Gypsies used to camp in Lansingburgh over a period of at least fifty years, even perhaps seventy-five years or longer. A reminder is kept by the road named Gypsy Lane. "Gypsies" in the United States had a number of different origins. The ones who would visit Lansingburgh would seem to have been Romnichel, given their appearance in the area in the 1850s, and the occasional mention of them being English and Scotch.

☞ GYPSIES.—A party of wandering gypsies, in a covered emigrant wagon—black, dirty men with short pipes, sinister, sour-looking females, and tangle-haired, dirty-legged children—passed through this city yesterday. There was little romance in their appearance, and we imagine that they will be more likely to carry off stray poultry and vailable property, than any “fair young ladye with a sparkling eye.”Troy Daily Times. July 31, 1858: 3 col 2.☞ THERE is a party of males and females now encamping in the pine woods above Ida Hill. A great number of persons visited them yesterday with the belief that they were Gypsies, but, upon arriving, found that they were wandering Scotch people. They came from the North, and earn a living by making and selling tin ware.Troy Daily Times. July 2, 1860: 3 col 4.....A gang of travelling gypsies are encamped a mile north of Lansingburgh, and the farmers in that vicinity keep constant watch on their hen roosts and gardens."All Sorts." Albany Morning Express. August 25, 1874: 1 col 3.—The Gypsies who were encamped back of the Pine woods, made a "dicker" with a Troy man, selling him a house for $75 that wasn't worth 75 cents. The man was in Lansingburgh Saturday looking for justice."Village Notes." Lansingburgh Courier. June 30, 1876: 3 col 1.IF the gypsy fortune tellers who arrived here a few weeks ago had been able to do for themselves as much as they profess to do for strangers they would never have come to this land of the free; but somehow they did not peep into the future.Lansingburgh Courier. August 18, 1881: 2 col 1.—A tribe of gypsies located on Oakwood avenue, east of the village, are doing a thriving business in horse dealing and fortune telling. Two of the dusky dames were kept constantly busy on Sunday depicting the fortunes of the young men and maidens who were impatient to know the future in store for them. But no fortune was told until the palm of the prophetess had been crossed with the talismanic half dollar."Village Notes." Lansingburgh Courier. July 22, 1882: 7 col 2.
The Gypsies are Here.
A tribe of gypsies have pitched their tents on the Oakwood avenue road just east of the village limits. They are in readines for fortune-telling, horse trading or kettle mending, and, probably, do not object to pilfering any small articles that may be found lying around loose, whenever opportunity offers. It is well for householders in the vicinity to keep an eye on their portable valuables while the vagabonds are quartered hereabouts, for they are unscrupulous.Lansingburgh Courier. May 12, 1883: 2 col 6.—A band of gypsies is encamped in Gypsy lane, near the Perry Toles place, in Brunswick, just east of the Lansingburgh line."Lansingburgh." Troy Daily Times. September 29, 1890: 3 col 3.
The East Side.
—An encampment of gypsies has lodged on Oakwood avenue, near Winne’s grove.Troy Daily Times. September 3, 1892: 3 col 5.A band of gypsies is encamped in Gypsy lane, in the northern part of the village. A large number visited the encampment yesterday."Lansingburgh; A Gypsy Encampment" Troy Daily Times. August 9, 1897: 4 col 2.A family of gypsies is in camp at Gypsy lane, and is visited daily by the young people who wish to learn of their futures."Lansingburgh." Troy Daily Times. July 21, 1899: 4 col 2.
LANSINGBURGH.—
Gypsy Camp to Break Up—[…]The “gypsy” camp on Second Avenue, between Eighth and Ninth Streets, will be broken up next month and the occupants will start for Florida, where they will stay during the winter. The people are not gypsies, properly speaking, but are English and Scotch palmists.Troy Daily Times. July 23, 1910: 6 col 1.
A Gypsy Caravan.
A caravan of gypsies passed north through Lansingburgh this morning. There were eight or ten people in the party. The caravan was headed by a brightly painted wagon driven by a gorgeously arrayed man and his wife. Four other vehicles were loaded with articles of furniture.Troy Times. August 25, 1913: 6 col 2.
LANSINGBURGH.—
Wandering Band of Gypsies Is Exiled Over the Twelfth Street Bridge—[…]The bands of gypsies who usually find shelter during the summer in this section and who have in former years won many a hard earned quarter from residents will not find comfort here this year, as the first band that came here yesterday afternoon was driven from the section. No sooner had the band placed their feet on Oil Mill Hill than there was a complaint made to the Fourth Precinct Station House. Sergeant Lovelock and Patrolman Corcoran were detailed to drive the invaders out, not losing sight of them until they crossed the Twelfth Street Bridge to CohoesTroy Times. May 12, 1915: 2 col 5
THE NORTHERN WARDS.—
Gypsies Ordered to Decamp—Many Petty Thefts Reported—[…]As a result of numerous complaints received at the Third Precinct Station from residents of Oakwood Avenue that they had been missing numerous articles of wearing apparel from their clotheslines, Acting Captain Martin F. Kane this morning served notice on a band of gypsies camped near the reservoir property that they must move. The leader demurred and declared that he had no knowledge of the depredations, but the Captain was insistent, and the camp was broken up. There were about forty in the band, and they had about eight wagons.Troy Times. June 5, 1915: 14 col 4.
