Issue 38 October 2006 The Mid-Hudson Bridge Soaring gothic arches adorn the sky, and an ever-changing rainbow of light bulbs illuminate the night, sparkling in the river below the Mid-Hudson Bridge in Poughkeep- sie. Over 35,000 vehicles pass over the span every day, making the bridge the definition of utilitarian artwork. And the Mid-Hudson Bridge offers the only walkway across the river within the sixty miles from Newburgh to Hudson, giving pedestrians and bikers a chance to view this inimitable New York landscape from a unique per- spective. But before 1930, before the http://images.colorkinetics.com/showcase/images/midhudsonLG.jpg bridge was constructed, all this did not exist. When Governor Alfred E. system, which employed the installed necklace lighting on Smith signed the bill authorizing extra lane moving in the di- the bridge. Perhaps its most construction of the Mid-Hudson rection of the heaviest rush- beloved feature besides its Bridge in 1923, there was no fixed hour traffic. And these days, beautiful design, the lighting Hudson River crossing south of the technology of EZPass has system uses 142 energy- Albany that was open to automobile nearly eliminated the 12- to efficient LED fixtures, com- traffic. 18-minute waits that used to prising over 27,000 red, plague the tolls during heavy green, and blue light-emitting When it was built, the Mid- traffic. diodes. The system can cre- Hudson Bridge was the sixth-largest ate over 16.7 million colors suspension bridge in the world. A Not only motorists bene- and color-changing lighting decade and a half after it acquired fited from the Bridge Author- effects. The Mid-Hudson the bridge from the New York State ity’s improvements to the Bridge is actually the only Department of Public Works in bridge. New sidewalks and suspension bridge in the 1933; the newly-formed New York railings on both sides of the world with necklace lighting State Bridge Authority widened the bridge were installed, along ver Valley National Heritage Area installed on its main cables east approach to the bridge to ease with a sidewalk ramp on the capable of changing colors the flow of rush hour and weekend eastern side. This meant that and set in motion. July traffic. It added a third lane to the pedestrians and bikers could fourth will of course bring road as well as a third toll booth. A access the bridge from a local red, white and blue, but when new toll plaza, which opened in the street in Poughkeepsie and an Alzheimer’s convention late sixties, boasted a new electro- completely avoid crossing the was held in town, it was all mechanical toll collecting equip- busy vehicle ramp. purple, and when Marist Col- ment that was connected to the ac- The night sky of summer lege has a home game, it counting system in the headquarters 2001 was brought to life blinks the school colors. building. The early eighties saw the when the Bridge Authority introduction of a new traffic flow ~Kate Giglio Inside this issue: Special points of interest: Featured Historic Town 2 Meet the Historian 2 • A list of the new interns at the Hudson River Valley Institute can be found on page 4 Featured Website 3 YOUR GATEWAY TO THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY Featured Historic Town 3 • Check out our new featured column, “Meet the Historian” on page 2. Meet the Interns 4 Contact Us 5 The Academic Arm of the Hudson Ri Hudson River Valley Institute Staff Listing 5 Meet the Historian - Stan Mersand An average day for life, as a child he had other dreams. All during the colonial period. Stan Mersand in- through school he wanted to have a career Mersand also has the opportunity to visit cludes reading, re- as a professional football player. Although many historical sights. He said that his searching, teaching, this aspiration did not come true he said he favorite historical site in the area is the grading papers, enjoys his job, “my background in history John Kane house located at 126 East Main checking historic gave me an appreciation for local history” Street in Pawling. Mersand said that he sites online and then said Mersand. He believes that local his- loves to visit any old residential homes doing more research. tory gives us a better comprehension of with beautiful architecture. After almost 15 years national history. with out one, Mersand was appointed the If you want to become a historian, as Mersand said that he enjoys being a his- Dutchess County Historian in January of Mersand, his advice is, “Go to Marist Col- torian, “I am charged by state of New York 2006. lege, study history and minor in public to preserve, interpret, write, and inform history.” Mersand has spent over 35 years work- those who want to know about the history ing in the field of history; although he of Dutchess County.” The