Slingerlands | |
---|---|
Etymology: For William Slingerland and descendants | |
Coordinates: 42°37′45″N73°51′52″W / 42.62917°N 73.86444°W | |
Country | United States |
State | New York |
Region | Capital District |
County | Albany |
Settled | 1850 |
Elevation | 220 ft (70 m) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP Code | 12159 |
Area code | 518 |
Slingerlands is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York, United States. It is located immediately west of Delmar and near the New Scotland town-line and south of the Albany city-limits, and is thus a suburb of Albany. The Slingerlands ZIP Code (12159) includes parts of the towns of New Scotland and Guilderland.
The history of Slingerlands begins in 1850 when the Albany, Rensselaerville, and Schoharie Plank Road Company was established by the state to construct a plank road from Albany, through Slingerlands, to Gallupville in Schoharie County. [1] In 1854, the state authorized the company to abandon or sell portions and to turn other sections (including that part in Slingerlands) into a turnpike and charge tolls. [2] The post office was originally called Normanskill and was built in 1852 with William H. Slingerland as the first post master. [3] In 1863, the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad was built through Slingerlands with a station established here as well. [4] William H. Slingerland was the surveyor of the road, and since his route came in $600,000 less than a previous survey the company named the station here Slingerlands in his honor. [5] In 1870, the post office also took the name Slingerlands. [3] After having been in the rear of a grocery store for a hundred years it moved to the Tollgate Building in 1953, until the 1990s when a newer larger location was built near the Price Chopper Plaza. [6] [7] In 1989, the New Scotland post office was closed and the 400 residents it served were transferred to Slingerlands' ZIP Code. [7]
New Scotland Road through Slingerlands was labeled as part of New York State Route 85 in the 1930 renumbering of state highways. [8] In 1968, the Slingerlands Bypass was constructed as a two-lane extension of the Crosstown Connection, a limited-access highway in the city of Albany; Route 85 was then routed onto this highway. [9] The original plan was to connect with the Delmar Bypass near New York State Route 85A, thereby bypassing Slingerlands, it and the Delmar Bypass were never finished due to a lack of funding. [10] [11] In 1987, the developer of the Juniper Fields sub-division agreed to build for the town a 1,700 foot extension of the Delmar Bypass to Van Dyke Avenue, and the developer of Delmar Village agreed to build a 2,750 foot extension of Fisher Boulevard to Delaware Avenue, this then left only a 6,000 foot extension of the Delmar Bypass to complete a full loop around Delmar and Slingerlands. At the time it was still the long-term goal of the town to extend both bypasses themselves to their original meeting point near Route 85A. [10] In 2007, the existing Slingerlands Bypass was reconstructed from two to four lanes and the highway was extended behind the Price Chopper Plaza to meet New Scotland Road over Le Grange Road opposite Cherry Avenue Extension. Each intersection, four in all, were converted to two-lane roundabouts. [12]
The Slingerlands Homeowners Association was founded in 1972 and is the oldest neighborhood association in the town of Bethlehem. [13] The neighborhood group had become moribund by the late 1980s, but was reactivated by controversy over a new shopping center and succeeded in having the shopping center, today the Price Chopper Plaza, scaled back by almost half. [14]
In 1987, Slingerlands was the site of filming for some scenes in the movie Ironweed, which starred Jack Nicholson, based on the book of the same name written by William Kennedy. Scenes were filmed of a recreated 1930s era steam locomotive and the Dillenbeck House at 1511 New Scotland Road (built in 1876). [15] [16]
The Slingerlands Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. [17] Also listed are the House at 698 Kenwood Avenue, LeGrange Farmstead, and Albert Slingerlands House. [18]
Slingerlands is situated along New Scotland Road (New York State Route 85) from the Albany city-limits south and west to Fisher Boulevard near the New Scotland town-line; and along Kenwood Avenue east from NY 85 to Adrianca Lane. [19]
The population of Slingerlands ZIP code, which is larger geographically than the hamlet itself is 7,646. [20]