LANSINGBURGH—
Large Band of Gypsies Exiled—Man's Narrow Escape From Serious Injury [...]Sixteen wagons heavily loaded and seating a band of fifty gypsies went through Lansingburgh this morning and would have camped at Seventh Street and Fifth Avenue, the old circus grounds, if motorcycle Policeman Rabie had not ordered them away after they started to make themselves at home. The gypsies then picked up and said they would attempt to make their headquarters in the South End, near the Williams farm. The leader said they camped in the South End last year for three weeks and found it successful. The troupe had with it some excellent horses, and the leader said he dealt extensively in horse trading.Troy Times. August 3, 1915: 2 col 3.
THE NORTHERN WARDS—
Police Captain Moved Out Band of Gypsies—[…]Acting Capt. James P. Trainor of the Third Precinct had a little excitement for his opening day yesterday and succeeded in doing the residents of upper Oakwood Avenue a favor for which they are extremely grateful. For nearly a week a band of about twenty gypsies, with several wagons and horses, has been encamped in a field beyond the waterworks property, and, although they did not annoy anyone and seemed to be tending strictly to their own affairs, the frequency with which articles were disappearing from neighboring yards, porches and clothesline led the neighbors to believe that they were not desirable additions to the district. Their suspicions were communicated to Captain Trainor, and yesterday afternoon he called at the encampment and read the “moving act.” The head of the party was inclined to be resentful, but the threat of the police officer to lock them up if they did not leave at once was evidently effectual, as there were no signs of the band this morning.Troy Times. August 3, 1915; 9 col 3.Early in May of 1915 [1916] the following appeared in The Troy Record: "Bands of gypsies who usually make camps on the Oil Mill Hill and River Roads during the summer, will not be permitted to stop there this year. Several days ago a group came to this section and selected a camp site. Immediately after their arrival complaints began to come into the Fourth Precinct Police Station. Capt. O'Brien detailed Sgt. Lockwood and Patrolman Corcoran to send them on their way. The gypsies and their wagons crossed the 12 (112th) Street Bridge and made their way to the northern section of Cohoes."Calkins, Herbert A. "How Times And Events Change Through The Years." Times Record. May 3, 1969: B3.The bands of gypsies who usually find shelter during the summer in this section and who have in former years won many a hard earned quarter from residents will not find comfort here this year, as the first band that came here yesterday afternoon was driven from the section. No sooner had the band placed their feet on Oil Mill Hill than there was a complaint made to the Fourth Precinct Station House. Sergeant Lovelock and Patrolman Corcoran were detailed to drive the invaders out, not losing sight of them until they crossed the Twelfth Street bridge to Cohoes."Lansingburgh; Wandering Band of Gypsies Is Exiled Over the Twelfth Street Bridge." Troy Daily Times. May 12, 1916: 2 col 5.A band of gypsies arrived in this section Saturday afternoon, but were kept on the move by the police of the Fourth Precinct, and passed outside the city limits via the Oil Mill Hill road. The gypsies were traveling in automobiles."Lansingburgh; General Mention." Troy Daily Times. May 14, 1917The appearance of a band of approximately twenty gypsies created quite a stir among the residents of Lansingburgh this morning, but the police of the Fourth Precinct removed all cause for concern when they kept the tribe on the move until they had passed on over Oil Mill Hill in the direction of Melrose. One of the novel features of the roving band and that which caused considerable comment was a small covered automobile which formed part of the train. It was a dilapidated, double cylinder affair of the vintage of 1904, but it served to demonstrate that the nomads are adopting twentieth-century methods of transportation."Lansingburgh; Band of Gypsies Kept on the Move By the Police." Troy Daily Times. August 14, 1917: 2 col 1.Gypsies, who hired three vacant stores in Troy several days ago and who engaged in the fortune telling business, were told to leave the city yesterday by the police, as a result of complaints made to the Mayor by several merchants of Troy."Gypsies Told to Leave." Troy Daily Times. August 23, 1924: 2 col 7.
Gypsies Had to Move.
Deputy Sheriffs Vickery and Mambert while on patrol duty Saturday night discovered a band of gypsies on the farm of William Lord in Nassau and drove them over the line into Columbia County. These nomads will not be permitted to camp in Rensselaer County, according to Sheriff Gordinier.Troy Times. April 20, 1925: 5 col 6.This appeared in The Troy Record, July 25, 1928: A small band of gypsies in the vicinity of Oil Mill Hill was invited to leave the county yesterday by Deputy Sheriffs Bert L. Reynolds and William File. As the deputy sheriffs arrived the gypsies were talking with a farmer endeavoring to hire a piece of land for a time. The farmer, however would not lease the land. As soon as the deputies reached the scene they informed the gypsies they would not be allowed to remain in the county and were escorted to the Waterford bridge where they were told to keep going.Calkins, Herbert A. "How Times And Events Change Through the Years." Times Record. July 25, 1970: B2.