07/16/2026
đźš— THROWBACK THURSDAY:
Nemith Motor Corp! if your out there we still have one of your ashtrays!
We are an old shop with modern technology to fix your car back to OEM specifications!
The Glory Days of Troy’s "Automobile Row" 🏎️Ever wonder what North Central Troy looked like before the waterfront hotels and tech hubs moved in? Long before 515 River Street became the Courtyard by Marriott, it was a massive bustling epicenter for horsepower, chrome, and classic American steel! From the 1930s through the 1970s, the stretch of River Street and 6th Avenue (from Jay St. to Ingalls Ave.) was known across the Capital District as "Automobile Row." As local families migrated to the postwar suburbs, a huge cluster of showrooms, dealerships, and mechanic shops settled right here in Troy. It became a one-stop destination for anyone looking to buy a new ride or tune up their engines. Do you or your parents remember these legendary local names? Nemith Motor Corp: Anchored right on the highly visible River Street strip, selling premium domestic flags like Lincoln, Mercury, and Jeep to factory workers, executives, and commuters. Bumstead Chevrolet, Knowles Pontiac, Whitbeck Motors: Proudly advertised as Troy’s "Oldest, Largest, and Only DeSoto–Plymouth dealer". The End of an Era... 🛠️By the late 1970s, everything changed. Car buyers shifted toward foreign imports, and massive new highway projects—like the widening of Hoosick Street and the building of Route 7—permanently altered downtown traffic patterns. Eventually, the grand showrooms closed up shop. Nemith consolidated its operations out to Route 9 in Latham, and while a few icons like Jack Troy's Auto Body Shop, for over a century, is fully operational on "Automobile Row" the others slowly faded into the history books. Did you or your family ever buy a car from Nemith, Hempstead,Bumstead, or Whitbeck back in the day? What models were you driving? Drop your memories, stories, and vintage photos in the comments below! 👇
Shops open and close their doors. Jack Troy's remains :) . Have a great day!
