#HISTORIC PRESERVATION ALBANY

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Looks like I found another abomination this morning. Someone turned this 1929 Mansard roof home in New Albany, Indiana into 7 1-bedroom apts. and 1 studio. They are advertising it as a turn-key property, b/c it's almost all rented, so if the new owner wants to live there, there is an empty apt. available. Look at this mish-mash. It couldn't have been more than either a single family mansion or a duplex, at the most.

As you can see, it had a typically classic look center hall where the woodwork has been painted gray and white.

The apts. retain some wonderful original fireplaces and floors.

But the kitchen designs leave a lot to be desired.

They've fashioned small modern shower rooms into each unit.

I assume that this kitchen was once a bedroom and it has such a beautiful fireplace.

They didn't care about design or preservation, they just stuck kitchens in, any old way.

Small less-expensive stoves fit into exposed brick walls while lovely original fireplaces get ignored in the process.

Looks like someone started painting brown over the original floor in here.

I think that if the tenants cared, they could make these spaces look cute.

Nothing much can be done with these assorted shower rooms.

The 2nd fl. hallway. These were more than likely former bedrooms and sitting rooms.

I bet they only left all these great fireplaces b/c they didn't want to deal with them.

These apts. make me nervous.

These have nice exposed brick.

This bedroom has a great feature wall and fireplace.

Oh, this tenant painted the exposed brick, gray. I would put it in the lease- no painting.

The uppermost level has the vacancies. I guess not many people want to climb up here.

This apt. has access to the porch in the back.

Actually, this apt. looks spacious.

This is terrible.

Geesh, they just stuck everything wherever. Doesn't look like they even planned it out.

I wouldn't even buy this place as income property.

This unit looks like a nice one, too.

Oh, look at the porches on the back of the house.

Nice big yard, and it even had a fountain at one time. Well, I guess some landlord will buy it.

[reasoningdaily]

It would be easy to drive right by the Lee County Stockade. The decrepit white concrete building sits in the shadow of a school bus depot and looks like the kind of place that long ago outlived its purpose. On a breezy, overcast day in mid-January, Shirley Green Reese, dressed in a white pantsuit and silver accessories, stood at the stockade door, directing a stream of reporters, filmmakers and locals to step inside.

She began describing the early morning hours of July 1963 when she and a wagonload of at least 14 other girls ranging in age from 12 to 15 were dropped at the jail more than 20 miles from their homes. They had been arrested just a day earlier during a nonviolent civil rights protest at a movie theater in Americus. Holed up in the stockade for weeks, they waited and wondered if their efforts would have an impact.

“I feel very honored that we can share the story and that some people are excited about it and are accepting of it,” Reese said. “Some can’t believe it happened in 1963, and some still have questions about it.”

Known as the Girls of Leesburg Stockade, their story has been shared by news outlets and in books, films and lectures for the past several decades, but to most Americans, including many residents in the southwest Georgia counties where the events took place, the women are largely unknown. They had joined the movement to be seen as Americans with the full force of civil rights, and like many other young protesters of the era, the details of their stories were subsumed by the larger narrative of the civil rights movement.

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In 2015 Reese and the nine living Leesburg women collectively broke their silence about the time they spent in the Leesburg Stockade.

Now their memories have worn thin. Some of the women recall details that the others do not, and there are disputes about who was actually jailed in the stockade and for how long. But what the girls from Leesburg Stockade now collectively possess that they did not in the past is the desire for their efforts to be seen, heard and understood.

The stockade is now owned by the local school district. There is talk of preserving the building as a historic landmark. Last year, students at the high school worked to have the girls of Leesburg recognized on a historical marker. The marker, in partnership with the Georgia Historical Society, will be dedicated later this year to commemorate the spirit and sacrifice the girls showed during the summer of 1963.

The young seek a role

The road to the Leesburg Stockade began miles away and years before the girls were locked up.

A nascent civil rights effort had been brewing in that pocket of southwest Georgia as the 1950s gave way to the turbulent ’60s. It centered around Albany, and by 1962 had made its way to Americus, 38 miles north.

Children were encouraged to be part of the movement, as they had been in Albany and in Birmingham. It was a controversial tactic, but one that became a signature of the resistance. If a town could lock up its black children to avoid integration, what would it do to their parents?

“Around April of ’63 is when we started asking the SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) workers, ‘When are we going to go and test these places and restaurants to serve us?’” said Sam Mahone, one of the early leaders of the Americus-Sumter County Movement. “At first, SNCC didn’t think Americus was ready, but the students didn’t want to wait.”

After a series of mass meetings were held at local black churches to energize the crowds, direct action protests began. The first target was the town’s segregated movie theater.

Having slipped away from home on a Saturday afternoon while her parents were downtown, Reese and her best friend Mae Smith-Davis decided to attend the mass meeting at Friendship Baptist Church. When they arrived, the group was already planning to go to Martin Theater.

The pastor and SNCC workers gave them instructions. Don’t talk to anybody. Follow everyone closely. They joined the line and marched toward downtown.

Law enforcement in Americus responded with brute force: water hoses, cattle prods, nightsticks. They arrested protesters by the scores. Some were adults, but the overwhelming number of those taken into custody were teenagers, some as young as 12. When the city jail filled, surrounding counties offered space. Boys and girls were separated, although they were often held in the same building.

‘No swinging doors in Leesburg’

As the protests continued, the stockade in Leesburg filled with girls.

Paddywagons brought them to the stockade, a remote, low-slung structure surrounded by woods and bordered on one side by a lonely stretch of country road.

The building was by then a relic, gloomy and filthy. Bars covered the windows, but much of the glass was broken, giving easy access to bugs. The stockade’s sole toilet would not flush. There was no soap. Water from the shower head trickled in a thin stream. Day in and day out, the girls were fed either scrambled egg sandwiches or four rare hamburgers a day.

Some of the girls were ill and afraid.

Lulu Westbrook Griffin, 69, had joined the group of protesters at the church knowing she would likely end up in jail, but she wasn’t prepared for the trauma she would feel.

“We weren’t used to going off and staying overnight anywhere,” said Griffin, who was 12 at the time. “We went to church, to school. We didn’t even walk out of the house without our parents’ permission.”

Though she was in the company of other girls, Griffin said the experience left her with bouts of crying and nightmares that would persist well into adulthood. She had joined the movement to feel empowered, but her one act of protest left her feeling weak.

Diane Bowens’ activism had been brewing long before she attended the protest at the theater. By then, she was fully invested in the movement. In the stockade, her commitment didn’t waver, said Bowens, then 13. “If you were going to be a part of it, you were going to be a part of it,” she said. “There were no swinging doors in Leesburg.”

Outside world takes notice

As the days turned into weeks, other girls arrived, a signal to the ones already there that the protests continued back in Americus, 27 miles north. But here, the story of the girls of Leesburg Stockade gets muddled. Some reports have said there were more than 30 girls at the stockade arriving and leaving between mid-July and mid-September, but the only visual evidence of girls being held in the stockade, an image shot by a SNCC photographer, pictures 15 girls. Some girls, those from wealthier families in town, have said their parents paid a fee and got them out before the others.

SNCC kept tabs on what counties the children were taken to and where they were being kept, but they didn’t always have names for every child, especially if the child gave a false name. Which is what Carolyn DeLoatch did.

DeLoatch, then 15, had begged her parents to let her get involved in the movement and they’d relented, telling her she could go to mass meetings but to not intentionally get arrested. But there DeLoatch was in August, locked up.

Their days in the stockade were filled with talking, sleeping, praying, singing and wondering when they’d go home, DeLoatch, now 70, said. The monotony was about as intolerable as the food. But by being in Leesburg, she felt she was doing something important.

“It was bearable because it was all of us together,” DeLoatch said. “We were all demonstrating and we wanted people to know that we wanted to be free.”

After several days, her father paid a fine, possibly $45, she said, and she was brought back to Americus. Her father told her he was proud of her, she said, but within three days, her parents shipped her off to a South Carolina boarding school for black girls.

>> RELATED | More historical markers in Georgia, along with more scrutiny

Reese was still in the stockade when Danny Lyon, a young white photographer for SNCC, showed up. Though their parents had come to look in on them and pass fresh clothing and food through the bars, they didn’t have the means or influence to get them out. “Nobody had any rights. Who were they going to go to?” said Reese.

It was mid-to-late August and the girls pressed their faces against the bars staring at Lyon and stretching their arms through the panes framed with broken glass. He lifted his Nikon and started shooting. “I remember touching them through the bars and we said ‘Freedom’ — that was a code word for the civil rights movement,” Lyon said. “The fact that someone from the outside world was there was incredible to them.”

His visit lasted less than 15 minutes, he thinks, but it resulted in the only known images of the girls and the conditions in which they were being held. Not long after the pictures appeared in the black press, the girls were released. It would be the last time for several decades many of them would acknowledge their connection to the Leesburg Stockade.

Readjusting to their lives

On their return to Americus, the girls were dropped right back into their lives.

“I just remember being happy to get out of there,” Bowens said. Though her arrival home was celebrated, Bowens grappled with her feelings. Her mom pressed to know if anyone had sexually assaulted the girls. Her brother threatened to hurt anyone who had, though no one did.

“I just closed off that part of my life,” said Bowens, 69, who would go outside and sit under the house for hours crying. “Just knowing that someone would treat you like that and do that to you. I was feeling sad. I felt like, Is this it? Is this all there is to life?”

As they journeyed from teens to young women, many of the Leesburg girls’ worlds spread beyond the confines of southwest Georgia to New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and beyond. The 15 girls captured in Lyon’s now famous photo would go on to become pastors, civil servants, educators, authors and public speakers.

When Bowens met her husband, she began to feel better. He had been in the movement as well, and they would talk about all the things that happened in Americus. Raising her four children and building a long career as an inspector in the automotive industry changed her outlook, but Bowens still feels sad sometimes. “Things are better now, but basically things are still the same,” she said.

School had been in session for weeks when Reese walked into Sumter High after her release from the stockade. “Not even the teachers asked where I was coming from,” Reese said. “My grades started falling.”

Reese began diving into extracurricular activities — choir, dance, basketball — to keep her mind off those weeks during the summer. “When I first got out, I didn’t feel whole,” she said. She fed off the energy of close friends who were talented, had a positive attitude and were accepting of her.

After high school, her mother sent her to Savannah to live with her aunts. Reese enrolled in Savannah State University and embarked on an educational journey — ultimately earning a doctorate in philosophy from Florida State University — that would bring her some measure of solace and success. She went on to become the first black female athletic director in the state of Georgia.

“I pushed the stockade out of my mind because I had to get an education. That is what my parents had pushed all our lives,” she said.

