Guilderland, New York
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Guilderland is a
town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...
in Albany County, New York, United States. In the 2020
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
, the town had a population of 36,848. The town is named for the
Gelderland Gelderland (), also known as Guelders () in English, is a province of the Netherlands, occupying the centre-east of the country. With a total area of of which is water, it is the largest province of the Netherlands by land area, and second by ...
province in the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. The town of Guilderland is on the central-northwest border of the county. It is just west of Albany, the capital of the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of New York.


History

Guilderland was originally a part of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck that
Patroon In the United States, a patroon (; from Dutch '' patroon'' ) was a landholder with manorial rights to large tracts of land in the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland on the east coast of North America. Through the Charter of Freedoms ...
Kiliaen van Rensselaer began in 1629 as part of the
New Netherland New Netherland ( nl, Nieuw Nederland; la, Novum Belgium or ) was a 17th-century colonial province of the Dutch Republic that was located on the east coast of what is now the United States. The claimed territories extended from the Delmarva P ...
colony. By the end of the 17th century,
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
settlers from Albany and
Schenectady Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Y ...
began to establish farms in the area, beginning first along the banks of the Normans Kill. In 1712, a group of emigrants from the
Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...
Valley in present-day
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
passed through the town on their way to Schoharie. They were the first to record and name the
Helderberg Escarpment The Helderberg Escarpment, also known as the Helderberg Mountains, is an escarpment in eastern New York, United States, roughly west of the city of Albany. The escarpment is the northeastern extremity of the Allegheny Plateau. It rises steepl ...
, originally Hellebergh meaning "bright or clear mountain". This name would also be used for all the land between the Normans Kill and the
escarpment An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that forms as a result of faulting or erosion and separates two relatively level areas having different elevations. The terms ''scarp'' and ''scarp face'' are often used interchangeably with ''esca ...
. In 1734, the first known religious service was held by a
Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
dominie Dominie ( Wiktionary definition) is a Scots language and Scottish English term for a Scottish schoolmaster usually of the Church of Scotland and also a term used in the US for a minister or pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church. Origin It comes fr ...
from
Athens, New York Athens is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 3,916 at the 2020 census. The town of Athens has a village also called Athens. The town is near the eastern edge of the county. History The town of Athens was for ...
to the "Normanskill Folk", and the first religious structure was a Dutch Reformed Church in 1750. Guilderland was, from its beginning, a location amenable to early industry due to its many streams for waterwheels, large forests for wood fuel, and the fine sand for glass works. In 1795, Jan and Leonard de Neufville (father and son) established a large glass factory mostly for the manufacture of windows but also for bottles of various shapes, sizes, and uses. Around this factory would spring up the hamlet of Hamilton (today called Guilderland). The factory could not compete with cheap British imports after the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...
