About Albany

 
Location: Albany sits in Northwest Missouri almost in the center of the triangle of Kansas City, Missouri, Omaha, Nebraska and Des Moines, Iowa with travel times of ninety minutes, two hours and two and a half hours respectively. Albany is one hour Northwest of where the Pony Express was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. From the Kansas City International Airport, you can access both the East and West coasts in just three hours flight time, giving us a great central location.

The town of Albany is located in the midst of fertile country. The town site is a broad elevation commanding a fine view of the countryside. To the South and Westward is the rich bottom ground of the Grand River. Albany and its surrounding territory are know for its farming and cattle, and for outdoor activities including, biking, bird watching, golfing, fishing and hunting.
Weather:

 

Normal Mean temperature (Farenheit) on the 1971-2000 average for our region were:
January:     26.9 July:               78.5
February:   33.0 August:         76.6
March:       43.8 September:  68.1
April:          54.4 October:       56.8
May:           64.3 November:   42.7
June:          73.6 December:   31.3
 
 
Precipitation for Missouri in 2003 averaged 40.68 inches, barely above the 2002 average of 40.43 inches and virtually the same as the 30 year 1970-2000 average of 40.67.

Information was collected from the National Climatic Data Center.      http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov
History of Albany: The town of Athens, now know as Albany, Missouri was laid out, 1845 as the County seat of Gentry County by Elisha Cameron, the Commissioner of the County Seat. The name was changed from Athens to Albany in the year 1857, by special legislature, due to a conflict in names in another county causing the mail intended for Athens, Gentry County, to go to Athens, Clark County.  The first sale of lots was made on the 16th of June,1845.
Prior to establishment, the area was a summer haven for the Native American Indian, and the frontiersmen were drawn to the area for the same reason - lush landscape and an abundance of wildlife for trade and survival.  A small group of trappers made Albany their year round home and Albany was born.
Railroad played a significant part in the development of the community.  Both freight and passenger service was provided through most of the railroads term.  The Burlington railroad passenger service was eliminated in the early 1950's.  Although the Burlington track was removed in the late 1970's, the echo of the railroad remains.  Like most small towns in the late 19th and 20th centuries, Albany's depot was a local point of activity.  Today, Albany's restored, historic railroad depot serves as a reminder of that time in history.
 
The Gentry County Historical Society and the Carnegie Public Library are both excellent resources for Albany and the surrounding area's history.  The Carnegie hosts an extensive historical and genealogical research area.  The Gentry County Historical Society museum is open during local festivals and by appointment.  The Carnegie Public Library and the Gentry County Courthouse, which dominates the center of the downtown square, honorably are listed in the National Historic Register.

Historic picture of the West side of Polk Street, Albany, MO.  It is believed to have been taken in the year 1910.