A vision of Troy in 2016 -- from a century ago
Airships!
Check out this spectacular vision of downtown Troy in 2016 -- as imagined in 1916. It's like Fritz Lang meets Jules Verne. Here's an uncropped, large format version.
The image is from a program for a vaudeville show that played at the old Proctor's in Troy a century ago. We came across it when Emily Zimmerman shared it on Instagram last week. The people at the Rensselaer County Historical Society were nice enough to pull out a high-resolution version of the image and send it to us.
As RCHS executive director Ilene Frank mentioned to us in an email: "I don't know specifically what prompted this vision, but it is definitely in the time period of major Expos and World Fairs that promoted a technologically advanced and modern view of future society."
And a Troy on a whole different scale.
Hi there. Comments have been closed for this item. Still have something to say? Contact us.
Comments
Are those blimp powered Viking ships?! If so, we NEED these more than the Ferris Wheel or Marina or a permanent City Hall.
... said Colleen on Dec 2, 2013 at 7:56 PM | link
What a nice cruise that would be; trawling the skyways, a choice of Beer, wine, cider, friends leaving via parachute, what a treasure of a dream. The Saga's to tell.
... said Papa Dukes on Dec 2, 2013 at 9:12 PM | link
I love images like this, before every book,image and movie in the future went dystopian.
... said Kevin on Dec 3, 2013 at 10:03 AM | link
I swear those lions have the date of 2006 on them. It is amazing the visions of the past for the future, while today we crave to see the vision of the past as the future.
... said John on Dec 3, 2013 at 11:50 AM | link
I remember seeing this image in a storefront in Troy years ago. I thought it was a rendering of what a group of school children imagined the city would look like in the future?
... said Alison on Dec 3, 2013 at 12:04 PM | link
Error - the large space needle up on the RPI hill will not be there, but rather a 250 foot tall gilded statue of Shirley Jackson looking down dismissively upon Troy, continuously rotating and illuminated by spotlights at night.
... said -R. on Dec 3, 2013 at 12:37 PM | link
A few years ago James Howard Kunstler wrote a great piece for Orion Magazine about these types of "Yesterday's Tomorrow" images:
Back to the Future:
A road map for tomorrow's cities
http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/6336/
... said Duncan Crary on Dec 3, 2013 at 12:50 PM | link
Please note the Amazon delivery zeppelins.
... said Rob on Dec 3, 2013 at 1:13 PM | link
they got one thing right..notice the flags..we're still the USA, somewhat accurate.all around pretty dang cool getting in their heads a century ago.....JUST SAYIN'
... said michael on Dec 3, 2013 at 5:35 PM | link
I want the Viking zeppelin busses! Or the Viking style water taxis...
... said Andy on Dec 3, 2013 at 5:54 PM | link
1916 Troy was an awesome place. Look it up. 1976 Troy, not so much. I was born there, grew up there, and the aspirations of a once great city were long gone in my time. It’s interesting to see what a past generation felt about the backwater of upstate New York that I grew up in.
... said Elliott Wilson on Dec 4, 2013 at 12:46 AM | link
Disappointed. There's nothing in that image to imply that the artist based his vision on Troy. It's a generic image that someone slapped "Troy" on the bottom of back in 1916.
... said Tim on Dec 4, 2013 at 11:27 AM | link
Blimps, that's what's missing, and RPI has two in its buitech building. Unleash them on the city, dropping skittles, "catch the rainbow." WE don;t needs the predators or canyonization of whatever blvd that's supposed to be.
... said bill puka on Dec 4, 2013 at 7:03 PM | link
Sooooooo...... Is the blimp going to be cheaper than the CDTA.? O.o
... said KP Stonez on Dec 5, 2013 at 1:58 AM | link
I'm curious the true origin of this photo. Apparently it was also used in 1910 by the Greater St. Louis Magazine: http://historyhappenshere.org/node/6810
... said Kyle on Dec 5, 2013 at 5:03 PM | link
What makes it troy is that in 1916 troy was full of life and industry, and the underlying belief was that it would grow into a bastion of scientific growth and economic prosperity.
... said wes on Dec 5, 2013 at 6:46 PM | link
My father was born in Troy in 1900.
Can you imagine coming of age in the 1920's!
His father came over from England in the late 1800's, and didn't have a pot to , well you know.
He used someone else's passport to get from Bialistock to England. That was to avoid conscription in the Russian army. He worked at any job he could find, and ended up one of the richest men in Troy. He founded the second oldest Reformed synagogue in Troy. He was a developer. His first wife could not have children so he got a ,(get) Jewish divorce. His second wife was the polish maid, she raised chickens in their expansive backyard, did all the housework, and took care of her employers. She had 5 children, my dad was one of five children. She died in 1918 of the bird flu.My grandfather maried two more times. his fourth wife died a few years ago. His son, my uncle is William Goldstein, screen writer in Beverly Hills. His first,and second movie starred Joseph cotton,and Vincent Price. The movies were called Dr. Phibes, one,and two. His third movie will be shot in N.Y.C. this spring. They are horror movies.. My dad was a printer . Two of my dad's sisters married quite well. One was married to a man who owned Carr meat packing company. another was married to a South American industrialist, then an ambassador from Brazil to the U.S., Bulgaria, Gemany. That was my uncle Mario. He was very distinguised with silk vests, three piece suits, and a monocule in his eye.I loved when he put me on his knee,and told me stories of his travels. Wanted to bring him to school for show,and tell, because no one bellieved my uncle was an ambassador!
... said mg on Jan 1, 2014 at 1:00 AM | link
I just noticed that it says "2006" on the pillar under the Lion on the bottom right corner. Looks like this might have been from earlier but i cant read the left pillar.
... said Matt Pickering on Jan 4, 2016 at 3:38 PM | link
No, no. It is 2006 not 2016!!!!!
1906-2006 Chamber of Commerce poster.
... said Don Rittner on Feb 13, 2016 at 6:14 PM | link
There is an Albany one I've seen just like this, view up State. Same time period. It was in a book on local things from back then (late teens/twenties). Saw it almost fifteen years ago and thought this was it.
... said Alex on Sep 27, 2018 at 1:45 AM | link
@Alex, do you remember what book it appeared in, perchance?
... said Ian Benjamin on Sep 27, 2018 at 4:30 PM | link