Did you know...?

Did you know that the original inhabitants of the City of Hudson, NY were the Mohican Indians? In the 17th century a Dutchman by the name of Franz VanHoesen purchased a large tract of land, which included the area of Hudson, plus parts of Greenport. As the city developed, settlers arrived, some with houses which had been prefabricated in Nantucket. Way ahead of their time!

A sizable number of these families were Quakers. They established rules and regulations and laid out the city on a grid pattern. In 1785 the City of Hudson became the first chartered city after the Declaration of Independence and the third city in the State of New York. The local economy included whaling, sealing and oil. As the city transitioned from a seaport town to an industrial city, the new economy took shape and knitting and cotton mills opened and flourished. The Allen Paper Car Wheel Works and many other small manufacturers brought business into the city.

Even though the economy of Hudson began to declined towards the end of the 1800s, the city managed to retain and preserved it's rich architectural heritage. Many of the buildings in Hudson are in the National Register of Historic Places.

As Hudson moves in the new millenium, it still maintains its original landscape and, at the same time, is experiencing a revitalization and has also distinguished itself as a regional center for contemporary art.