Troy in Rensselaer County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Mills on the Wynant's Kill

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 5, 2024

1. Mills on the Wynant's Kill Marker

Inscription.

Mills on the Wynant's Kill. . Downstream view toward Hudson River, shows the Burden Upper Iron Works, Mill St. and Woodside Church in 1870's-1880's. The Upper Iron Works combined furnaces to process pig iron into industrial grade iron with water powered machines that rolled, pressed and cut the iron into nails, railroad spikes and horseshoes. , Originally the “Troy Iron and Nail factory”, it became the Burden Iron Company after Scottish immigrant Henry Burden became the owner. Henry Burden was hired to manage the factory in 1822. By 1848, he became the controlling owner. Over the next 49 years he turned the company into one of the largest providers of iron products in the country. , Burden's improvements in mass-producing railroad spikes; and in particular his invention of the first ever machine made horseshoe process revolutionized the iron industry. By 1862, Burden was producing 51 million horseshoes a year between the water-powered site before you and a larger steam powered site on the north bank of the Wynants Kill along the Hudson River. , At one time south Troy from Poesten Kill to Wynants Kill had four major iron and steel factories. Together, these factories made Troy a leader in iron and steel production in the US second only to Pittsburgh. , 1881 Troy atlas map shows location of the Burden Upper Works buildings enclosed in the U-shaped curve of the Wynants Kill. It also shows location of the steam powered Burden Lower Works along the Hudson River. In addition, are the many buildings of the Albany and Rensselaer Iron and Steel Co. across from the Burden site. , The famous Burden water wheel was located inside the buildings of the Upper Iron Works. It was the most powerful vertical wheel ever constructed, dating from 1852. Water from Burden Pond was channeled to the top of the water wheel. Gear wheels, drive shafts and drive belts transferred the revolving motion and power to the many rolling, pressing and cutting machines that filled the factory floor. , Although the Upper Works was dismantled in 1898-'99, the water wheel was left in place as a symbol of Troy's industry and a viewing attraction until it eventually collapsed in 1914.

Downstream view toward Hudson River, shows the Burden Upper Iron Works, Mill St. and Woodside Church in 1870's-1880's. The Upper Iron Works combined furnaces to process pig iron into industrial grade iron with water powered machines that rolled, pressed and cut the iron into nails, railroad spikes and horseshoes.

Originally the “Troy Iron and Nail factory”, it became the Burden Iron Company after Scottish immigrant Henry Burden became the owner. Henry Burden was hired to manage the factory in 1822. By 1848, he became the controlling owner. Over the next 49 years he turned the company into one of the largest providers of iron products in the country.

Burden's improvements in mass-producing railroad spikes; and in particular his invention of the first ever machine made horseshoe process revolutionized the iron industry. By 1862, Burden was producing 51 million horseshoes a year between the water-powered site before you and a larger steam powered site on the north bank of the Wynants Kill along the Hudson River.

At one time south Troy from Poesten Kill to Wynants Kill had four major iron and steel

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factories. Together, these factories made Troy a leader in iron and steel production in the US second only to Pittsburgh.

1881 Troy atlas map shows location of the Burden Upper Works buildings enclosed in the U-shaped curve of the Wynants Kill. It also shows location of the steam powered Burden Lower Works along the Hudson River. In addition, are the many buildings of the Albany & Rensselaer Iron & Steel Co. across from the Burden site.

The famous Burden water wheel was located inside the buildings of the Upper Iron Works. It was the most powerful vertical wheel ever constructed, dating from 1852. Water from Burden Pond was channeled to the top of the water wheel. Gear wheels, drive shafts and drive belts transferred the revolving motion and power to the many rolling, pressing and cutting machines that filled the factory floor.

Although the Upper Works was dismantled in 1898-'99, the water wheel was left in place as a symbol of Troy's industry and a viewing attraction until it eventually collapsed in 1914.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 5, 2024

2. Mills on the Wynant's Kill Marker

• Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1822.

Location. 42° 42.243′ N, 73° 41.29′ W. Marker is in Troy, New York, in Rensselaer County. It is at the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Vandenburgh Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Campbell Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Campbell Ave, Troy NY 12180, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York,

in the Capital District,

and in the Albany Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Burden Iron Works (approx. 0.4 miles away); “Little Red Schoolhouse” (approx. ¾ mile away); a different marker also named Little Red Schoolhouse (approx. ¾ mile away); Troy Steel & Iron Co. (approx. 0.9 miles away); James Roy Mills

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 5, 2024

3. Mills on the Wynant's Kill Marker

(approx. one mile away); Arent van Curler & Fr. Isaac Jogues at the Flatts in 1643 (approx. one mile away); The Colonial & Revolutionary Wars (approx. 1.1 miles away); The Native People (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Troy.

Also see . . .
1. Burden Iron Works. Wikipedia entry on the iron works and industrial complex, parts of which have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Submitted on November 30, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Henry Burden. He came to the United States in 1819, with commendatory letters to Senators Benton and Calhoun and the Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer. At Albany, N. Y., he was engaged in making agricultural implements. In 1820 he invented the first cultivator used in this country. In 1822 he went to Troy, where he assumed the charge of the iron and nail factory. (History of Rensselaer County, New York, Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester, 1880; via NYGenWeb) (Submitted on November 30, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

The Burden Upper Works image. Click for full size.

The City of Troy and its Vicinity, Arthur J. Weise; via Library of Congress (Public Domain), circa 1886

4. The Burden Upper Works

Artist rendering of the complex, which was powered by a single water wheel.

The Burden Water Wheel image. Click for full size.

via Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division (Public Domain), circa 1900

5. The Burden Water Wheel

The device shortly after the building surrounding it was dismantled. The wheel became a local landmark until 1914, when it collapsed.

Henry Burden (1791-1871) image. Click for full size.

Historic American Engineering Record, via Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division (Public Domain)

6. Henry Burden (1791-1871)

Burden came to the United States from his native Scotland in 1819 and quickly put his inventive talents to use, patenting the first cultivator the year after his arrival.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 30, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 30, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 490 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on November 30, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.