Troy: A Collar City History (NY) (Making of America Series) [Paperback]

Don Rittner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 18, 2002

The New World, and especially New York, meant unparalleled opportunity for people in the 1600s with visions of expansion, colonization, and profit. Buying land from the Mohican tribe, the Dutch took control of much of the modern Empire State in the early part of this countryís development. Under the patroonship of Kilian van Rensselaer, many pioneer farmers settled in the fertile land along the Hudson River. With each passing year, the number of Upstate settlers increased, and two villages emerged: Lansingburgh and Vanderheyden, soon to become Troy. ÝÝTroy: A Collar City History chronicles the transformation of the city from an untamed wilderness inhabited by the early Mohican tribe into a vibrant, modern industrial metropolis. Troyís story is truly a complex drama, supported by a host of entrepreneurs, inventors, immigrant workers, labor leaders, scientists, athletes, and artists, against a changing backdrop of war, depression, industrial revolution, and prosperity. The cityís most significant characters come alive within these pages, such as ìUncle Samî Wilson, an early-nineteenth-century meat packager who served as the model for this nationís patriotic icon; Amos Eaton, the ìfather of geologyî and founder of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Emma Willard, a pioneer in the field of female education; and Kate Mullaney, a leader in local female unionization. This unique volume explores the old cobblestone streets, the historic downtown district, and the many factories producing iron, stoves, paper boats, bells, and of course, detachable shirt collars. ÝÝ

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Author and historian Don Rittner has composed a thorough and highly readable history of Troyís development across three centuries. With over 100 black-and-white illustrations and many fascinating stories, Troy: A Collar City History remembers and celebrates the changing face of a city marked by industry, the arts, and a people pursuing their American dreams. Readers of all ages, both longtime natives and newcomers, will find this work an informative and entertaining portrait of Troy and its place in the greater American experience.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (June 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738523682
• ISBN-13: 978-0738523682
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,745,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)