A Bit of Random Junk

Tucked along the Normanskill Creek under the Delaware Avenue bridge that connects Albany with Delmar, there is a delightful walking trail.

This area, at Albany's southern edge, has a history dating back to pre-colonial times; evidence of Native American encampments has been found along this part of the Normanskill. In the 17th-century, water rights along the creek were leased to a Dutch settler and the rushing waters provided power for small mills.

The walking trail passes landmarks such as the ruins of an ice house and sawmill from the early 19th-century, the Whipple Bridge (the oldest steel bridge in the country), the well-preserved 19th-century Normanskill Farm, a community garden, a real yellow brick road (see my Albany NY History blog about the road)...and this random piece of old farm machinery, slowly rusting in the underbrush along the stream.