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You can call me Upstater. If you're looking to use one of my images, please see this. // Archives →

Thank you!

Hello UpstateNYer, HappyInGeneral (talk) has smiled at you! Smiles promote WikiLove and hopefully this one has made your day better. Spread the WikiLove by smiling at someone else, whether it be someone you have had disagreements with in the past or a good friend. Go on, smile! Cheers, and happy editing!
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Troy neighborhoods

I started a sandbox to hold any references I find about particular Troy neighborhoods if you ever need any. User:Camelbinky/troyneighborhoods

Smile

Hello UpstateNYer, Junhalestone has smiled at you! Smiles promote WikiLove and hopefully this one has made your day better. Spread the WikiLove by smiling at someone else, whether it be someone you have had disagreements with in the past or a good friend. Go on, smile! Cheers, and happy editing!
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This may be useful for you...

This is a good source I'll be using for Cohoes; it has some interesting information on Rensselaerswyck and early Dutch settlement as well that you may be interested in. Page 14 can be used as a reference for the current Manor Avenue in Cohoes being along the same line as the original patroonship border (which I've always believed based on old maps but never had a written reference that stated it until now).

Union College question

Since you were involved in the rewrite of the Union College article I was wondering if you know anything about this- an iron bridge designed by Squire Whipple, the type of bridge is often called a whipple truss and was the official standard for bridges over NYS canals. This source, produced by the the Historic American Engineering Record and published by the Smithsonian states that there are only two known to still be standing, while mentioning the one in Albany and one at Fonda. I have seen other sources state there is a whipple truss bridge on the Union College campus in Schenectady, if it still stands that would make it that there are at least three, not two. Squire Whipple did attend college there so it stands to reason they'd have a bridge he designed, and of course its possible the one at Fonda was moved to Union College since the 1969 date of this "industrial archeaology survey".Camelbinky (talk) 18:04, 28 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Hmm good question. I'll ask my contact at Union. Having been educated in civil engineering and having analyzed many trusses, that design just looks weird, if I do say so myself. If there's one there, I can snap a photo sometime if you're interested. Same for the one in Albany if you know exactly where it is. upstate NYer 19:35, 28 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I dont have the exact location as I only saw it in person twice and even then I'm only assuming that this must be the bridge referred to, though I assume you'd be able to identify it if it wasnt. Even if its not it would put you at the right place (Stevens Farm) to find the bridge easily enough. Assuming you're coming from Brunswick- take I-787 to the very end (NOT going onto the Thruway) it will drop you off on Southern Boulevard (US 9W), take a left. Follow it and when Southern Blvd and US 9W both take a right at a Y-intersection makes sure you go straight, the road changes name to McAlpin Street. Dead ends onto Delaware Ave, take a left, follow it over the Thruway, and then on your right look for Normanskill Road, a narrow, winding, dark, tree shaded old road (hope you have good shocks on your car!). Mostly patched pavement and the original yellow brick pavers, its slow going. Eventually on your right you should see a bridge at the entrance to fields and farmland. This SHOULD be the bridge and is the entrance to Stevens Farm (is owned by the city of Albany as a city park, so there is no tresspassing problems, home to the K-9 and mounted police squads, historic farm buildings, and other things). There is also one other place in this vicinity that a photo would be beneficial. Taking Normanskill Road further down to the creek you'll reach the Normans Kill and an abandoned bridge, would love a photo of that bridge and if you can get a good shot, of both that old bridge and the modern Delaware Avenue Bridge above it (it is legal and safe to cross the abandoned bridge on foot). To drive back to Delaware Avenue you can take Mill Road which is at the intersection right before the closed bridge and follow it up to Delaware Ave. A large cemetary, Graceland Cemetery, is on Delaware Avenue opposite from all of this, but not aware of any historical significance other than being the only sizable cemetery in the citylimits.Camelbinky (talk) 22:01, 28 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Here is the entry from the UC Encyclopedia: "Whipple Truss Bridge. One of 5 bridges of a type patented by Squire Whipple (1830) known still to exist in eastern New York State, Union's Whipple Truss Bridge was originally built sometime between 1855 and 1869 over the Cayadutta Creek in Johnstown. It was installed on the Union campus in 1980. It was rebuilt between Achilles Rink and Memorial Field House and designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1982 by the ASCE." Eliphaletnott (talk) 15:15, 12 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Oh, I know where that is. I crossed it during my photo survey. In fact I grabbed on it thinking how cool it was that it was through-bridge, meaning the supports were above the deck of the bridge. I actually jumped a couple times because I love feeling a truss pedestrian bridge bounce when you get the right frequency going. Structural engineer in me. upstate NYer 16:45, 12 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

What happened to RPI?

