There’s always more to a story, and yesterday’s piece about the Jackson County mountain named for Albany blacksmith Ben Johnson was no exception. As soon as it appeared, readers responded with additional details.
In November 2019, the Albany Landmarks Commission approved contractor Joel Dahl’s restoration of the historic Goltra House at Montgomery Street and Fourth Avenue, but members were interested in preserving a future possibility of recreating the appearance of two elaborate brick chimneys sticking out above the roof.
I’ve looked for clues in various archives, but so far I haven’t been able to learn why there are remnants of a railroad track buried in Baker Street downtown.
If they ever get around to repaving central Albany’s old streets, I hope they don’t tear out this rusty reminder of the city’s history in advanced — for the time — passenger rail.
Albany officials think there’s a way to keep operating the city’s electric generator while cutting back on regulatory expenses. Let’s hope they are right and Albany’s historic role in hydropower production can be continued and preserved.
The mystery of the name in the sidewalk on Albany’s First Avenue — if a mystery it was —  has been cleared up, as far as I’m concerned.
On the riverfront: New use for historic building
A construction fence blocking a Water Avenue parking lot drew my attention as I rode past on my bike. So I stopped to see what was up.
Tags: Albany Custom Mill, Albany history, Albany riverfront, Avery Mill, Historic buildings, Water Avenue