil War
  • 1898 - Brunswick declared the official name for Brittonkill
  • 1906 - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute becomes a university