by Shannon Butler As we have mentioned in previous blog entries, Poughkeepsie was once known as "the City of Schools." There were lots of schools around the area that are now simply lost to time. We will go into these schools in an upcoming program in August entitled "Local History Presents: Schools and Seminaries of Old Poughkeepsie." Brooks Seminary for Girls began right around the same time as Vassar College in 1871. It was located where Bartlett Park is today, exactly where a parking lot now sits! The school was originally started by Mary Johnson, and when she married her husband, Edward White, the two built a large building on the corner of Hanscum Avenue and what is now Hooker Avenue. In one of the school's brochures, it proclaimed "Brooks Seminary is located at Poughkeepsie New York, justly styled the City of Schools." The brochure went on to proclaim that the grounds and the building were fit for "any gentleman’s mansion." When one entered the school, you would find not a principal's office, but a fancy parlor, just like one would find inside a mansion, and art on the walls created by the female professors. The school claimed that they did [...]

by Shannon Butler The weather is steadily improving, making the river look more and more appealing. If you have even been sailing, you know how lovely it can be and how it almost transports you back in time. If we go back to the early days of New York, sailing was the fastest way to get from one place to another along the Hudson River and it was the main source of transportation of just about all materials. Today, we certainly have faster ways of getting goods and people around, so for the most part, sailing is a hobby for most and a passion for a few. In 1892, a few workers from Poughkeepsie were sailing a sloop named Beatrice when they decided to create a club that focused solely on the sailing of yachts. During this particular river outing, the Poughkeepsie Yacht Club was born. Within months of creating their club, the men established themselves on a dock that was owned by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, which they leased for $25 a year. They built the first clubhouse near the site of what was once a shipyard during the American Revolution. Races and regattas were becoming [...]

by Shannon Butler For those of you who missed our recent program on historic houses of the Hudson Valley: fear not! You can find it on our YouTube page, along with many of our other programs and documentaries. For this week's local history blog, we will discuss one of the houses from the talk that has been lost to history. When we first came across this unmarked photograph in our collection, we didn't think that it was from Poughkeepsie at all. It looked like something out of an English countryside. But as it turns out, this house once stood alongside the other great and unique houses that line Academy Street. This estate started out as the home of New York Supreme Court Justice Joseph F. Barnard. Joseph was born in 1823 on a farm just north of Poughkeepsie. His father had been a whaler in Nantucket, but came to the Hudson Valley in the early 1800s. By 1836, his father sold the farm and moved the family into the City of Poughkeepsie, where they lived at #47 Cannon Street. Joseph prepared for college at the Dutchess County Academy and went on to graduate from Yale in 1841. He was admitted to [...]

by Shannon Butler As you might have read in previous blog entries, lots of interesting buildings that once stood in Poughkeepsie have now been lost to time. You are most likely also aware of the fact that Poughkeepsie had several schools and seminaries. (Heads up: we'll run a program about that later on this year, stay tuned!) Just a few weeks ago, we looked at the Lyndon Hall School for Girls. This week, we will examine yet another: the Glen Eden School. Dr. Frederic Martin Townsend served as a principal for a school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and wanted to continue his work under the auspices of the Episcopal church. He made his way into Poughkeepsie, where he expressed interest in purchasing Miss Eleanor Shackleford's school known as St. Faith's School. Miss Shackleford had transformed the mansion of John F. Hume, which was located on Washington Street, into a school back in 1904. By 1910, Townsend came in with his own idea for a school which he called the Glen Eden School. As with many of the local girls' schools, this institution was designed to serve as part finishing school and part college prep. The school offered classes in the major languages [...]

