Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Walking Around Altamont, New York






I took my camera to Altamont,
a mile square village within
the Town of Guilderland.






Today is a "walk down memory lane."





I worked in the Key Bank
building for three years,
from 2002 - 2005.







During that time, I ran the Altamont Free Library, which was located in the basement of
the bank.





The same Gum Ball
machine sits at the
top of the stairway.











 residents descended these
 stairs to use their library.












I walk across the 
park....












... to Altamont's historic
train station, built in 1896.








Restored & technologically
Library opened here in 2012
to continue service to 
village residents.





Since 1916, the Library has been housed in numerous buildings.  I'll point them out during
my walk.




 House was a museum for
many years.

It was added to the National
 Registry of Historic Places
in 1973.




In 2003, this beautiful building again became a private residence.






A Blue Stone Slate walkway
leads to this beautifully
maintained home.





I walk up to this ornamental
tree to read the sign that
hangs from it.






Yellow tags with writing hang from the tree.





Passersby are invited to write
down their wishes & hang 
them from the tree's branches.

It is believed that words left
here will blow into the wind
& wishes will come true.





village's Catholic Church.







Built as a chapel for residents, guests and workers in 1888, Saint Lucy's congregation grew, became a parish and thrived for many years.  As church membership in the area dropped, St. Lucy's merged with Berne's St.Bernadette's in 2010.






Altamont's older homes
have welcoming
porches.









The Beebe Harness Shop was
 the first home of the Altamont
 Free Library in 1916.

It is now the Re-Nue Spa
 &Barber Shop.









reminds me that Altamont
has been changing 





The Severson House Hotel
was built here in 1867.

People traveled by train to
Altamont to enjoy their
summers at the foot of the
Heldeberg Mountains.




A grocery store replaced the aging hotel.  The refurbished building was designed to replicate the nearby train station.






The landscaping at this 
home is beautiful.











was dedicated in 1888.





This home has a 
carefully chosen
color scheme.










was housed in a few rooms
Home in the early 1920s.










Schilling Park is located 
on the site of the former
Dietz Bottling Company.







I love the expansive porches
on this house.










the area's weekly newspaper
was first published here 
in 1901.










A lot has changed in over one hundred years.





The Altamont Enterprise
moved to this larger
building.











These apartments were 
built to blend in with the
village's older homes.










following flooding in
2011.









I like the red trim
on this large home.




in the early 1870s, welcomed
all denominations because it
was it only church in the area
when it was first built.







This home, with porches on
the side reminds me of homes






The pretty blue porch ceiling is a Southern tradition.  Many believed that the blue porch ceilings kept "haints," haunting evil spirits away from the people living in an area rich with ghosts.  






dedicated to the World






This building, on Main Street, adjacent to the railroad tracks is the site of the former Dry Goods Store, built in the 1860s.  






Next door is the Park House
Apartments & The Spinning
Room Yarn Shop, built
in 1886.




The Joseph Snyder Store,
 built in 1869, now houses
Veronica's Tavern.






The former pharmacy is now















Altamont continues to grow
& change with homes built
in the 1970s.






I enjoyed walking around Village of Altamont and remembering my time working in this community that has been dedicated to reading and learning for 101 years, and counting...

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