About Troy

The beautiful city of Troy is the county seat of Rensselaer County in eastern New York and has a population of about 50,000 residents. Troy lies along the eastern bank of the Hudson River, opposite of Watervliet, near the junction of the Hudson River with the Mohawk River and the New York State Canal System. The city, along with neighboring Albany and Schenectady, form an urban-industrial complex with a bustling population of about 876,000 residents. The land where Troy is now located was once an estate owned by Kiliaen van Rensselaer, who gained the land from the Dutch West India Company in 1629 in an effort to encourage Dutch colonization. In 1707, the land was sold to the Vanderheyden family, who, in 1786, laid out the foundations for Vanderheyden’s Ferry, which was renamed in 1789 for the ancient city of Troy. One of the unique aspects of Troy’s culture and history is that it is believed that Troy is the birthplace of the US national symbol of Uncle Sam. During the War of 1812, the US Army bought large amounts of beef from local businessman, Samuel Wilson, who was known locally as Uncle Sam. The government then stamped “U.S. Beef” on the barrels, but the stamps were misinterpreted as “Uncle Sam’s beef,” and therefore gave rise to the popular symbol. Today, Troy’s economy consists of the manufacture of auto-parts, high technology, clothing, and heavy gardening. The city is also home to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the Russell Sage College, and the Hudson Valley Community College.

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