by Shannon Butler We've all driven or walked past it: a giant red castle that appears on top of the hill as you enter the city of Poughkeepsie from the west. It looks like something from another century, and like many of the old buildings of Poughkeepsie, it is! The New York State Armory was once the starting point for soldiers who were heading off to war. Over a century after its construction, it now serves as a place of worship, but the building has witnessed and hosted various occasions over the years, from sporting events to parties. The armory, as author Nancy Todd put it, "had three basic functions, they served as military facilities, clubhouses, and public monuments." Ours has gone on to do even more. The building was designed by Isaac G. Perry, who had quite the resume when it came to New York State architecture. Perry would ultimately be responsible for designing 27 armories, as well as the State Capitol in Albany. When it comes to State armories, they all tend to have a similar design: part drilling shed (where the soldiers do drills) and part administrative offices (where the paperwork gets done). They are meant to appear [...]

by Shannon Butler This week, we investigate the Pringle Home as we continue to look at interesting buildings of Poughkeepsie that are no longer standing. Before we begin, let' s answer the thought that just popped into some of your minds by saying: no, it's not the home of the delicious potato chips (disappointing, we know). Actually, it has a much more sentimental value than a tasty sour cream and onion crisp. The home was the creation of a trio of loving siblings. They were devoted to each other and to the idea that men in their elder years should be able to retire in peace, comfort, and dignity. So began the story of "The Pringle Home for Aged Literary Men." Margaret, Samuel, and Mulligan Pringle all lived in New York City in the early 1800s. Margaret married David Fenton and the two had no children; they lived a very frugal life in Greenwich Village, surrounded by writers, artists, and musicians. Her brothers both worked hard in their lives and neither ever married or produced any children. When her brother Mulligan retired in his later years, he had no place in which to grow old, no one to care for him, [...]

by Shannon Butler How many of you remember spending a day at Lincoln Center? Perhaps you enjoyed playing basketball or cooling off in the wading pool? Did you attend any classes in woodworking or weaving? Or maybe you joined up with the drum corps or rhythm band? The south side of Poughkeepsie was quite fortunate to have a place where kids could go to learn, play, and connect with their community in a positive way. For over 40 years, Lincoln Center was a place that felt like home to many, and it inspired the young people of Poughkeepsie to be better and to do good works. The idea for such a place started off with the desire for students and staff at Vassar College to become more engaged with the community. It was 1917 when a group of students first created a play group for local children. The timing was right, as there was certainly a need for a safe place for children to be and the poor side of Poughkeepsie began to become more obvious and more defined. Within a year of its creation, the flu epidemic broke out and Lincoln Center (which was then renting a small space on [...]

by Shannon Butler Long before the opening of Vassar College, there existed a desire to educate young ladies in the city of Poughkeepsie. As a matter of fact, several schools popped up in the mid-19th century that strongly encouraged a proper education for girls. They included the Poughkeepsie Female Academy, located on Cannon Street, the Mansion Square Female Seminary, and the College Hill Female Seminary. The school we wish to examine today went by a few different names, but lasted longer than the others: the Poughkeepsie Female Collegiate Institute, a.k.a. Cook's Collegiate, a.k.a. Lyndon Hall School. The year was 1848, and small schools had been popping up all over Poughkeepsie. Dr. Charles H.P. McLellan was in the midst of creating a school dedicated to giving young ladies the knowledge to establish themselves as housewives or teachers (which were pretty much the only choices for females in the 19th century). McLellan wanted to create a school that was small and selective, with room enough for some students to live, but also able to cater to those who could commute. The school was located on the corner of Catharine and Mill Streets. It began as a small brick building, which opened in 1849. [...]

by Shannon Butler Once in a while a historic house will suddenly pop up in the news and remind us all of just how much history we have in Dutchess County and right here in Poughkeepsie. There have been recent debates and discussions as to what should be done with the old house and grounds at Wheaton Park. There are plans for building several units for apartments that would have easy access to the train station. Even talk of keeping the old mansion and renovating it to also serve as housing. But what was the original use of this property? And what other purposes did it serve? What we now know as Wheaton Park today was once the formal grounds and mansion of the Pelton Family. Built around 1860, this home was lived in by brothers Charles and George Pelton. It sits high on a hill just across the Fallkill creek where their factory was located. The brothers operated their factory on Mill street that produced carpets and pins (the factory still stands today!). They did quite well for themselves despite suffering a massive fire in their factory in 1854 (seen in a newspaper article to the right). During the Civil [...]

