Earth, Energy, and Environment—the Vasudha Living & Learning Community @ Rensselaer
IHSS-1970 Nature/Society
Fall 2008 (Gowdy / Akera)
Handout #1
Ethnographic Exercise /
A Walking Tour of Troy
Ethnography (Greek ἔθνος ethnos = people and γράφειν graphein = writing) is a genre of writing that
uses fieldwork to provide a descriptive study of human societies. Ethnography presents the results of a
holistic research method founded on the idea that a system's properties cannot necessarily be
accurately understood independently of each other. The genre has both formal and historical
connections to travel writing and colonial office reports. Several academic traditions, in particular the
constructivist and relativist paradigms, employ ethnographic research as a crucial research method.
Many cultural anthropologists consider ethnography the essence of the discipline.
(from Wikipedia, “Ethnography,” downloaded 8/28/2008. For the rest of the entry, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnography)
So, one of the things that we’ll be asking everyone in this class to do is to “treat the world as a text.” The
idea here is that although we can learn about different aspects of the world through reading a book,
sometimes the more subtle and complex interdependencies in the world—such as the relationship
between nature and society—may be best understood or observed through our own encounters with it.
Indeed, one of the things we failed to mention during our opening lecture on Tuesday was the fact that
the very title of this course “Nature/Society” is based on the use of a postmodern “/” construct that
argues that nature and society are not separate things, but are always inextricably bound to one
another. (We’ll also encounter this when we talk about “technoscience” or “socio-technical” entities,
that explores more specifically the relationship between technology [or science] and society.) As
suggested by the Wikipedia definition above, holistic writing, as represented by ethnographic fieldwork,
is grounded in the idea that “a system’s properties cannot be accurately understood independently of
each other,” and therefore a useful method for teasing out such interconnections.
So hopefully, everyone has remembered to bring their ethnographic field journals with them today.
What we’d like you to do, once again, is to “treat the world as a text” and do the following during the
walking tour today:
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Please get in groups of three or four, and focus your energy on observing, and writing. While
you may chat about what you see, try not to let other conversations intervene with your
observations.
Embedded within the self-guided walking tour that follows is a series of questions. When you
see a question, stop and ponder the question, and answer it the best you can. (Sometimes your
thoughts will drift off of the question—this is fine. Write where your thoughts take you.)
Observe, and write down anything else you see. Over time, you’ll learn to let your writing evolve
around emerging questions—questions raised by the course, and by your encounters with the
world, using “watchful” eyes. (Ishmael would not want you to be asleep.)
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Learning from Troy*
A Walking Tour
The following destinations, suggested walking tour, and organizations provide a quick yet
complex introduction to Troy’s more than two hundred years of history, as well as its
contemporary problems and prospects. Heavy industrialization and manufacturing in steel, horse
shoes, railroad spikes, stoves, shirts and other products generated phenomenal wealth in Troy
during the nineteenth century. By the 1840 census, Troy was the fourth wealthiest city per capita
in this country. In the twentieth century, geographical shifts in heavy industry, the construction
of the national system of interstate highways, and the Federal Housing Administrations program
of guaranteed mortgages dramatically changed US housing stock, and how Americans lived.
Especially after World War II, new patterns of suburban expansion created rapid growth within
the Capital District Region, and yet little of this occurred within Troy’s city limits. By the mid1990s, the City of Try had the worst municipal credit rating in the state, undermining its ability
to borrow money. This decline—and the possibility for revitalization—must be understood as
part of social and technological transformations having to do with energy (water, to steam power,
to electricity and gasoline); transportation systems (canals, rails, trucking); social ideals (nuclear
family; single family housing); and government policies pertaining to US cities.
Destinations and a Suggested Walking Tour
The following destinations provide clues for understanding contemporary Troy in historical
perspective. Beginning and ending at the top of Rensselaer’s (RPI’s) Approach, the suggested
walking tour gives a route through Troy’s downtown that includes all of the numbered
destinations given below. See the attached map for more details. This walking tour should take
between one and a half to two hours. Look around at the environment as you proceed on the tour.
Talk to people you meet. Reflect on what you see. These activities are your research methods for
developing stronger historical, political, social and economic perspectives on this city.
1. The Approach (East end of Broadway, at 8th street): The approach was built by the City
of Troy in 1904 to symbolize the connection between Troy and RPI. Just to the north, the
Winslow Building was one of RPI’s earliest buildings. How has the campus’ center of
gravity shifted? This building used to house The Junior Museum, now the Children’s
Museum of Science and Technology, which relocated to a site at Rensselaer’s
Technology Park located about eight miles away in North Greenbush. (The offices there
maintain Troy’s 12180 zipcode.) At the bottom of the Approach, the Troy Union
Railroad Statino used to straddle 6th Street between Broadway and Fulton Streets. The
station was demolished in 1958 and replaced by a parking lot.
Walk down the Approach, following Broadway to 3rd Street. (Notice Union Street
between 6th and 5th streets.)
2. Broadway Corridor—Troy Historic Signage Project #6 (on the northeast corner of the
Broadway and 3rd Street intersection): “The ‘Broadway Corridor’ or just Broadway as it’s
*
This is an exercise developed by the then STS graduate student, Jason Patton for the course, “Leadership in a
Technological World,” and subsequently adapted to other courses within the Department of Science and
Technology Studies. It is offered here in modified form.
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called today was originally named ‘Albany Street’ because it led to the riverfront where
the boats from Albany docked. In 1854, Troy’s railroads were moved from River Street
to a new Union Depot on what is now Sixth Street, between Broadway and Fulton. In
1904, the city built an elegant stone staircase at the eastern end of Broadway to connect
downtown with the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.”
