It was built in 1725, by Johannes Bcekraau, one of the old burghers of that city ; and was purchased, in 1778, by one of tho Vauderheydcns of Troy, who, for many yeai's, lived tlierc in the style of the old Dutch aristocracy. On account of its size, it was dignified with the title of palace. It figures in Washington Irving' s story of Dolph Heyliger, iu " Bracebridge Hall," as the residence of Heer Anthony YandcrhcyJen ;

.'DERHtYDKN PAL.A

and when Mr, Irving transformed the old farmhouse of Van Tassel into his elegant Dutch cottage at " Sunnyside," he made the southern gable an exact imitation of that of the palace in Albany. And the iron vane, in the form -of a horse at full speed, that turned for a century upon one of the gables of the Yanderheyden Palace, now occupies the peak of that southern gable at delightful " Sunnyside."

Kalm, the Swedish traveller, who visited Albany in 1748 and 1749, says in his Journal, -- " The houses in this town are very neat, and partly built with stones, covered with shingles of the white pine. Some arc slated with tiles from Holland. Most of the houses are built in the old

THE HUDSON.

way, with the gable-end toward the street j a few excepted, which were

lately built in the manner now used The gutters on the roofs

reach almost to the middle of the street. This preserves the walls from being damaged by the rain, but it is extremely disagreeable in rainy weather for the people in the streets, there being hardly any means for avoiding the water from the gutters. The street doors are generally in the middle of the houses, and on both sides are seats, on which, during fair weather, the people spend almost the whole day, especially on those which are in the shadow of the houses.