Roadside Attraction: Nipper the RCA Dog - Albany, NY

Nipper the RCA Dog

Albany, NY

N 42° 39.861 W 073° 44.571

Short Description: 

A huge statue of Nipper the RCA Dog is located near 988 Broadway on a warehouse building with the address 7 Tivoli Street, Albany, NY.

Long Description:

Nipper the RCA Dog is a 4 ton, 28' high steel and fiberglass statue of Nipper, the mascot of the former giant electronics company the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). It sits on top of a building that was once a warehouse for a distributor of RCA products.

Nipper was a 19th century English dog whose portrait was painted by the dog owner’s brother, Francis Barraud. The painting called “His Master’s Voice” depicted Nipper listening to a gramophone. It became an internationally known logo for RCA.

Medal of Honor: Brigadier General John Henry Patterson - Colonie, NY

Brigadier General John Henry Patterson

Colonie, NY

N 42° 42.339 W 073° 43.870

Short Description: 

The grave of Medal of Honor recipient Brigadier General John Henry Patterson is located in section 42, lot 13 of Albany Rural Cemetery in the the Menands section of Colonie, NY.

Long Description:

A monument with an ornate pointed arch top marks the grave of Brigadier General John Henry Patterson. The back of the monument contains a bronze medal of Honor Plaque. The front of the monument is has a relief image of the Medal of Honor and is inscribed:

JOHN HENRY PATTERSON 

BRIGADIER GENERAL

UNITED STATES ARMY

February 10, 1843

October 5, 1920

GRACE HALLAM LEARNED

HIS WIFE

October 31, 1859

October 29, 1924

The bronze Medal of Honor plaque is inscribed:

JOHN HENRY PATTERSON 

MEDAL OF HONOR 

BRIG GEN US ARMY

CIVIL WAR

FEB 10 1843 OCT 5 1920

John Henry Patterson was serving with the 11th U.S. Infantry. As a 1st Lieutenant, he was awarded the Medal of Honor on July 23, 1897 for his actions on May 5, 1864, during the Battle of the Wilderness. According to his Medal of Honor citation:

Under the heavy fire of the advancing enemy, picked up and carried several hundred yards to a place of safety a wounded officer of his regiment who was helpless and would otherwise have been burned in the forest.

Statue of Historic Figure: Samuel Wilson a.k.a. Uncle Sam - Troy, NY

Samuel Wilson

a.k.a. 

Uncle Sam

Troy, NY

N 42° 43.969 W 073° 41.405

Short Description: 

A large aluminum statue of Samuel Wilson a.k.a. Uncle Sam is located on River Street near the intersection of Fulton Street in Troy, NY.

Long Description: 

A 12' by 6 by 5.25' statue of hometown folk figure Samuel Wilson, a.k.a. Uncle Sam stands on top of a 2' high by 3' by 3' aluminum base with inscribed aluminum plaques on all four sides.

A standing figure of Samuel Wilson is wearing a buttoned vest, unbuttoned jacket, a billowing cape, and trousers that cover the tops of his shoes. He is holding a top hat in his left hand and has his right hand grasping his open jacket. A barren is on his right side and a pile of bricks on his left side. The monument was created by sculptor George Kratina and dedicated on October 18, 1980.

*UNCLE SAM*

WILSON

1766 1854

OF

TROY - NEW YORK

BORN IN ARLINGTON - MASS 

The plaque on the right side of the base is inscribed:

SAM WILSON - ONE OF

THE PRIME MOVERS FOR

INCORPORATION OF

TROY AS VILLAGE - 1794

CITY - 1816 

The plaque on the back of the base is inscribed:

TROY'S CITIZEN

AMERICA'S UNCLE

THE BIG THING IS NOT WHAT

HAPPENS TO US IN LIFE - BUT

WHAT WE DO ABOUT

WHAT HAPPENS TO US.

SAM WILSON 

The plaque on the left side of the base is inscribed:


                                                       U.S. OF AMERICA
                                                       N A
                                                       C M
                                                       L
                                                       E   *ORIGINATED DURING 
                                                                   WAR OF 1812*

Samuel Wilson was born in Arlington, MA, known as Menotomy, on September 13, 1766. When he was young he moved with his family to Mason, NH. At age 15 he joined the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War where he was introduced to the meat packing trade. After the war he and his brother moved to Troy, NY where they started E & S Wilson, a meat packing business.

