Editing Guilderland, New York

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Guilderland, New York
| official_name      = 
| native_name        = 
| native_name_lang   = 
| other_name         = 
| settlement_type    = [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|Town]]
| image_skyline      = Guilderland, New York Town Hall building.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = Guilderland Town Hall
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = GuilderlandNYseal.gif
| seal_size          = 
| etymology          = [[Gelderland]] province in the [[Netherlands]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = Prospice Gelria - Latin for Look Forward Guilderland
| anthem             = 
| image_map          = Albany County New York incorporated and unincorporated areas Guilderland highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 300px
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = Location in [[Albany County, New York|Albany County]] and [[New York (state)|New York]].
| image_map1         = New York in United States (US48).svg
| mapsize1           = 
| map_alt1           = 
| map_caption1       = Location of New York in the United States
| pushpin_map        = 
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_label      = 
| pushpin_map_alt    = 
| pushpin_mapsize    = 
| pushpin_relief     = 
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|42|42|5|N|73|55|31|W|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint      = 
| coordinates_footnotes = 
| grid_name          = 
| grid_position      = 
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type1  = State
| subdivision_name1  = [[New York (state)|New York]]
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = [[Capital District, New York|Capital District]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[Administrative divisions of New York#County|County]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Albany County, New York|Albany]]
| subdivision_type4  = 
| subdivision_name4  = 
| established_title  = Settled
| established_date   = c. 1700
| established_title1 = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporation]] as [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]]
| established_date1  = 1803
| established_title2 = 
| established_date2  = 
| established_title3 = 
| established_date3  = 
| established_title4 = 
| established_date4  = 
| established_title5 = 
| established_date5  = 
| established_title6 = 
| established_date6  = 
| established_title7 = 
| established_date7  = 
| extinct_title      = 
| extinct_date       = 
| founder            = 
| named_for          = 
| seat_type          = 
| seat               = 
| seat1_type         = 
| seat1              = 
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| governing_body     = 
| leader_party       = 
| leader_title       = Town supervisor
| leader_name        = Peter G. Barber ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
{{Collapsible list |title=[[Town Council]] |Patricia Slavick ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])|Paul Pastore ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])|Lee Carman ([[United States Republican Party|R]])|Rosemary Centi ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])|}}
| leader_title1      = [[Town Supervisor]]
| leader_name1       = 
| total_type         = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_36.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 152.26
| area_total_sq_mi   = 58.79
| area_land_km2      = 149.97
| area_land_sq_mi    = 57.90
| area_water_km2     = 2.29
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.88
| area_water_percent = 
| area_metro_footnotes = 
| area_metro_km2     = 
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 
| area_rank          = 
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 328
| elevation_point    = 
| elevation_max_footnotes = 
| elevation_max_m    = 
| elevation_max_ft   = 
| elevation_max_point = 
| elevation_max_rank = 
| elevation_min_footnotes = 
| elevation_min_m    = 
| elevation_min_ft   = 
| elevation_min_point = 
| elevation_min_rank = 
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 36848
| population_rank    = 
| population_density_km2 = 245.70
| population_density_sq_mi = 636.41
| population_metro_footnotes = 
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_metro_km2 = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 
| population_density = 
| population_density_rank = 
| population_blank1_title = 
| population_blank1  = 
| population_density_blank1_km2 = 
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi = 
| population_blank2_title = 
| population_blank2  = 
| population_density_blank2_km2 = 
| population_density_blank2_sq_mi = 
| population_demonym = 
| population_note    = 
| demographics_type1 = 
| demographics1_footnotes = 
| demographics1_title1 = 
| demographics1_info1 = 
| demographics_type2 = 
| demographics2_footnotes = 
| demographics2_title1 = 
| demographics2_info1 = 
| timezone1          = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset1        = -5
| timezone1_DST      = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST    = -4
| timezone2          = 
| utc_offset2        = 
| timezone2_DST      = 
| utc_offset2_DST    = 
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = 12009 ([[Altamont, New York|Altamont]])<br/>12084 ([[Guilderland (hamlet), New York|Guilderland]])<br/>12085 ([[Guilderland Center, New York|Guilderland Center]])<br/>12159 ([[Slingerlands, New York|Slingerlands]])<br/>12186 ([[Voorheesville, New York|Voorheesville]])<br/>12203 ([[Albany, New York|Albany]])<br/>12222 (Albany)<br/>12303 ([[Schenectady, New York|Schenectady]])<br/>12306 ([[Rotterdam, New York|Rotterdam]])
| postal2_code_type  = 
| postal2_code       = 
| area_code_type     = 
| area_codes         = [[Area codes 518 and 838|518,838]]
| geocode            = 
| iso_code           = 
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 36-001-31104
| blank1_name        = 
| blank1_info        = 
| blank2_name        = 
| blank2_info        = 
| blank_name_sec2    = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info_sec2    = 36-31104<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name_sec2   = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info_sec2   = 0979030<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
| blank2_name_sec2   = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2   = Guilderland, New York
| website            = {{URL|townofguilderland.org}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Guilderland''' is a [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]] in [[Albany County, New York]], United States. In the 2020 [[census]], the town had a population of 36,848.<ref name="GR2" /> The town is named for the  [[Gelderland]] province in the [[Netherlands]].<ref name=early/>
The town of Guilderland is on the central-northwest border of the county. It is just west of [[Albany, New York|Albany]], the capital of the [[U.S. state]] of [[New York (state)|New York]].

