Capitol Hill in Albany in Albany County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
334 Madison Avenue
Photographed by Trudi Jacobson, October 14, 2026
1. 334 Madison Avenue Marker
Victorian alterations 1870's by
Hezekiah Dodge news agent
1843
Erected by Historic Albany Foundation, Inc.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Historic Albany Foundation series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1843.
Location. 42° 39.014′ N, 73° 45.838′ W. Marker is in Albany, New York, in Albany County. It is in Capitol Hill. It is on Madison Avenue (U.S. 20) 0.2 miles west of South Swan Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 334 Madison Avenue, 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
this page online
Regarding 334 Madison Avenue. The house at 334 Madison Avenue was built in 1843 by carpenter Matthew Gleason, according to its Historic Albany Foundation plaque. The house, originally on Lydius Street (renamed Madison Avenue in 1867), underwent Victorian alterations in the 1870s during the occupancy of Hezekiah Dodge, a news agent. The facade reflects these changes, notably its projecting bay window and upper balcony.
Dodge's residence is documented in Albany city directories. The 1861 directory lists him as a news agent living at 334 Lydius Street, while the 1868 directory identifies him at 334 Madison Avenue. The street had been
Photographed by Trudi Jacobson, October 14, 2026
2. 334 Madison Avenue with Marker
Dodge belonged to a family with connections to Albany's commercial life. According to a published Dodge genealogy, he was born in New Baltimore, New York, on November 9, 1825, the son of Amos Dodge and Helen Houghtaling. Amos was himself listed as a newsdealer in the 1861 Albany City Directory. Hezekiah married Helen M. Lavallie of Albany in 1855.
Another intriguing aspect of Dodge's career is a United States patent issued on November 14, 1871, to Hezekiah Dodge of Albany for an improvement in apparatus for drying and finishing paper. The patented device used stationary, steam-heated surfaces to dry and finish paper, cloth, or other materials as they passed between them under pressure. Although the patent does not identify a street address, the inventor's name, city, and period strongly suggest that he was the news agent who occupied this house.
The history of 334 Madison Avenue illustrates the evolution of Albany's nineteenth-century residential architecture, while its association with Dodge provides a glimpse into the city's newspaper trade and the inventive activity of the period.
Sources
Albany City Directory. 1861. Entries for Amos Dodge and Hezekiah Dodge.
Albany City Directory. 1868. Entry for Hezekiah Dodge.
Dodge, Hezekiah. Improvement in Apparatus for Drying and Finishing Paper. U.S. Patent No. 120,810, November 14, 1871. https://patents.google.com/patent/US120810A/en
Waite, Diana S., ed. Albany Architecture: A Guide to the City. Albany: Mount Ida Press, 1993, p. 146.
Woodward, Theron Royal. Dodge Genealogy: Descendants of Tristram Dodge. Chicago, 1904, p. 101.
Photographed by Trudi Jacobson
3. Hezekiah Dodge's 1871 Patent, Improvement in apparatus for drying and finishing paper
Credits. This page was last revised on November 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 8, 2026, by Trudi Jacobson of Slingerlands, New York. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 8, 2026, by Trudi Jacobson of Slingerlands, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