Though she spent less time in the stockade, DeLoatch was nonetheless marked by the experience. For her, it was an “awakening.” Before Leesburg, she was sheltered by her educator parents, her father a school principal and her mother a librarian in Americus’ segregated school system. They were part of the town’s tiny black middle class.

Leesburg and the Americus movement taught DeLoatch that civil rights would only come with a sustained fight. She went from being voted “most civic minded” at her boarding school to later participating in the Poor People’s Campaign while a college student at Virginia Union in Richmond, she said. Eventually she became a city planner in Chicago and the mother of two. She watched with pride as her son decided to register to vote as soon as he turned 18: no literacy test to pass; no poll tax to pay.

“There was no problem,” DeLoatch said.

Making their voices heard

Leesburg was a moment in DeLoatch’s life but not the only important one.

“I moved on but I used that to help me become the person I am: the kind of person who doesn’t let anybody push them around; the kind of person who is secure in my personhood,” she said.

But the impacts of childhood trauma can linger, said Vincent Willis, assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies at the University of Alabama. Willis is writing the book “Audacious Agitation,” on the experiences of student protesters in southwest Georgia during the civil rights movement. He’s including a chapter on the larger Americus movement and has interviewed some of the women who were jailed in the stockade as girls, he said.

“That 14-year-old girl is still in there somewhere,” Willis said. “The idea that time heals all wounds, I argue against it. They’re told to get over it, that the battle was won, but there are always lingering effects. There’s always psychological damage.”

Griffin was first among the girls of Leesburg Stockade to share her story on a national platform. In 1996, she saw a book, “Memories of the Southern Civil Rights Movement,” with the photographs Lyon had taken at the stockade. “The pictures had no names. I thought, wow, I need to put a name to these faces,” said Griffin, a retired educator.

She would later write a book and hold speaking engagements at schools. When she began planning a documentary, which premiered in Americus in 2003, she contacted some of the other women, she said. Some of them were still reluctant to speak out about the past, fearing repercussion from locals. A few years later, in 2006, a reporter from Essence magazine wrote a story, and some of the women who had previously been reluctant began to speak out.

Reese returned to Americus for good in 2002. She got involved with local civic organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Americus-Sumter County and the City Council. “I felt I needed to get back in there and help the kids move forward so they would not have to go through what we went through,” Reese said. For years, she had suppressed her feelings about the stockade, but since returning to Americus, she has vowed to keep telling their story.

“We as a people don’t want to address something like this because they feel like things are better now. But we can’t let them forget the past,” Reese said. “Even if they don’t care, I care.”

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Situations where the camera would rather film than assist 🎬

Preparations are underway..

As we can see, this photo is all about the filming location, although it also gives you a specific location within Doune Castle. Jeremy Irvine's photo is very good because it is supposed to be the location of the Great Hall in the Castle (turned Castle Leoch) which also suggests it is used as 'table reading'.

A table read is one of the most important steps in the production process for any TV series. It offers an opportunity for the cast, crew, and other members of the creative team to gather together to hear the script read aloud. In the case of episodic television, these table reads usually occur towards the end of pre-production, before filming.

Photo Outlander Season 1 set

Built-in the 13th century, the castle is known for its striking 100-foot-high gatehouse and one of the best-preserved great halls in the country. Its battlements afford stunning views of the River Teith and Ben Lomond. Doune Castle, suffered much damage in the Wars of Independence. It was later rebuilt in its current form in the 14th century by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, who is nicknamed the 'uncrowned King of Scotland'. The son of King Robert Il of Scots, and Regent of Scotland until his death.

It has a long and colourful history. Mary Queen of Scots stayed there on several occasions, and Bonnie Prince Charlie used it as a garrison during the Jacobite Rebellion. It fell into disuse after the Jacobites were defeated and by the beginning of the 19th century, was in ruins.

Doune Castle near Stirling was used as Castle Leoch's seat of Clan Mackenzie in Season One of Outlander. It is also Winterfell in Game of Thrones, and featured in Outlaw King and Mary Queen of Scots and and the 1975 comedy film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Photo Outlander Season 1 set

From Jeremy's photo it seems that to recreate the new look of BOMB from the 18th century, the set presented looks familiar. It's possible could be working on sets already created by Jon Gary Steele, former production designer on Outlander season 1.

He built a lot of 18th-century interiors retrofitted in Doune Castle, originally built in 1390, which served as the fictional Castle Leoch in Outlander series. Because it’s a historic Scottish landmark, there were/are prohibitions on what they could/can do there. Doune Castle, is one of Scotland’s most iconic heritage attractions.

Photo Outlander Season 1 set

In season 1 of Outlander, Castle Leoch was made very utilitarian. Many people lived there, either inside the premises or right outside it, in shacks and huts. If you watch the video below, BOMB continues along this line. The laird's part of the castle will be very comfortable, but for everyone else, it will make it like it really would have been, not too comfortable.

Doune Castle: It is built with exquisite curved wooden beams that give it a touch of elegance and architectural beauty. Raw materials are used in the series in a process that guarantees the integrity of the original structure. The curved laminated wood beams were made in season 1 of Outlander and adorn the Great Hall and continue in BOMB.

Combining craftsmanship and technique, aiming to shed light behind on the remarkable original structural element. In this case, what is missing from the photo is to show how they did it.

The Great Hall. The castle is known for having one of the best-preserved great halls in the country.

Great Hall interior looks East with arches that follow the curved structure.

Details Doune Castle interior set for filming

Upper chambers of the Gatehouse Tower

🎥 @ edinburghblackcabtours

Doune Castle will be closed until Wednesday 21 February 2024 for BOMB. filming inside and outside the castle📍

[fuckinuhhh]

Take a Walk 09/22/24 - Albany, NY Special Edition

Just a note to the 3 day-one fans/followers of my take a walk commentary series, I have a few posts to catch up on that are dated and slated to be put together as soon as I find the time. But I just wanted to get this special edition out as soon as I could because its fresh and I have the motivation to and this one is short. (And because this is my blog, and I make the rules, and were doing this one first!!)

While I was visiting my friends in Albany, a place I called home for a number of years, I had some time to kill so my old friend and I decided to take a long walk and shoot some photos. :)

First off we have the Hinckel Brewery building originally built as just the right-most building in 1855, with additions made in subsequent years as the business began to grow to be one of the biggest beer distributors in the Northeast even rivaling Anheuser-Busch and Samuel Adams during the early 1900's.

The original architect is unknown, but to the best of my understanding many of the building's interiors as well as the surrounding building complex have been modernized and incorporated into the @HudsonPark apartment scheme. I wasn't able to find a lot of info on the apartments that exist therein within the apartment complex, and they don't exactly have rave reviews on sites like google and apartments.com.

When we walked into the small inner concrete courtyard underneath the old docking bay in the office building, the vibe was very vacant aside from being locked and then this strange noise I caught of one of the seemingly-annoyed tenants who wasn't happy we were all up in their business. (either that or it was a ghost, give the sound a listen in the last 5 seconds of this video and let me know lol).

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Then we walked past some of my favorites, that I neglected to get pictures of -_- bc I didn't think I would be making this post, BUT that I'll def be able to get pictures of from my archives/google. I'll throw together a short run through of those real quick and then get to the main event.

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The Van Ostrande-Radliff House at 48 Hudson Ave, a must see (even if you cant see much) in Albany. This is the oldest standing building in the city, originally built in 1728. Preservation efforts are ongoing to restore it to its former charm, but it remains covered for the time being so as to not fall into further disrepair. I recommend checking out the sick pictures that Historic Albany Foundation has on their website of the current interior.

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Down the street is the SUNY Headquarters Building, an old railroad building that served the state capitol under the Delaware & Hudson Railroad Co. Architect Marcus T. Reynolds designed this one, it was originally built as six separate buildings from 1915 on and connected to form one continuous structure, this imposingly beautiful Flemish Gothic building is one of my personal favorites in downtown Albany.

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Turning around we see this beautifully ornate neo-classical building at the corner of State St. & Broadway. Originally built as the Albany Trust Company building in 1902, also by architect Marcus T. Reynolds! This building has such a striking facade and the renaissance revival dome is truly an architectural masterpiece (if not bordering on a little gaudy). I was so lucky to find out they had just given it a fresh spruced up paint job when I walked by it! Today it operates as the SUNY Research Foundation building.

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Then juuuust up the street 2 buildings away is BY FAR my favorite little guy in the city (I would treat her so right, please god give me a chance).

This is 63 State St. Being built originally by one of my favorite architects, Russell Sturgis in 1876 for the Mechanics & Farmers Bank. For such a small sliver of a property footprint this building just does so much right with its balance of form and ornament. The turret on the corner is stunningly delicate, as well as the bright red brick to complement the light sandy stone. Not to mention that beautifully ornate third floor circle window. This building changed hands a couple times throughout the centuries but retains the old vault door in the basement as well as the brass fixtures and marble floorings inside that give it quite the stately presence upon entering.

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How could I not include the most imposingly large, ornate, stately, balanced (every other adjective I've ever used on this blog...) building in Albany, the state capitol building!? Main architect: Henry Hobson Richardson, along with Leopold Eidlitz, Thomas Fuller, and Isaac G. Perry. Finished in 1899 after 32 years!

I'm going to keep this very brief because we only stopped here briefly on our walk and this building deserves it's own deep dive post at some point anyway. Plus it isn't even the aforementioned "Main Event" of our walk. But the detail in the scrolling on the columns here is absolutely insane. My friend and I were discussing it's architectural style/influences and we weren't completely convinced it falls into any one, Italianate/Neoclassical/Victorian/Georgian/Flemish/Gothic/Spanish influences... the confluence of styles in this design is absolutely masterful. As well as whether one would consider the columns corinthian or not, maybe composite? But just take a look at these bad boys, I would sit and take a full semester's course just on the symbolism sprinkled in and throughout this structure.

The scrolling is unique on EVERY column and sprinkled with tons of historical imagery and symbolism but they all have the same visual weight and if you weren't paying attention you'd never notice.

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If you think nothing could compete with the capital building's insanely intricate detail look across the street for it's closest competitor, The State Education Department building and Chancellor Hall at 89 Washington Ave. I think I remember thinking for a long time this was my favorite Albany building for years before discovering the charming old gothic bank building on lower State St.

Spanning a whole city block (a long one) is this building's imposing Greek-revival corinthian colonnade with 36 massive columns along it! Another scale-defying building joining the capitol building at you-have-to-see-it-in-person scale, the columns on this bad boy are comparable to the width of a redwood tree (see the picture of my legs as I lay down between them to get shots of the ceiling).