== History ==
[[File:Guilderland1866.jpg|thumb|left|175px|1866 map of Guilderland]]
Guilderland was originally a part of the [[Manor of Rensselaerswyck]] that [[Patroon]] [[Kiliaen van Rensselaer (Dutch merchant)|Kiliaen van Rensselaer]] began in 1629 as part of the [[New Netherland]] colony. By the end of the 17th century,  [[Dutch people|Dutch]] settlers from Albany and [[Schenectady, New York|Schenectady]] began to establish farms in the area, beginning first along the banks of the Normans Kill. In 1712, a group of emigrants from the [[Rhine]] Valley in present-day [[Germany]] passed through the town on their way to [[Schoharie County, New York|Schoharie]]. They were the first to record and name the [[Helderberg Escarpment]], originally Hellebergh meaning "bright or clear mountain". This name would also be used for all the land between the Normans Kill and the [[escarpment]]. In 1734, the first known religious service was held by a [[Lutheran]] [[dominie]] from [[Athens, New York]] to the "Normanskill Folk", and the first religious structure was a Dutch Reformed Church in 1750.<ref name=Outline/>

Guilderland was, from its beginning, a location  amenable to early industry due to its many streams for waterwheels, large forests for wood fuel, and the fine sand for glass works. In 1795, Jan and Leonard de Neufville (father and son) established a large glass factory mostly for the manufacture of windows but also for bottles of various shapes, sizes, and uses. Around this factory would spring up the hamlet of Hamilton (today called Guilderland). The factory could not compete with cheap British imports after the [[War of 1812]], and with its collapse, the glass industry would never return to Guilderland. A hat factory and a foundry would both occupy the site over the next 200 years. French's Mills, another hamlet founded on industry, was home to many textile mills, due to the power harnessed from the falls on the Normans Kill near Guilderland Center.<ref name=Outline/>

During the [[US Revolutionary War]], many families in Guilderland were split in their loyalties. In New York, tenant farmers generally opposed their landlords, the Patroons, who sided with the rebellious independentists (Patriots), making New York one of the colonies where the war of Independence became a vicious civil war. The patroon of Rensselaerswyck and the local clergy, however, rallied the support of most of the local settlers in opposing the [[Loyalists]]. Those who remained loyal to the established government operated, among other places, from the caves of the Helderbergs, raiding settlements with the help of [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]]s. A battle between Loyalists and rebel Schenectady Militia with help from [[Rhode Island]] Continental Troops was fought just east of Guilderland Center. It was later alleged the local Loyalists were about to burn Schenectady and Albany, which is not entirely trustworthy as these would have been their own neighbors. In any case, the victory of the American forces allowed the Rhode Island contingent to travel to [[Saratoga, New York|Saratoga]] for the [[Battle of Saratoga]] that occurred five weeks later, the turning point of the US Revolution.<ref name=Outline/>

