Friday, July 29, 2011

De Tocqueville

It's easy to miss this plaque in Academy Park commemorating the visits of Alexis De Tocqueville to the Albany area in the early 1830s. His itinerary can be found here.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Madison Theater


Badly painted detail on the facade of the Madison Theater.

This Pine Hills landmark was built in the late 1920s and its design was the work of Thomas Lamb. Lamb also designed the wonderfully preserved Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, several Broadway theatres, many movie palaces, and Manhattan's Academy of Music building.

When last I heard, the Madison was for sale.

More on its history can be found here.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Monday, July 18, 2011

Like Old Lace


Beautiful old iron railings on a Westerlo Street house. The adjacent building has an identical balcony in black.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Bleecker Park


A slim wedge of land along Madison Avenue just across from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Bleecker Park is one of Albany's oldest green spaces (Liberty Park, further east, is older). On a hot afternoon, some chubby robins were cooling themselves in its ornamental fountain.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Simply Symbols


A group of small wooden symbols - a crescent moon, a star, a heart, New York State, and a tree - adorn the side of a building on lower Madison Avenue.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Madison Place Sunflower


A bee makes good use of a sunflower blooming on Madison Place, just below Eagle Street.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Looking Back

View of Albany looking south on the Corning Trail on a very hot afternoon.

I walked the full length of this bike path - from Albany's boat launch north to Watervliet yesterday. There are several interesting historical markers along the portion of the trail passing through Menands and Watervliet, but none along the Albany stretch.

Monday, July 11, 2011

A Little Light

A decorative light hangs loosely from a tree in Dana Park at the corner of Delaware and Madison Avenues.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Lafayette Park

Just across Washington Avenue and adjacent to Academy Park, a plaque and park honor the Marquis de Lafayette's services during the American Revolution and later visits to Albany.