Originally Built in 1911 by architect Henry Hornbostel, this building has retained it's integrity and intention by functioning as the base of operations for the NY state education system since its completion. Its structure and facade, including the intricate brass lighting fixtures and the beautiful tiling along its exterior, has been kept in immaculate condition and is incredible to look at in person. This is another architectural feat with such minute detailing that I could sit there with an expert for probably weeks just in awe of it's symbols and attention to detail. I sat there for about 20 minutes when we visited it just looking at it and taking its beauty in. This is the type of building that just transports you somewhere else when you really take it in, it could've easily been cherry picked from the acropolis and plopped in upstate New York and you wouldn't question it thats how beautifully true to form it feels in person.

I didn't know I would be making this post in the moment while taking the walk so I don't have a dishonorable mention, but if you've ever been to Albany, NY you know there are far too many of those to ever pick from so I'm going to give myself a pass this time.

[remodelingheroesberkeley]

Hotsy Totsy Club: Experience Vintage Allure and Cocktails in Albany, CA

The Hotsy Totsy Club, a beloved Albany, CA institution since 1939, masterfully blends nostalgia with modern sophistication. This historic club preserves the charm of its retro roots while offering a contemporary twist on its extensive cocktail selection. Its neon-lit facade, evoking memories of a bygone era, invites patrons into a space where classic mixology meets innovative flair. Each cocktail, from the locally sourced honey-infused ‘Albany Old Fashioned’ to the bold ‘The Diablo’ with jalapeno-infused tequila, promises a sensory delight and a glimpse into the artistry behind these unique creations.

Discovering the Hotsy Totsy Club

Walking into the Hotsy Totsy Club, one is immediately enveloped by a captivating blend of nostalgia and sophistication, a reflection of its rich history and dedication to delivering exceptional cocktails. Since its establishment in 1939, this Albany landmark has built a community that goes beyond the typical bar scene. With its neon-lit exterior, original mahogany bar, and vintage Americana decor, the club exudes timeless appeal.

The authenticity of the Hotsy Totsy Club comes from its unwavering commitment to preserving its past while embracing contemporary tastes. Here, every guest becomes part of an ongoing story, sharing in the unique sense of belonging that sets the Hotsy Totsy Club apart from other local watering holes.

Exploring the Cocktail Menu

The Hotsy Totsy Club’s meticulously curated cocktail menu offers a tantalizing array of drinks that seamlessly blend classic mixology with modern innovation. Each cocktail is a journey, rooted in tradition yet daringly modern. The ‘Albany Old Fashioned,’ for example, reimagines the timeless recipe with a touch of locally sourced honey, creating a subtly sweet and smoky flavor profile.

For those seeking bolder flavors, ‘The Diablo’ features fiery jalapeno-infused tequila, perfect for the adventurous palate. Alternatively, ‘The Bee’s Knees’ combines gin, lemon, and honey for an elegant, softer option. Each sip highlights the Hotsy Totsy Club’s dedication to quality and creativity, reinforcing the sense of belonging within this retro-inspired haven.

In essence, the Hotsy Totsy Club in Albany, CA, offers more than just cocktails; it provides a fusion of history, authenticity, and innovation. Its charm lies in its timeless appeal, embodying an era that continues to resonate today. The Hotsy Totsy Club is a captivating intersection of the past and present, delivering an unparalleled cocktail experience that is both a nostalgic homage and a contemporary reinvention.

[greattheoristpoetry]

Troy's Waterfront Wonders: Exploring the Riverfront

Introduction

Welcome to Troy's Waterfront Wonders: Exploring the Riverfront! In this article, we will take you on an adventurous journey through the main contractor Albany NY beautiful city of Troy, New York, and showcase the hidden gems and exciting attractions that await you along the riverfront. Whether you're a history buff, a foodie, an outdoor enthusiast, or simply looking for a unique experience, Troy has something for everyone. So grab your sense of adventure and let's dive into the wonders that await in this vibrant city.

Discover the Hidden Gems of Delmar: A Perfect Day Trip Itinerary

Delmar is a quaint town located just a short drive from Troy, and it is filled with hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Start your day trip with a visit to the Delmar Farmers Market, where you can sample fresh local produce and browse through unique handmade crafts. Afterward, take a stroll through the picturesque Four Corners area, where you'll find charming boutiques and cozy cafes. Don't forget to stop by Bethlehem Public Library to browse their extensive collection of books and enjoy some quiet reading time.

Why Delmar is the Capital Region's Best-Kept Secret

Delmar may be a small town, but it packs a punch when it comes to charm and character. With its tree-lined streets, historic homes, and friendly community atmosphere, Delmar truly embodies the spirit of small-town living. Its close proximity to Albany makes it an ideal location for those seeking a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Whether you're exploring its historic landmarks or enjoying a leisurely walk along one of its many scenic trails, Delmar is sure to captivate your heart.

Top 10 Must-See Attractions in Delmar for First-Time Visitors

If you're visiting Delmar for the first time, make Office Clifton Construction sure to check out these top 10 must-see attractions:

Delmar Farmers Market: Experience the vibrant local food scene and support local farmers and artisans.

Four Corners: Explore the heart of Delmar, where you'll find charming shops, restaurants, and historic buildings.

Bethlehem Public Library: Immerse yourself in a world of knowledge and enjoy some quiet reading time.

Adams House: Step back in time as you tour this beautifully preserved historic home.

Delmar Rail Trail: Take a leisurely stroll or bike ride along this scenic trail that winds through the town.

Philip J. Rotella Memorial Golf Course: Tee off at this picturesque golf course and enjoy a round of golf surrounded by nature.

Delaware Plaza: Shop till you drop at this bustling shopping center, which features a variety of stores and eateries.

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center: Discover the natural beauty of Delmar at this expansive nature reserve.

Normanside Country Club: Play a round of golf or indulge in a delicious meal at this premier country club.

The Spinney at Van Dyke: Experience senior living at its finest at this beautiful retirement community.

Exploring Guilderland: A Blend of History and Modern Charm

Just a short drive west of Troy lies Guilderland, a town that perfectly blends rich history with modern charm. From its historic landmarks to its vibrant culinary scene, Guilderland offers visitors a unique and diverse experience. Whether you're exploring the town's quaint villages o

[asfeatured]

Best Places to Magnet Fish in the USA

Best Places to Magnet fishing is a recreational activity that involves using a strong magnet attached to a rope to search for metal objects submerged in bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, canals, or ponds. Similar to traditional fishing, participants cast their magnet into the water and then retrieve it, hoping to attract and pull up metallic objects that may be hidden below the surface. The magnet used in magnet fishing is typically a neodymium magnet, known for its strong magnetic properties. As the magnet is dragged through the water, it attracts ferrous objects, such as coins, jewelry, tools, and even larger items like bicycles or firearms. Magnet fishing enthusiasts enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the excitement of uncovering lost or forgotten items. It's also an eco-friendly activity, as it helps remove metal waste from bodies of water, contributing to environmental preservation. However, it's important to note that while magnet fishing can be an enjoyable and rewarding hobby, participants should always be mindful of local regulations and safety precautions to ensure a positive and responsible experience. Table of Contents- Places to Magnet Fish in East Coast, USA - Places to Magnet Fish in the West Coast, USA - Places to Magnet Fish in Midwest USA - Places to Magnet Fish in South USA - Other popular sites for magnet fishing in the USA - Rules and Regulations for Fishing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVQM1F7M9bM Credit: (12) BobbyGuyFilms - YouTube

Places to Magnet Fish in East Coast, USA

Chesapeake Bay, Maryland It is a diverse landscape for fishing and many places where you can do magnet fishing. If you look for piers, docks, and bridges along the bay for potential magnet fishing spots, then you must visit Chesapeake Bay, Maryland for magnet fishing. You can consider magnet fishing around popular spots like Kent Island, Annapolis, and Baltimore. Also, you can explore areas near old wharves, docks, and marinas for fishing. Keep an eye out for historical sites along the bay, such as Fort McHenry or the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, where relics may have been lost or discarded. Hudson River, New York It is a place that has a rich history of fishing, making it an excellent location for magnet fishing. You can focus near the old industrial sites, piers, and marinas. The area is near cities like New York City, Albany, and Poughkeepsie and is ideal for fishing sites. You can check out spots near old industrial sites, ferry terminals, and waterfront parks for potential treasures. Cape Cod Canal, Massachusetts It is a very popular site for recreational fishing and offers opportunities for magnet fishing along its banks and near bridges. You can explore magnet fishing near cities like San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. Consider areas for magnet fishing with historical significance, such as Fisherman's Wharf or Alcatraz Island, where relics may have been lost over time.

Places to Magnet Fish in the West Coast, USA

Puget Sound, Washington Puget Sound is home to a variety of marine life and offers excellent magnet fishing opportunities along its shores, particularly near piers, docks, and recreational areas. You can focus on spots near piers, docks, and fishing hotspots. Also, you can do magnet fishing near cities like Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett. Spot near areas with maritime activity, such as the Seattle Waterfront or the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, are the best sites for magnet fishing. Colorado River, Arizona Traditionally it is not associated with magnet fishing, the Colorado River may offer potential spots near bridges, boat ramps, and recreational areas where metal objects may have been lost or discarded. While magnet fishing opportunities may be limited, explore areas near popular recreation spots like Lake Havasu City, Laughlin, and Bullhead City. You can Check out spots near bridges, boat ramps, and recreational areas where metal objects may have been lost or discarded. San Francisco Bay, California It is a very suitable site for fishing whether it is magnet fishing. You can look for areas near old wharves, piers, and docks for magnet fishing opportunities. For magnet fishing, Focus on magnet fishing near cities like San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. Also, you can Consider areas such as Fisherman's Wharf or Alcatraz Island, where relics may have been lost over time.

Places to Magnet Fish in Midwest USA

Lake Michigan, Michigan Lake Michigan provides ample opportunities for magnet fishing, particularly near urban areas, harbors, and marinas. Focus on spots near piers, docks, and fishing hotspots. You can find areas near along the lakefront, such as the Navy Pier or the Michigan Maritime Museum. Mississippi River, Minnesota The Mississippi River is one of the longest rivers in the US and offers various magnet fishing opportunities, particularly near bridges, boat landings, and recreational areas. You can easily find areas for magnet fishing, magnet fishing near cities like Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Winona. Ohio River, Ohio The Ohio River is known for its diverse ecosystem and rich history, making it an ideal location for magnet fishing. Look for spots near old bridges, piers, and riverbanks. The area near Cincinnati, Louisville, and Huntington is best for fishing.

