Amsterdam, New York
STEPHEN
SANFORD & SONS INC.
Amsterdam,
New York
One
of the great manufacturing centers of the northeast stands a little over thirty miles west of
Albany. Though the days of milling are long over, one can spend plenty of time
milling around Amsterdam, New York (Montgomery County), in pursuit of a vast collection of
defunct factories. Some of the mills appear to be semi-abandoned, perhaps used partly for warehousing,
while others have been adaptively reused. But by and large the mills no longer
hum with the activity seen in former days. Many of these mills are visible from the
New York State Thruway, which runs just south of the main part of this city.
This site shows just a small sample of the industrial relics
of Amsterdam. The Stephen Sanford & Sons mills (more popularly known as
Bigelow-Sanford) appear to have lost some buildings, judging by aerial
photographs seen
at this website. After the great carpet manufacturing flight to the southern
United State sin the 1950s, some of the factories found reuse. The last major
tenant to occupy this site was toy manufacturer Coleco, which arrived here in
the late 1960s for a run that lasted twenty years. Coleco didn't use the site
for manufacturing, but rather for packaging and shipping popular '80s toys such
as Cabbage Patch Dolls.
Bob Cudmore's website
also has interesting articles relating to the old mills of Amsterdam. Also of
interest, the Friends of Sanford Stud
Farm are partnering with the Town of Amsterdam to help oversee the restoration and preservation of the former Sanford Stud Farm as a Heritage Center because of its historical, educational, architectural and cultural significance.
Stephen Sanford turned to recreational pursuits as an outlet from the stress of
business life and established one of the largest and most recognized thoroughbred breeding facilities in the nation.
The Broodmare barn has suffered neglect in recent years and is in urgent need of
preservation.
These photographs were taken
February 3, 2006.
ABOVE and BELOW: This restaurant, now closed, must have served hundreds of
millworkers daily.
The "clock tower mill," which still seems to be
actively used.
Yaz’ Hudson Valley Ruins and Abandoned Buildings, etc.
This page copyright © 2006 by Robert
J. Yasinsac.
Copying or reproducing text or photographs, in any format, without permission from Rob Yasinsac is
prohibited.