, and with its collapse, the glass industry would never return to Guilderland. A hat factory and a foundry would both occupy the site over the next 200 years. French's Mills, another hamlet founded on industry, was home to many textile mills, due to the power harnessed from the falls on the Normans Kill near Guilderland Center. During the
US Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, many families in Guilderland were split in their loyalties. In New York, tenant farmers generally opposed their landlords, the Patroons, who sided with the rebellious independentists (Patriots), making New York one of the colonies where the war of Independence became a vicious civil war. The patroon of Rensselaerswyck and the local clergy, however, rallied the support of most of the local settlers in opposing the
Loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...
. Those who remained loyal to the established government operated, among other places, from the caves of the Helderbergs, raiding settlements with the help of Native Americans. A battle between Loyalists and rebel Schenectady Militia with help from
Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but it ...
Continental Troops was fought just east of Guilderland Center. It was later alleged the local Loyalists were about to burn Schenectady and Albany, which is not entirely trustworthy as these would have been their own neighbors. In any case, the victory of the American forces allowed the Rhode Island contingent to travel to Saratoga for the Battle of Saratoga that occurred five weeks later, the turning point of the US Revolution. From 1799 until its formation in 1803, Guilderland was a part of the town of Watervliet. The name Guilderland (spelled Guilderlandt in the original law) was the suggestion of resident
Jeremiah Van Rensselaer Jeremiah Van Rensselaer (August 27, 1738February 19, 1810), from the prominent Van Rensselaer family, was Lieutenant Governor of New York and a member of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York in the 1st United Sta ...
, who happened to be Lieutenant-Governor of the state at the time, and as such was President of the Senate. His family (that of the original patroon) and many of the original settlers came from
Gelderland Gelderland (), also known as Guelders () in English, is a province of the Netherlands, occupying the centre-east of the country. With a total area of of which is water, it is the largest province of the Netherlands by land area, and second by ...
, a province of the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. In 1871 the northwestern part of Albany, west from Magazine Street, was annexed to Guilderland, after the town of Watervliet refused the annexation of the same territory. Parts of this territory would be annexed back to Albany in 1910, setting up more or less the current border. At the start of the town's founding, the Schoolcraft family was prominent. Congressman John L. Schoolcraft was born in Guilderland in September 1806. When his father, Captain John Schoolcraft, died in December of the same year, he was raised by his grandfather, John Schoolcraft. Wealthy grandfather Schoolcraft, who owned much property in Guilderland hamlet and ran an inn and tavern, was the first Justice of the Peace in the hamlet, an elder and trustee of the Hamilton Union Church, and a member of the first Guilderland School Board. He was also the uncle of the famed Henry Rowe Schoolcraft. John L. Schoolcraft started a profitable mercantile business, became president of Albany Commercial Bank (later part of today's Key Bank), and was groomed for politics by Thurlow Weed, editor of the Albany Evening Journal, winning his first Congressional election in 1848. In the 1840s, Schoolcraft built the early Gothic Schoolcraft mansion John Schoolcraft House upon his return from a European journey. He used it mostly as a summer residence. Schoolcraft was a close friend and confidant of Governor William Seward and married Seward's niece, Carolyn Canfield, in 1853.