Places to Magnet Fish in South USA

Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana While magnet fishing directly in the Gulf of Mexico may be challenging due to the depth and currents, focus on areas near coastal inlets, jetties, and piers for potential finds. You can find areas near coastal inlets, jetties, and piers for fishing. Also, you can look at sites near Grand Isle State Park or Venice Marina. Tennessee River, Tennessee The Tennessee River offers numerous magnet fishing opportunities, particularly near dams, bridges, and recreational areas. Look for spots with easy access to the riverbank. Near the Dam, you can do magnet fishing. Savannah River, Georgia The Savannah River provides various magnet fishing spots, particularly near bridges, boat ramps, and areas with historical significance. Easily you can find sites for fishing.

Other popular sites for magnet fishing in the USA

RegionLocationDescriptionEast CoastChesapeake Bay, MarylandRich history, old wharves, and marinas.East CoastHudson River, New YorkIndustrial sites and historic landmarks.East CoastCape Cod Canal, MassachusettsBridges and recreational areas.East CoastPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaHistoric sites along the Delaware River.East CoastOuter Banks, North CarolinaShipwrecks and coastal relics.East CoastCharleston, South CarolinaHistoric harbor and waterfront areas.East CoastKey West, FloridaCoastal treasures and fishing hotspots.West CoastPuget Sound, WashingtonMaritime activity and popular fishing spots.West CoastSan Francisco Bay, CaliforniaOld piers and waterfront parks.West CoastLos Angeles, CaliforniaBeaches, piers, and coastal areas.West CoastPortland, OregonDocks and marinas along the Willamette River.West CoastLake Tahoe, California/NevadaRecreational areas and waterfront parks.MidwestLake Michigan, MichiganUrban beaches, harbors, and fishing piers.MidwestChicago River, IllinoisUrban waterway with historic bridges.MidwestSt. Louis, MissouriRiverfront parks and historical sites.MidwestOmaha, NebraskaMissouri River bridges and recreational areas.MidwestDetroit River, MichiganIndustrial sites and urban waterways.SouthGulf of Mexico, LouisianaCoastal inlets and popular fishing spots.SouthSavannah River, GeorgiaHistoric port city and riverfront parks.SouthMobile Bay, AlabamaEstuary with diverse marine life.SouthMyrtle Beach, South CarolinaBeaches, piers, and coastal attractions.

Rules and Regulations for Fishing

Fishing regulation in the USA depends on the State's law. types of water bodies and the species of fish being targeted. Read the regulations before you visit for magnet fishing, this must be beneficial for you. However, there are some general rules and guidelines that apply across most jurisdictions. Here are some key aspects of fishing regulations in the USA: - Fishing License: In most states, anglers are required to obtain a fishing license before fishing in public waters. Licenses are typically available for residents and non-residents, with different fees and durations. Some exemptions may apply, such as for children or certain age groups, but it's essential to check the specific regulations for the state or region where you plan to fish. - Bag Limits: Bag limits specify the maximum number of fish an angler can legally catch and keep within a certain period, typically per day or per season. Bag limits help maintain sustainable fish populations and prevent overfishing. Bag limits can vary depending on the species of fish, the size of the fish, and the location. - Size Limits: Size limits regulate the minimum and/or maximum size of fish that can be legally harvested. Minimum size limits aim to protect juvenile fish and ensure that fish have the opportunity to reproduce before being harvested. Maximum size limits may be imposed to protect larger, older fish that contribute to the genetic diversity of the population. - Closed Seasons: Closed seasons designate specific times of the year when fishing for certain species is prohibited or restricted. Closed seasons coincide with spawning periods or other critical times in the fish's life cycle when they are particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure. Anglers must adhere to closed seasons to protect fish populations and ensure their long-term sustainability. Read the full article

[martabradley]

Environmental Regulations in Albany Commercial Real Estate: Legal Compliance

Albany, New York, is a vibrant hub for commercial real estate, boasting a diverse range of properties, from office buildings and retail spaces to industrial facilities. While the real estate market is booming, it's vital for property owners and investors to be aware of the environmental regulations that govern these assets. Albany's regulatory landscape aims to protect both the environment and public health, and it's essential for those involved in commercial real estate to understand and comply with these regulations. In this article, we'll explore the key environmental regulations that impact commercial real estate in Albany, and the importance of legal compliance.

Understanding Environmental Regulations in Albany

Commercial real estate owners and developers in Albany must navigate a complex web of federal, state, and local environmental regulations. These regulations are designed to address various environmental concerns, including land use, water quality, air quality, hazardous materials, and more. Let's delve into some of the most significant regulations that apply to commercial real estate in Albany:

A. Clean Air Act (CAA)

The Clean Air Act is a federal law aimed at controlling air pollution and improving air quality. Albany, like many other metropolitan areas, has its own air quality standards that must be met. Commercial real estate owners and operators are often subject to regulations that limit emissions from HVAC systems, boilers, and industrial processes. Compliance with these regulations is critical to reducing air pollution and safeguarding public health.

B. Clean Water Act (CWA)

The Clean Water Act addresses water pollution and sets standards for the discharge of pollutants into surface waters. Commercial properties in Albany must comply with local regulations regarding stormwater management and the protection of nearby water bodies, such as the Hudson River. Ensuring that stormwater runoff is properly managed and does not contain contaminants is a fundamental requirement for real estate developers and owners.

C. Hazardous Waste Management

Properties with the potential for hazardous waste generation, such as industrial sites, must adhere to strict hazardous waste management regulations. Compliance includes proper storage, handling, transportation, and disposal of hazardous materials. Violating these regulations can result in severe penalties and harm to the environment.

D. Brownfield Cleanup Program

The Brownfield Cleanup Program in New York aims to encourage the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated sites, known as brownfields. Commercial real estate developers may encounter brownfield sites and must navigate the program's requirements for assessment, remediation, and site redevelopment. Participation in the program can provide benefits such as liability relief and tax incentives.

E. Wetlands Regulations

Wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and flood control. Albany, like many other regions, has stringent regulations in place to protect wetlands. Commercial real estate projects near wetlands may require permits and undergo environmental impact assessments to ensure that wetland areas are not harmed.

F. Historic Preservation and Environmental Regulations

Albany has a rich historical heritage, and certain commercial properties may fall under historic preservation regulations. When undertaking renovation or development projects on historic properties, it's essential to navigate both environmental and historic preservation regulations to ensure compliance and protect the property's historical integrity.

Importance of Legal Compliance in Commercial Real Estate

Complying with environmental regulations in Albany's commercial real estate sector is not merely about avoiding legal issues; it's about being a responsible and sustainable property owner or developer. Here are some of the key reasons why legal compliance is of paramount importance:

A. Avoiding Legal Penalties

Failure to comply with environmental regulations can result in significant legal penalties. Violations may lead to fines, litigation, or even criminal charges. In addition to the financial burden, legal disputes can be time-consuming and detrimental to a property's reputation.

B. Protecting Public Health and the Environment

Environmental regulations are established to protect public health and the environment. Compliance is an ethical responsibility to ensure that commercial properties do not harm local ecosystems, air quality, or water resources. Non-compliance can lead to pollution, which can have severe consequences for the community.

C. Preventing Delays and Disruptions

Non-compliance with environmental regulations can lead to project delays and disruptions. Regulatory agencies may halt construction or development until compliance is achieved. Delays can be costly, affecting project timelines and budgets.

D. Enhancing Property Value

Compliance with environmental regulations can enhance the value of a commercial property. Properties that are environmentally responsible and in compliance with regulations may be more attractive to buyers and tenants who are increasingly focused on sustainability and responsible real estate practices.

E. Mitigating Liability

Compliance with environmental regulations can help mitigate liability. It demonstrates due diligence in environmental matters and reduces the risk of facing legal claims from affected parties, including neighbors, governmental bodies, or future property owners.

Steps to Ensure Environmental Compliance

Achieving environmental compliance in Albany's commercial real estate market requires a proactive approach. Here are some essential steps to ensure that your property is in compliance with relevant regulations:

A. Conduct Environmental Due Diligence

Before acquiring or developing a commercial property, conduct thorough environmental due diligence. This includes environmental site assessments to identify potential environmental issues, contamination, or regulatory concerns. Understanding these issues upfront is essential for informed decision-making.

B. Consult Environmental Experts

Engage environmental consultants and experts who are well-versed in Albany's regulations. These professionals can provide guidance on compliance requirements, help assess risks, and assist with environmental assessments and remediation when necessary.

C. Secure Necessary Permits and Approvals

For any development or renovation project, secure the required permits and approvals. This may include stormwater permits, air quality permits, wetlands permits, and more. Proper permitting is a fundamental aspect of legal compliance.

D. Implement Best Practices

Incorporate environmental best practices into your property management and development processes. This includes measures to reduce energy consumption, manage stormwater, and minimize hazardous material use. Sustainable practices not only enhance compliance but can also reduce operational costs and improve the property's appeal.

E. Stay Informed and Updated

Environmental regulations can change over time. It's crucial to stay informed about any amendments or new regulations that may affect your commercial property. Regularly consulting with legal counsel or environmental experts can help ensure that you remain in compliance with evolving laws.

Conclusion

Commercial real estate attorney in albany sector, understanding and complying with environmental regulations is a fundamental responsibility for property owners and developers. Legal compliance not only safeguards against penalties and disruptions but also demonstrates a commitment to protecting public health and the environment. By conducting due diligence, consulting with environmental experts, securing necessary permits, implementing best practices, and staying informed, property owners and developers can navigate the regulatory landscape successfully while contributing to a sustainable and responsible real estate market in Albany.

[asengineering]

Ny High Structural Engineers

Having caught the journey bug years in the past, my household and I really get pleasure from immersing ourselves into different cultures. More open-mindedness and seeing from other views have been invaluable studying experiences. I relish the chance to learn about others values and views while at the same time spending time with my spouse and daughter.

I enjoy adventures of every kind with my husband – including the challenges of our 5 mostly-grown kiddos. We always advocate that the engineer performs a website visit as a result of pictures don’t at all times seize the full detail and there may be issues missing that the home-owner isn’t conscious of that might current attainable structural considerations. A LEVEL Engineer/Architect will come to your property for inspection/consultation.

They constantly saw buildings with nonstructural masonry infill partitions that seemed to have acted as lateral resisting parts, evident by the in-plane injury. Since the mid-1990s, GMS has been pleased to work with Centerbrook Architects and Planners on a bunch of ingenious and extraordinary tasks. Over the years, our 25 collaborations have included tutorial and cultural institutions, athletic services and sports arenas, locations of worship, and personal structural engineer nyc residences. Today, our teamwork continues at Yale University’s Peabody Museum and Greenwich Country Day School. GMS additionally served as the structural engineer for tenant fit-out for the Swedish group, Fotografiska International, a images museum with a café, bookstore, restaurant, and occasion house. Fotografiska and Owner RFR Realty redeveloped the historic building at 281 Park Avenue South, formerly known as the Church Mission House.

