Colonie Central High School - Rougetor Yearbook (Albany, NY)

Page 160 text:

A Whispering Pine. . . I am the past. The future has entombed meg my needles, shed forever. The shadow of history is vanishing into the dawn of progress. While keeping this valiant vigil, with the wind rustling my branches, the last of my memories mingle with the sands of time. I can remember the Indian traders who trav- eled the Bush, One of them was a man named Duncan who belonged to the firm of Duncan, Finn, and Ellis, Indian traders for Sir William Johnson. Duncan and his family lived on a beau- tiful estate which they called The Hermitage, near the Schenectady city line, where slaves bowed to their every whim. I can remember how the turkeys driven up the turnpike from Schenectady used to roost in the stately pines of the same land after the Stanfords bought it in the early 1800's. Leland Stanford built the beautiful house which still stands now as the Ingersoll Memorial Home for the Aged. Leland later moved to Cali- fornia where he became governor, founder of Stanford University, and sponsor of the Southern Pacific Railroad. The first Stanford to settle in the Bush was Charles Stanford who owned a tavern where the Cameron Lumber Company now stands. On the door of this tavern was a solid gold door knocker. The Stanfords once owned all the land around Stop 1 where the mansion stands. Many places still bear their name such as Stanford Heights Fire Department, Stanford Street, and the Stan- ford Heights Golf Course where they once had a private trotting track. This same golf course is soon to be an ultra modern shopping center. I can remember when the land in the Pine Bush was sold for farms in 1840. One of the big farms owned by a man named Kilean has become the huge housing development of Kilean Park. The farm owned by john Brown and his thirteen children has now become Tanglewood Park. Sad- dlewood, Parkwood Drive, and Forest Drive are thriving now where once farmers planted and harvested their crops. I can remember, too, when the first cars made their way down the Albany Schenectady road. In the Roaring Twenties, Colonie achieved fame for being a speed trap for motorists. Into this trap fell the vaudeville team of Van and Shencke as they sped toward Schenectady for a benefit performance. I can remember when the city of Albany dam- med Patroons Creek which flows through the Pine Bush to form the Six Mile Waterworks which was to serve as a reservoir for the city. Now the Six Mile Waterworks has become a recreation area since as a water supply it has been considered outdated. I can remember in the 1930,s when the Sub- urban Twilight League used to play baseball near Stop 37. Now it is used for a trailer camp. I can remember in 1956 when Colonie had a fish hatch- ery at Bate's Pond. I can even remember when there was only one gas station between the two cities. Now there are over fifty. Fearfully, I cling to the roots of time. With horror, I have witnessed the massacre of my breth- reng with pride, I have watched the molding of a new era. The Thruway tunnels through the terraing the tree of industry is blossoming into a forest of power, the scattered settlers have mush- roomed into a magnitude of unforeseen dimen- sions. Sorrowfully, but hopefully, I must relinquish my claim to the land. Fervently I cry out to Col- onie. Ignite the spirit of the past as the spark of the future! Remember me . . . remember me . . .

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