Historic sites

A number of sites in Guilderland are included on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, including - * Albany Glassworks Site * Apple Tavern *
Aumic House The Aumic House in Guilderland, New York was built in 1887. It is a massive, composite styled building with hipped roof and gables and dormers. It includes Shingle Style and Colonial Revival elements. The house is built partway up a hill, the ...
* Chapel House * Coppola House * Dipietro Residence (Town Crony) * Frederick Crouse House *
Jacob Crouse Inn The Jacob Crouse Inn is a historic inn located at Guilderland in Albany County, New York. The original building was built about 1833 and is a rectangular structure with a gable roof. Around 1870 it was enlarged with the addition of a central ga ...
*
John and Henry Crouse Farm Complex John and Henry Crouse Farm Complex is a historic home and farm complex located at Guilderland in Albany County, New York. The original house was built about 1790 and became the rear wing when the large, two story front addition was constructed ...
* Freeman House *
Fuller's Tavern Fuller's Tavern is a historic inn and tavern located at Guilderland in Albany County, New York. It was built about 1795 and is a two-story wood-frame house with a "saltbox" roof. It opened as a tavern house in 1806 and is one of the few remai ...
* Gardner House *
Gifford Grange Hall The Gifford Grange Hall is a historic Grange hall located in Guilderland, Albany County, New York. It was built about 1866 as a general store and post office. It is a plain, two story frame commercial building with a one-story porch across th ...
* Gillespie House *
Guilderland Cemetery Vault Guilderland Cemetery Vault is a historic burial vault located in Guilderland Cemetery at Guilderland in Albany County, New York. It was built in 1872 and is a small one story cobblestone building. It is built of coursed cobblestones with sm ...
* Hamilton Union Church Rectory * Hamilton Union Presbyterian Church *
Helderberg Reformed Dutch Church Helderberg Reformed Dutch Church was a historic Dutch Reformed church at 140 Main Street in Guilderland, Albany County, New York. It was built in 1895 in a vernacular Late Gothic Revival style. The church burned and was demolished in 1986. The ...
*
Adam Hilton House The Adam Hilton House is a historic house located at 6073 Leesome Lane in Guilderland, Albany County, New York. Description and history It was built about 1800 and is a substantial, two-story stone farmhouse, five bays wide with a gable roof. ...
* Houck Farmhouse * Knower House * McNiven Farm Complex * Mynderse-Frederick House * Norman Vale * Stephen Pangburn House * Charles Parker House *
Prospect Hill Cemetery Building Prospect Hill Cemetery Building is a historic burial vault located in Prospect Hill Cemetery at Guilderland in Albany County, New York. It was built in 1863 and is a small one story cobblestone building. It has a slate covered gable roof. It is ...
* Rose Hill * St. Mark's Lutheran Church * John Schoolcraft House * Schoolhouse No. 6 * Sharp Brothers House * Sharp Farmhouse *
Van Patten Barn Complex Van Patten Barn Complex is a historic barn complex located at Guilderland in Albany County, New York. The complex consists of a Dutch barn built about 1700 and two English barns built about 1830. It was listed on the National Register of Histor ...
*
Vanderpool Farm Complex Vanderpool Farm Complex is a historic home and barn located at Guilderland in Albany County, New York. The house was built about 1855 and has a two-story main block with -story ell. It features a classical, recessed center entrance with side li ...
* Veeder Farmhouse No. 1 * Veeder Farmhouse No. 2 Beyond the U.S. National Register sites, Guilderland was also home to the New York Power Pool and its control center after the Power Pool's formation in 1966 in response to the 1965 blackout. Most of its operations were transferred over to the
NYISO New York energy law is the statutory, regulatory, and common law of the state of New York concerning the policy, conservation, taxation, and utilities involved in energy. Secondary sources have also influenced the law of energy in the Empire Stat ...
after the NYISO's formation in 1999. The NYISO built a new control center in 2014 in Rensselaer, New York.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (1.31%) is water. The town borders Schenectady County, New York, including the towns of
Princetown Princetown is a villageDespite its name, Princetown is not classed as a town today – it is not included in the County Council's list of the 29 towns in Devon: located within Dartmoor national park in the English county of Devon. It is the ...
and
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...
on the northern and western edges. It also borders the towns of
Berne Bern () or Berne; in other Swiss languages, gsw, Bärn ; frp, Bèrna ; it, Berna ; rm, Berna is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city" (in german: Bundesstadt, link=no, french: ville fédérale ...
, Colonie,
Bethlehem Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital o ...
, and New Scotland and the
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
of Albany. There are several ZIP codes in Guilderland, including 12084 (Guilderland), 12085 (Guilderland Center), 12203 (Albany), 12009 ( Altamont), 12303 and 12306 (
Schenectady Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Y ...
), 12159 (
Slingerlands Slingerlands is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York, United States. It is located immediately west of Delmar and near the New Scotland town-line and south of the Albany city-limits, and is thus a suburb of Albany. The S ...
), and 12186 ( Voorheesville). Two interstate highways,
I-87 Interstate 87 may refer to either of two unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States: * Interstate 87 (New York), a highway running from New York City north to the Canadian border in Champlain, New York. * Interstate 87 (North Carolina) ...
and I-90 run through Guilderland, meeting in the city of Albany, north of Crossgates Mall a large mall on the edge of Guilderland.
US 20 U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. S ...
also runs through the town.


Demographics

As of the 2010
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
, there were 35,303 people and 14,205 households residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 86.21%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 3.41%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.14% Native American, 7.49%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.04%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.01% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.93% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.76% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 3.2% of the population. There were 13,422 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.7% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.00. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $58,669 and the median income for a family was $68,472. Males had a median income of $48,742 versus $34,796 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the town was $29,508. About 2.4% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over. 64.9% of workers are employed in the private-sector, and 29.1% are government employees.