With offices in New York City and Albany, McLaren’s New York engineering staff supplies custom full-service constructing solutions all through the State. We work across10 distinct marketsto shape NY’s distinctive constructing setting for each personal and public shoppers. From preserving historic cities to bettering infrastructure, bridge and roadway work to PE dive inspections, industrial builds and every thing in between, our regional specialists are building a greater future. We provide complete engineering services and options all through NYC that take any project from concept to completion with expert consultation, design, development help, inspection and project management. As a Colorado native with a civil engineering diploma from CSU and over twenty years of structural engineering experience, I am excited to be a half of the Level Engineering team.

Whether it's a 60 web page examine on structural engineering, writing out a proposal, or speaking instantly with a client, I love to determine new ways we will work collectively to grasp our fellow humans. From there, I began my engineering career in southern Colorado, where I managed and designed water conveyance and treatment systems for each municipalities and personal water authorities. I deeply worth spending time with my unimaginable spouse and two lovely children. We love spending time taking mountain adventures and having fun with superb meals of all types. In the years I have spent within the engineering trade, considered one of my favorite aspects has been working with unimaginable teams who value growth, each professionally and personally.

The KPFF staff possesses a excessive stage of acuity in specialised assets including greater schooling services and life-sciences buildings. The KPFF skilled staff has intensive experience with challenging projects involving a quantity of requirements and shut attention to technical detail. In addition, the staff has more than three many years of mixed experience overseeing complicated intestine renovation work, together with rehabilitations for structural integrity and civil engineering initiatives. GMS offered structural engineering providers for the office renovations on the Ground, Second, Third, Fourth and Basement ranges at a hundred and ten East 25th Street.

Billington, in his feedback on Hartley's thesis, additionally questioned the figures offered by the agency. Hartley requested her contact there concerning the discrepancy and was assured the constructing may handle the forces, so she dropped the problem. Hartley's considerations and the response she received are documented in her thesis. LeMessurier was individually designing a similar building with wind braces in Pittsburgh, and a potential contractor questioned the expense of utilizing welded quite than bolted joints. LeMessurier requested his workplace how the welds went at the Citicorp development and was then told bolts had been substituted.

In my free time yow will discover me chasing our two delightful younger youngsters. I additionally take pleasure in exploring the world of adventure that the Colorado mountains provide through path operating, backpacking, climbing and just about anything else that is out there. My ardour is the residential market as I imagine I could make a difference for the homeowner. This ardour began structural engineer nyc once I helped household and associates transform and build their own properties. With this expertise, I have a better understanding of all the items that are concerned in the complete building course of. Our core firm values such as “Teach as You Grow” and the enjoyment of “Being of Service” aren’t simply marketing-speak.

Specializing in pointing, waterproofing and restoration, Rahmann Contracting is capable of addressing all masonry, roofing and structural issues in renovation or new building development. The early career experiences of founder Joseph De Nardis and precept Horst Berger. As a young architect, Steve Winters started to note something—the typical design and building methods structural engineer nyc he was uncovered to have been typically inefficient of their use of artificial and natural resources. While the practice of heavily relying on artificial assets wasn't something uncommon at the time, it wasn't the place the nation was heading.

The building features a new automobile showroom with service / repair area at road level, a used-car showroom above, and parking garage below. The project is adjacent to the subway line working along Northern Boulevard, so approval of the MTA was required to acquire construction permits. A.S. Engineering Services’ structural engineering companies embody every step of the design and development of your project. Will work with you and your staff in an expert, expedient, cost-effective manner to ensure that your project is accomplished safely, efficiently and on time, each time.

[eugene--or-first]

Sprague Pest Solutions - Eugene in Eugene, OR

Many homeowners think that working with flying insect control and prevention in Eugene area service providers is indispensable. After all, the safety of one’s home or business is a priority. With that, one of the reliable companies is the Sprague Pest Solutions - Eugene. Basically, they provide commercial pest solutions from Eugene, Bend, Albany, Salem, Corvallis, Redmond, Lincoln City and everything in between throughout the Willamette Valley. Besides, the benefits in working with them are enjoying guaranteed 4-hour response, 24/7 client web portal, email alerts, online bill-pay, LEED certified, green & organic solutions, as well as 3rd party audit ready & government compliant.

Sprague Pest Solutions - Eugene

In the Eugene, OR area, a company provides bed bug k9 inspections in Eugene services such as the Sprague Pest Solutions - Eugene. This is also essential in the tourism industry. For example, hotel owners must make sure that their rooms are free from bed bugs. Luckily, this is one of the services offered by Sprague. One of the ways the company removes bed bugs is fumigation. When it comes to fumigation, experience matters. All you have to do is trust Sprague for railcar, container, warehouse, processing, flour mill, seed and grain storage fumigation services. Besides, they’ll do it right, to minimize its impact on the environment.

Eugene, OR

The historical background of Eugene, OR is an interesting topic. It is one way to be familiar with the famous city. Basically, it’s fascinating to talk about its early settlers. The first people to settle in the Eugene area were known as the Kalapuyans, also written Calapooia or Calapooya. They made "seasonal rounds," moving around the countryside to collect and preserve local foods, including acorns, the bulbs of the wapato and camas plants, and berries. In addition, they stored these foods in their permanent winter village. When crop activities waned, they returned to their winter villages and took up hunting, fishing, and trading.

Alton Baker Park in Eugene, OR      

In the Eugene, OR location, Alton Baker Park is famous. It is one of the popular weekend getaways venues. Basically, it is located in Eugene, Oregon, United States, near Autzen Stadium. The said place was named for Alton F. Baker Sr., the eleventh owner of Eugene's The Guard newspaper. In addition, it features duck ponds, bicycle trails, a dog park and a disc golf course, and directly touches the Ferry Street Bridge across the Willamette River. Aside from that, other amenities include the Cuthbert Amphitheater, a venue for outdoor musical and drama performances. Lastly, the amphitheater is named for Fred Cuthbert, the park's designer.

Marine experts seek public's help in reporting stranding sea turtles off Oregon Coast

Based on a latest news report in Eugene, OR, there was a topic about protecting sea turtles. Reportedly, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife is asking the public to report any sightings of stranding sea turtles found off the Oregon Coast. In the last month, three Olive Ridley sea turtles were found stranded on Oregon beaches. Besides, this includes Clatsop, Newport and Coos Bay. Last year, five stranding sea turtles were found off the Oregon Coast. While the numbers are lower compared to the east coast, marine experts like Heather Harris stated that there's still a concern this could increase in the future.

Link to maps

Alton Baker Park 100 Day Island Rd, Eugene, OR 97401, United States Take Day Island Rd to Club Rd 2 min (0.4 mi) Follow Martin Luther King Jr Blvd and Centennial Blvd to S Mill St in Springfield 6 min (2.9 mi) Turn right onto S Mill St 2 min (0.8 mi) Take OR-225 S to Nugget Way 2 min (1.0 mi) Drive to Nugget Way 49 sec (0.1 mi) Sprague Pest Solutions 2285 Nugget Way, Eugene, OR 97403, United States

[hometoursandotherstuff]

This is a very interesting 2bd. 2ba. historic home for sale in Albany, New York. It may even be haunted. It is the home of author William Kennedy, 95, who is finally letting it go. Kennedy is the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist & owner of this home where gangster “Legs” Diamond was whacked, and he is certain that the deed was done by a couple of policemen. (Listed for $499K)

Mr. Kennedy has been using it as a pied-à-terre and writing studio for almost 40 years.

In 1975, he published “Legs,” the first in a trio of novels. The property, which is in the Center Square historic district, was a boardinghouse when Mr. Diamond moved in not long before his death, registering under a false name because he had been warned by local police to stay out of town.

Albany, and political boss Daniel P. O’Connell, didn’t want any part of his mayhem — booze-smuggling, truck-hijacking, & shoot-’em-ups in bars.

Notice the odd layout- the kitchen is in the basement. But, back to the story-

According to Mr. Kennedy, the police tipped off some reporters who got to the scene before investigators. They checked out Mr. Diamond’s body and already set the headline: “JACK DIAMOND SLAIN IN DOVE ST. HOUSE; KILLERS’ WEAPON FOUND.”

Francis Ford Coppola was supposed to do a film based on Kennedy’s screenplay called “Legs,” but it never came about. In 1984 Mr. Kennedy & producer Gene Kirkwood went to visit the house and noticed a “For Sale” on it, so they split the $80,000 price and bought it.

Eventually, Mr. Kennedy bought out Mr. Kirkwood’s share and is currently working on a wish-fulfilling novel in which “Legs” does find its way to the screen.

“Right there,” said Mr. Kennedy to the real estate agent, pointing to the spot in the bedroom where Mr. Diamond, after celebrating a not-guilty verdict in a criminal trial, was shot 3 times in the head in the early hours of Dec. 18, 1931.

This 2nd fl. bd. where Mr. Diamond was killed, is where Mr. Kennedy did most of his writing. 

The house has been refreshed and it also has the perc of having a garage.

The house still has wavy glass windows, pocket doors, beamed lower-level ceilings and old-fashioned steam radiators.

I think that Mr. Diamond would’ve approved of this sink and bar. 

The secondary bd. is a very good size.

Modern shower room. 

Interior stairs down to the basement. 

Notice that it’s the only residence with a garage. 

In the closet of the notorious bedroom, a circle of the original rose-patterned wallpaper is preserved, in memory of a man that Albany still hasn’t forgotten. This property has a very cool story. 

https://my.flexmls.com/AmandaBriody/search/shared_links/8HdhD/listings/20230223180907009014000000

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/08/realestate/william-kennedy-house-legs-diamond-albany.html

[mommydearestella]

FLATULENCE

[marvelmusing]

Back in Time

Pairing: Billy Russo x Reader

Summary: With you by his side, Billy returns to the fire station in Albany where his mom left him as a baby.

A/N: this was a heartbreaking idea I had, so I tried so soften it with a bit of fluff at the end.

My Masterlist

The reinforced door slams shut behind Billy, and he feels the echo of it thrum through his entire body. He’s dressed in his long wool coat, leather gloves, and scarf tucked neatly between his lapels. Even under his layers, the chill of the empty fire station makes his shoulder ache.

The Albany Fire Station had been relocated ten years ago. The building that Billy had been left in as a baby was now run by a charity that wanted to preserve the city’s historic buildings.

Emotion wells in Billy’s throat as he looks around. He always shrugged off his past, claiming that it didn’t bother him. His mom had made a choice, and he had been forced to live with the consequences. It had made him a stronger man.