only thing that — Kelly Glynn began as a historian for the village of he would change about it his job is that he Pawling, his career has also involved needs “lots more funding.” teaching. He taught high school history, As the Dutchess County historian, there http://www.co.dutchess.ny.us/CountyGov/ as well collegiate level courses at are many projects that Mersand is working Departments/History/HSIndex.htm Dutchess Community College, Ulster on. Some of these projects include the Community College, and Western Con- Dutchess County 325th Birthday which will necticut State University in Danbury. He take place in 2008, the Hudson-Fulton- currently works as an adjunct professor at Champlain Quadcentennial for 2009, the Marist College. Although Mersand history of automobile making and protests wanted to be a historian his entire adult Featured Historic Town — Hyde Park The Town of Hyde Park, seated com- was the “Hyde Park Post Office,” which dences in New York, North Carolina, and fortably on the Hudson River in the north- caused residents’ mailing addresses to be Rhode Island. To add to the extravagance west portion of Dutchess County, is dis- listed as “Hyde Park.” Through the years of the site, the Vanderbilt mansion was, in tinguished as a place not only rich in un- the name became more popular, and in fact, the first home in the Town of Hyde paralleled beauty, but with an invaluable 1812, Stoughtenburgh was renamed Hyde Park to have electricity. number of historical sites and influences Park. In 1821, Hyde Park officially estab- One of the most delectable locations in in the heart of the Hudson River Valley. lished itself from the Town of Clinton. Hyde Park is the Culinary Institute of Settlement of the area began as early as Perhaps the most notable landmarks of America, founded in 1946. Located on US 1710, but it was not until over a century the Town of Hyde Park are the breathtaking Route 9, which runs through the town, the later that the town was designated with its estates of its many historically prominent school is illustrious for its superior training name. Originally, the land had been and socially revered residents. The town is in the culinary arts, and hosts a number of known as Stoughtenburgh as a result of most legendary as the home of former popular restaurants such as the Apple Pie the Fauconnier Patent, and aptly named to United States president, Franklin Delano Bakery Café and American Bounty. honor an early colonist. Later, an addition Roosevelt (1882-1945). His Springwood Today, Hyde Park is the home of nearly had been acquired in 1697 through the estate includes the gorgeous presidential 21,000 people. The awe-inspiring land- Great Nine Partners Patent, along with library and museum, and is a National His- scapes, proximity to the Hudson River, current towns that include Clinton, Stan- toric Site. Two miles east of the FDR estate cultural and historical diversity and old- ford, Pleasant Valley, and Amenia, thus marks Eleanor Roosevelt’s home, Val-kill; fashioned appeal make the town a gem of expanding the area. a 180-acre spread of land owned by Mrs. the Hudson River Valley. To discover Roosevelt that served as a private place in Dr. John Bard had declared his estate in more about the Town of Hyde Park, please which she could develop her ideas and pro- Stoughtenburgh after Edward Hyde, a call the town’s supervisor, Pompey Dela- jects. colonial governor of New York. In 1804, field, at (845) 229-5111, or visit the offi- a local tavern keeper by the name of The Roosevelts were not the only celebri- cial website at http://www.hydeparkny.us. Miller decided to promote his business by ties residing in Hyde Park; third son of the ~ Jessica Friedlander exploiting the fame of Bard’s property, famed New York Central Railroad tycoon, naming it the “Hyde Park Inn,” and later Frederick Vanderbilt (1856-1938) used his adopted the common practice of situating riverside estate as a lively spring and au- a post office at the location. The result tumn home while away from his other resi- ISSUE 38 Page 2 Featured Historic Site— New Windsor Cantonment Approximately 224 years ago, roughly ised at the beginning of the war. A series For special events, such as the Fourth of 7,000 soldiers under the command of of anonymous letters calling for mutiny July, Memorial Day, and Veteran’s Day, General George Washington, marched circulated through the camp that only an programming has included an expanded into the town of New Windsor, New impassioned speech by Washington him- military drill cannon firings, and perform- York. Within six weeks, this army had self, given in the camp’s central meeting ances and presentations by other historic cleared out roughly 1,600 acres of forest hall (the Temple of Virtue), prevented interpreters.