That double-pitched gable roof marks a house raised in about 1736. Its double-pitched gable roof tops a house built in about 1736, a survivor that was until recently considered the oldest house and structure in the city of Albany — though 48 Hudson Avenue may date to 1728. The Quackenbush House originally sat beyond the city limit set by the Dongan Charter at Clinton Avenue, which then bore the name Patroon Street; in 1812 the city annexed land to the north, bringing this building inside the city.
Recognized for its history, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Across later centuries, this house has held modern life within its old walls: it housed Nicole's Bistro from 1995 to 2008 and Le Canard Enchaine from 2008 to 2009. Today it is home to an English-style pub called The Olde English Pub and Pantry, mailing address 25 Quackenbush Square.
Around Quackenbush Square you will also find the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center with a gift shop, the Henry Hudson Planetarium, and the Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Notice the pub, the visitors center, the planetarium, and the bureau, each claiming a corner of Quackenbush Square.