Schenectady Steeples 2015 Calendar

Schenectady, New York, often known as "The Electric City," has had a strong religious presence for nearly 350 years. The abundance of churches today -- some continuously active, some empty, some re-purposed for other uses -- is proudly announced by the dominating presence of their steeples. When walking, driving, or otherwise traveling along the city streets, one cannot escape their presence. These photographs by native upstate author and historian Richard Vang include towering steeples, unique steeples, little steeples -- even missing steeples -- along with a couple of secular examples that add to the character of Schenectady's urban landscape. Vang's lens captures the sometimes breathtaking beauty and the history that these remarkable structures proclaim, providing us with a brief glimpse of the small frontier settlement that grew into an industrial powerhouse, and of the thriving religious life that still binds the community together. All original photographs by Richard Vang, ©2013 Square Circle Press LLC. Permission to reproduce these images must be granted in writing from Square Circle Press LLC.