Education

In 1812 the town was divided into eight school districts, mostly rural one room school houses. In 1901 the first high school in the town would be established at Altamont, this would be the only high school between Albany and Schoharie at the time. In 1953 the Guilderland Central School District would be formed on the consolidation of the eight smaller districts. Guilderland is served by the Guilderland Central School District. It has one high school,
Guilderland High School Guilderland High School is a public senior high school, located in Guilderland Center, New York. It is part of the Guilderland Central School District. Constructed in 1953, the high school has since undergone additions in 1955, 1960, 1997, 20 ...
, one middle school, Farnsworth Middle School, and five elementary schools. These include Guilderland Elementary School, Pine Bush Elementary School, Lynnwood Elementary School, Altamont Elementary School, and Westmere Elementary School. Some portions of the town are served by other school districts, including Voorheesville Central School District, based in the town of New Scotland; as well as Schalmont Central School District and
Mohonasen Central School District The Mohonasen Central School District (also known as the ''Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District'') is a public school district in New York State. Located in Schenectady County and services 2,850 students mostly from the town of Rotterda ...
, both of which are based in the town of
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...
.


Politics

The current
town supervisor The administrative divisions of New York are the various units of government that provide local services in the State of New York. The state is divided into boroughs, counties, cities, townships called "towns", and villages. (The only borou ...
is Peter G. Barber (since 2016). The current councilmen and councilwomen are Patricia Slavick (2000), Paul Pastore (2006), Lee Carman (2016), and Rosemary Centi (2016). Jean J. Cataldo is the current town clerk. Lynne Buchanan is the current Receiver of Taxes. The current town attorney is James Melita. The seat of Guilderland's government is the Guilderland Town Hall. The Town of Guilderland website is www.townofguilderland.org. Like most of Albany County, Guilderland generally votes for Democrats for state and federal offices.
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
received 60 percent of the vote in Guilderland in 2008, and 59 percent in 2012. Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representative
Tonko Tonko is a South Slavic masculine given name. In Croatian, it is a hypocorism of the name Antun and other cognates of Antonius. It is found in Slovene as a diminutive form of Anton, Antonij, and Antonijo in Slovenia. Given name *Tonko Lonza ( ...
all easily won Guilderland in their most recent elections. In June 2018, Richard Sherwood, a former town judge, pleaded guilty to federal money laundering and tax evasion charges as well as a state grand larceny charge. Sherwood stole $11 million from estate trust funds he was charged with managing in his private practice. He also transferred property to his own name. He faces 3.5 years to 10 years in prison.


Public safety


Emergency medical services

Emergency Medical Services Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care. ...
for the town of Guilderland are provided by three separate medical entities. Guilderland EMS, which was a division of the Guilderland Police Department but now operates on their own, provide the
Advanced Life Support Advanced Life Support (ALS) is a set of life saving protocols and skills that extend basic life support to further support the circulation and provide an open airway and adequate ventilation (breathing). Components These include: * Tracheal in ...
(career paramedics) for the town as well as other surrounding areas. Western Turnpike Rescue Squad served the local community from 1939 to 2018, before Guilderland EMS purchased an ambulance and assumed operations. Altamont Rescue Squad, established in 1937 provides
Basic Life Support Basic life support (BLS) is a level of medical care which is used for patients with life-threatening illnesses or injuries until they can be given full medical care by advanced life support providers (paramedics, nurses, physicians). It can be p ...
care as well as medical transport for the town in their designated zones. During college semesters BLS care and transport for the University at Albany is provided by Five Quad, an all volunteer EMS agency consisting of University of Albany students and alumni.


Fire departments

There are eight main fire departments that also provide rescue; including Guilderland Fire Department, Westmere Fire Department Guilderland Center Fire Department, Fort Hunter Fire Department, Altamont Fire Department, North Bethlehem Fire Department, McKownville Fire Department and Pine Grove Fire Department.


Police department

The Guilderland Police Department is staffed by 36 sworn members along with 10 telecommunicators, three administrative office staff members, three animal services members and 20 full time and part time, paramedics operating under the EMS division. The police department is organized into the Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations Unit, Traffic Safety Unit, Community Services Unit, K-9 Unit, Communications Division, and Animal Control Unit. The Guilderland Police Department is headquartered in Guilderland Town Hall, with a sub-station located at Crossgates Mall.