by Shannon Butler Everyone in the Hudson Valley has heard the name George Clinton (and no, I am not talking about the King of funk, sorry.) I mean the longest serving Governor of the State of New York (serving just under 21 years) and the Vice President of the United States under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. I mean the Revolutionary War General and one of the true Founding Fathers of our State and Nation. This George Clinton lived right here in Poughkeepsie, though there still seems to be some confusion over where his house actually was. Clinton was born on July 26, 1739, just across the river in Little Britain, what is now part of Orange County. By the time he was 18 he found himself doing a bit of privateering during the French and Indian War and later became a surveyor. In 1759 he became the County Clerk for Ulster County while studying law in New York City. By the 1760s he was learning the ropes of the General Assembly but also listening to the whispers of anti-Crown propaganda as many of his countrymen were growing tired of the King’s burdens on the colonies. After marrying Cornelia Tappen, he [...]

by Shannon Butler If you missed this week’s Local history presentation, Hyde Park in the Gilded Age, have no fear.  We thought we would share with you some history on some of the interesting mansions that were discussed. We will first take a look at a grand house that happens to still be standing. Archibald Rogers was a man who lived his life in a mix of grand comfort and rough backwoods adventure. Somehow he managed to combine it all at his grand estate in Hyde Park, Crumwold. Archibald Rogers had spent his early years growing up in Hyde Park, his grandmother took care of him for the most part and they lived in a house on Main Street that still stands today. After Archibald had studied at Yale he married Anne Coleman and it was her family’s money from the iron industry that helped the Rogers family build one of the grandest houses along the Hudson. First, Rogers needed to purchase enough land to pull off his vision. He no doubt had been planning such a property since his childhood, when he once roamed the grounds of Elias Butler’s estate, D.S. Miller’s land, and others, located just south of the [...]

by Shannon Butler We continue our look at Mansions along the Albany Post Road corridor this week with a house that has a fascinating history with some equally fascinating characters. Just outside the City of Beacon on Route 9D is a fabulous old Gothic Mansion that has served as a residence and a retreat for the mentally ill. Though it has a somewhat ominous look about it, there was a time when this mansion saw brighter days and hopefully it has a brighter future ahead of it. The mansion’s first use was as a home which was designed by Frederick Clarke Withers for Joseph Howland and his wife Eliza. Joseph was born in 1834, the son of Samuel Howland who had made his fortune as one of the founding members of the shipping firm, Howland and Aspinwall. This firm made its wealth in the trade with China in the 1830’s and 40’s. Joseph was apparently considering going to seminary but never did, instead he was educated at home and at the age of 21, he married Eliza Newton Woolsey in New York City. After a trip through Europe, the two decided on living on a country farm up the Hudson River, [...]

by Shannon Butler This week we will look at another house just off of the Albany Post Road corridor that is quite grand, yet needs some serious attention, Wyndclyffe. Now it is true it’s a bit of a hike from route 9 to this old brick mansion hidden in the woods of Rhinecliff, but since it lies between the river and the road, it counts. When you think of mansions, you usually think of fine architecture, large rooms, and luxurious interiors, and the phrase “keeping up with the Joneses” generally comes to mind. But did you ever ponder who the Joneses were? And where that saying comes from? Did you know it was right here in the Hudson Valley? Built in 1853, this fabulous brick house is built in the style known as Norman, and looks like a castle from times gone by. Though the architect is not known, it is believed to be the work of George Veitch, who also designed the first Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Rhinebeck in 1852. It is believed that since the owner of this house, Elizabeth Schermerhorn Jones as well as her brother Edward were major contributors to the building of the church, [...]