From 1799 until its formation in 1803, Guilderland was a part of the town of [[Watervliet (town), New York|Watervliet]]. The name Guilderland (spelled Guilderlandt in the original law) was the suggestion of resident [[Jeremiah Van Rensselaer]], who happened to be Lieutenant-Governor of the state at the time, and as such was President of the Senate. His family (that of the original patroon) and many of the original settlers came from [[Gelderland]], a province of the [[Netherlands]].<ref name=Outline>{{cite web | title = Outline History of the Town of Guilderland, Albany County, New York | author = Arthur B. Gregg | year = 1966 | access-date = February 21, 2010 | url = http://contentdm.cdlc.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/gpl&CISOPTR=292&REC=3}}</ref> In 1871 the northwestern part of Albany, west from Magazine Street, was annexed to Guilderland,<ref name=early>{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HGkJAQAAIAAJ&q=guilderland | page = 77 | title = Bi-Centennial History of Albany: History of the County of Albany from 1609-1886; Volume 1 | author = George Howell and Jonathan Tenney | publisher = W.W. Munsell and Company | access-date = February 24, 2010 | year = 1886}}</ref> after the town of Watervliet refused the annexation of the same territory.<ref>{{cite book| title = Laws of the State of New York, Passed at the Ninety-Third Session of the Legislature, Begun January Fourth, and Ended April Twenty-Sixth, 1870, in the City of Albany. Volume I | access-date = February 24, 2010 | year = 1870 | publisher = State of New York/ Weed, Parsons and Company | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=5hixAAAAIAAJ&q=watervliet+albany+1870+law+annexation&pg=PA412}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title = Laws of the State of New York, Passed at the Ninety-Fourth Session of the Legislature, Begun January Third, and Ended April Twenty-first 1871, in the City of Albany. Volume II | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aQ-xAAAAIAAJ&q=guilderland+albany+1871+law+annexation&pg=PA1688 | page = 1688 | access-date = February 24, 2010 | year = 1871 | publisher = State of New York/ The Argus Company}}</ref> Parts of this territory would be annexed back to Albany in 1910, setting up more or less the current border.<ref>{{cite web | title = Appendix | url = http://www.albanycounty.com/departments/achor/inout/ichap5.html | access-date = February 24, 2010 | publisher = Albany County, New York | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080823005023/http://www.albanycounty.com/departments/achor/inout/ichap5.html | archive-date = August 23, 2008 }}</ref>

At the start of the town's founding, the Schoolcraft family was prominent.  Congressman John L. Schoolcraft was born in Guilderland in September 1806. When his father, Captain John Schoolcraft, died in December of the same year, he was raised by his grandfather, John Schoolcraft. Wealthy grandfather Schoolcraft, who owned much property in Guilderland hamlet and ran an inn and tavern, was the first Justice of the Peace in the hamlet, an elder and trustee of the Hamilton Union Church, and a member of the first Guilderland School Board. He was also the uncle of the famed Henry Rowe Schoolcraft. John L. Schoolcraft started a profitable mercantile business, became president of Albany Commercial Bank (later part of today's Key Bank), and was groomed for politics by Thurlow Weed, editor of the Albany Evening Journal, winning his first Congressional election in 1848.

In the 1840s, Schoolcraft built the early Gothic Schoolcraft mansion [[John Schoolcraft House]] upon his return from a European journey. He used it mostly as a summer residence. Schoolcraft was a close friend and confidant of Governor William Seward and married Seward's niece, Carolyn Canfield, in 1853.

