Mansion Area in Albany in Albany County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
9 Madison Place
Photographed by Trudi Jacobson, August 29, 2026
1. 9 Madison Place Marker
Built for Theodore Van Heusen
Van Heusen, Charles & Co.
Makers of fine china
David Orr, builder
1848
Erected by Historic Albany Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1848.
Location. 42° 38.826′ N, 73° 45.539′ W. Marker is in Albany, New York, in Albany County. It is in the Mansion Area. It is on Madison Place just east of Eagle Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9 Madison Place, Albany NY 12202, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York and in the Capital District. 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 walking distance of this marker: Bleecker Park (within shouting distance of
this page online
Regarding 9 Madison Place. Theodore Van Wyck Van Heusen was a prominent Albany merchant whose business in china and crockery endured for more than half a century. Born in Albany in 1818, he entered business after several years as a clerk. In 1843, at the age of twenty-five, he and fellow clerk Daniel D. Tompkins Charles established Van Heusen & Charles, dealing in crockery and household goods. The 1844 Albany directory lists “Van Heusen & Charles, dealers in crockery” at 62 State Street and lists Theodore separately at 90 Hudson Street.
The business prospered. After occupying larger quarters at 62–64 State Street, the partners purchased the former Mansion House property at 468–470 Broadway in 1856 and erected a large commercial
Photographed by Trudi Jacobson, August 29, 2026
2. 9 Madison Place
Van Heusen's interests extended well beyond his business. He was an original member and at one time president of Albany's Young Men's Association, a charter member of the Fort Orange Club, helped establish the Albany Club, belonged to the Albany Institute, and joined the Holland Society in its early years. He traveled extensively and for many years contributed accounts of his travels to Albany newspapers. In 1882 he was the Republican candidate for Congress.
The house at 9 Madison Place was built for Van Heusen in 1848, five years after he entered the crockery business. He did not spend the remainder of his life here, however. After suffering a stroke in 1890, he was confined to his later residence at 6 Madison Place, where he died on June 15, 1893. His third wife, Arabella Manning Van Heusen, continued to live at No. 6 and died there in 1912. Thus two houses in this short Gothic Revival row became associated with Van Heusen during different periods of his life.
(sources)
Bergen, Tunis Garret, general editor. Genealogies of the State of New York: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. Southern New York Edition, vol. III. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915, pp. 1037–1038.
Hoffman. Hoffman’s Albany Directory, 1844, p. 329.
[Albany city directory], 1905, p. 603.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 10, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2026, by Trudi Jacobson of Slingerlands, New York. This page has been viewed 13 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 1, 2026, by Trudi Jacobson of Slingerlands, New York. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.
