Albany County is named for the Duke of York and Albany who later became King James II of England.
surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Schenectady County and Saratoga County
S – Greene County
W – Schoharie County
Created: November 1, 1683 
County Seat:
Albany 1683 – present
County Courthouse – Albany
Location: 16 Eagle Street / Columbia Street
Built: 1912 – 1916
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Hoppin and Koen
Contractor: W L Crow Construction Company
Description: The building faces northwest and is a four story gray colored stone and concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Albany. The front of the building has three rectangular openings on the first story. Columns rises from the second to third stories and divide the windows. The Legislative Chamber is located on the second floor. There is a large rectangular interior atrium area. The roof is hipped.
Old County Courthouse – Albany
Location: 24 Eagle Street / Pine Street
Built: 1881 – 1883
Style: Richardsonian Romanesque
Architect: Henry Hobson Richardson
Contractor: Norcross Brothers
Description: The building faces northwest and is a three story buff colored stone style structure. The building is located in the center of Albany to the south of the courthouse and has a rugged texture, massive stone walls, dramatic semicircular arches, sculptured shapes, deep windows, cavernous recessed door openings and bands of windows. The walls are rusticated Milford granite from Rhode Island with Longmeadow brownstone trim from Massachusetts. The building is noted for the simplicity of its design and care for details, especially its intricate carvings in particular the gargoyles and foliated forms. At the southwest corner is a high square tower with steep roof. The building served as City Hall and the Albany County Court House until the present courthouse was constructed.
Note: Many of the stonecutters who were brought to Albany to work on the capitol were hired to do the details on City Hall. C H Rutan was the superintendent during construction.
County Judicial Center – Albany
Location: 6 Lodge Street / Steuben Street
Built: 2002 – 2005
Style: Modern
Architect: Crandell Associates Architects
Contractor: BBL Construction Services
Description: The building faces northwest and is a four story red and gray colored concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Albany on the southeast side of the courthouse. The entrance is located at the northwest corner with two large arched openings. Narrow concrete belts run horizontally with wider vertical belts. The roof line is flat.
Note: The cost of construction was $16,500,000.
County Family Courthouse – Albany
Location: 30 Clinton Street / Chapel Street
Built: 2003 – 2005
Style: Modern
Architect: Clough, Harbour & Associates and Crandell Associates Architects
Contractor: BBL Construction Services
Description: The building faces northeast and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on the north side of the center of Albany. The northeast front has a semi-circular entrance rising above the roof line and with wide green colored dome. Between the windows on the first and second stories arw white colored concrete panels. The roof line is flat. The building houses the Albany County Family Court.
Note: In 2012, the county purchased the courthouse from Columbia Developments for $22,800,000.
See: New York Court of Appeal is located in Albany. and the Third Judicial Department of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is also located in Albany.
History: The county was created in 1683. The first courthouse was built in 1740 at Hudson Street and Broadway. The building burned in 1836. The second courthouse was designed by Phillip Hooker and built by Jonathan Lyman of Albany from 1829 to 1832. The building served as City Hall and Albany County Court House. The building was destroyed by fire in 1880. The Albany Savings Bank built in 1875 was purchased by the county in 1898 as the county office building. The third courthouse was the City Hall constructed in 1881 to 1883. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1912 to 1916. The Judicial Center was constructed in 2002 to 2005.
County Courthouse – Albany
Old County Courthouse – Albany
County Judicial Center – Albany
County Family Courthouse – Albany
Photos taken 2006, 2014 and 2017