==Historic sites==
There are 37 entries on the [[U.S. National Register of Historic Places]] located in Guilderland.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2013a|accessdate=October 7, 2023}}</ref>
{{columns-list|
* [[Albany Glassworks Site]]
* [[Altamont Historic District]]
* [[Apple Tavern]]
* [[Aumic House]]
* [[Chapel House (Guilderland, New York)|Chapel House]]
* [[Coppola House]]
*   Dipietro House DNC HQ
* [[Frederick Crouse House]]
* [[Jacob Crouse Inn]]
* [[John and Henry Crouse Farm Complex]]
* [[Freeman House (Guilderland, New York)|Freeman House]]
* [[Fuller's Tavern]]
* [[Gardner House (Guilderland, New York)|Gardner House]]
* [[Gifford Grange Hall]]
* [[Gillespie House (Guilderland, New York)|Gillespie House]]
* [[Guilderland Cemetery Vault]]
* [[Hamilton Union Church Rectory]]
* [[Hamilton Union Presbyterian Church]]
* [[Helderberg Reformed Dutch Church]]
* [[Adam Hilton House]]
* [[Houck Farmhouse]]
* [[Knower House]]
* [[McNiven Farm Complex]]
* [[Mynderse-Frederick House]]
* [[Norman Vale]]
* [[Stephen Pangburn House]]
* [[Charles Parker House]]
* [[Prospect Hill Cemetery Building]]
* [[Rose Hill (Guilderland, New York)|Rose Hill]]
* [[John Schoolcraft House]]
* [[Schoolhouse No. 6]]
* [[Sharp Brothers House]]
* [[Sharp Farmhouse]]
* [[St. Mark's Lutheran Church (Guilderland, New York)|St. Mark's Lutheran Church]]
* [[Van Patten Barn Complex]]
* [[Vanderpool Farm Complex]]
* [[Veeder Farmhouse No. 1]]
* [[Veeder Farmhouse No. 2]]
}}
Guilderland was home to the New York Power Pool and its control center after the Power Pool's formation in 1966 in response to the [[1965 blackout]]. Most of its operations were transferred over to the [[New York energy law#NYISO|NYISO]] after the NYISO's formation in 1999. The NYISO built a new control center in 2014 in [[Rensselaer, New York]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nyiso.com/public/webdocs/media_room/press_releases/ARCHIVE/files/ARCHIVE/FactSheet_NYISOControlCenterProject_080811.pdf|title=NYISO Control Center Project Announcement|access-date=November 15, 2018|archive-date=November 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116085519/https://www.nyiso.com/public/webdocs/media_room/press_releases/ARCHIVE/files/ARCHIVE/FactSheet_NYISOControlCenterProject_080811.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/11/07/archives/another-big-blackout-not-if-they-can-help-it-another-big-blackout.html|title=Another Big Blackout? Not if They Can Help It|author=VICTOR K. MCELHENY|date=November 7, 1975|newspaper=New York Times|access-date=November 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-business/article/50-years-ago-mdash-Albany-went-dark-in-the-6616751.php|title=50 years ago Albany went dark in the Great Northeast Blackout|author=Eric Anderson|date=November 12, 2015|publisher=Times Union|access-date=November 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/NYISO-marks-10-years-in-power-546434.php|title=NYISO marks 10 years in power|author=LARRY RULISON|date=December 2, 2009|publisher=Times Union|access-date=November 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tdworld.com/asset-management-service/nyiso-opens-new-power-control-center|title=NYISO Opens New Power Control Center|author=Stephen Whitley|date=August 27, 2014|access-date=November 15, 2018}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|58.7|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|57.9|sqmi|km2}}  is land and {{convert|0.8|sqmi|km2}}  (1.31%) is water.

The town borders [[Schenectady County, New York|Schenectady County]], New York, including the towns of [[Princetown, New York|Princetown]] and [[Rotterdam, New York|Rotterdam]] on the northern and western edges. It also borders the towns of [[Berne, New York|Berne]], [[Colonie, New York|Colonie]], [[Bethlehem, New York|Bethlehem]], and [[New Scotland, New York|New Scotland]] and the [[Administrative divisions of New York#City|city]] of [[Albany, New York|Albany]].

There are several [[ZIP code]]s in Guilderland, including 12084 (Guilderland), 12085 (Guilderland Center), 12203 (Albany), 12009 ([[Altamont, New York|Altamont]]), 12303 and 12306 ([[Schenectady]]), 12159 ([[Slingerlands]]), and 12186 ([[Voorheesville]]).

Two interstate highways, [[Interstate 87 (New York)|I-87]] and [[Interstate 90 in New York|I-90]] run through Guilderland, meeting in the city of Albany, north of [[Crossgates Mall]] a large mall on the edge of Guilderland. [[U.S. Route 20 in New York|US 20]] also runs through the town.

