“The British are coming” is cry heard throughout the colonies of the New World as they struggled for freedom over Britain. The northeast was particularly bombarded because of the resources available in New York City and the surrounding areas. In 1783 the situation around New York looked grim. The whaling fleets in the harbor were decimated. In an effort to maintain their ships, two brothers, Seth and Thomas Jenkins were assigned the duty of finding a safe harbor for the remaining fleet. Sailing up the Hudson, they found what they were looking for about a hundred miles north of New York Harbor: a high bluff on the east bank of the river with a natural harbor on either side. They bought the land on the bluff and along the river from Dutch families whose ancestors had purchased it from the Mohicans generations before, and they set about to create there a seaport far from the sea. Thus began Hudson NY, a little town that has the distinction being the first city in the United States to be incorporated after the colonies became states.
As the needs of the population shifted, Hudson was slowly choked until it was near death. The city began to decline during the 1960s and 1970s, leaving many abandoned and derelict buildings. There was nothing exciting and nothing to attract tourism. Reclamation began in the 1980s, and its former glory slowly started to re-emerge. Today, Hudson has transformed itself into a vital arts and antiques center and tourism has become a vital part of the economy. Whenever visitors journey to the quaint town of Hudson, they are stunned at the beauty that lay beneath the surface for decades.
Located conveniently within two hours north of Manhattan, Hudson has completely changed her aura of despair and is now called gentrified in the best sense of the word. It’s all but unrecognizable, a Mecca for antiques hunters, contemporary-design aficionados, culture vultures, and those looking for a change of life style that is less hectic. Hudson has been labeled the "Hamptons North" because of its popularity with the city dwellers of the boroughs making up New York City. There are lots of little shops and arts and antique galleries which are drawing more and more people to Hudson and calling it home. It looks like an extension of NYC (call it urban renewal) and people are buying places that were once abandoned or run-down and restoring them.
Hudson, New York has been called “one of the richest dictionaries of architectural history in New York State” and “a treasure house of architectural styles,” from 18th-century Federal buildings to 20th-century Arts and Crafts houses. Hudson remains miraculously unscathed by the kind of insensitive urbanization that has affected so many communities all over America. Visitors are astounded at the look and feel of down town Hudson and the variety of wares offered for sale in the 2 square miles of Main Street and surrounding streets.
Hudson has a diverse population of local residents and some attribute the acceptance of everyone to be the key to its successful growth. There is so much to do and see that when visitors make it to Hudson they are pleasantly surprised and glad they chose Hudson to spend a vacation. Festivals, parades, outdoor activities, theater, outdoor concerts and art displays are everyday happenings.
So, if you’re looking for a vacation to remember, come see us in Hudson NY, you’ll be glad you came.