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This month in Rensselaer County History!

#DidYouKnow…

March 22, 1811: Bank of Troy is established and comes under the management of 17 directors. Richard P. Hart, one of the original residents of the Hart-Cluett House, was one of the 17 original directors and one of the 7 from Troy. The bank ceased operation on February 27, 1865. The building is located at 17 First Street and is currently home to the dive bar, Footsy Magoos.

March 31, 1825: The Troy Steamboat Company is incorporated. Richard P. Hart and Philip Hart Jr. are part of the organizers. The Chief Justice Marshall is the company’s steamboat and made its first passage to Troy on March 12. The Chief Justice Marshall and a smaller boat named New London traveled daily from Troy to NYC with fare $4 and $3 respectively. Not a bad deal.

Each level of the model is detailed and the boat can be shown with each level open for viewing (approx. 4 ft in length).

March 17, 1837: Some of Troy’s citizens hung Irish effigies throughout the city to mock the Irish immigrants on St. Patrick’s Day. When an Irishman attempted to take down the effigies, he was blocked from doing so. He gathered fellow community members to accomplish the task but instead a riot broke out and continued to attack stores and people. Richard P. Hart, Mayor at the time, called on the Citizens’ Corps to settle the riot which lasted into the night - injuring more people before eventually being snuffed. 

Happy Birthday, Poestenkill and Sand Lake!

March 2, 1848: The town of Poestenkill is formed from a part of Sand Lake.

March 21, 1812: An act of legislature formed the town of Sand Lake from Greenbush and Berlin. It became an official town March 1, 1813.