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Town of Guilderland
|North     = [[Schenectady County, New York|Schenectady County]]<br/>Town of [[Rotterdam, New York|Rotterdam]]
|Northeast = Town of [[Colonie, New York|Colonie]]
|East      = City of [[Albany, New York|Albany]]
|Southeast = Town of [[Bethlehem, New York|Bethlehem]]<br/><small>Hamlet of [[North Bethlehem, New York|North Bethlehem]]</small>
|South     = Town of [[New Scotland, New York|New Scotland]]<br/><small>Village of [[Voorheesville, New York|Voorheesville]]/</small>
|Southwest = 
|West      = Town of [[Knox, New York|Knox]]
|Northwest = Schenectady County<br/>Town of [[Princetown, New York|Princetown]]
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1810= 2476
|1820= 2270
|1830= 2742
|1840= 2790
|1850= 3279
|1860= 3246
|1870= 3132
|1880= 3459
|1890= 3606
|1900= 3530
|1910= 3333
|1920= 3117
|1930= 4394
|1940= 5522
|1950= 7284
|1960= 16710
|1970= 21208
|1980= 26515
|1990= 28764
|2000= 34045
|2010= 35303
|2020= 36848
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the 2010 [[census]], there were 35,303 people and 14,205 households residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 86.21% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 3.41% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.14% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 7.49% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.01% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.93% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.76% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.2% of the population.{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}}

There were 13,422 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.7% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.00.<ref name="GR2" />

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.<ref name="GR2" />

The median income for a household in the town was $58,669 and the median income for a family was $68,472. Males had a median income of $48,742 versus $34,796 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $29,508. About 2.4% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="GR2" /> 64.9% of workers are employed in the private-sector, and 29.1% are government employees.<ref name="GR2" />

== Education ==
[[File:Guilderland High School, New York.jpg|thumb|left|Guilderland High School]]
In 1812 the town was divided into eight school districts, mostly rural one room school houses. In 1901 the first high school in the town would be established at Altamont, this would be the only high school between Albany and Schoharie at the time. In 1953 the [[Guilderland Central School District]] would be formed on the consolidation of the eight smaller districts.<ref name=Outline/>

Guilderland is served by the [[Guilderland Central School District]]. It has one high school, [[Guilderland High School]], one middle school, [[Farnsworth Middle School]], and five elementary schools. These include Guilderland Elementary School, Pine Bush Elementary School, Lynnwood Elementary School, Altamont Elementary School, and Westmere Elementary School. Some portions of the town are served by other school districts, including [[Voorheesville Central School District]], based in the town of [[New Scotland, New York|New Scotland]]; as well as [[Schalmont Central School District]] and [[Mohonasen Central School District]], both of which are based in the town of [[Rotterdam, New York|Rotterdam]].

== Politics ==

The current [[town supervisor]] is Peter G. Barber (since 2016).

The current councilmen and councilwomen are Patricia Slavick (2000), Paul Pastore (2006), Lee Carman (2016), and Rosemary Centi (2016).

Jean J. Cataldo is the current town clerk.

Lynne Buchanan is the current Receiver of Taxes.

The current town attorney is James Melita.

The seat of Guilderland's government is the Guilderland Town Hall.

The Town of Guilderland website is www.townofguilderland.org.

Like most of Albany County, Guilderland generally votes for [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] for state and federal offices. [[Barack Obama]] received 60 percent of the vote in Guilderland in 2008, and 59 percent in 2012. Senators [[Chuck Schumer|Schumer]] and [[Kirsten Gillibrand|Gillibrand]] and Representative [[Paul Tonko|Tonko]] all easily won Guilderland in their most recent elections.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://access.albanycounty.com/boe/electionresults/ |title=Albany County Election Results |access-date=January 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222065853/http://access.albanycounty.com/boe/electionresults/ |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In June 2018, Richard Sherwood, a former town judge, pleaded guilty to federal money laundering and tax evasion charges as well as a state grand larceny charge. Sherwood stole $11 million from estate trust funds he was charged with managing in his private practice. He also transferred property to his own name. He faces 3.5 years to 10 years in prison.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2018/06/11/former-albany-area-judge-pleads-guilty-to-scamming-millions-from-estate/?slreturn=20181015182729|title=Former Albany-Area Judge Pleads Guilty to Scamming Millions From Estate|author=Andrew Denney|date=June 11, 2018|publisher=New York Law Journal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/ag-underwood-announces-guilty-plea-former-guilderland-town-judge-richard-sherwood|title=A.G. Underwood Announces Guilty Plea Of Former Guilderland Town Judge Richard Sherwood For Stealing Over $11 Million In Family Trusts He Oversaw|publisher=NYS AG|access-date=November 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Ex-Guilderland-judge-Sherwood-formerly-disbarred-13226856.php|title=Ex-Guilderland judge Sherwood disbarred|publisher=Times Union|author=Robert Gavin|date=September 13, 2018|access-date=November 15, 2018}}</ref>