It's now listed as a C class instead of GA, is this something that can be fixed with some minor effort or are there serious issues? If there's anything I can do to help let me know, but my knowledge of RPI is very limited so I dont know what I can do but I definitely lend my support to any effort.Camelbinky (talk) 00:40, 3 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It was reviewed for the GA sweeps; see here. Admittedly, I had thought since I knew what a GA was that RPI was no longer up to snuff. I don't have time to fix it right now. Fortunately, User:Danski14 has been updating the article (it needed it). I've been watching his edits with interest. The GA sweep review is on the talk page. If you think you can help, by all means. upstate NYer 00:47, 3 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

WikiProject New York assessments

Hi, UpstateNYer. I noticed you reassessed reassessed the West Albany, New York, article to "Low-importance" for WikiProject New York. Per Wikipedia:WikiProject New York/Assessment#Importance scale, articles on New York hamlets should be "Mid-importance". I've corrected that assessment, but if you've changed any others lately, please change them back. Thank you! Powers ^T 14:10, 6 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Okay, noted. But why would villages have higher importance than towns? It probably would have been a good idea to send a link to that to all project members when it was implemented because I don't think I was aware of it. A bot might be helpful as well. upstate NYer 18:29, 6 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I was a part of the discussion briefly on the changing of the criteria, and if I remember correctly the logic (at least it was logical to me) was that villages are recognized as incorporated places by the census bureau and towns are not. That aspect of having villages higher than towns may need to be looked at again and villages may need to be moved down to mid along with towns.Camelbinky (talk) 22:03, 6 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Towns are as well, otherwise we wouldn't have our population list for Brunswick now, no? upstate NYer 22:40, 6 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes towns are incorporated, but for some reason not recognized by the census as such, I dont know how that works that the census says they dont recognize New York towns (along with New England and I believe Wisconsin towns) as incorporated but still tabulate their populations. Its the reason they construct CDPs (which by the census's own definition are in areas that are "unincorporated", given that definition NY shouldnt have any CDP's). I can investigate further when I'm not messing around on the darn addictive farmville in facebook :)Camelbinky (talk) 00:27, 7 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

My thinking was that villages and cities are more concentrated areas of population, and thus more important to a study of the state as a whole, while towns are merely divisions of a county and hamlets are unincorporated. I'm not inherently opposed to promoting towns to High-importance, but I think they fit best as "Mid". Powers ^T 13:48, 7 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, I agree that towns should be mid. I would also say that I think villages should be mid as well. Just my opinion. upstate NYer 15:09, 7 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The assessment page doesn't get a lot of eyes, so I suggest Wikipedia talk:WikiProject New York for specific suggestions. =) Powers ^T 18:49, 7 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I support villages being mid as well. In a perfect wiki-world we would judge each individual village, town, city, etc on importance separately on their own merit of notability and significance to the state. The city of Sherrill, New York for instance isnt as important to NY knowledge as Yonkers, Watertown, Plattsburgh, or Saratoga Springs; examples could also be given of towns, villages, even hamlets with one of state-wide importance and one that barely has importance for the people who live 20 miles around it. Unfortunately with the divisions between downstate, upstate, southern tier, north country, niagara frontier, etc I think we'd have a problem of consensus determining what is important state-wide versus "that's important in my backyard"; human nature being what it is.Camelbinky (talk) 19:14, 7 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

In case curious- this is the list of the census bureau's definitions of how they categorize things and while it doesnt explain why it does show that towns in the New England states, NY, and Wisconsin are not categorized as "incorporated places" where cities and villages and other incorporated places are put; instead they are put in the category "minor civil divisions" (MCDs) like Indian Reservations, election or assement precincts, road districts, and townships (which in Missouri where I am now, unlike in NY, townships tend to be useless with no elective bodies or functions, basically just election districts and can include a whole or part of a city the size of Albany). Since there are some NY, New England, and Wisconsin towns that are larger than many cities population-wise and have many of the same functions as cities whereas these other state's MCDs tend to be useless the logic of why the census does this escapes me.Camelbinky (talk) 01:23, 8 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Bit of trivia

Did you know that the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC has the main hall from the Van Rensselaer Manor house on the lower floor of the museum? (at least it was in 2005 per this) I had thought the building had been moved to a college in Massachusetts and then later burned or demolished, did not realize part still existed and that it was at such a big name museum. I wonder if they have information that might be helpful to you on early Dutch history in our area.Camelbinky (talk) 20:01, 7 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

My Commons Page

I have additional requests, at [this page]. EditorASC (talk) 23:43, 11 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Joseph H. Allen

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FPC Closing

Hey there! I was considering doing a closure of an FPC nom, but I wasn't sure about the guidelines of doing so. Does one need to be an admin? I would certainly only start out with a fairly non-contentious one. Specifically, I was considering closing Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates/Vexi Salmi. I'm in no hurry, but I thought this was something I could do to help out the community further. Jujutacular ^T · C 22:44, 16 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You don't need to be an admin. Anyone who can understand the closing procedure is welcome to close a nomination. Makeemlighter (talk) 23:03, 16 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Ditto Makeemlighter. Checked over the closing and you did a fine job. My word of advice is to always follow the closing procedure step by step. Closing multiple at one time is also helpful because it saves time in the end. If you need any more help feel free to grab me, Makeemlighter, or Maedin. upstate NYer 00:44, 17 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you both so much! It's good to know of another area that I can do work. And thanks for the pointers NYer :) Jujutacular ^T · C 05:57, 17 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Hello,

We have used your beautiful image of Albany on the IFMA website. As an engineer, I thought you might find this use appropriate.

Thanks kindly, Annmarie Lanesey MZA Multimedia