Townsend Furnace

This iron cover in the sidewalk on Washington Avenue by the State Capitol bears the name of the Townsend Furnace which was a prominent Albany foundry in the 19th-century.  A few blocks to the west, Townsend Park is named for the family which owned the company.  One of its most notable members was Mayor John Townsend.

Healthy Hearts On The Hill

These signs - and smaller ones with arrows - have been appearing around Albany in recent weeks.  This particular sign is just outside the main branch of the Public Library on Washington Avenue.  They're part of a project called Healthy Hearts On The Hill, a program which is meant to promote heart-friendly lifestyles in the West Hill area of the city.  Here's their Facebook page.

Ghost Ship (Sort of)

I've always had a real love for historic markers and can never pass one without stopping to read it.  But it wasn't until last week that I noticed a hidden detail on at least one such sign.  The outline of a ship can be faintly seen beneath the raised yellow letters and blue paint.  No doubt, it's supposed to be a nod to Henry Hudson's Haelve Maen.

Rhymes With Shadow

I don't get to Saratoga Springs as often as I'd like, but this weekend, I took a little detour to revisit the gardens at Yaddo.  The imposing stone mansion at the historic artists retreat is strictly private, but the beautiful gardens (with their fountains, roses, and statues) are open to the public. 

WEIRD

A homemade sign in the window of the Van Rensselaer Apartments.  (The building, at the corner of Madison and Delaware Avenue was built in 1901 and was designed by architect Marcus T. Reynolds).

Pond Pals

A duck and a turtle keep company on a sunny morning in Washington Park.

Triecentennial Time Capsule

Tucked in the foliage behind the statue in Tricentennial Park is a small plaque noting that a time capsule was place here in 1986.