Is This the Most Charming & Historic Neighborhood in Upstate NY?

There is a small neighborhood in Schenectady, New York that stand heads and tails above others for beauty and history. It has a quirky name, The GE Realty Plot, and it is quite stunning.

In the late 1800s, historic Union College in Schenectady, was facing a mounting debt crisis and decided to sell off a part of their sprawling campus to raise money. The 90-acre piece of land was bought by the then-growing General Electric Company, based in the downtown section of the city. The real estate plot was planned as a bucolic respite for engineers and scientists who worked for General Electric to build houses and reside in in the peace and quiet of the neighborhood.

The designers of the "plot" were no pikers, either. All you have to do is look to one of their landscape gems in New York City to see how prominent they were (story is in the gallery).

Over the years, homes were built in the grand cottage styles that were all the rage for the wealthy elite in the 1900-1930 era. They are beautiful, artistic architectural achievements, each with a standout feature to it, such as a sweeping veranda, or perhaps lavish gardens. The people who lived here in the early days were among the most brilliant electrical engineers and scientists in the United State (perhaps, the world). It is said that in those days, residents here could be credited with holding over 500 important patents during the nascent days of electricity in America.

Today, the homes are among the most expensive in Schenectady (although they rarely become available for sale) and carry with them some of the highest real estate property taxes in the Capital District.

Despite this, the question arises; is there another small neighborhood in Upstate New York packed with so much beauty, charm, and history to it as the GE Realty Plot in Schenectady?

Read the gallery and you be the judge!

Schenectady's "GE Realty Plot" is a Stunning Neighborhood!

There is a neighborhood just off downtown Schenectady, NY that is rare and unique and quite beautiful. Some have called it one of the most elegant nabes in Upstate New York. Located adjacent to historic Union College, the GE Realty Plot gets its name from the General Electric Company, whose headquarters have been located for over a century in the city. The 90-acre plot of land was proposed to hold the mansions of the company's scientists and administrators. The homes are without equal in the design of the era (1890-1920s), and the name of the residents here, while mostly known only to science and engineering aficionados, is a virtual "Who's Who" of legendary people. In fact, the homeowners of the Plot were responsible for nearly 500 key U.S. patents in the nascent timeline of the birth of electricity and the growth of "The City That Lights the World."

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

"Say What?" 21 Of the Most Mangled Town and Village Names in Upstate New York

There are a lot of town names in Upstate New York with a whole lot of unnecessary letters in them. Because the towns and villages were named (for the most part) 200 plus years ago by the Native American tribes who settled here, this leads to many mispronounced (yes, mangled) pronunciations for us all these years later.

This is a list of 21 of the most commonly mangled pronunciations of Upstate town names. Of course, there are many more so we look forward to our readers sharing their own suggestions for "most mangled, mispronounced town names in Upstate New York."

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

Categories: Articles

Is This the Most Charming and Historic Neighborhood in Upstate NY? We Think So!

Schenectady's "GE Realty Plot" is a Stunning Neighborhood!

"Say What?" 21 Of the Most Mangled Town and Village Names in Upstate New York