Slingerlands is predominately residential, with commercial properties mostly along New Scotland Road from the Albany city-line south to the intersection with Kenwood Avenue. Many historic homes and buildings from the 1800s still stand in the heart of the hamlet, many of which are associated with the founding family of the Slingerland's, such as the Dillenback House built by Albert Slingerland. The oldest house in the hamlet is that of John Albert Slingerland, [19] and Albert I. Slingerland built the Slingerlands Community Methodist Church in 1872. The Old Slingerlands Schoolhouse built in 1908 has been converted into apartments. [16]
Much of the newer residential construction has been built in a style to imitate that of the historic house-styles, such as Greek Revival, Federal, Victorian, and Colonial. [19] A house in Slingerlands built in 1922 was once the official residence for the president of the University at Albany, SUNY. [16] Among the relatively new, yet still historic, is a 1929 cottage built from a kit bought from the Sears, Roebuck catalogue. [21]
The Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail, which stretches for nine miles from the Port of Albany to Voorheesville, runs through Slingerlands. It was built on a Canadian Pacific rail line that was being abandoned. The land was purchased by Albany County for the trail in 2010. The first portion was completed in 2011, then extended in 20212. The fully paved trail is used for walking, running, and bicycling. In the winter, it is left unplowed for snow shoeing and cross-country skiing. [22]
The 22-acre Pine Hollow Arboretum is located in Slingerlands. The founder of the property, Dr. John W. Abbuhl, was a pediatrician who began planting trees around his home in 1966. The Arboretum's mission is "to preserve, manage and enhance native and introduced species in the natural and aesthetic environment." [23]
Slingerlands is a part of the Bethlehem Central School District (BCSD). Slingerlands Elementary School is the neighborhood elementary school for kindergarten through fifth grade; and Bethlehem Central Middle School and Bethlehem Central High School are the district schools for sixth through twelfth. [19]
Bethlehem is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The town's population was 35,034 at the 2020 census. Bethlehem is located immediately to the south of the city of Albany and includes the following hamlets: Delmar, Elsmere, Glenmont, North Bethlehem, Selkirk, Slingerlands, and South Bethlehem. U.S. Route 9W passes through the town. The town is named after the biblical Bethlehem.
Delmar is a hamlet in the Town of Bethlehem, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of the neighboring city of Albany. The community is bisected by NY Route 443, a major thoroughfare, main street, and route to Albany.
New York State Route 32 (NY 32) is a north–south state highway that extends for 176.73 miles (284.42 km) through the Hudson Valley and Capital District regions of the U.S. state of New York. It is a two-lane surface road for nearly its entire length, with few divided sections. From Harriman to Albany, it is closely parallel to Interstate 87 (I-87) and U.S. Route 9W (US 9W), overlapping with the latter in several places.
New York State Route 335 (NY 335) is a north–south state highway located within the town of Bethlehem in Albany County, New York, in the United States. It extends for 1.77 miles (2.85 km) from an intersection with Feura Bush Road near the hamlet of Delmar to a junction with NY 443 in the hamlet of Elsmere. The two-lane route, named Elsmere Avenue, also has an intersection with NY 32 about halfway through the route. NY 335 was assigned to its current alignment in the 1930s.
Boght Corners is a hamlet in the town of Colonie in northern Albany County, New York, United States, that straddles U.S. Route 9. The corners that give the hamlet its name are found at the intersection of Route 9 and Boght Road, near the Boght Community Fire District's station. The community is served by the North Colonie Central School District. Boght Hills Elementary School is located within the hamlet.
New York State Route 85 (NY 85) is a state highway in Albany County, New York, in the United States. It is 26.49 miles (42.63 km) in length and runs from CR 353 in Rensselaerville to Interstate 90 (I-90) exit 4 in Albany. It also has a loop route, NY 85A, which connects NY 85 to the village of Voorheesville. The portion of NY 85 north of NY 140 to the Bethlehem–Albany town/city line is known as the Slingerlands Bypass. From there north to I-90, the road is a four-lane freeway named the Crosstown Arterial.
