Albany is an often-overlooked city, as the city constantly sits in the shadow of New York City and Buffalo. That being said, Albany is still the capital of New York State, meaning the city is very important. Beyond that, Albany has many important and interesting sites to visit, most of which are extremely important to our nation’s history. Don’t worry, if you close on one of the Albany houses for sale, you’ll certainly have plenty of amazing places close by. So what are these great sites that you can visit in Albany, and why are they so critical to our nation’s history? Here are three historic sites you can visit in Albany.
New York State Capitol Building
Perhaps the biggest and most important historical site to visit in Albany is the New York State Capitol Building. As mentioned before, Albany is the capital of the state of New York, meaning the city has a lot of importance. It is here where most of the state’s politics take place, meaning the Capitol Building is a critical part of the infrastructure of the state. Since New York is one of the biggest and most prominent states in the country, its politics are extremely important. Some major decisions that altered American history were made in this building, meaning that the building has lots of political and historical value. There are plenty of tours that you can take through the building, allowing you to learn more about both the state’s history and politics. Albany’s main claim to fame is being New York’s capital, so it makes perfect sense that the capitol building would be a major place to visit.
Schuyler Mansion
The Schuyler Mansion is a national historic landmark located in Albany, standing out as one of the area’s premier historical destinations. The Schuyler Mansion was owned by Phillip J. Schuyler, one of the military leaders in the American Revolutionary War. However, his main claim to fame is fathering a daughter, Elizabeth, who would go on to marry Alexander Hamilton. After Schuylers death and several sales, the mansion was sold to the state of New York. After some restoration, the mansion opened to the public in 1917, and has served as a historical site ever since. Here you can be transported back into the Revolutionary War, touring a building that has truly stood the test of time. Some of America’s most prominent figures were in the Schuyler Mansion at one time or another, and it’s extremely cool to see what they lived like firsthand.
Oakwood Cemetery
Another great historical site in the Albany area is the Oakwood Cemetery. There are many famous American figures buried in this cemetery, most of which you are likely familiar with. Sam Wilson, the famous meat packer from the area is one of the most prominent people buried in the cemetery. Today he is better known as “Uncle Sam”, a man that is almost synonymous with American values. Outside of Uncle Sam, there are other prominent people that are buried in the Oakwood Cemetery. These include famous women’s rights activist Emma Willard, several Civil War generals, and multiple former members of the U.S House of Representatives. There are many people that had a huge impact on the preservation of America buried here, making this cemetery a great historical site that you definitely should consider visiting.
