Located on the western edge of the sprawling Van Rensselaer patent, the village of Altamont was originally called Knowersville. It first gained prominence as a stopping-off place for early travelers struggling along trails from the Hudson River to the Schoharie Valley. As time passed, roads improved and commerce grew. Once the railroad arrived in 1863, the trip from Albany took just 45 minutes, and travelers quickly embraced the beauty of the Helderberg escarpment. A commercial center, inc...