National Register of Historic Places

Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant

Mechanicville, Rensselaer County, New York
Listed
November 13, 1989
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
89001942

About this property

Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant is a 18.3-acre (7.4 ha) national historic district located at Mechanicville in Saratoga County, New York. The listing included one contributing building and three contributing structures. The district dates to 1897 and includes notable Queen Anne architecture. The district includes the powerhouse, an earth embankment, a concrete non-overflow dam, and a 700-foot-long concrete gravity overflow dam. They were built in 1897–1898 by the Hudson River Power Transmission Company and span the western channel of the Hudson River between the Saratoga County shore and Bluff Island. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The station was designed to produce 5000 kilowatts from seven hydraulic turbine-generator units. Extensive renovations starting in 2003 have turned the plant into a working museum. In 2021, the plant started mining bitcoin with a portion of the hydro-power energy. Because running a plant that still uses all of the original 1800s machinery, mining bitcoin has been three times more profitable than selling electricity back to the national grid.

Location

Mechanicville, Rensselaer County, New York
42.87903, -73.67842

Categories

INDUSTRYENGINEERINGARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant

This page lists Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Ellsworth, Col. Elmer E., Monument and Grave
Listed
1.5 mi
Knickerbocker Mansion
Industrial
2.2 mi
Stillwater United Church
Civil War
4.3 mi
Oakcliff
Early Republic
4.6 mi
Crescent Methodist Episcopal Church
Early Republic
4.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Saratoga — Freeman's Farm (First)
1777Revolutionary War
7.6 mi
Battle of Saratoga — Bemis Heights (Second)
1777Revolutionary War
7.6 mi
Battle of Bemis Heights
1777Revolutionary War
7.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant listed on the National Register?

Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1989.

What type of historic resource is Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant?

Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant?

The period of significance for Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Rensselaer County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Rensselaer County.

Explore RensselaerCounty ›

More historic places in New York

Browse all historic places in New York.

View New Yorkhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

New York history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

New Yorkhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Mechanicville Hydroelectric Plant will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report