==Public safety==

===Emergency medical services===
[[Emergency Medical Services]] for the town of Guilderland are provided by three separate medical entities. Guilderland EMS,<ref>{{cite web|title=Guilderland EMS|url=http://www.guilderlandpd.org/#!emergency-medical-services/c1kei}}</ref> which was a division of the Guilderland Police Department but now operates on their own, provide the [[Advanced Life Support]] (career paramedics) for the town as well as other surrounding areas. Western Turnpike Rescue Squad<ref>{{cite web|title=Western Turnpike Rescue Squad|url=http://www.wtrs.org}}</ref> served the local community from 1939 to 2018, before Guilderland EMS purchased an ambulance and assumed operations. Altamont Rescue Squad served the Village of Altamont from 1937 to 2023. During college semesters [[Basic Life Support]] care and transport for the University at Albany is provided by Five Quad,<ref>{{cite web|title=Five Quad Ambulance|url=http://fivequad.org/}}</ref> an all volunteer EMS agency consisting of University of Albany students and alumni.

===Fire departments===
[[File:Guilderland Fire station, New York.jpg|thumb|Guilderland fire station on Western Avenue]]
There are eight main fire departments that also provide rescue; including Guilderland Fire Department,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://guilderlandfd.org/|title=Home|website=Guilderland Fire Department|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref> Westmere Fire Department<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.westmerefd.org/|title=Westmere Fire Department - Albany County, NY|first=Westmere Fire|last=Department|website=www.westmerefd.org|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref> Guilderland Center Fire Department,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesunion.com/communities/gcfd/|title=timesunion.com : communities: guilderland center fire department<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=timesunion.com|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref> Fort Hunter Fire Department, Altamont Fire Department,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://altamontfd.dyndns.org/|title=Altamont Fire Department<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=altamontfd.dyndns.org|access-date=April 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060618211040/http://altamontfd.dyndns.org/|archive-date=June 18, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> North Bethlehem Fire Department, McKownville Fire Department and Pine Grove Fire Department.

===Police department===
The Guilderland Police Department is staffed by 36 sworn members along with 10 telecommunicators, three administrative office staff members, three animal services members and 20 full time and part time, paramedics operating under the EMS division. The police department is organized into the Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations Unit, Traffic Safety Unit, Community Services Unit, K-9 Unit, Communications Division, and Animal Control Unit. The Guilderland Police Department is headquartered in Guilderland Town Hall, with a sub-station located at Crossgates Mall.

== Communities ==
*[[Altamont, Albany County, New York|Altamont]] &ndash; A [[Administrative divisions of New York#Village|village]] in the western part of Guilderland, west of Guilderland Center
*Dunnsville &ndash; A [[Administrative divisions of New York#Hamlet|hamlet]] in the northwestern part of the town
*Fort Hunter &ndash; A [[Administrative divisions of New York#Hamlet|hamlet]] in the northern part of the town
*[[Fullers, New York|Fullers]] &ndash; A hamlet northwest of Hartmans Corners on Route 20
*[[Guilderland (hamlet), New York|Guilderland]] &ndash; A hamlet with the same name as the town; located on Route 20, established in 1796
*[[Guilderland Center, New York|Guilderland Center]] &ndash; A hamlet west of Guilderland hamlet
*Hartmans Corners &ndash; A hamlet northwest of Guilderland hamlet on Route 20
*McCormacks Corners &ndash; A location northwest of Guilderland hamlet on Route 20
*[[McKownville, New York|McKownville]] &ndash; A hamlet near the eastern town line and Albany
*Meadowdale &ndash; A hamlet by the southern town line
*Parkers Corners &ndash; A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town
*Watervliet Reservoir &ndash; A [[reservoir (water)|reservoir]] north of Guilderland Center
*[[Westmere, New York|Westmere]] &ndash; A hamlet in the eastern part of the town on Route 20 and a suburb of Albany; a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) of the same name is designated over this area.