The reason why he’s here is you. You had walked him to the door, squeezed his hand in reassurance, and told him you’d be waiting outside. He knows that you would support him if he left now. Part of him is tempted to. But there had been something in your eyes when you had suggested this meeting to him - a meeting with one of the key members of the charity. Maybe you were considering providing them with a donation from Anvil. Whatever it is, that something is what keeps him walking.

His footsteps rattle as he makes his way up the metal stairs, and he raps his knuckles against the worn out door of the office.

He’s already on edge. Billy doesn’t know how to react when an old man greets him with a smile and an offer of coffee. Billy rolls his shoulder as he shrugs, before nodding. He takes his gloves off as the man, who introduces himself as Phillip, works on making the coffee. Billy’s feeling a little uncomfortable - he’s not used to feeling so vulnerable and he certainly doesn’t know how to interact with this old man who’s ushering him into a tiny office that smells of damp and coffee.

The man rummages through a large cupboard full of all manner of files and random pieces of office junk, as Billy sips awkwardly on the coffee that had been handed to him. It has far too much milk in for his liking, but he didn’t want to interrupt the man’s pleased ramblings.

There’s a crease between Billy’s brows, as his dark eyes watch the man with a mixture of caution and curiosity. The crease deepens when Phillip turns around with a small brown box. Billy sets his coffee down on the desk in front of him, slotted between a pile of manuals and a pen pot filled to the brim. Phillip hard the box to Billy, before he squeezes behind the desk and sits down.

Phillip nods towards the box, encouraging Billy to open it as he says,

“I’ve worked in this building since I was nineteen.” Billy nods absently, trying to listen to the man’s words, but he’s far too confused to focus on his voice.

Once the box is open, Billy can’t focus on anything but the contents.

The first thing his eyes land on is a newspaper clipping. Baby found by firefighters in Albany. Billy’s heart stops, and for a long moment he doesn’t breathe. His chest aches, not from lack of oxygen but from the startling reminder of his past. That no matter how much he ignores it - this is who he is, left by his mother in a bundle of blankets on a chilly spring morning.

Phillip’s voice is quiet, but Billy still looks up at him sharply when he speaks, something harsh and protective gnawing at Billy’s heart.

“I have the same clipping in my cabinet at home.” Billy’s expression shifts to one of soft confusion as Phillip continues. “Me and the missus were trying for a baby at the time we found you.” He pauses for a brief moment, before adding, “We never ended up having kids.”

Billy looks down, feeling as though he’s hearing something private, and he’s not used to people letting him in like this. He’s always had to claw his way into people’s lives, and earn his place.

“I remember holding you, and thinking that maybe you were a sign. A few years later, I tried finding you, but they thought you had been adopted.”

Billy shakes his head. His voice is a little strained as he replies,

“Ended up in a group home.” That’s all Billy wants to say about the matter, and Phillip can somehow see that. Billy moves the clipping aside, revealing a small pile of photos.

“Everyone wanted to hold you, and you were a brave little thing - weren’t scared of anyone.” The closest thing to a smile flickers across Billy’s face as he looks at the photos. In half of them he’s only a bundle of cream blankets, though there’s a few where a pair of familiar dark eyes stare back at him.

Billy’s never had that before. In marines there were a few of his friends that took photos - in those he was wearing his khakis, covered in sand. He remembers you showing him a photo album of you and your family. He had eyed the pictures eagerly, as you had pointed out small details and told random stories from your childhood that you thought you had forgotten about. He’s never seen himself like this.

Emotion wells in his throat and he feels his Adam’s apple bob. He had always viewed the moment his mom abandoned him as one of his worst moments - it was what had kickstarted everything after all. To see that, even for a few hours, these people had all cared about him, it’s a jarring realisation for Billy.

When his eyes land on himself swaddled in a fireman’s jacket, he bites the inside of his cheek to stifle his reaction.

He sets the photos down carefully, revealing the last item in the box.

His entire body is frozen still, but his hands still work on their own accord, smoothing over the soft blue fur of a small teddy bear. It could have only been around half the size of baby Billy, maybe even smaller. There’s a scrap of paper attached with a safety pin, with his name written in black ink. He traces the letters of his mother’s handwriting.

“That was with you when we found you, we kept it out of your way cause of the safety pin, and it got left behind.”

Phillip sounds regretful, but Billy’s glad. He knows that, if he had kept it, one of the kids at the group home would have taken it. Or that teenage Billy would have thrown it away either in anger or as a means to prove his independence. Now he can keep it - the only thing he has from his mom.

»»---------------------►

A sharp gust of wind has a shiver running through you, and you tug your coat tighter around your body. You haven’t been too cold as you wait for Billy outside the old fire station, mostly due to the amount of pacing you’ve been doing.

You were a little nervous. You could see the apprehension in Billy’s eyes when you had arrived. Billy was one of the bravest men you knew, but this might have been a little too much for him. That worries you.

As more and more time passes by, your nerves that had previously been suppressed by your bouncing leg had slowly begun to filter into your direct thoughts.

What if Billy hates that you did this? What if he gets triggered by the small space, and the memories, and he panics? What if he feels pressured by the fact that this is your idea, and he doesn’t want to disappoint you by not going with it, but he actually feels awful?

Your next round of what ifs is halted by the sound of the door opening behind you. It’s Billy. The relief you feel, just from seeing him, helps you breathe a little easier. He’s holding a battered cardboard box, tucked protectively under his arm.

At the sight of you, Billy’s eyes well up with tears, but he manages to hold them back.

“You okay?” You ask tentatively.

“You knew.” He says softly, nothing accusatory in his voice, just stating a fact. You nod.

“I found the charity by accident, and ended up looking at its history cause I thought of you. I found an old newspaper with a picture of a baby, same age as you. I recognised Phillip’s name from the website and reached out.” You swallow hard, as worry and guilt fills you. “Billy I’m sorry, I should have-“

“I love you.” His words cut through your hurried rambling. You blink several times, as what he said processes in your mind.

You and Billy had been only colleagues initially, you were one of his first hires at Anvil, and you had soon become as important to the business as Billy was. From there your friendship grew, and you had fallen for one another.

The love was there, you showed each other everyday. It was the words that got caught in Billy’s throat, every time he was desperate to tell you. You knew it was difficult for Billy, so you showed your affection through other means - to ensure that he didn’t feel pressured.

Billy steps closer to you, as he repeats himself softly,

“I love you.”

His lips are even softer as he brushes them against yours. Your hands grasp at his coat, trying to keep yourself steady as your eyes close.

“I love you too, Billy.” The two of you trade soft, tender kisses with one another, between whispers of ‘I love you’. As your eyes flutter open, you find Billy already watching you with pure adoration in his dark eyes. You see the childlike excitement fill his gaze, as he glances down at the box still tucked under his arm.

“Let’s go home, I’ve got some things to show you.”

»»---------------------►

Billy Russo Tag List: @blackbirddaredevil23 @restingbitchsblog @tiredbeebo @rafaelakelley @theysayitscrazy @hummelmi @nyx2021 @skybridgerton @dragon-of-winterfell @profoundme444 @misstimeless @booksandbenbarnes @blanchedelioncourt @chickensarentcheap

If there’s a strike through your name tumblr wouldn’t let me tag you for some reason, sorry

[remodelingheroesberkeley]

Preserving Time-Honored Customs at Schmidt's Tobacco and Trading Co., CA: A Glimpse of Heritage - Albany, CA

Schmidt's Tobacco and Trading Co., CA, stands as a testament to the enduring charm of age-old traditions, a historic retail establishment that has maintained its presence for over a century.

Founded in the early 1900s, this iconic store is a slice of heritage that has been carefully preserved through the passage of time.

Its storied past intertwines narratives of pioneering merchants, an ever-evolving consumer market, and an unwavering dedication to providing top-notch products and service.

Yet, its survival in an era characterized by rapid technological advancement and shifting consumer tastes invites an exploration of its distinctive blend of tradition and adaptability.

Schmidt's Tobacco and Trading Co. offers more than just products; it imparts a sense of nostalgia interwoven with community identity.

The store's capacity to uphold its traditional core while staying pertinent in today's competitive retail landscape serves as a case study in resilience and adaptability.

This article investigates the enduring elements that have forged Schmidt's Tobacco's enduring appeal: its product offerings steeped in tradition, architectural aesthetics that evoke California's history, and an evocative ambiance that nurtures customer loyalty.

It also delves into how this esteemed establishment has managed to progress without forsaking its origins - an intricate balance that many contemporary retailers aspire to strike.

A Century-Long Chronicle of a Retail Icon

Founded over a century ago, Schmidt's Tobacco and Trading Co. has transformed into a renowned retail institution, its endurance deeply rooted in tradition as it persistently offers tangible links to days gone by through its diverse range of merchandise.

The Evolution of Retail that this establishment has experienced is nothing short of extraordinary; commencing as a modest trading post specializing primarily in tobacco and native commodities, Schmidt's has expansively diversified its inventory to encompass a wide spectrum of products, including rare books, vintage garments, eclectic curiosities, and artisanal offerings. This resilient evolution was propelled by an unwavering commitment to preserving traditions while simultaneously adapting them to changing times.

The Founding Principles of this iconic emporium revolve around cultural preservation, community engagement, and unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction. The vision of Schmidt's founders transcended conventional commerce; it aimed at creating a distinctive space that encourages shared experiences and communal connections.

In a way reminiscent of how tobacco was traditionally employed in indigenous rituals symbolizing unity and camaraderie, Schmidt's strives to nurture a sense of togetherness among diverse individuals brought together by their shared admiration for historically enriched items. It stands today as an everlasting tribute to the influence of timeless traditions encapsulated within the brick-and-mortar confines of this venerable repository, beckoning patrons into an immersive narrative where history dances with commerce in a harmonious ballet.

[greattheoristpoetry]

Delmar's Best Walking Tours and Guided Experiences

Are you ready for an adventure? Delmar, a hidden gem in the Capital Region, offers a plethora of walking tours and guided experiences that will take you on a journey through its rich history, vibrant culture, and natural beauty. Whether you're a history buff, a nature lover, or a foodie looking to indulge in culinary delights, Delmar has something for everyone. Join us as we uncover the best walking tours and guided experiences that Delmar has to offer.

Discover the Hidden Gems of Delmar: A Perfect Day Trip Itinerary

Delmar is full of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Start your day with a visit to the historic downtown area, where you can explore charming boutiques, antique shops, and local art galleries. Take a walk along the picturesque streets lined with beautiful Victorian homes and soak in the architectural beauty of this quaint town.

