Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Troy (2.)

TROY, a city of the United States, county seat of Rensselaer county, New York, is situated in 42° 44′ N. lat. and 73° 41′ W. long., upon the east bank of the Hudson river, at the head of tide water. It is nearly north of New York City (147 miles) and somewhat north of west from Boston (136 miles). The city, which has a length of about 4 miles, with an average breadth of 1 mile, is built mainly upon a level terrace slightly elevated above the river, but of late years the residence portion has extended up the hills (rising to 400 feet) which limit this plain on the east. It is in the main regularly laid out, and is traversed by street railways. Troy is situated at what is practically the terminus of the Erie Canal, con necting the Hudson river (here navigable for vessels of 8 to 10 feet draught) with Lake Erie, and of the Champlain Canal. It has three railroads, by which it is connected with New York on the south, Buffalo on the west, and also Avith the east and north. The principal industries, which in 1880 gave employment to 22,434 persons, are metalworking, especially in iron and steel, and the making of stoves and linen goods. The value of the products was $26,497,163. The city is the seat of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which was for many years the lead ing engineering school of the United States, and still maintains a high reputation. The population, which in 1810 was only 3895, had in 1830 risen to 11,556, and by 1880 to 56,747 (27,154 males and 29,593 females, the excess of the latter being explained by the large number of women employed as factory operatives). The propor tion of foreign born (16,938) was large.

The city was founded in 1787 by the Dutch, under the name of Vanderheyden, and two years later the present name was adopted. In 1794 it was incorporated as a village, and in 1816 it received a city charter. The opening of the Erie and the Champlain Cauals in 1823 insured its prosperity and rapid growth.