3. Atrium Mall (north side of Broadway, between 3rd and 4th Streets): Widely regarded as a
failure, the Atrium Mall was part of a 1960s and 1970s urban renewal project to locate a
suburban style shopping mall downtown. Some people maintain that a larger mall would
have succeeded. It is now dominated by state government offices. The mall contains an
unused movie theater.
Walk north on 3rd Street one block to the intersection of 3rd, Fulton, and River Streets.
4. Frear’s Cash Bazaar (southeast corner of the 3rd, Fulton, and River Street intersection):
Built in 1897, Frear’s Cash Bazaar was one of New York State’s largest department
stores. (Look for the name of the building along the top of the façade on 3rd Street.) The
area to the north of Fulton Street, once containing buildings like those along 3rd and River
Streets, was leveled as part of the shopping mall project described above.
Walk south on River Street to 284 River Street.
5. Market Block Incubator (284 River Street): The Market Block Incubator provides
space, shared resources, and expertise for helping new businesses establish themselves.
The incubator focuses especially on low-income business people. The shops on this block
are all part of the incubator program.
Walk south on River Street to the corner of River and 2nd Streets.
6. The Arts Center (261-271 River Street, call 273-0052 for current hours of operation):
For over thirty years, the Arts Center (formerly the Rensselaer County Council for the
Arts) has promoted the arts in the community by coordinating exhibitions, classes, and
school programs. The organization refurbished these five buildings to move art classes
and events previously held all over the county to the downtown. Be sure to see the
galleries that are free and open to the public.
Continue down River Street to just before the Troy City Hall.
7. Monument Square—Troy Historic Signage Project #4 (on the west side of River Street,
between City Hall and 251 River Street): “In front of City Hall there is Monument Square
also known as the ‘Crossroads of the Community.’ The square is one of Troy’s earliest
public gathering places. It has always been surrounded by hotels, shops, and restaurants.
Stagecoaches as did the railroad once stopped here. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument
was erected in 1891 to commemorate the citizens of Rensselaer who served in American
wars.”
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Take the staircase just in front of City Hall down to the Visitor’s Center
8. Troy Riverspark Visitors Center (251 River Street, call 270-8667 for current hours of
operation): Take a look at the historical exhibits and don’t miss their award-winning slide
show.
Walk back up the stairs and turn right at the top of the deck behind City Hall.
9. Troy’s Waterfront—Troy Historic Signage Project #2 (on the deck behind Troy City
Hall): “In 1877, the Waterfront was where steamboats made overnight trips down river to
New York City and smaller ferries ran to nearby communities. Many of Troy’s new
immigrants found employment on the docks and in waterfront industries.”
Go back to the front of City Hall and walk south on River Street to the corner of River
and 1st Streets.
10. Hall-Rice Building (1871): With funding support from the State of New York, the HallRice Building renovation is a joint project of RPI, Troy Savings Bank, and Troy
Architectural Program (TAP). The building features state of the art infrastructure to
support high-technology businesses. Rensselaer currently occupies part of this space.
This building also appears in Martin Scorsese’s film, The Age of Innocence (1993).
Continue south on River Street.
11. River Street Commercial District (now also Troy’s antiques district)—Troy Historic
Signage Project #3 (on the west side of River Street, approximately at 201 River Street):
“In the 1700s and 1800s River Street was Troy’s commercial street. River Street was
where you could buy furniture, clothing, groceries, hardware, and Troy’s famous stoves,
made in foundaries that lined the riverfront from more than 3 miles. Troy’s regular grid
of streets bends along River Street to follow the curve of the Hudson River.”
Continue south on River Street and turn left on State Street.
12. Charles Nalle plaque (5 State Street): Arrested under the Fugitive Slave Act, escaped
slave Charles Nalle was rescued by supporters of abolition from this site in 1860.
Walk back State Street to 1st Street. Turn left and continue south on 1st Street to Russell
Sage College. Turn left on Ferry Street, a pedestrian walkway that connects to 2nd Street
at the Hart Memorial Public Library.
13. Hart Memorial Public Library (100 2nd Street, call 274-7071 for current hours of
operation): The Public Library was a gift to the City by Mary Lane Hart in memory of
her husband William Howard Hart. The building was constructed in 1897 but the library,
dating to 1799, is one of the oldest in the state. Be sure to take a look at the stained glass
behind the circulation desk and the reading room upstairs. Talk to the staff and observe
the patrons. What services does the library provide? What constraints does the library
face?
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Walk north on 2nd Street towards downtown and turn right on State Street.
14. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (1828) (northeast corner of State and 3rd Streets): This
English Gothic Revival style church is listed in the United States National Register of
Historic Places. Tiffany & Company refurbished the interior in 1893—the inside is a
must see. (From Monday-Friday 9am-3pm, try the front doors. Sunday services are 8am
and 10am.)
Cross State Street to the sign just down State Street towards 4th Street.
15. The Walkable City—Troy Historic Signage Project #5 (on the southeast corner of State
and 3rd Streets): “Troy is a city designed for walking. Originally, people’s houses were
never very far from the places where they worked, worshiped, and played. As Troy’s
commercial district expanded eastward from the riverfront, the houses on Third Street
were converted into or replaced by stored. In 1875, the Third Street Burial Ground was
moved to make room for Troy’s first City Hall. Around the corner that same year, the
Troy Savings Bank opened its headquarters building and Music Hall.”
Continue east on State Street and turn left on 4th Street.
16. Proctor’s Theater (82 4th Street): Built in 1913-14, this palatial theater—complete with
two full balconies—showed its last movie in the early 1970s. Why are there no family
movie theaters in Troy? How do theaters generate activity, shape quality of life, and
contribute to the tax base?
Continue north on State Street, turn right on Broadway, and walk back up the Approach.