Communities

* Altamont – A
village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...
in the western part of Guilderland, west of Guilderland Center *Dunnsville – A
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
in the northwestern part of the town *Fort Hunter – A
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
in the northern part of the town * Fullers – A hamlet northwest of Hartmans Corners on Route 20 * Guilderland – A hamlet with the same name as the town; located on Route 20, established in 1796 * Guilderland Center – A hamlet west of Guilderland hamlet *Hartmans Corners – A hamlet northwest of Guilderland hamlet on Route 20 *McCormacks Corners – A location northwest of Guilderland hamlet on Route 20 * McKownville – A hamlet near the eastern town line and Albany *Meadowdale – A hamlet by the southern town line *Parkers Corners – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town *Watervliet Reservoir – A
reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
north of Guilderland Center * Westmere – A hamlet in the eastern part of the town on Route 20 and a suburb of Albany; a
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...
(CDP) of the same name is designated over this area.


Library

There are actually two libraries located in the Town of Guilderland: The Guilderland Public Library, and the Altamont Free Library. Both are members of the Upper Hudson Library System. The Guilderland Public Library, located at 2228 Western Avenue (US Route 20) serves as a cultural center for the town and the surrounding area. Some 59% of town residents hold library cards. Library use has grown with the population of the town. Since 1992, when the Guilderland Public Library moved into its current location, patron visits have almost doubled, from 177,996 to 343,144 annually, and circulation has more than doubled, from 214,446 to 519,426 items every year. The Altamont Free Library, located in and serving the Village of Altamont, is a free association library. The Village of Altmont is a political entity within the borders of the Town of Guilderland.


Notable people

* Evert Bancker (1665–1734), fur trader and mayor of Albany *
Jon Busch Jon Busch (born August 18, 1976) is an American professional soccer coach and former player, who played as a goalkeeper. Busch is currently the goalkeeping coach for USL Championship club Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. He is best remembered for ...
, soccer player *
Ze Frank Hosea Jan "Ze" Frank (; born March 31, 1972) is an American online performance artist, composer, humorist and public speaker based in Los Angeles. Personal life Frank was born to German-American parents (his father is Chemistry Nobel Laureate ...
, artist and public speaker *
Johnny Grabowski John Patrick Grabowski (January 7, 1900 – May 23, 1946) was an American baseball player. He played professional baseball for 12 years from 1922 to 1933, including seven years as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox (192 ...
(1900–1946), baseball player and umpire * Victoria A. Graffeo, judge * Magdalene Isadora La Grange (1864–1935), poet *
David Paterson David Alexander Paterson (born May 20, 1954) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 55th governor of New York, succeeding Eliot Spitzer and serving out nearly three years of Spitzer's term from March 2008 to December 2010. ...
, while his primary residence is located downstate in
Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...
, the former Governor of New York maintained a residence in Guilderland as a state senator and later Lieutenant Governor of New York prior to assuming the governorship. Paterson resided in the
New York State Executive Mansion The New York State Executive Mansion is the official residence of the governor of New York. Located at 138 Eagle Street in Albany, New York, it has housed governors and their families since 1875. History The building was constructed in 1856 as ...
while in Albany, but kept his Guilderland and Harlem residences. * Joseph E. Persico, author and speechwriter * Henry Ramsay (1808–1886), prominent civil engineer *
Henry Schoolcraft Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (March 28, 1793 – December 10, 1864) was an American geographer, geologist, and ethnologist, noted for his early studies of Native American cultures, as well as for his 1832 expedition to the source of the Mississippi R ...
(1793–1864), geologist, geographer, and ethnologist * William D. Veeder (1835–1910), politician *The Chen family, a Chinese immigrant family of four killed in their Westmere house in 2014; the case remains open.


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* {{authority control Towns in Albany County, New York