Troy, New York

Troy is a city in New York and the county seat of Rensselaer County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 49,170; in 1910, the population was 76,813. Troy is home to the world-famous Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is the hometown of Uncle Sam.[1]

History

The site of the city was a part of the Van Rensselaer grant of 1629. Van der Heyden was one of the first settlers. He purchased a farm of 65 acres which in 1787 was laid out as a village. The name, Troy, was adopted in 1789, and the place was chartered as a city in 1816.

It has been three times nearly destroyed by fire. In 1892 there were election riots there during which Robert Ross was murdered. One of his slayers, "Bat" Shea, was executed in 1896.

Geography

With a beautiful river waterfront, Troy is located at the head of the navigation on the Hudson River and is the terminus of the New York Barge Canal. It is the distributing center for a large area.

The city is on the border of the Adirondack country and is placed in the center of a beautiful surrounding country. On the east are the Berkshire Hills, south is the valley of the Hudson, west the valley of the Mohawk, and on the north the Adirondack Mountains.

Troy is located at 42°44'18" North, 73°40'51" West (42.738278, -73.680809)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.5 km² (11.0 mi²). 27.0 km² (10.4 mi²) of it is land and 1.6 km² (0.6 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 5.44% water.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 49,170 people, 19,996 households, and 10,737 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,823.7/km² (4,721.8/mi²). There are 23,093 housing units at an average density of 856.5/km² (2,217.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 80.22% White, 11.41% African American, 0.28% Native American, 3.49% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.20% from other races, and 2.35% from two or more races. 4.33% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 19,996 households out of which 27.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.6% are married couples living together, 16.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% are non-families. 36.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.26 and the average family size is 2.97.

In the city the population is spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 17.6% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $29,844, and the median income for a family is $38,631. Males have a median income of $30,495 versus $25,724 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,796. 19.1% of the population and 14.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 25.0% of those under the age of 18 and 9.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Culture

Troy remains a "Victorian City", despite troubles with poverty and crime, it is home to countless samples of Victorian architecture and iron work. The city has an impressive number of intact Louis Comfort Tiffany stained-glass windows in their original architectural settings. Many of the buildings are in disrepair, but concerned citizens and community groups and investors are taking a hand in restoring them.

The current mayor is Harry Tutunjian (Rep.), who replaced Mark Pattison in 2004.

Notable artists born in Troy are the actress Maureen Stapleton and the authors Alice Fulton and Richard Selzer. Notable residents have included Herman Melville, Emma Willard, Russell Sage, and Jane Fonda. Several books by noted author Kurt Vonnegut are set in the fictional city of "Illium", which is modeled on Troy, N.Y.

With a still-intact architectural heritage that is representative of urban settings of the late 19th century, cinematographers have found fertile ground for location filming in the city of Troy. Ironweed, Age of Innocence, Scent of a Woman, The Bostonians, The Emperor’s Club, and The Time Machine (2002 version) are some movies that were filmed in Troy.

Landmarks

Some famous and interesting portions of Troy include:

• Frear Bazaar
• Burden Ironworks
• The "castle" at 1 Jefferson
• Russell Sage College
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Houston Field House
• Emma Willard School
• Prospect Park
• Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
• Washington Street
• Troy Public Library
• St. Peter's Church

External links

• City of Troy Website
• Troy's history
• AOL. [{{{url}}} "Troy, New York"] (Map). Mapquest. AOL. {{cite map}}: Check |url= value (help)