More Photos of Colgate University

I wrote a little about the history of Colgate University with some photos of the exquisite buildings, here. I took so many photos of the lovely campus that I had to post more!

Colgate University is situated on a hill overlooking the quiet town of Hamilton, NY, in Madison County. It lies right in the center of New York State, in a very rural farming community. Colgate University was established in 1817 as a Baptist Seminary. It is now a liberal arts college. Hamilton, NY, is peppered with various elegant fraternity houses, too.

Here’s a shot of Hamilton from the top of the campus.

Although many of the buildings are old, some have a definite modern flair to them. It’s the stonework that unites them.

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Lovely Buildings of Downtown Hamilton, NY

We took a little mid-winter’s drive to Hamilton, NY. You can read my first post here. I just love the old-fashioned feel of this town, with it’s old but grand buildings and incredible architecture. A good portion of Upstate New York small towns were once as grandiose– some even grander in their heyday– but too many cities have seen severe decline. Much of the upkeep of the town of Hamilton is due to the presence of Colgate University. College towns are usually kept up much better than “regular” towns, it seems.

Because Colgate began its purpose as a religious, Baptist seminary, there are numerous places of worship and quiet repose in the town. Here in mid-February, the parks and lawns are still snow covered, but the sidewalks are shoveled. The photo below shows a pleasant park at the crossroads of town. With nice warm, outdoor clothing, it’s a brisk, pleasant walk.  Read more

A Drive Through Hamilton, NY

Hamilton, NY, is a small community in Madison County (Hamilton named for Alexander Hamilton, Madison County named for James Madison– we like the founding fathers up here!). It was incorporated as a village in 1813. It is the home of the Ivy League college, Colgate University. The presence of the college is everywhere– not just kids roaming the town, but the bookstores, restaurants, clothing stores, and elegant homes converted into frat houses are all geared toward making this town a “college town”; without which, Hamilton would be just another sleepy little farming community in Upstate New York. Colgate University was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary (most American colleges began as religious seminaries). Colgate campus is very pretty- much of it sits on a hill. The buildings are stone which give it an old-timey, established feel. There’s a beautiful pond (it’s just beyond the stone bridge wall in the photo below) but it is frozen over right now. In the summer, white swans swim in it.

In the photo above, you can barely make out the gold dome of what I think is the Colgate Memorial Chapel, one of the prettiest buildings in the cluster.

Along the streets of Hamilton is some eye-popping architecture. Due to the college, the homes are kept up very well. Here are some photos of the various fraternity houses there.

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First Church in Albany

The First Church in Albany is the second-oldest church in New York State and houses the oldest pulpit in the United States. Originally called the Dutch Reformed Church in 1642, the place is loaded with history. We got the chance to attend a Sunday service and tour the church two summers ago. It was wonderful! My daughter, an Alexander Hamilton fan, was thrilled to be in the church of his wife’s family. Hamilton’s Upstate memorial funeral service was also held here in the church. And Theodore Roosevelt attended the church during his years in Albany as governor. The church was recognized by Congress in 1974 as a National Historic Site.

Albany is New York State’s capital city. The Hudson River connects Albany with New York City. Historically, this wateroute has been the only way people could move from New York City to Upstate New York. Therefore Albany has been an extremely ethically-diverse city from the beginning.

We arrived to Albany early Sunday morning, barely making it in time for the church service (Albany is a 2 hours+ drive for us). The church service was sweet and simple. The parson preached from Matthew 18:15 (“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”). There were not many people attending the church that day (I guess on Labor Day, many clear out of the city and head for the vacation areas), but the people we did meet were extremely friendly. One lady (I think her name was Mary) offered to take us for a light tour of the church. What a treat! She took us to the front of the sanctuary, and showed us the famous pulpit. Read more