Next, head to one of Delmar's many parks and recreational areas for some outdoor fun. From hiking trails to picnic spots, there are plenty of options to choose from. Don't forget to pack a delicious https://www.buildzoom.com/contractor/clifton-construction-general-contactor-albany-ny lunch from one of the local eateries and enjoy a picnic amidst nature.

In the afternoon, delve into Delmar's rich history by joining a historical walking tour. Learn about the town's fascinating past as you visit landmarks such as the Old Town Hall and the Delmar Train Station. Immerse yourself in stories of the past and gain a deeper understanding of Delmar's cultural heritage.

Finish off your day with a visit to one of Delmar's top-rated restaurants for fine dining. Indulge in delectable dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients and savor every bite. Pair your meal with a glass of wine from one of the region's renowned wineries for the perfect ending to your day trip in Delmar.

Why Delmar is the Capital Region's Best-Kept Secret

Delmar may be a small town, but it is undoubtedly the Capital Region's best-kept secret. With its charming streets, friendly locals, and an abundance of things to see and do, Delmar offers a unique experience that you won't find anywhere else.

One of the main reasons why Delmar is such a hidden gem is its rich history. The town dates back to the 19th century and has managed to preserve its historic charm throughout the years. From well-preserved Victorian homes to iconic landmarks, Delmar is a treasure trove for history enthusiasts.

Another reason why Delmar stands out is its vibrant arts and culture scene. The town is home to numerous art galleries, studios, and theaters that showcase the talents of https://www.youtube.com/@cliftonconstructionalbanyn2803 local artists. Whether you're a fan of visual arts or live performances, you'll find something to suit your taste in Delmar.

Delmar's natural beauty is also worth mentioning. The town is surrounded by picturesque landscapes, including lush parks, tranquil lakes, and scenic hiking trails. Nature lovers will appreciate the opportunity to explore these outdoor spaces and immerse themselves in the beauty of their surroundings.

Overall, Delmar's best-kept secret status can be attributed to its combination of history, culture, and natural beauty. It's a place where you can escape the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse yourself in a world of charm and tranquility.

Top 10 Must-See Attractions in Delmar for First-Time Visitors

If you're planning your first visit to Delmar, make sure to check out these top 10 must-see attractions:

Delmar Downtown

[joezworld]

📂

What in the HECK happened with Scotsman, Dominion, and Dwight during the Great Gathering?!

(Also, since Dutchess of Hamilton has also been to the US during the 1939 NY World’s Fair, did she get involved?)

Warning - extremely long post below

So, first of all, Duchess of Hamilton never went back to the UK.

Duchess of Hamilton (6229) and Coronation (6220) had their nameplates swapped by the LMS when an engine was sent over to the US. 6229, in the guise of 6220, went to the US.

Streamlined locomotives were all the rage at the time, and railroads practically fell over themselves to get Coronation (as she was now known) onto press trains. The B&O railroad in particular was so impressed with her capabilities that they extended a formal offer of employment to her for service on their streamlined Royal Blue service. The LMS were surprised to get an offer to "purchase" their locomotive, but accepted nonetheless, as it meant a welcome infusion of cash in the dark days during the beginning of WWII.

Coronation fit right in with the Americans, having only been about a year old when she was sent to New York. Following the end of steam traction on the Royal Blue in the late 40s, (the B&O were early adopters of diesels.) she and her B&O coworkers found good employment on the New York Central, where she still runs to this day.

Since then, she's fully "gone native", marrying a J3 Hudson, (yes one of the streamlined ones) adopting both an American accent and three children, and being fully repainted to NYC silver by 1956. Flying Scotsman met her in Albany in 1970, and neither one of them recognized the other.

Actually, most UK expats don't recognize her, to the point where a common interaction is for her to be held up as an example of "look at her, she's integrated well into the US", only for the British engines to say "that's preposterous, she isn't English".

When it's pointed out that she's still obviously an LMS Coronation, the next response is usually screaming.

All that being said, she has no interest to come back to the United Kingdom, and wasn’t asked by the NRM anyways. 

---------------

Second of all, the Great Gathering was... an event.

So, there are (officially) 6 preserved Gresley A4s.

Mallard - static, National Railway Museum (UK). Also an asshole.

Bittern - running, private owner, UK based

Sir Nigel Gresley - running, owned by a trust, UK based

Union of South Africa - running, private owner, UK based

Dwight D. Eisenhower - static (officially), National Railway Museum (USA)

Dominion of Canada - static (officially), Exporail (Montréal)

This is the official list, and for the first 4 engines, it's the truth.

However, things are a bit hazier on the other side of the Atlantic...

-----

So the thing that needs to be made clear right up front that in a sentient vehicle world, museums aren't like the NRM, where locomotives sit static for years on end, although obviously the English have museums like that because of course they do.

Rail museums in the rest of the world are much more like Colonial Williamsburg - a living history center staffed by volunteers who act out a prototypical setting from [insert decade here].

British Rail, being British Rail, didn’t know that and didn’t care.

-

4496, Dwight D. Eisenhower, having been named after the General-turned-President, had been earmarked for preservation by BR, and was summarily shipped off to the US National Railway Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

In an entirely unintentional move, this donation MONUMENTALLY snubbed the Smithsonian, who refused to have any dealings with BR for decades, even for archival purposes. This, combined with the fallout from Operation Smash Hit, and the fact that the Smithsonian is Petty AF, meant that there was virtually no official trans-Atlantic cooperation between British and US museums for decades.

Dwight hit the shores of the US in 1964 New York City and was greeted by a marching band, a ticker-tape parade, and Presidents Johnson and Eisenhower, who were on-hand to personally make the engine a US citizen.

Always keen to curry favor with the government, the Southern Pacific railroad had a job offer waiting for Dwight right alongside the Presidents and the parade, and when he accepted, he went off to Sunny Southern California - someplace so opposed to Britain the he fell in love with the place immediately and refused to leave!

The ladies may have also had something to do with it as well - while most engine classes fell into a typical 50-50 gender distribution, the SP GS-4 class was all female...

[Pictured above - one of 28 very good reasons to live in California if you're a single British steam engine.]

Dwight does not kiss and tell, but at his wedding in 1974, all 28 GS-4s showed up - and he was only marrying one of them!

Since the 70's, he's become a mainstay in California, having been repainted into Daylight Limited colors in 1969, and retiring from railroad duties in 1999. After that, he went into the movie business, and is currently the head of digital media development at Disney.

His wife Irene (SP 4437) is also an interesting figure as well - following in the wheelmarks of the great female locomotives before her, she had an eye for business and a Stanford education before she married her husband, and was an initial investor in multiple tech companies in Silicon Valley during the 70's and 80's, but stopped doing that after her investment in Apple proved very lucrative. In 1996, she was convinced by a few people in the Stanford Alumni association to invest in another tech startup, this one an "internet search engine" called Google.

So yeah, Dwight Eisenhower kept falling up and up and up all his life, and is now married to the richest woman in the world.

--

4489 Dominion of Canada was donated mostly by accident, having been forgotten in the back of Darlington sheds until 1966, when she was shipped off to the Canadian Railway Historical Society in Montreal.

As stated elsewhere, the Canadian Government considered any locomotive built in the UK to have UK citizenship, and therefore treated them as commonwealth citizens under existing Canadian law. (remember that Canada was still a colony at that time)

CN, the national rail carrier, was obligated to offer her a job under their charter, and she accepted, moving to Toronto to run intercity trains between Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.

Within two years she was displaced from those duties by the introduction of a new, shiny, jet turbine powered train, and was summarily demoted to local commuter runs in the Toronto suburbs.

Moving to suburbia did one thing more than anything else - expose her to the people who live there. They all had complaints, they all had problems, and they all had no idea on how to fix them.

Being a helpful sort, Dominion decided that she could help, and promptly ran for Toronto city council in 1974. She won, and has been a fixture in local Toronto politics ever since - she even got to be Chairwoman of Metro Toronto (the closest thing to being mayor because Toronto's governmental structure is weird) until 1998, when Toronto was merged with the surrounding area to create a massive new region.

Having then done everything there is to do in municipal Toronto government, Dominion went on to become the Chief Executive Officer of Metrolinx, the agency that controls almost all of the transit agencies in Ontario, because, as she puts it, "I'm still a commuter engine at heart".

She's now painted in the current GO Transit paint scheme, and still does commuter runs- which is really weird looking now that there are double deck commuter coaches in a push-pull configuration, with a Gresley A4 doing the pushing.

------

Now, I mentioned that those 6 were the only ones officially preserved - there were two unofficial preservations as well...

-

4486 Merlin was properly Shanghied - he was yanked off the docks in Southhampton by a cargo ship in August of 1965, and was spirited away to parts unknown.

Those unknown parts turned out to be South Korea. There, he was given citizenship by the US-aligned military dictatorship (Korean history is wild) and was employed by the State-run rail operator.

As the military government began a hardcore plan to increase their country's wealth and industrial output, rail lines were being built across the country, and Merlin was soon awarded a position on the fastest train in the network, the Seoul-Busan Saemaeul-ho.

Because of his experience in running high-speed express trains, Merlin not only became the public face of Korean high-speed rail, but also became an "honored elder" amongst the other Korean engines, a position he still holds to this day - as despite being over 70 years old, he still runs daily trains on the fast services, easily keeping time with the Korean schedules as well as training the new high speed trains, including the KTX sets. He's on his 24th boiler by now, and has more parts from Hyundai than Doncaster.

An additional fact - Merlin actually has had a linguistic effect on Korean railroading, as his strange amalgamation of an accent - a strong Yorkshire accent that tried to be Received Pronunciation for 30 years, mixed with almost 50 years of middle-to-upper-class Korean - has filtered down through the ranks of KoRail, because all of his students want to sound like him out of respect. Human British expats in Korea will occasionally hear a locomotive speaking in English, and the engine will sound like a Yorkshireman every time and the Brits cannot handle it.

---------

4495 Golden Fleece is the only A4 to preserve himself - he saw the writing on the wall in the early 60s, and hopped a car ferry to France at the end of 1962. From there, he bounced around Europe for a bit before making it to the United States in the late 70's.

Of the 8 surviving A4s, he's probably led the quietest life of all - he moved to Miami before it got nice, and basically got in on the ground floor of CSX when that merger happened in 1980. He's now the head of terminal operations for the Port of Miami, but he's generally kept a low profile - not even having a chance to meet Scotsman due to his time in Europe.

He's still in contact with Dwight and Dominion, and has no real bitterness over not being "famous" like they are - he likes the quiet, and still lives in a modest house in Boynton Beach with his long-term girlfriend.

----------------------

Soooo... the Great Gathering.

