The 'Capital District' is an imprecise regional definition (much like
Upstate New York) that generally refers to the four counties surrounding
Albany, the capital of
New York:
Albany County,
Schenectady County,
Rensselaer County, and
Saratoga County.
|
| Origin of the name |
| Ambiguity and overlap |
| Colleges and universities |
| Selected attractions |
| Cities and communities in the Capital District |
| Primary cities |
| Communities with over 40,000 inhabitants |
| Communities with between 30,000 and 40,000 inhabitants |
| Communities with between 20,000 and 30,000 inhabitants |
| Communities with between 10,000 and 20,000 inhabitants |
| Communities with between 5,000 and 10,000 inhabitants |
| Communities with less than 5,000 inhabitants |
| References |
| See also |
| External links |
Origin of the name
The term ''Capital District'' was originated in the 1920s in an effort between the Albany Chamber of Commerce (now known as the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) and the ''
Albany Times Union''. Other nicknames have included 'Tri-Cities' and 'Tech Valley', while 'Capital Region' is the most popular of all.
[2]
Ambiguity and overlap
The Capital District is a large component of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which, as defined by the
Office of Management and Budget, includes
Albany County,
Rensselaer County,
Saratoga County,
Schenectady County, and
Schoharie County.
[3] The Albany-Schenectady-Troy MSA was ranked the 56th most populous in the
United States of America in the
2000 census, with a total population of 848,879.
[4]
'Capital Region' and 'Northeastern New York' (NENY) are terms sometimes used to refer to the Capital District in combination with counties surrounding the area (usually those to the north, and to a lesser degree west of the four core counties of the District). The Capital District has also been given the marketing moniker "'Tech Valley'," in recognition of the technology companies who have moved to the region, or are being wooed by governmental or educational institutions. Economic definitions of the Capital District, Capital Region, NENY and Tech Valley may sometimes be expanded to include the extreme northern portions of the Mid-
Hudson Valley, usually
Columbia County and
Greene County.
The term "Tech Valley" first appeared in January 1998 during a meeting of the ACRCOC. However, there is some question whether or not the name has lived up to expectations. By landing a chip fabrication plant by
AMD (which has yet to be built), the main competitor to
Intel, the region has made great strides.
The Albany-Schenectady-Troy
media market, which is the 56th largest in the U.S., includes all the counties of the Capital District, as well as
Berkshire County, Massachusetts, southwestern
Vermont, the
Glens Falls area and those areas of the
Mohawk Valley adjoining the metro area.
[5]
Colleges and universities
★
Albany College of Pharmacy
★
Albany Law School
★
Albany Medical College
★
The College of Saint Rose
★
Excelsior College
★
Hudson Valley Community College
★
Maria College of Albany
★
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
★
Russell Sage College
★
Sage College of Albany
★
Schenectady County Community College
★
Siena College
★
Skidmore College
★
Union College
★
University at Albany (part of the
SUNY system)
Selected attractions
★
Albany Institute of History & Art
★
Chapel + Cultural Center at Rensselaer
★
Crossgates Mall
★
Empire State Aerosciences Museum
★
Empire State Plaza
★
Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery
★
Joseph L. Bruno Stadium
★
Lark Street
★
New York State Capitol
★
New York State Museum
★
New York State Executive Mansion
★
Palace Theatre
★
Proctor's Theatre
★
The Egg
★
Saratoga National Historical Park (
Stillwater)
★
Saratoga Performing Arts Center
★
Saratoga Race Course (
Saratoga Springs)
★
Schenectady Museum
★
Times Union Center
★
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
★
USS Slater (DE-766)
★
Washington Avenue Armory Sports and Convention Arena
Cities and communities in the Capital District
Primary cities
★
Albany (the state capital) population in 2003 roughly 96,000
★
Schenectady population in 2000 roughly 61,000
★
Troy population in 2000 roughly 50,000
Communities with over 40,000 inhabitants
★
Town of Clifton Park
★
Town of Colonie
Communities with between 30,000 and 40,000 inhabitants
★
Town of Bethlehem
★
Town of Guilderland
Communities with between 20,000 and 30,000 inhabitants
★
Town of Glenville
★
Town of Niskayuna
★
Town of Rotterdam
★
City of Saratoga Springs
★
Queensbury, New York
Communities with between 10,000 and 20,000 inhabitants
★
City of Amsterdam
★
Town of Brunswick
★
City of Cohoes
★
Town of East Greenbush
★
Town of Halfmoon
★
City of Hudson
★
Town of North Greenbush
★
Town of Schodack
★
City of Watervliet
Communities with between 5,000 and 10,000 inhabitants
★
Town of Amsterdam
★
Village of Ballston Spa
★
Village of Colonie
★
Town of Duanesburg
★
Town of Kinderhook
★
City of Mechanicville
★
Town of New Scotland
★
City of Rensselaer
★
Town of Sand Lake
★
Village of Scotia
★
Town of Stillwater
★
Town of Waterford
Communities with less than 5,000 inhabitants
★
Village of Altamont
★
Town of Berlin
★
Town of Berne
★
Village of Castleton-on-Hudson
★
Town of Chatham
★
Town of Florida
★
Town of Galway
★
Village of Galway
★
Village of Green Island co-terminous with the Town of Green Island
★
Town of Knox
★
Village of Menands
★
Town of Middleburgh
★
Village of Middleburgh
★
Town of Nassau
★
Town of New Baltimore
★
Town of New Lebanon
★
Town of Petersburgh
★
Town of Princetown
★
Village of Ravena
★
Town of Rensselaerville
★
Town of Schoharie
★
Village of Schoharie
★
Village of Schuylerville
★
Town of Stephentown
★
Village of Stillwater
★
Town of Stuyvesant
★
Village of Voorheesville
★
Village of Waterford
★
Town of Westerlo
References
1. July 2004 est. by Census Bureau
2. Region rich in business history Alan Wechsler
3. http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins/fy2006/b06-01_rev_2.pdf
4. Census 2000 PHC-T-29: Ranking Tables for Population of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, Combined Statistical Areas, New England City and Town Areas, and Combined New England City and Town Areas: 1990 and 2000 (Areas defined by the Office of Management and Budget as of June 6, 2003.)
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_stations_in_North_America_by_media_market
See also
★
Media in Albany, New York
★
External links
★
Capital-Saratoga Region Tourist Information
★
The Egg Theater (
Albany)
★
New York State Capitol (Albany)
★
New York State Museum (Albany)
★
Palace Theater (Albany)
★
Proctor's Theater (
Schenectady)
★
TechValley.org (
Albany)
★
USS Slater (Albany)