Troy, New York is more than 200 years old. Located along the Hudson River, Troy was a major center for the industrial revolution in the 1800's. It was the home of the detachable shirt collar, stove manufacturers, textile mills, stagecoach and carriage builders, breweries, bell manufacturers, iron and steel centers, and more. Iron plates for the Civil War ship the "Monitor" were rolled in Troy. Even Samuel Wilson, better known as Uncle Sam, lived and worked in Troy during this time.<br> Most of Troy's buildings stand from the 18th and 19th centuries; fine homes of former industrial tycoons, worker and factory housing, and homes of the emerging middle class are still used and lived in today, many retaining their original character and features. Wood frame, terra cotta, brownstone, and brick houses line the streets of the city. Queen Anne, Mansard, Beaux Arts, Romanesque, Italianate, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, and other kinds of buildings can be seen everywhere in Troy. Restoration is an ongoing event here. In fact, a section of downtown has received an impressive collection of art galleries and boutique shops.<br> Troy has become the "restaurant district" of the capital region, and has many regular, popular events such as the summer's Riverfront Arts Festival with sidewalk chalk art competitions and the winter's Victorian Stroll, which includes events, music, crafts all around Troy's downtown, and the Hart-Cluett mansion decorated for a Victorian Christmas inside. Their research library is open, at no charge, to the public.