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The history of Albany
New York’s capital brings government landmarks together with Lark Street kitchens, small galleries and the streets above the Hudson River.
People who shaped Albany
Follow the sourced timeline and use museum and library collections to explore Albany in more depth. Read the historical source.
Watch the city’s history
FROM THE ARCHIVES
History of Albany, NY
A local history film shared by Local NY History.
Watch on YouTube ↗Famous people born in Albany
See all 48 famous people
- 1624
Fort Orange
A Dutch colonial settlement at Fort Orange formed part of a fur-trading network along the Hudson.
Local history source ↗ - 1652–1664
Beverwyck becomes Albany
Beverwyck developed beside the fort. English control brought the name Albany in 1664.
Local history source ↗ - 1686
A city charter
The Dongan Charter recognized Albany as a city on July 22, 1686.
Local history source ↗ - 1797
New York’s capital
Albany became the permanent seat of New York State government in 1797.
Local history source ↗
See the history for yourself.
Choose a museum or cultural stop and check its current visiting schedule before traveling. City history source.
For deeper research, the Albany library resources is a starting point for archival material and research help. Historic photographs have their own permissions; we link to the collection instead of treating every old image as free to reuse.
Selected milestones researched September 13, 2026. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.