Echoes of New Netherland in Albany, NY

New York

October 2025

History & Controversy at Albany's Empire State Plaza

On our visit to Albany, NY, we started at the Empire State Plaza. Today, it is a significant landmark; however, it is surrounded by several controversies, including forced displacement and high costs.

In the late 1950s, then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller envisioned the beginning of a “new Albany.” Apparently, the final push came in 1959 when Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands visited for the 350th anniversary of the Hudson-Champlain exploration. While riding through the streets with the princess, the governor was reportedly ashamed to show the “historic but shabby capital city.”

The official groundbreaking began in 1965, bulldozing approximately 40 city blocks. The project displaced a thriving neighborhood known as “The Gut”. Around 7,000 residents (3,600 to 3,700 households) and about 400 businesses were forced to relocate. The largest civic construction project of the 20th century was completed by the late 1970s. The Egg, a structure slightly tilted and only supported by a massive concrete stem buried 60 feet, was the last building to be completed in 1978. The total estimate was $1.7 billion at the time.

The famous “I ❤️ NY” logo was designed in 1977 by graphic designer Milton Glaser for the state to promote tourism and cultural pride. Controversies or not, as tourists, we were admiring the plaza and the sign. Still, after seeing an old photo of the original houses and buildings, I have a gut feeling that Albany’s original vibrant heart, filled with people rather than tall buildings, would have been even more worth the visit.

Our Brief Capitol Visit with Construction and Closure

Our second stop was at the New York State Capitol. The construction of this enormous structure, a three-acre, five-story granite building, took 32 years, from 1867 to 1899. Architecturally, the building is a stunning combination of Romanesque Revival and French Renaissance Revival styles.

The front of the building was, regrettably, hardly visible. The large, ceremonial Eastern Approach stairs were undergoing a thorough renovation and were fenced entirely off, effectively blocking the view. I still managed to take a picture as best as I could through the barrier.

Since the building was closed on Sunday, we knew we would miss the famous “Million Dollar Staircase” inside. We walked around the building to fully take in the view. We will definitely need to revisit this Capitol in the future to see its interior and renovated staircase.

🇳🇱 Oranje Boven, Albany's Dutch Heritage

Next, we walked into the Ten Broeck Triangle neighborhood. This area is a living testament to Albany’s deep Dutch roots. Albany is one of the oldest cities in the United States. Its history began with the Dutch following Henry Hudson’s 1609 voyage (sailing for the Dutch East India Company). The first permanent European settlement in New Netherland was established here in 1624, with Fort Orange (named after the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange) as a critical fur-trading post. The civilian community that grew around it was known as Beverwijck. Forty years later, in 1664, the Dutch surrendered to the English, and the settlement was renamed Albany.

We immediately noticed the ongoing influence of the original Dutch settlers, seen in both prominent family names. Dutch names like Ten Broeck and Van Rensselaer are still visible in park names and street signs. They belonged to influential Dutch families who dominated the area’s political and economic life for centuries. There is still an Orange Street, named for Fort Orange.

It’s also still visible in the architectural style, as in the Ten Broeck Mansion, built in 1798. This was the home of General Abraham Ten Broeck, a key figure in the American Revolution and one of Albany’s first mayors, who descended from the original Dutch settlers. His house is a prime example of Dutch architectural tradition, featuring red brick and symmetrical lines, a style still evident in the Netherlands.

More Dutch Roots in Albany's Quackenbush Square

We continued our visit to Quackenbush Square. This name is another legacy of the district’s Dutch roots. The name is derived from a prominent Dutch brickmaking family that settled in Albany when it was still a colonial trading post.

Built in 1736, the Quackenbush House is considered the second-oldest Dutch building in Albany and is currently the home of The Olde English Pub.

Connecting Downtown and the Hudson River

Often, highways through a city have become barriers, dividing the downtown and the riverfront. However, Albany has found an elegant solution to circumvent this barrier. Since April 2022, the Albany Skyway has been open, connecting downtown and the Hudson Riverfront. The Skyway is a former I-787 exit ramp that was converted into an elevated park and pedestrian bridge.

As we walked over the footbridge toward the Hudson River, the scenery changed from urban to green. Near the Hudson River, we got beautiful views of the skyline and the river. Even here, there was another Dutch reminder: the little tour boat with its name “Dutch Apple Cruises,” connected with Albany’s history, the Dutch settlers, and the abundance of apple orchards in the Hudson Valley.

Beverwijck, Albany, and the Hudson's Beaver Bounty

Back in downtown, close to State Street, a marker posed the question, “Why Is Albany Here?” A summary of the information provided follows.

Albany, on the Hudson River, was home to the Mohawk and Mahican peoples for thousands of years. The city’s European beginning can be traced to 1609, when the Dutch arrived seeking fortune. They found a valuable resource here, the beaver. The world’s “Little Ice Age” made the beavers’ pelts highly valuable in Europe.
The Dutch established partnerships with Native tribes and built trading posts, starting with Fort Nassau (1614) and later Fort Orange (1624). The latter trade center rapidly grew, and by 1652, the surrounding settlement was formally named Beverwijck, or the “Beaver District.”
Beverwijck flourished as a thriving center where Dutch and Native traders exchanged pelts for European goods. Mohawk men hunted the beaver, and Mohawk women processed their skins. The Dutch shipped tens of thousands of processed pelts from the Hudson Valley to Europe.

The Dutch colonial control ended in September 1664. Being outnumbered and facing the superior naval power of the English, Peter Stuyvesant surrendered without a fight. Beverwijck became Albany, beginning its long history under English rule, a period that lasted until the independence of the United States (1775-1783).

Beverwijck, Albany, and the Hudson's Beaver Bounty

On our way back to the car, we walked through Maiden Lane, a narrow path dating back to 1670, one of Albany’s original streets that runs directly through the area where the first Dutch stockade was built. The settlement’s original foundation, Fort Orange, was close by, though it no longer stands.

What If Beverwijck Had Won?

What an enjoyable visit this has been. We knew about New York’s Dutch roots, but never realized Albany and the New Netherland colony had such prominence here in the 17th century. It only leaves the question: What if the Dutch had successfully defended New Netherland? Would Dutch have become a dominant language in North America? Would America have become the United States?

Dates

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Distance

6.41 mi

Moving Time

2:36:16 hrs

WEATHER

70 °F, light air