Elsmere is a hamlet of the town of the Bethlehem in Albany County, New York, United States. The hamlet is a suburb of the neighboring city of Albany. From the northeast to the southwest, it is bisected by New York Route 443, which is also the hamlet's main street and a major commuter route into Albany. Delaware Avenue is also home to most of the office and retail locations in Elsmere, including the largest such location: Delaware Plaza.
John I. Slingerland was a New York farmer, businessman, and politician. He served terms in both the New York State Assembly and the United States House of Representatives.
New York State Route 140 (NY 140) is an east–west state highway located entirely within the town of Bethlehem in Albany County, New York, in the United States. The highway runs for 2.07 miles (3.33 km) from a roundabout with NY 85 near the hamlet of Slingerlands to an intersection with NY 443 in the hamlet of Delmar. The first mile (1.6 km) of the route is a four-lane divided highway named Cherry Avenue Extension, while the second mile follows a two-lane street known as Kenwood Avenue. NY 140 initially followed Kenwood Avenue from the center of Slingerlands to Delmar when it was assigned in the mid-1930s; however, the route was altered to bypass Slingerlands in the mid-1970s.
Feura Bush is a hamlet in the town of New Scotland, Albany County, New York, United States. It is in the southeastern corner of the town, along the Bethlehem town-line, eight miles south of Albany. The Feura Bush ZIP Code (12067) includes parts of the town of Bethlehem. It is in the Onesquethaw Volunteer Fire Company fire protection district. The 2020 Census showed 28 employer establishments in the hamlet.
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.
The streets of Albany, New York have had a long history going back almost 400 years. Many of the streets have changed names over the course of time, some have changed names many times. Some streets no longer exist, others have changed course. Some roads existed only on paper. The oldest streets were haphazardly laid out with no overall plan until Simeon De Witt's 1794 street grid plan. The plan had two grids, one west of Eagle Street and the old stockade, and another for the Pastures District south of the old stockade.
Lisha Kill is a hamlet in the town of Colonie, Albany County, New York, United States. Lisha Kill lies on New York Route 5 in the western section of the town. The hamlet received its name from the creek of the same name, Lisha Kill, kill being Dutch for creek or stream. The stream is also referred to as Lisha's Kill and received its name from a local legend about a Native American woman who is buried along its banks.
Guilderland is a hamlet of the town of the same name in Albany County, New York, United States.
Normansville is a former hamlet in Albany County, New York, United States. In the 19th century, Normansville was a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem. Normansville was located within and along the north and south banks of the ravine carved by the Normans Kill Creek, a tributary of the Hudson River.
Kenwood was a hamlet in the Town of Bethlehem, New York. The hamlet spanned both sides of the Normans Kill near the area where the Normans Kill flows into the Hudson River. In 1870, and again in 1910, northern portions of Kenwood were annexed by the City of Albany, New York.
South Bethlehem is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York, United States. The hamlet sits on New York State Route 396 and lies southwest of the Selkirk Rail Yard and just north of the Coeymans town line.
New Salem is a hamlet in the town of New Scotland, Albany County, New York, United States. It is located in a valley at the foot of the Helderberg Escarpment along New York State Route 85. A local fair and car show is held every year in this small hamlet. It is also home to the town of New Scotland's community center and museum.
Clarksville is a hamlet in the town of New Scotland, Albany County, New York, United States. It is situated along Delaware Turnpike in the southern part of the town at the foot of the Helderberg Escarpment. It is the site of the Clarksville Cave and has an annual Clarksville Heritage Day and Car Show. It is in the Onesquethaw Volunteer Fire Company fire protection district.
Hurstville is a former hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, New York. Today it is part of the city of Albany. Hurstville was located in the area of a bend in the Albany, Rensselaerville, and Schoharie Turnpike at its intersections with Whitehall and Krumkill roads, just outside the city limits of Albany.