During the War of 1812 Elbert Anderson Jr. of New York City had the contract to supply meat to all US troops. He contracted with Sam Wilson's company to supply United States troops with barrels of meat. The barrels were labeled "E.A.- U.S." for Elbert Anderson - United States. The troops south of Troy that received the barrels were familiar with Samuel Wilson and interpreted the U.S to mean Uncle Sam, Wilson's nickname, and the legend was born. Samuel Wilson became the personification of the United States.

Grave of a Famous Person: Samuel Wilson a.k.a. Uncle Sam - Troy, NY

Samuel Wilson

a.k.a. 

Uncle Sam

Troy, NY

N 42° 45.750 W 073° 40.095

Short Description: 

A series of well places markers lead to the grave of Samuel Wilson, a.k.a. Uncle Sam, in Oakwood Cemetery at 186 Oakwood Avenue in Troy, NY.

Long Description:

The grave of Samuel Wilson, a.k.a. Uncle Sam, is marked by a rectangular, rough cut, granite monument with nearly identical bronze plaques on both side and a horizontal, marble, ground level marker, next to that of his wife Betsy Mann Wilson. The marble, ground level marker is inscribed:

SAMUEL WILSON 

Died July 31, 1854

Aged 88 Years. 

The bronze plaques on the front and back of the granite monument both have an image of an eagle with its wings spread and are inscribed:

U.S. 

IN LOVING MEMORY 

OF

"UNCLE SAM"

THE NAME

ORIGINATING WITH

SAMUEL WILSON

1766 - 1854

DURING THE WAR OF 1812

AND SINCE ADOPTED BY

THE UNITED STATES.

* * *

ERECTED 1921

BY HIS GRANDDAUGHTER

MARION WILSON (SHELDON)

and

U.S. 

IN LOVING MEMORY 

OF

"UNCLE SAM"

THE NAME

ORIGINATING WITH

SAMUEL WILSON

1766 - 1854

DURING THE WAR OF 1812

AND SINCE ADOPTED BY

THE UNITED STATES.

* * *

ERECTED 1931

BY HIS GRANDDAUGHTER

Samuel Wilson was born in Arlington, MA, known as Menotomy, on September 13, 1766. When he was young he moved with his family to Mason, NH. At age 15 he joined the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War where he was introduced to the meat packing trade. After the war he and his brother moved to Troy, NY where they started E & S Wilson, a meat packing business.

During the War of 1812 Elbert Anderson Jr. of New York City had the contract to supply meat to all US troops. He contracted with Sam Wilson's company to supply United States troops with barrels of meat. The barrels were labeled "E.A.- U.S." for Elbert Anderson - United States. The troops south of Troy that received the barrels were familiar with Samuel Wilson and interpreted the U.S to mean Uncle Sam, Wilson's nickname, and the legend was born. Samuel Wilson became the personification of the United States.

Medal of Honor: Serg. Major James Edwin Cross - Colonie, NY

Medal of Honor Recipient
Serg. Major James Edwin Cross

Colonie, NY

N 42° 42.623 W 073° 43.956

Short Description: 

The grave of Medal of Honor recipient Serg. Major James Edwin Cross is located in section 30; lot 62 of Albany Rural Cemetery in the Menands section of Colonie, NY.

Long Description:

The grave of Serg. Major James Edwin Cross is marked by a pentagon shaped family headstone which contains a bronze Medal of Honor plaque and a horizontal granite marker which marks his grave. The family marker is inscribed CROSS in raised letters. The bronze plaque contains the image of the Medal of Honor and is inscribed:

JAMES EDWIN CROSS

MEDAL OF HONOR

SERG MAJ CO K 12 NY INF

CIVIL WAR

MAR 27 1840 JAN 6 1917

The horizontal granite grave marker is inscribed:

JAMES EDWIN CROSS

1840 - 1917

James Edwin Cross was a corporal serving with Company K, 12th New York Infantry on July 18, 1861 during the Battle of Blackburns Ford, VA. According to his citation issued on April 5, 1898

With a companion, refused to retreat when the part of the regiment to which he was attached was driven back in disorder, but remained upon the skirmish line for some time thereafter, firing upon the enemy.