Located at the center of Amsterdam's downtown, the Amsterdam Free Library is truly the heart of our community. It was originally established in the 1800's as a library society and in 1891 became a subscription library known as Amsterdam Library Association. In 1902 it officially became known as the Amsterdam Free Library when Andrew Carnegie donated funds toward the building of the existing historic landmark which was completed in 1903. The original structure stands to this day as an authentic Carnegie Library. The entire collection consists of over 45,000 items. The Library is a museum dedicated to its history in many ways. A local history collection consisting primarily of books is on display on the main floor with emphasis on local authors and items dedicated to preserving the history of City of Amsterdam and Montgomery County. Holdings include city directories on microfilm for most years 1876-1942 and hard copy from 1945-1988. The collection includes the Sir William Johnson papers volumes 1-14. Located in the basement and available for reference use, the Library also holds an historical collection of broader scope including many other items of New York State, regional and general historical significance. The City of Amsterdam came into existence officially in 1885. Some historians have traced its earliest beginnings to the first land grant dating back to 1703. Located in the beautiful Mohawk Valley, the territory at first belonged to the Mohawk Indians and was later settled by Dutch colonists and Palantine Germans. The Chuctanunda Creek and other potential water power supplies attracted early pioneers to the area. The first of these famous families included Netherlander, Albert Veeder who is credited with naming Veeder's Mill, later called Veedersburg. In the early 1800's at a name changing meeting, Veedersburg was renamed Amsterdam. The first official census to include Amsterdam was done in 1800 and counted 1064 residents. The years between 1800 and 1930 saw a steady growth in population rising to 34,817 residents at the height of its industrial expansion . Industry flourished as mills and workers multiplied. Amsterdam became a leader in the carpet making and floor covering industries with origins traced to the Sanford and the Shuttleworth families. Amsterdam became known as "The Carpet City of the World." At the onset of the 20th century and with the growth of its knitting mill industry, Amsterdam became the third largest producer of knit goods in the country. The button manufacturing industry established in 1898 by Harvey Chalmers and his son, Arthur was claimed to have been the "largest in the world." Presently Amsterdam with a population of 19,843 maintains it status as the largest municipality in Montgomery County. Unfortunately, the City has experienced a steady decline in population and industry since its peak in 1930. Today we are very rich in ethnic diversity with Hispanic people as the city's most recent immigrants. When industry left, many inhabitants who moved to Amsterdam in search of mill work remained here because of the comfortable lifestyle they enjoy. Efforts to revitalize Amsterdam continue to be on the forefront of our civic leaders' goals as it's proximity to New York's Capital District and Saratoga areas make Amsterdam a desirable place to live. Our local history collection offers some valuable insights about the people, places and events contributing to the growth of civilization in the Mohawk Valley and its surroundings. |
