Schenectady

Schenectady. . From the beginning, it was the waterway that attracted people to Schenectady. Dutch settlers founded Schenectady in 1661 as part of the New Netherland Colony. The name "Schenectady" is said to be derived from the Mohawk word for "on the side of the pinery," referring to what today is called the Pine Bush. Schenectady continued to grow and expand over time, with settlers purchasing additional land from the Mohawks. Most notable in Schenectady's early history is its place as a frontier trading town. Locals farmed, worked as artisans, built boats, and traded pelts with Iroquois Nation tribes. Also notable is the devastating massacre Schenectady suffered in 1690 at the hands of French-Canadians and their Native American allies. The town was left in embers, though eventually survivors did return to rebuild the Stockade neighborhood, and beyond., As Schenectady grew, it became incorporated as a city in 1798. During this time of American expansion and identity building, Schenectady made its own name for itself. Small industrial mills sprang up to create brooms from Schenectady's abundant broomcorn harvests. During this period of growth, Schenectadians also founded Union College, the United States' first non-denominational college., Today's historic Stockade homes are preserved in part because of a devastating fire. In 1819, flames destroyed over 150 buildings, including much of Schenectady's business district. After the fire, Schenectadians chose to rebuild their businesses along State Street, leaving the Stockade as a quiet, residential neighborhood with limited growth and change., In the 1800s Schenectady's place on the Mohawk River made it an important transportation center, connecting the Hudson River to the Great Lakes westward. When the Erie Canal opened in 1825, it made an island of the Stockade area between the canal and the Mohawk River. Adding to Schenectady's fame as a place of industry and transportation was the opening of the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad in 1831, the very first rail line built in New York State., Schenectady was quickly becoming a center for technology and innovation, a designation underscored by the arrival of Thomas Edison. In 1886, moved his Edison Machine Works to Schenectady, which eventually evolved and grew into General Electric. Humming alongside GE was the American Locomotive Company (ALCO), another major manufacturer. Together, these great industrial enterprises gave Schenectady the moniker, "The City that Lights and Hauls the World".