In 1802, members of the First Reformed Churches of Schenectady who lived on the north side of the Mohawk River organized and built the Amity Dutch Reformed Church; the present building dates to 1888. Be sure to notice the lovely stained glass windows from Tiffany & Co.® New York.

This building, probably constructed in 1848, would have been the center of activity in the 1800s, as it was the local school. In 1849, it had 68 students, and six years later, 141 students! This sudden increase was due to all of the activity of the nearby Erie Canal.

The small, one-and-a-half story home of Nicholas and Annetie Vischer is likely the oldest building in Clifton Park, built as early as 1735. It is the smaller building attached to the back of the large brick structure (built 1806 by son Eldert). This would have been a typical early Dutch home along the Mohawk River, made with local bricks and timber, with cupboard beds and a fireplace with a large hood above it.

The earliest owners of the store at this location were Gerardus and Jemima Clute, who built the large white house just past the store on Riverview Road. There has been a store of some type here for more than 150 years.

This brick farmhouse, located about one mile north of Vischer Ferry, dates from 1815. Before that date, Abraham and Harriet Best perhaps lived in the frame back wing of the building, which may date from as early as 1786.

This country tavern was operated by Sylvenus Birch, and later by his sons Seymour and Almand Birch. Like Grooms Tavern, a mile to the west, it frequently housed Town Board meetings in the 1830s and 1840s.

The Yacht Club is housed in a former canal store, one of many that provided 24/7 service for canal workers and passengers for the eight months of each year that the canal was open.

The Rexford United Methodist Church was founded about 1833. The present church building was dedicated in 1840.

This colorful “painted lady” was built in the “Stick” style of Victorian architecture. Cyrus W. Rexford, who built the home in 1883, owned a canal-side store and was a Clifton Park town supervisor for seven years.

This large, white brick house was built in 1791 by an early settler from Connecticut, Nathan Garnsey, in a style typical of New England. His son, Nathan Garnsey, Jr., was the supervisor of Halfmoon, before Clifton Park was formed from that town in 1828, and then became supervisor in Clifton Park in 1829.

Most buildings of Clifton Park Village have been lost to Route 9 and development, but the original Clifton Park Methodist Church remains. The congregation formed in the 1830s, but the present brick structure dates from 1842, when it cost only $1,200 to build.

This building straddles the Clifton Park-Halfmoon town line. Local lore says that the bar inside the hotel would be shifted from one side to the other, depending on which town was “dry” at the time.

This original schoolhouse, Clifton Park No. 5, has served as a school since the creation of school districts in Clifton Park in 1828.

Fort’s Ferry was the first European settlement in Clifton Park, started in 1672. The last surviving house was burned by arsonists in 1973.

This 1869 Whipple truss bridge is typical of bridges built for the Erie Canal from the 1850s to the late 1800s. This bridge was originally in Schoharie County before being relocated and reconstructed at the Preserve in 1997.

Another general store, Smith’s Feed and Grain Store, served Elnora from the 1800s on. The store also sold hardware, plants, seeds, and farm equipment.

The Jonesville Academy provided an academic, classical, commercial, and “ornamental” education to high school-aged students, 1836-1876. It educated 181 students at its height.

Although a “Methodist Church Society” had existed in the hamlet since 1826-and worshipped in their first church, now located across the street-this structure dates from 1855. It has elements of Greek Revival architecture in its pilasters and other details.

For many years, the Jonesville Store was both a general store and post office, as well as one of the social hubs of Jonesville.