The history of the City of Albany is nearly as old as the history of the United States. Albany is the fourth oldest continually-inhabited city and the second oldest chartered city in the United States. In 1609, Henry Hudson traveled up the river which would be named after him, exploring on behalf of the Dutch East India Company. Stopping at the native Indian’s settlement in the area, Penpotawotnot, Hudson was surprised to find an ideal location for a fur trading post, as well as a perfect location to build a fort in order to control the river’s traffic. So, in 1614, Fort Nassau was established by the Dutch East India Company, provoking hostilities from the French colonies in Canada, as well as native Indian tribes in the area, over fur-trade competition .

In order to protect their investment, the Dutch East India Company established Fort Orange, just south of the ground which is now Albany, in 1624. Both forts were named after the ruling House of Holland – the House of Orange-Nassau. The village of Beverwyck was established in the surrounding area in 1652. With the establishment of these settlements, the Dutch laid claim to the upper portion of Hudson River, although their control did not last very long. In 1664, the English took over the region and renamed the string of settlements Albany, after the Duke of York and Albany, who later became King James II of England and James VII of Scotland. And so, the City of Albany was born.

On July 22, 1686, a formal charter was issued toThomas Dongan for the Province of New York, making him the first Governer of the State of New York. Dongan called the first Legislature to session in Albany, appointing Pieter Schuyler as the first Mayor of the City of Albany on July 22, 1686. Schuyler was born and raised in Beverwyck - Albany, making him a native Albanian.

After establishing itself as one of the first inhabited American cities, Albany played an important role in the revolution that freed us from British control. In 1754, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania presented the Albany Plan of Union, a plan which outlined better relations with the surrounding Indian tribes and a unified colonial defense against the French. In addition to these topics, Franklin pushed for the unification of the northeastern colonies, a plan which was accepted by the colonies, but obviously rejected by King George II. Many of the ideas discussed at the meetings were later included in the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Albany went on to support the First Continental Congress, and went on to be a focal point militarily in America’s struggle for independence.
In the years following the Revolutionary War, Albany, like many other Northeastern cities, steadily grew as industry moved in. Many of the great political buildings were built during the century following the Revolution, including the State Capitol Building, which was built between 1867 and 1899. Costing $25 million, the capitol building was the most expensive government building of its time, and is on the National Histroic Landmark list. Perhaps the most striking feature of the building is its “Million Dollar Staircase”, which can be found on the western side of the building. Albany, as far as State capitols are concerned, ranks near the top of the list in regards to architectual and historical significance.Estimate Tax Payments Federal Tax Rates