Albany History Race 2015

Earlier today my new friend Paul and I competed in the second annual Albany History Race hosted by the Albany Public Library. The goal of the race is to introduce Albany's history in a fun and competitive way by getting clues from a booklet and then driving to a specific location where a photo of a team member has to be taken to prove that you found it. It is a big scavenger hunt. Last year I missed the race but was not going to miss it this year.

Every team had to pick four out of six "missions" to seek, find, and photograph with a team member in each picture. Each mission had two locations to find. So we had to find a total of eight locations. Upwards of twenty teams; each with varying numbers of members competed today. After finding each location and taking a picture, we raced to the next location.

We quickly tried to plan our route in a loop fashion so that we did not have to back track. When we left the Albany Public Library on Washington Avenue we headed out and got on Lark Street on our way to a secluded ravine just west of Lincoln Park where the water from the Beaverkill can be seen. The stream is completely underground flowing through a large conduit.

Our next stop was to find the Trolley Tree Sculpture at the Delaware Avenue public library.

Next we headed over to the Myers Middle School off Whitehall Road for a quick photo.

The fourth stop was to go to where Dan O'Connell was born at the corner of Second Avenue and South Pearl Street.

Our fifth stop was to photograph the small bridge and fencing where the Patroon Creek went underground and flowed to the Hudson River on North Pearl Street near Tivoli Street.

The sixth stop was to find the Myers house on Livingston Avenue.

The seventh stop was head to the birth place of Mayor Erastus Corning. He was born on Chestnut Street between Lark and Dove Streets. We realized this mission/stop while we were on Lark Street heading to our first stop; just after we passed Chestnut Street. With all of the one way streets in that area it was thought to get it later.

Our last stop was at the United Traction Company on Broadway and Columbia Street.

After we left the former United Traction Company we rushed around the corner to McGeary's where the finish line was. Paul and I came in third place and it was a great time. If this race is continued, I would recommend this event to anyone; especially families. At McGeary's it was nice to meet and chat with some other Albany historians who are involved with the Facebook group Assiduity!