Helderberg Landscapes

From Helderberg Hilltowns of Albany County, NY
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Early morning mist on Warner's Lake in early October, from the collection of Willard Osterhout

This is a series of images showing the beauty of the Hilltowns. When we get enough images we will make a separate page for each town. Maybe some day we will have enough to make a coffee table book!

If you have some photos you would like to share, click on "Instructions for Editing Hilltown Landscapes."

Warm thanks to those willing to upload and share their photos:

  • Jim Hamilton of Berne.
  • Eric Chamberlain of Knox.
  • Will Osterhout

Photo by Al Deitz, Oct. 2009

Bald Eagles From Al Deitz: "Three days straight in October of 2009, I passed the field on the east side of Switzkill Road near the Foxenkill Bridge and saw this immature Bald Eagle feeding on a deer carcus. On the third day I had my camera, and when I took this photo from my car, I could hear the eagle tear the meat from the bones . When I left the car for a closer photo, this spooked eagle would fly up into a tree to join it's mate. I suspect these two lived on West Mt."


35 Acres given to Huyck Preserve

Huyck Preserve meighbors Jeri and John Woodhouse formally donated 37 acres of their long-held family property to become part of the Huyck Preserve. The land includes fields and shrub habitats, but is dominated by pristine quality emergent marsh.

Chad Jemison, Jeri and John Woodhouse

Located just along Route 85 just north of Rensselaerville, this large open wetland is easily viewed and can be enjoyed by all. This land has terrific birding potential and is on the edge of being suitable habitat for the endangered bog turtle. Along with being protected in perpetuity, this wonderful gift will be highly valued at the biological field station for research and education opportunities.

Jim Hamilton

Jim and family enjoy watching the sun set over Mr. Van Rensselaer's Lot 594.

Eric Chamberlain

Eric lives in Township next to the Township Tavern. His house is on the site of the Octagon House. Eric has many photos posted on our "Then and Now" page.

Daniel A. Driscoll

Daniel A. Driscoll, of Knox, is founder and Chairman of the Helderberg Escarpment Planning Committee; he is a member of the Town of Knox Planning Board. Like all of the Albany hill towns, Knox is known for its natural beauty: pastoral rural countryside, rolling hills, meandering creeks, waterfalls, forest land. Click her for a list of Knox Farms, Natural History, and Outdoor Recreation opportunities. Here are some of Dan's pictures showing the Beauty of Knox

Andy Arthur

Andy Arthur, from Delmar, loves hiking and photography.

Barb Husek

Barb lives in Rensselaerville and is the founder of Rensselaerville Farmland Protection Facebook group. These are some of the beautiful photos posted by by her on the site.

Chris Shiralli

Worked at the Huyck Preserve in Rensselaerville.

Margaret Mendel

Margaret has also shared with us a photo of the Dunbar Hollow Cemetery. And check out the source and the great story on the Dunbar Hollow murders she wrote to go with the photo.

Here is another of her photos taken at Dunbar Hollow

Jeremy Rue

Jeremy Rue lives in Knox. All images were taken about 2003.

Here is a link to more of Jeremy's images.

Charles Sloger

Photos of Berne by Charles Sloger.

Here are more of Charles' photos

Chelsie Miller

Chelsie lives in Berne.

For more of Chelsie's photos click here.

Hal Miller

Born in Berne and gets back there annually to visit friends and family.

Will Osterhout

Willard Osterhout is not only a great photographer, but also a collector of old photos and vintage postcards of the Hilltowns. He has posted hundreds of old photographs of Berne on this site, and is is now doing the same for Rensseaerville.

Unknown Photographers

If anyone knows who took these photos, let us know so we can give them credit

Old Photos


If you enjoyed these pictures, you will probably also enjoy looking at the pictures on the Then and Now page.