Editing Bethlehem, New York (section)

== History ==

{{unreferenced section|date=October 2021}}

When [[Henry Hudson]] sailed up the river that would eventually bear his name, he is thought to have landed at what is now the town of Bethlehem. The spot where he is presumed to have landed is commemorated at the town's Henry Hudson Park. The town was established on March 12, 1793, from the [[Watervliet (town), New York|town of Watervliet]].  In 1832, part of the town was used to form the [[New Scotland, New York|town of New Scotland]]. 
The town's earliest growth took place in [[Normansville, New York|Normansville]], named for its location along the [[Normans Kill]], a creek, which forms the town's border with Albany.  Normansville still exists today, though it is unnoticed by most living in Bethlehem since it is accessible only by one downhill road.  In the mid-19th century, the [[Delaware and Hudson Railway|Delaware and Hudson]] railroad initiated [[Albany, New York|Albany]] - [[Binghamton]] service (Susquehanna Division) through the hamlet then called Adamsville, renaming the hamlet Delmar.  [[Delmar, New York|Delmar]] has become the most populous hamlet and its Delaware Avenue is the site of the present day town hall, police station, justice court, and public library, as well as numerous businesses.

The Delaware and Hudson discontinued passenger service in 1963, and its tracks started being removed in the year 2000, with the last of the track removed in 2005.<ref>"Delaware & Hudson Passenger Train Demise" https://penneyvanderbilt.wordpress.com/2016/02/26/delaware-hudson-passenger-train-demise/</ref><ref>''Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society,'' April–June 2012 http://www.trainweb.org/SVRHS/SVRHS_FeedwaterHeater_2012_2Q.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511154843/http://www.trainweb.org/SVRHS/SVRHS_FeedwaterHeater_2012_2Q.pdf |date=May 11, 2017 }}</ref><ref>''Official Guide of the Railways,'' January 1962, Delaware and Hudson Railroad section, Table 2</ref><ref>Freight only in ''Official Guide of the Railways,'' June 1963, Delaware and Hudson Railroad section</ref>  The track right-of-way is now the Albany County Rail trail, a bike and pedestrian path, that runs from downtown Albany to [[Voorheesville, New York|Voorheesville]].  The town has continued to grow, and is today considered to be an affluent suburb of the city of Albany.