Before moving definitively to Albany in 1797, the New York State
Legislature met variously in Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Albany, and (after the
British evacuation) New York City. It is my understanding that this did
not, at least before 1797, imply that one or other location was the
"capitol." Kingston became the site of the first Assembly because of the
British occupation of New York City. According to Hough's New York Civil
List, the Assembly met in Kingston as follows:
        First Session -- Sept. 1- Oct. 1, 1777. (dispersed by British, reconvened
in Pougkeepsie in January 1778).
        Third Session --        Aug. 18 - Oct. 25, 1779. (met in Albany, Jan. 27-Mar.
14, 1880)
                        April 22 - July 2, 1780
        Sixth Session -- Jan. 27 - Mar. 23, 1783 (met in Poughkeepsie July 11=25
1782)
After the British evacuation of New York City there were no further
sessions held in Kingston. Most meetings were in New York, but the Eleventh
session (1788) met in Poughkeepsie (as did part of the Eighteenth Session
(1795), but otherwise Assembly sessions were held in Albany or New York
until Albany became permanent at the beginning of 1797 (and, after some
controversy about costs) the State Archives etc. were moved there from New
York City.

Hugh C. MacDougall
Secretary/Treasurer
James Fenimore Cooper Society
8 Lake Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326-1016
<[log in to unmask]>
<http://library.cmsu.edu/cooper/cooper.htm>

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> From: Jim Yates <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Kingston, First Capitol of NYS
> Date: Thursday, June 24, 1999 9:34 AM
>
> Hello everyone, I dont post much, but read the emails with interest,
being from Kingston a few folks have asked me why the capitol was moved
from Kingston NY to Albany. I probably could find the answer with a little
quick research, but figured many of you would know the dates and reasons
behind it off the top of your heads....thanks for any reply......Jim