Schenectady, New York

Schenectady is a city located in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 61,821. The city also has the ZIP code 12345. The name "Schenectady" is derived from a Mohawk Indian word for "on that side of the pinery," or "near the pines," or "place beyond the pine plains."

Places of interest

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Union College, located adjacent to the GE Realty Plot, is the oldest planned college campus in the United States. The Union campus features Jackson's Garden, with eight acres (32,000 m²) of formal gardens and woodlands, and the unique 16-sided Nott Memorial building, built in 1875.

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Schenectady County Community College is located in downtown Schenectady. The school was started in the former Hotel Van Curler and is known for its technical, culinary, and music programs.

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Central Park is the crown of Schenectady numerous parks. Central Park is the highest elevation point in the city. The Common Council voted in 1913 to purchase the land for the present site of the park. The park features an acclaimed rose garden, Iroquois Lake, and a stadium tennis court that is home to the New York Buzz of the World Team Tennis league.

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City Hall is the focal point of government in the city. It is often remarked that Schenectady City Hall is one of the more beautiful city halls in New York State

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Located in Schenectady is its Municipal Golf Course. It is an 18 hole championship facility nestled amongst stately oaks and towering pines.

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The course was designed in 1935 by Jim Thompson under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) program. Schenectady Municipal Golf Course stretches to 6600 yards (6000 m) and features fast, undulating greens and tight fairways blanketed within grasses and native vegetation.

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Schenectady Municipal Golf Course was ranked by Golf Digest "Best Places to Play in 2004" and earned a three star rating.

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Proctor's Theater is the major arts venue. Built in 1926 as a vaudeville/movie theater, it was refurbished and is now home for live stage events. It is home to "Goldie," a Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. Proctor's was also the site of one of the first public demonstrations of television, projecting an image from a studio at the GE plant a mile away.

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The Stockade Historic District, which features dozens of Dutch and English Colonial houses dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, is New York State's first National Register historic district, designated in 1965. It is named after the stockade fence that originally surrounded the settlement. Another historic neighborhood, the GE Realty Plot, was built by General Electric Company executives in the early 20th century. "The Plot," as the locals call it, is known for its eclectic collection of grand homes.

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