While recently attending a perfect wedding for the son of one of our closest friends – we found ourselves in Troy, NY. I heard a lot about the area from my late close friend Linda.  Her daughter attended the exclusive Emma Willard School for women and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), both in Troy. I was still unprepared to find a city so beautifully quirky and quaint.

Ready Made Movie Set

The city has had its ups and downs through the last century and today encompasses a largely intact 19^th century streetscape making it a perfect stand-in for New York City during the Gilded Age.  It has led some to dub it “Hollywood on the Hudson.”

Most recently The Gilded Age, an HBO/Max production, has filmed here. Just last month crew and cast were back in town filming season three of the Julian Fellows series starring Cynthia Nixon. They throw sand on the now-paved streets, bring in the horse-drawn carriages and roll cameras.

Farmers Market Extraordinaire

Every Saturday from May through October downtown streets are blocked off from 9 AM – 2 PM for a massive Farmers Market. The Market brochure was the best map I could find of downtown and we used it to start exploring. You can find something for everyone: food, produce, gifts, distilled spirits, crafts, and more.

Historic News

On the quirky side, Troy was the home of Samuel Wilson – the man who was the original Uncle Sam, now such an iconic symbol of our country. In Troy, you will see many things named in his honor and a large statue in the riverside park.

The city needs a good historic map, and I never found one. We did not visit the Hart-Cluett Museum/ Rensselaer Historic Society since their hours were not compatible with our schedule. They do offer the single walking tour of historic downtown, at 10 AM on some mornings. You can see this block in season three of the Gilded Age, including their neighbor building, Paine Castle.

The Troy Savings Bank is now a Music Hall.  We came across a lone violinist sitting outside playing lilting Celtic tunes during the Farmer’s Market.

A Novel Retro-fit

Heading towards a majestic white steeple we found the First Baptist Church, where the aforementioned Uncle Sam served as a Trustee from 1808 until 1817.  His company supplied the brick to build the original building. Another oddity was noticing the Greek letters for Phi Gamma Delta over the impressive entrance, under the restored 177’ church spire. A little research revealed the frat bought the church in 2013 and has repurposed it as a fraternity house.  The FIJIs have had a rocky time of it – being thrown off the RPI campus for a few years (along with a few other frats) for some unsanctioned partying – apparently not in their new home.

Finding a Hidden Jewel

A quest to get my ring cleaned eventually led us to Romanation Jewelers & Watchmakers on Third Street. We had a great time chatting with James and Janice Cook who bought the shop from Mr. Romanation. James began working in the store as a kid and as he says “never left.’ The massive and beautiful safe is still in use and the original register is now used for making change. A relic from the past, the register can only go as high as $999.99. Not workable for a contemporary jewelry store.

The original owner was Ukrainian, reflecting a significant immigrant population of days past.   Janice gave me a good tip for lunch and we headed over to the Whistling Kettle on Broadway for a tasty meal. (I will never be a food blogger since I keep forgetting to take pics of plates before I dig in). I had a very yummy scone sandwich.

Why “Collar City”?

Broadway has several restaurants and at one end features an elegant, dramatic stone staircase built in 1904 to connect downtown to the RPI campus. Originally named Albany Street, the other end is at the riverfront, where boats used to dock.

Historically an iron and textile hub, Troy became known as “Collar City” partly because the detachable collar was invented here. In 1827, Hannah Montague grew tired of washing her husband’s entire shirt, when only the collar was dirty. So, the resourceful lady solved the problem with her new invention. Clothing manufacturing was the city’s largest industry in the mid-1900s.

A Tiffany Masterpiece

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church dates from 1795 when George Washington was President. The current church, built in 1828, is its second home. The Tiffany Co remodled the entire interior in the 1890s and many believe it is their “greatest masterpiece.” We made two attempts to get inside the church but sadly failed. In etrospect, we should’ve gone for a Sunday service. Peeking through the windows and watching the church videos will have to suffice.

Oh, and that wedding I mentioned, it was held in the historic Franklin Plaza, where the first floor housed the Troy City National Bank, now repurposed as lovely event space. Congrats to Max & Maddie!

A final note: You won’t go hungry in Troy, we enjoyed:

Emry’s Garden (King St) – we dined outside

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, River St – a famous local spot on the Hudson, lucky for us, they also had TVs so we could watch college football (currently blocked from the Direct TV in our hotel) – Go VOLS!  

Nighthawk’s – for brunch

The Dutch Udder – ice cream, both hard and soft serve; several options for anyone who is gluten or dairy-free.