Local History Videos

  Glimpse history through old images of Albany, in the US State of New York. The City of Albany, New York, is the capital of the U.S. state of New York. Albany is the 11th largest city in the state of New York, the third largest city in New York (behind New York City and  Buffalo ), and the 146th largest city in the United States. Located on the Hudson River, Albany was a major transportation hub. Nowadays it’s a beautiful city with high rise districts, quaint neighborhoods, and a thriving arts and culture scene. And it’s just a short ride from NYC! This page is a collection of old photos and film that capture images of Albany’s history in the twentieth century. Old Photos of Albany, New York, 1890-1915 This is a wonderful collection of old photos showing a range of places in the city from 1895 to 1915. Each clear, crisp photo is accompanied with the location and approximate date.  It’s dramatic to see the change in street vehicles between 1900 and 1915. Horses and carts,...

  Glimpse history through old images of  Buffalo , the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York. Buffalo  Map 1880 This beautiful illustrated map shows the layout of the city’s streets and some of the key buildings of the time. Buffalo  New York History and Cartography (1880) – Bravura Media Company on YouTube Buffalo  1896-1915 Enjoy a showcase of old photos of  Buffalo  in New York state, taken between 1896 and 1915. Each image is labelled with the location and date, so you always know when and where you are. Old Photos of  Buffalo  City (1896-1915) – oldstuff4all on YouTube 1940s  Buffalo  Industry In 1940s  Buffalo , the lighthouse,Harbour and cheap hydroelectric power were key to the city’s strong industrial economy. Industry in  Buffalo , New York, 1940’s. Archive film 16924 – HuntleyFilmArchives on YouTube Buffalo ’s Historic Polonia District Many of the old photos of  Buffalo ’s Polonia District in th...

  Glimpse history through fascinating old images of  Rochester , in the US State of New York. Rochester  NY 1903-1915 Each old photo of  Rochester  NY taken between 1903 and 1915 is carefully labelled with the location and date, so you always know when and where you are. Old Photos of  Rochester  (N.Y.) – 1903-1915 – oldstuff4all on YouTube Rochester ’s Subway Between December 1927 and Saturday 30th June1956,  Rochester ’s subway was a popular way to travel. The two stations in the tunnel were left hidden from the public, many of the tunnels were filled in while the eastern section was converted to a portion of Interstate 490. Rochester  – The Abandoned Subway – Tim Stam on YouTube Rochester  Italian Family In the 1930s/40s, an Italian family who had recently moves to the United States made a home movie of their new life in  Rochester  NY. Much of it focuses on individual people. But in the background you can see homes and gard...

  Glimpse history through fascinating old images of  Syracuse , New York. Map of  Syracuse  1834 Syracuse  and Lodi were still just villages when this map was made in 1834, when the salt industry was still a vital part of the local economy. The rapid development of industry that sprang up around the salty springs along the shoreline of Onondaga Lake in the 18th and 19th centuries had led to the area being nicknamed ‘The Salt City’. 14 years earlier, the area did not have a post office because the settlement did not have a name. Between 1780 and 1817, the community had a succession of names: Salt Point, Webster’s Landing, Bogardus Corners, Milan, South Salina, Cossits’ Corners, and then back to Corinth on the suggestion of Joshua Forman. However, John Wilkinson’s first post office application was turned down because there was already a Corinth post office in Saratoga County, New York. John Wilkinson, a lawyer and banker, was reminded of the area’s “salt and fresh...