All Over Albany

Hidden City House & Garden Tour 2018

10 Thurlow Terrace.

The annual Hidden City House & Garden Tour in Albany returns June 21. As the names implies it's a garden and house tour through the Center Square, Hudson/Park, and Washington Park neighborhoods.

Blurbage for this year's tour, which includes quite a house:

The main highlight of this year's tour is one of the most unique homes to ever be built in the city of Albany; "The Castle". The majestic Queen Anne style mansion, built in 1891 by noted local architect Ernest Hoffman, towers over Washington Park Lake at 10 Thurlow Terrace. It was the winter home to the prolific inventor, Charles La Dow, and his family, and features original, unique flooring in every room, beautiful interior hardware, and oddities only an inventor would truly appreciate, among many other things.

While this extravagant home may have been built for the La Dow family, the building's history extends well beyond the original owners. Albany Archives' Matt Malette will be on hand in the mansion giving informal tours throughout the evening. Generally closed to the public, this once-in-a-lifetime experience to finally see what the 8,500 square foot La Dow Mansion has been hiding on its four floors for almost 130 years is what you've been waiting for.

The Hidden City House & Garden Tour is Thursday, June 21 from 5-8 pm. It's self-guided and rain-or-shine. Tickets are currently $20 and available online. (The price increases to $25 starting June 16.)

It's a collaboration of the Center Square Association, Hudson/Park Neighborhood Association, and Historic Albany Foundation.