It was supposed to be a meeting of the 6 surviving A4s - a two year event held at the NRM in honor of the 75th anniversary of Mallard's record-setting run.

"Record setting" is a past-tense term here. While there have been no official runs, every single one of the Pennsylvania Railroad's T1 and S1 locomotives claim to have gone faster than 126 without meaning to, and numerous other locomotives on unofficial attempts done late at night on flat stretches of land across the country have hit 130+.

British Expats have also done better than 126 - Coronation claims to have hit at least 140 on a midnight mail train in 1980, and in Korea, Merlin claims to have hit 128 on a test train, although that was judged by timing mile markers as his speedometer wasn't functioning properly.

Problems arose before any of the engines had even reached the NRM, as Mallard's already sizeable ego had swelled to massive proportions, and several engines in the great hall were planning a justifiable homicide.

Then came the time restraints - none of the foreign locomotives were willing to uproot their lives and jobs for two years just to sit motionless in a shed. A two year exhibition was eventually negotiated down to a 6 month gala, much to the irritation and confusion of the NRM, who could not understand that the engines were still in service.

Then came the extra engines - Dwight and Dominion thought that the NRM knew about Fleece, and were quite insulted on his behalf when he wasn't invited - they threatened to not attend unless arrangements were made for Fleece to attend as well.

An utterly baffled NRM agreed, but also tore their record archives apart, as they knew that Fleece had been scrapped. The fact that his picture was plastered all over CSX's Florida Division website was all the more confusing as a result.

-

Meanwhile in Busan, nobody knew that Merlin had escaped the scrappers' torch and therefore did not invite him. He was only informed after K-Pop star Psy texted him from London to ask if he knew about the event, which was being advertised on television.

Merlin, having missed his friends from the LNER, decided that he would just crash the party, used some of his many vacation days, and took off for England on a cargo ship.

-

By sheer coincidence, all four foreign A4s hit the dock in Southhampton on the same day, and were delighted to see each other - especially Merlin, considering that everyone else had thought he'd died.

Meanwhile at the NRM, delight was not the word one would use. Befuddled, confused, shocked even, but not delighted. Their plans had revolved around 6 A4s, most of which wouldn’t be running - only to now discover that there were 7, all but one of which were functioning! (Mallard, the star of the show, was the odd one out, and it drove him crazy) 

Then they got a phone call from their man at the docks saying that another one had showed up, looking like he’d driven out of a K-pop album cover, and they just gave up and started screaming. 

-

Screaming is also what happened when the cavalcade of foreigners showed up in York - first of all, the quartet of new engines sounded nothing like they had when they left England. 

Dwight had willfully unlearned his Upper Crust British accent by 1971, and had fallen deep into a California accent (quite similar to what Scotsman sounds like - coincidence? No.)

Dominion and Fleece hadn’t tried to unlearn their accents, but 40+ years of living in North America can really dilute the Britishness. It doesn’t help that Dominion has developed most Canadian vocal tics eh?

As stated above, Merlin has a weird fuckin accent, and now he speaks English with a strong Yorkshire accent, but will occasionally and without warning drop into a Korean/Yorkshire hybrid accent.

The screaming also happened because the NRM had wanted to repaint the duo trio! quartet?! into LNER garter blue, and were promptly informed that “we’re painted like this for work! Don’t touch it!” (the sole exception was Dwight, who hadn’t pulled a real train in 14 years, but he liked his Daylight Limited paint), so instead of the new arrivals showing up in LNER colours, they showed up looking like THIS:

Having their long-lost siblings show up looking and sounding like THAT had quite an affect on the A4s and the other NRM engines: 

Bittern could not believe her eyes - to the point where she actually began making noise about seeing an optometrist

Union of South Africa almost backed through a wall

Sir Nigel Gresley was speechless for two days

Mallard was so angry that he actually chipped a tooth during one of his rants about “the impropriety of it all!!”

Evening Star laughed so hard that he managed to derail himself without moving

City of Truro almost cracked a piston from shock

Alycidon spent the entire gala coming up with more and more laser focused jabs at Mallard - who was so easy to fluster that the Deltic needn’t have bothered 

Oliver Cromwell and Green Arrow made fast friends with the new arrivals, and spent the entire time learning ‘Americanisms’ to annoy the other engines with.

But what about Flying Scotsman? Where was he in all of this? He was generally considered to be the “leader” of the NRM fleet (much to Mallard’s annoyance), and was usually who the other engines turned to when things started getting out of control. 

Did Scotsman calm things down? Like hell he did. The inmates were running the asylum from the moment that Scotsman saw the other A4s - more importantly saw Dwight - and immediately greeted them in flawless Californian. 

This actually set off the building’s security alarm, as Flying Scotsman saying “DUDES! Wassup?!” caused such an uproar that the noise broke several exterior windows. 

----

And all of this was in the first few days - there were six months left to go. 

--

There was one railtour attempt. It was supposed to feature Bittern and Sir Nigel running in tandem, but instead featured Dwight and Merlin, mainly because Bittern wanted to see what would happen. 

They exceeded the max speed limit for steam traction within 15 minutes, sparked a thorough investigation by the RAIB, and got all future steam powered railtours for the Gathering cancelled immediately. 

On the plus side, the two engines did prove that it was still possible for a steam train to hit 100 safely. 

--

One thing that baffled the other engines was the inordinately large number of people who turned up just to see Dominion, and the one person who kept turning up to see Fleece - it took a lot of explaining for them to understand that Dominion had been married three times, and had children (adopted) and grandchildren from all three marriages coming to see her. A similar amount of explaining was required to explain that Fleece’s girlfriend/partner wanted to see him too. 

The normally chatty Dwight and Scotsman would suddenly clam up whenever Dominion and Fleece teasingly tried to ask about their love lives, something which wasn’t unnoticed by the other engines, but got similarly nowhere. 

The answer to why they both shut the hell up was explained when a lot of shouting broke out in the yard of the NRM one day about a month into the exhibition:

Irene Eisenhower, not content to sit in California and count her billions, quickly grew bored without her husband, and decided to go to England and be with him. The fact that she definitely did not fit the UK loading gauge was never even a consideration, and so she just showed up in York on the back of a lorry, having informed no-one of her arrival, and content to just pay off the requisite people if a fuss occurred. 

A fuss did occur, and it was only ended when Scotsman managed to convince the museum’s curator (who at this point in his life was regretting ever thinking of this damned gathering) that Irene was a ‘temporary donation’ to the museum. 

[Scotsman, who definitely hid his Cali accent from museum staff the entire time, has one of the best poker faces in the world]

Dwight was overjoyed, and so was Scotsman, for initially unclear reasons. Then Irene managed to grab both her husband and Scotsman, dragged them behind a shed, and [THIS IS A PG13 HEADCANON] the both of [PG13]. Turns out that while Scotsman may have slept his way across the US a few times, he was actually ready to settle down with Dwight and Irene - they were a throuple way back in the 70s, and those passions haven’t faded. When Scotsman reluctantly left the US in 74, a lot of the reluctance was because of those two. 

This bombshell of a revelation went over interestingly at the NRM. Some engines (Green Arrow) were happy for them, some were incensed (Mallard - although it was for anti-American reasons, not homophobic ones), and some were intensely curious about what was going on in the outside world (Bittern). 

-

The ‘foreigners’ (as Mallard had taken to calling them), were deeply displeased at how their fellow engines were being treated - while a lot of them were ‘in steam’, some were not and might never be again, something they found abhorrent. Unable to do anything at that time, as the NRM was not a for-profit entity and therefore did not have anyone to bribe, (Irene’s solution to things is to throw money at the situation) the engines started talking about how life was different in the outside world - namely that engines were still working hard, even when they were over a century old and running on steam power. 

This was of great interest to engines like Evening Star and (6220) Duchess of Hamilton, neither of whom were likely to be steamed again, and Bittern, who was growing more and more curious with each passing day. Dissent began to slowly build against the NRM curators, and the culture of the United Kingdom in general.

-

One thing the foreigners did try do something about was Ellerman Lines. The poor bastard had been sectioned to show his inner workings, much to the jaw-dropped horror of the foreign A4s, who made such a stink about it that he was moved outside the museum by NRM staff, who must have thought that the engines lacked object permanence or something, because that didn’t make it better!

-

Irene Eisenhower, who was beginning to get really sick of the nonsense that the NRM called preservation, (Scotsman was not in running condition, and had been hastily reassembled mid-overhaul in order to be cosmetically ready for the event, and let’s not forget poor Ellerman Lines) elected to bring the event to a close on her own after only three months. She did this by eventually putting her immense wealth to good use, and called for a haulage service to rescue the engines from the NRM without the knowledge of the museum staff. Aside from the A4s, she also took Ellerman Lines, Scotsman, and Bittern (who had asked to go) with her, and only bothered to inform Ellerman and Bittern - she was not about risk Scotsman having another “think of England” moment and staying. 

The haulage firm was efficient and the cargo ship was waiting, so the engines were in international waters before the NRM opened the next morning. 

Much swearing occurred in England that day, and the NRM’s image has yet to fully recover from the PR story that they had sold Flying Scotsman (and Ellerman Lines) to a reclusive American billionaire. 

Privately though, the NRM does not care, as that story is a lot better than “Someone stole our engines and we’re not allowed to get them back because as it turns out we’re slaveowners, so no international court will help us.”

Also, despite their multimillion dollar “donation" from the I. Eisenhower Opportunity Fund, they still haven’t been able to fully pacify their engines, all of whom have somehow gotten the idea that they should be running in main line service like they live on Sodor or something...

--------

Dwight, Scotsman, and Irene all live happily together in the sprawling Eisenhower estate in Malibu. Irene is currently lobbying the California state government to legalize polygamy, with moderate success. 

-

Ellerman Lines, after a lot of therapy and a full rebuild, is now working on a short line in Wyoming. He likes the scenery.

-

Bittern followed Dwight, Irene, and Scotsman to Los Angeles, and used her ‘connections’ (Dwight) to get a supporting role in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Since then, she’s gotten several roles based on her own merits, including an Emmy nomination for Best Guest Appearance in a Comedy.

-

Merlin spent a few months in LA before he went back to Korea. He is very thankful that he was able to reconnect with his brothers and sisters, and that his homeland has good internet, as he video calls his family across the Pacific almost every day.

-

Golden Fleece still lives a quiet life in Florida, but finally decided to tie the knot, and married his girlfriend in 2017. The ceremony was supposed to be quiet, but Irene Eisenhower has no idea what that word means. 

-

Dominion of Canada continues to baffle non-local trainspotters when she runs commuter trains into Toronto. She is now a great-grandmother. 

-

7 years later, and the term “Great Gathering” is still a forbidden phrase in the back rooms of the NRM.