The Stockade Historic District is one of the oldest and best preserved  neighborhoods in the United States, with roots dating back to a 17th century Dutch colonial trading settlement....

The Stockade Historic District was home to all of Schenectady's most important 17th, 18th and 19th century figures. Over a hundred architectural landmarks survive virtually intact. The Stockade Historic District offers examples of nearly every architectural type, period and style of residential and religious buildings dating from ca. 1690 to 1930. The Stockade, as it is called by the local population, is a neighborhood where a high-density, slow paced, urban character prevails.

A neighborhood of private homes, apartments and professional offices, the Stockade is the historic center of Schenectady. Restored in the 1950's and 60's, the Stockade was recognized as New York State's first historic district. It is the most heavily populated area of the city and lies just to the north of downtown adjacent to the Mohawk River. Unique in the United States, the Stockade contains original buildings that are excellent representatives of architectural styles from the 1690's through the 1960's. Dutch Colonial, English Colonial, Federal, Georgian, Queen Anne and other Victorian styles are all well represented. Strict zoning rules have protected the area since the 1960's. The Stockade survived only because of two events. A fire in 1819 destroyed the warehousing and business district that stretched between Washington Avenue and the Binnekill (see map.) Shortly thereafter, the Erie Canal was built along the course of what is now Erie Boulevard. This isolated the Stockade, and future business development took place east of the newly built canal. Thus the Stockade was insulated from the repeated redevelopment that marks the history of nearly all of America's city centers.

Join us in the following pages as we visit the  Stockade Historic District, and celebrate a unique neighborhood.