==Library==
[[File:Guilderland Public Library, New York.jpg|thumb|Guilderland Public Library, on Western Avenue]]
There are actually two libraries located in the Town of Guilderland: The Guilderland Public Library, and the Altamont Free Library. Both are members of the Upper Hudson Library System.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uhls.org|title=Home|website=uhls.org|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref>  The Guilderland Public Library, located at 2228 Western Avenue (US Route 20) serves as a cultural center for the town and the surrounding area. Some 59% of town residents hold library cards. Library use has grown with the population of the town. Since 1992, when the Guilderland Public Library moved into its current location, patron visits have almost doubled, from 177,996 to 343,144 annually, and circulation has more than doubled, from 214,446 to 519,426 items every year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guilpl.org|title=Home|website=Guilderland Public Library|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref>

The Altamont Free Library, located in and serving the Village of Altamont, is a free association library. The Village of Altamont is a political entity within the borders of the Town of Guilderland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.altamontfreelibrary.org/|title=Altamont Free Library - Serving the Community since 1916|website=www.altamontfreelibrary.org|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[Evert Bancker (mayor)|Evert Bancker]] (1665–1734), fur trader and mayor of Albany<!-- MISSING:CONNECTION TO GUILDERLAND -->
*[[Jon Busch]], soccer player<!-- MISSING:CONNECTION TO GUILDERLAND -->
*[[Ze Frank]], artist and public speaker
*[[Johnny Grabowski]] (1900–1946), baseball player and umpire<!-- MISSING:CONNECTION TO GUILDERLAND -->
*[[Victoria A. Graffeo]], judge<!-- MISSING:CONNECTION TO GUILDERLAND -->
*[[Magdalene Isadora La Grange]] (1864–1935), poet
*[[David Paterson]], while his primary residence is located downstate in [[Harlem]], the former Governor of New York maintained a residence in Guilderland as a state senator and later Lieutenant Governor of New York prior to assuming the governorship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=671299&TextPage=1 |title=In the wings, a friendly neighbor |access-date=April 26, 2008 |last=Grondhal |first=Paul |date=March 12, 2008 |publisher=[[Albany Times Union]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090726114209/http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=671299&TextPage=1 |archive-date=July 26, 2009 }}</ref> Paterson resided in the [[New York State Executive Mansion]] while in Albany, but kept his Guilderland and Harlem residences.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/26/nyregion/26mansion.html?ref=nyregion |title=Paterson Family Is Moving Into the Executive Mansion |access-date=April 26, 2008 |last=Confessore |first=Nicholas |date=March 26, 2008 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
*[[Joseph E. Persico]], author and speechwriter<!-- MISSING:CONNECTION TO GUILDERLAND -->
*[[Henry Ramsay (NY engineer)|Henry Ramsay]] (1808–1886), prominent civil engineer<!-- MISSING:CONNECTION TO GUILDERLAND -->
*[[Henry Schoolcraft]] (1793–1864), geologist, geographer, and ethnologist<!-- MISSING:CONNECTION TO GUILDERLAND -->
*[[William D. Veeder]] (1835–1910), politician<!-- MISSING:CONNECTION TO GUILDERLAND -->
*The [[Chen family homicides|Chen family]], a Chinese immigrant family of four killed in their Westmere house in 2014; the case remains open.<ref name="Chen family">{{cite news|last=Grondahl|first=Paul|title=Human trafficking, undocumented workers part of Guilderland homicide investigation|url=https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Evidence-technicians-return-to-seen-of-4-killings-5813957.php|newspaper=[[Albany Times-Union]]|date=October 12, 2014|access-date=September 30, 2018}}</ref>

== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Guilderland, New York}}
*{{official website|http://www.townofguilderland.org }}

{{Albany County, New York}}
{{Capital District}}
{{Hudson River}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Guilderland, New York| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Albany County, New York]]
[[Category:Towns in New York (state)]]