The Greatest Highway in the World / Historical, Industrial and Descriptive Information of the Towns, Cities and Country Passed Through Between New York and Chicago Via the New York Central Lines. Based on the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

by New York Central Railroad Company

175 M. AMSTERDAM, Pop. 33,524.

(Train 51 passes 12:15; No. 3, 1:12; No. 41, 5:20; No. 25, 6:30; No. 19, 9:52. Eastbound: No. 6 passes 5:07; No. 26, 5:39; No. 16, 11:10; No. 22, 1:03.)

Sir William Johnson (1715-1774)

Sir William was a remarkable figure in early N.Y. history. He is said to have been the father of 100 children, chiefly by native mothers, either young squaws or wives of Indians who thought it an honor to surrender them to the king's agent. According to an early historian, the Indians of the Six Nations "carried their hospitality so far as to allow distinguished strangers the choice of a young squaw from among the prettiest of the neighborhood, as a companion during his sojourn with them."

Amsterdam was settled about 1775 and was called Veedersburg until 1804 when its present name was adopted. It was for some time the home of Elisha Arnold, father of Benedict Arnold, but the latter was born in Norwich, Conn. (Jan. 14, 1741.) The so-called Guy Park Mansion built in 1763, by Guy Johnson, nephew of Sir William Johnson is still used as a private residence. Today Amsterdam ranks as the first city in the United States in the manufacture of carpets and second in the manufacturing of hosiery and knit goods. It has one of the largest pearl button factories in the country; other products are brushes, brooms, silk gloves, paper boxes, electrical supplies, dyeing machines, cigars, wagon and automobile springs; the total value of the output being about $30,000,000 annually.