Center Square & Hudson/Park in Albany in Albany County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
42 Willett Street
Photographed by Trudi Jacobson, October 4, 2026
1. 42 Willett Street Marker
Oliver & Marion R. Oliver
1877
Architect Potter & Robertson
Erected by Historic Albany Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1877.
Location. 42° 39.311′ N, 73° 45.995′ W. Marker is in Albany, New York, in Albany County. It is in Center Square & Hudson/Park. It is on Willett Street 0.1 miles south of Lancaster Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 42 Willett Street, Albany NY 12210, 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: 40 Willett Street (here, next to this marker); 216 Lancaster Street
this page online
Regarding 42 Willett Street. Robert Shaw Oliver (1847–1935) began his military career during the Civil War, entering service at age seventeen as a second lieutenant in the 5th Massachusetts Colored Cavalry. After the war he remained in the regular Army for several years, then settled in Albany and joined the New York National Guard, eventually rising to brigadier general.
Oliver was also active in Albany business and civic life and was associated for many years with the stove-manufacturing firm Rathbone, Sard & Company. In 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him Assistant Secretary of War, a position he continued to hold under President William Howard Taft until 1913. His interests extended well beyond military affairs: in 1881 Oliver
Photographed by Trudi Jacobson, October 4, 2026
2. 42 Willett Street with Marker
Albany Architecture states that Oliver owned 42 Willett Street throughout the late nineteenth century and preserves a much more domestic glimpse of the household. Huybertie Pruyn recalled that in 1886 neighborhood children held Saturday “Field Days” on the mall in front of the Olivers’ house, sometimes involving twelve children and ten dogs.
The architectural attribution of the house is somewhat less straightforward. The Historic Albany Foundation plaque identifies Potter & Robertson as the architects of 42 Willett, but the two architectural guides consulted specifically document the firm’s designs for nearby 38 and 44 Willett Street. Albany Architecture describes 40–42 Willett as a pair of Queen Anne-style houses dating from 1877 that forms a compatible link with those Potter & Robertson residences, while Architects in Albany lists 38 Willett, 44 Willett, and the Pruyn Building on North Pearl Street among the firm’s Albany works. The plaque’s attribution may therefore reflect additional documentation not cited in those guides.
Sources:
“Distinguished Successful Americans of Our Day.” Summarizes Oliver’s military service, Rathbone, Sard & Co. employment, Albany civic roles, and appointment as Assistant Secretary of War.
Gilder, Cornelia Brooke. “Potter & Robertson.” In Architects in Albany. Mount Ida Press, 2009. Documents the firm’s Albany work and specifically lists 38 and 44 Willett, useful for explaining the discrepancy with the plaque’s attribution of 42 Willett.
Parker, Amasa J., ed. Landmarks of Albany County, New York. D. Mason & Co., 1897. Provides a detailed contemporary biography of Oliver’s Civil War service, regular-Army career, and New York National Guard advancement.
Tennis.com, “TBT, 1881: The birth of USLTA, when the game was called lawn tennis.” Documents Oliver of the Albany Lawn Tennis Club as the first president of the national lawn-tennis association.
Waite, Diana S., ed. Albany Architecture: A Guide to the City. Mount Ida Press, 1993. Gives the 40–42 Willett history, identifies Oliver as longtime owner of 42, preserves the “Field Day” recollection, and distinguishes the pair from the Potter & Robertson houses at 38 and 44.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 12, 2026, by Trudi Jacobson of Slingerlands, New York. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 12, 2026, by Trudi Jacobson of Slingerlands, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
