Place:Bethlehem, Albany, New York, United States

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NameBethlehem
TypeTown
Located inAlbany, New York, United States
source: Family History Library Catalog


the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Bethlehem is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The town's population was 35,034 at the 2020 census. Bethlehem is located immediately to the south of the City of Albany. Bethlehem includes the following hamlets: Delmar, Elsmere, Glenmont, North Bethlehem, Selkirk, Slingerlands, and South Bethlehem. U.S. Route 9W passes through the town. The town is named after the biblical Bethlehem.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

When Henry Hudson sailed up the river that would eventually bear his name, he is thought to have landed at what is now the town of Bethlehem. The spot where he is presumed to have landed is commemorated at the town's Henry Hudson Park. The town was established on March 12, 1793 from the town of Watervliet. In 1832, part of the town was used to form the town of New Scotland.

The town's earliest growth took place in Normansville, named for its location along the Normans Kill, a creek, which forms the town's border with Albany. Normansville still exists today, though it is unnoticed by most living in Bethlehem since it is accessible only by one downhill road. In the mid-19th century, the Delaware and Hudson railroad initiated Albany - Binghamton service (Susquehanna Division) through the hamlet then called Adamsville, renaming the hamlet Delmar. Delmar has become the most populous hamlet and its Delaware Avenue is the site of the present day town hall, police station, justice court, and public library, as well as numerous businesses.

The Delaware and Hudson discontinued passenger service in 1963, and its tracks started being removed in the year 2000, with the last of the track removed in 2005. The track right-of-way is now the Albany County Rail trail, a bike and pedestrian path, that runs from downtown Albany to Voorheesville. The town has continued to grow, and is today considered to be an affluent suburb of the city of Albany.

Research Tips

External Links

  • Outstanding guide to Bethlehem family history and genealogy resources (FamilySearch Research Wiki). Birth, marriage, and death records, town histories, cemeteries, churches, newspapers, libraries, and genealogical societies.


This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at Bethlehem, New York. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with WeRelate, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.