New York's Capital Region in 50 Objects

New York's Capital Region in 50 Objects

Introduction

Each region of the nation has its own distinctive history and identity. The New York’s Capital Region—consisting of Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Saratoga Counties—is no different. But what best identifies the region? What events, objects, people, and ideas have contributed to its character and uniqueness?

To learn the answers, we presented these questions to the numerous museums, historical organizations, libraries, and residents of the Capital Region. The fifty objects that were ultimately selected present an exciting history of the Capital Region, including well-known favorites but also unexpected surprises. Some of the fifty objects characterize very broad topics like the textile industry and the Hudson River School of art, while others embody large populations of people who shaped the character of the region, such as the Dutch and the Iroquois. Many objects represent specific people or events, such as writer William Kennedy and the Battle of Saratoga. In some instances, the objects represent themselves, like the GE Monitor Top refrigerator and Albany’s beloved Nipper statue. A complementary image accompanies each of the fifty objects, providing context and additional information.

Overall, the fifty objects clearly demonstrate that this narrowly circumscribed part of New York State has played an astonishing role in shaping the history of the nation and, in several instances, the world beyond the confines of our national borders.

Henry Johnson

Henry Johnson Boulevard, Henry Johnson Charter School, and this bust sculpted by
Vincent Forte, Sr., are a few examples of how the memory of decorated soldier Henry Johnson lives on in the city of Albany. Johnson was an infantry soldier who served during World War I, a time when African Americans were segregated into “colored” units. Serving with the French on the front line, Johnson’s actions in combat earned him France’s highest military honor, the Croix de Guerre avec Palme, and posthumously the U.S. Purple Heart in 1996, the Distinguished Service Cross in 2002, and the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor in 2015.

Born about 1892 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Johnson moved to Albany as a teenager and worked various jobs including railway porter at Albany's Union Station. At the onset of the United States’ involvement in World War I, in 1917, Johnson traveled to New York City to enlist in the United States Army. He was placed in the 15th New York Infantry Regiment, later the 369th Infantry Regiment, as part of the American Expeditionary Forces that consisted mostly of African American soldiers. They were known as the “Harlem Hellfighters” since most soldiers came from the Harlem section of New York City.

On May 15, 1918, Johnson was on sentry duty with another soldier when they were attacked by German forces. Johnson fought off nearly a dozen German soldiers and caused several casualties. When his fellow soldier was wounded, Johnson prevented his capture. With fighting reduced to hand-to-hand combat, Johnson was able to hold off the German advance and survive the battle, although he sustained multiple wounds. He returned to the U.S. with his regiment in 1919 but was unable to take up his position at Albany’s Union Station because of his wounds. Johnson died in July 1929 without U.S. recognition or a disability pension.

The plaster bust created by Capital Region sculptor Vince Forte, Sr. served as the model for a bronze bust installed and dedicated in Albany’s Washington Park in 1996.

Bust of Henry Johnson

Vince Forte, Sr. (1931–2003) | 1995

Medium: Plaster

Credit: Gift of Michelina T. Forte

Famous New York Soldiers Return Home, the 369th Infantry

Gelatin silver photographic print

1919

Courtesy of U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

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Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza Art Collection

The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza Art Collection has been heralded as “the greatest collection of modern American art in any single public site that is not a museum.”

Following a procedure that was established during the construction of Rockefeller Center, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller assembled a commission of art experts to select work for the Plaza and personally signed off on each acquisition. Ninety-two pieces of monumental “New York School” art—paintings, sculptures, and tapestries—were acquired for the collection, sixteen of which were commissioned for specific sites on the complex.

The collection includes noted artists such as Mark Rothko, Robert Motherwell, David Smith, Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, Louise Nevelson, Clyfford Still, Isamu Noguchi, Joan Mitchell, and Alexander Calder. Charcoal Black and Tan, painted by Franz Kline in 1959, demonstrates how he deliberated over his pieces and reworked them repeatedly as seen in some areas where the paint is built up and colors are mixed together. Kline, like other Abstract Expressionists, were often called “gesture painters” because they often applied paint in quick, emotionally expressive strokes, usually without direct reference to recognizable imagery. Kline retained his powerful, sweeping style up to his death in 1962.

Charcoal Black and Tan

Franz Kline

1959

Oil on canvas

Courtesy of New York State Office of General Services, Bureau of Curatorial & Tour Services

Empire State Plaza

c. 2015

Digital photograph

Hand-colored engraving and etching on paper

Courtesy of New York State Office of General Services, Bureau of Curatorial & Tour Services

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Hoffman’s Playland

Generations of families from New York’s Capital Region have enjoyed Hoffman’s Playland for its fun, safe, and clean atmosphere. It was truly a special place. Unlike larger amusement parks, Hoffman’s Playland charged no admission fee, but instead sold tickets for the rides. This system allowed parents to bring their children to the park for as long as they wanted. Patrons loved the idea of having no admission fee and Hoffman’s stayed in business for over sixty years.

Hoffman’s Playland was a family-owned business. It all started in 1953 when Bill Hoffman purchased a carousel and placed it on his father’s property in Latham, New York, near the family turkey farm. Determined to draw more people to his rural location, Bill expanded his park with more attractions like pony rides. His diligence paid off. The park eventually grew to include more rides, which ultimately brought more people. By the time of Bill Hoffman’s retirement, his son, Dave Hoffman, was ready to take ownership of the park. Dave expanded the park further by buying and refurbishing older rides. From bumper cars to a Ferris wheel, Hoffman’s Playland was famous for its nostalgic attractions.

In 2014, Dave and his wife Ruth retired and Hoffman’s Playland closed its long-time location in Latham. Although the rides were moved to Huck Finn’s Playland in Albany, many visitors maintain a special nostalgia for the original Hoffman’s. Bill Hoffman purchased the ticket booth in 1953 along with the carousel that featured thirty horses and two chariots.

Hoffman’s Playland Ticket Booth

1953

Wood, paint, plastic, glass, metal

Courtesy of the New York State Museum, gift of the Hoffman Family

Carousel at Hoffman’s Playland

Photograph by Michael Gallitelli

2014

Digital photograph

Courtesy of David and Ruth Hoffman and Hoffman’s Family

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