Jump to the intro.
The Capitol is, you know, the capitol. But look on the left side of the card -- row buildings instead of the ESP. Here's an aerial photo from almost the opposite angle.
Of course, all that's left of the Wellington is a facade. (A photoset from just before its demolition.) But when it did exist, we get the feeling the hotel was very proud to have a parking garage.
You'll recognize this as the federal courthouse downtown -- the building was originally built as a "federal building" to include both a post office and courts (the post office is longer there).
This building is still around (known to many people as Kiernan Plaza), but it's not a rail station (alas). It was vacant for many years, then a bank building, then vacant. Now it's slated to be office space and a NanoCollege "incubator." It has a beautiful interior.
Now the SUNY administration building. It was a former railroad company headquarters.
This "new" bridge is no longer there, of course. Here's a photo from the 1950s. The new new Dunn Memorial Bridge is much less dramatic.
Those awnings were jaunty.
Another structure that's still there, and still used as a pool.
The now Washington Ave Armory. Those trees really softened the exterior.
Now the downtown campus of UAlbany, on Western Ave. The school was then known as the New York State College for Teachers. Here's a panorama photo of the campus from 1909.
Still a dorm, now known as UAlbany's Alumni Quad.
The former Albany High School. The high school moved years ago, but it was still used as a school -- for a while it was Schuyler Elementary. It's now owned by UAlbany.
St. Peter's is still there, of course, as are these buildings. They just have a lot more architectural company now.
These postcards are from 1930-1945 -- so, no ESP in the skyline. (Also: Is that submarine along the waterfront?)
Here's a bunch of old postcards of Albany, originating in the same collection from which we pulled the vintage postcards of Troy a few months back.
The postcards are from a Boston Public Library collection. All the postcards are thought to have been printed between 1930-1945.
Some of the cards depict places that no longer exist, though many of the Albany spots have endured, if not necessarily with the same purpose. But even the cards that show buildings that still stand probably present a version of that place that never truly existed -- the backgrounds de-cluttered, the landscaping manicured, the scenes mostly devoid of people. It's the past as it was idealized by someone then.
Wish you were here...
The postcards are in large format above -- scroll all the way up.
The Boston Public Library has posted its postcard collection on Flickr -- and it's searchable (example: Troy). It also has defined a New York State set of cards.
The images are all Creative Commons licensed.
Earlier on AOA: Postcards from the past: Troy
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Comments
Princly's post cards was my dad's souvenier business from 1928. He had a card, souvenier, and gift shop on Madison Ave in Albany. One of his photographers, Sheldon Tumour, had worked for Gov Rockefeller. One year dad even printed christmas cards for the F.B.I! A few years before he died the T.U. printed an article about him.
I wrote about growing up here in my story "Mad About Madison". It was part of Paul Groundahl's stories of Albany T.U. series that the TU published.
... said mg on Nov 14, 2013 at 5:34 AM | link
There are some wonderful postcards of Lyons Lake in Nassau (The town in Rensselaer County, not long island) that you can see at http://www.lyons-lake.com/History.html too.
... said Cheryl on Nov 14, 2013 at 11:43 AM | link
There is an "old albany" facebook group: "Albany,, the way it was" :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/375351089205442/.
It has generated lots of old albany images - photos, postcards and ads.. some personal that have never been seen before of areas of albany long gone, We have collected those in a flickr site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/albanygroup/
... said julie oconnor on Nov 14, 2013 at 12:54 PM | link
I'm still waiting for some images of the vibrant walkable commercial waterfront district that was supposedly obliterated by I-787. I also still like the Corning Preserve better than any waterfront picture we've seen so far.
... said RealityCheck on Nov 14, 2013 at 3:22 PM | link
Hey AOA, know anything about this site? www.albanypostcardproject.com
Found it earlier today when looking for some more Albany postcard pix. E-mailed the guy from Albany Archives and he didn't write back. What is this?!?
... said Champ Kind on Nov 14, 2013 at 6:09 PM | link
I still have a couple of pieces of stationery from the time I stayed at the Wellington Hotel around 1980. I don't think hotels provide stationery anymore...
... said Ellen on Nov 14, 2013 at 7:40 PM | link
Some hotels still have stationary in the rooms. I know my favorite hotel in Seattle does. It's definitely less common than it used to be, though.
... said Paula on Nov 15, 2013 at 7:54 AM | link
I actually have a couple of those post cards . . . cool
... said KJS on Nov 18, 2013 at 8:57 PM | link