Early Frontier/ Schenectady

Early Frontier/ Schenectady. . , In its early years, Schenectady was a frontier community, centered on farming and trade with the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy (or Haudenosaunee). Life for early settlers was highly focused on the Mohawk River. One of the most precious resources to come from the Mohawk River were fashionable beaver pelts. Once trapped and skinned, the pelts were sent east along the Mohawk River and eventually across the Atlantic to Europe, earning astonishing profits., Navigating the shallows of the Mohawk River during this time period was difficult. In addition to shallows, sandbars and rapids meant that a regular boat would easily get stuck. In response, early boat builders devised a boat of special construction, bespoke to the Mohawk River and its rough conditions. By the early 1700s, these boats, called bateau, filled the waters around Schenectady., Bateaux, with pointed ends and flat bottoms, could navigate through the Mohawk River's treacherous obstacles, passing high over rapids and floating through shallow water. As time and technology progressed, the size of the bateaux gradually got larger. Many of the first bateaux seen in the area fit a crew of three, but soon, longer boats with crews of four or five began to appear, carrying up to one ton of cargo. Think of these as the predecessor to the 18-wheeler; carrying rum west, and furs back east. Schenectady became a hub for the construction of these bateaux and other boats. The area behind today's Stockade neighborhood bustled with the sounds of a booming boatyard. Here, again, the Mohawk River worked to the community's advantage, making it the perfect location for a freshwater seaport., The Mohawk Towpath Byway is a series of local, county and state highways that follow the historic route of the Erie Canal between Schenectady and Waterford/Cohoes in upstate New York. As one travels the Byway you unlock the story of the Mohawk River, Erie Canal, the waterway west and the part our communities played in the westward expansion of the country and the Industrial Revolution. The western terminus of the Byway is at State Street and Erie Blvd, a half dozen blocks east of this point, 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 Schenectady you would have seen it from this perspective before 160-Len Tanni 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. From the Museum of industry and Science (misc) Collection Schenectady was quickly becoming a center for technology and innovation, a designation underscored by the arrival of Thomas Edison. In 1886, Edison 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"