by Shannon Butler Most of the glorious mansions that dot the Albany Post Road corridor have either been lovingly restored, or they have been torn down entirely. There are very few that stand somewhat forgotten and waiting for a new chance at life. Today we will look at a house right here in Poughkeepsie that is a hidden treasure and truly needs some loving, Maple Grove. Some of the biggest names in architecture have left their marks here in the Hudson Valley. Names like Richard Morris Hunt, McKim, Mead, and White, Andrew Jackson Downing, A. J. Davis, and Calvert Vaux, just to name a few. Maple Grove has the look and feel of the last three names mentioned, Downing, Davis, and Vaux, but sadly no one really knows who designed or built the house. However, the detail of both the exterior and interior is still (for the most part) intact from its 19th century additions and alterations and the house is an excellent example of Hudson Valley Bracketed architecture, a term coined by author Edith Wharton. Charles A. Macy purchased a farm just south of the city of Poughkeepsie in 1850. This purchase included about 35 acres of land and some [...]

by Shannon Butler There is no escaping the fact that the streets of Poughkeepsie have changed over the past century, especially in the areas encircled by the arterial. Main and Market streets have lost some of their character and also gained new perspectives (for better or worse). In some cases, older buildings come back to life in the form of inspiration for newer buildings, as is the case with our focus for this week, the old County Court House. Built in 1809, the court house that we are referring to was not the first in the area. The first one was built in 1720 and would go on to host the state’s committee for ratifying the Constitution. When that building burned down in 1806, this court house on the southwest corner of Main and Market Streets was built. In the process of building a new court house, it was decided that part of the walls of the earlier building could be incorporated as well as the two dungeons in the basement. Sheriff John Forbus wrote in 1806 “the walls being uninjured will be fully competent to rebuild upon. This will save the county at least from five to six thousand dollars.” [...]

by Shannon Butler Today as we continue our look at buildings of Poughkeepsie that are now gone, we will take a look at one of the schools that was established as a result of the demise of the school at college hill. As you may recall, last week we mentioned the Riverview Military Academy briefly, as it was one of two schools that popped up after the closure of Charles Bartlett’s Poughkeepsie Collegiate School. Otis Bisbee, once a teacher at the Collegiate decided in 1867 to begin a school that would give an excellent education, grounded in military tradition. A Riverview Academy booklet from 1888 suggests that this institution was always a part of the Poughkeepsie Collegiate School and that Charles Bartlett was in charge from 1836 until 1857. It makes no mention of the split between Otis Bisbee and Charles B. Warring (who went off to establish his own military school on Smith Street). Since Bisbee could not manage to win the property at College Hill at auction in the 1860s, he purchased and began constructing a new school just west of Eastman Park. On a spring day in 1867, the entire school marched from the College Hill campus to [...]

by Shannon Butler This week we continue our look at buildings that are no longer standing with a focus on the Poughkeepsie Collegiate School. As mentioned in previous blog entries, Poughkeepsie had become famous for its educational institutions by the turn of the 20th century.  With schools like Eastman, Vassar, and several excellent parochial schools, it was a popular place to come for a great education. But even before that time, a scenic hillside right here in Poughkeepsie was seen as the perfect place to inspire young minds. In 1835 a group of men strolled up the hillside that overlooked the city of Poughkeepsie. During their walk it was recommended by Mr. Charles Bartlett, a teacher who had once operated a school in Fishkill that this location would be the perfect spot for a school. The group of men which included N.P. Tallmadge, John Delafield, and Jacob Van Benthuysen, decided that they would purchase the spot as long as Bartlett would agree to serve as the Principle. Not long after, the grounds were purchased for $12,000 and the construction of the school began in 1835. It was modeled after the Parthenon in Athens, only 35 feet by 115 ft. The colonnade [...]

by Shannon Butler This week we are continuing our focus on buildings in Poughkeepsie that are gone but not forgotten, in other words, there is proof of their existence here in our Local History Collections. Today we want to share with you the sad story of the demise of a bookstore, along with a large portion its books. Anytime you hear of a book-burning, what usually follows is a cringe of the body and an overall sadness. The value of a good collection of books can be measured in several ways, the rarity of each volume, the importance of its contents, even the noteworthiness of its previous owners. So imagine if you will, thousands of such valuable books going up in flames on the side of the road right in downtown Poughkeepsie (did you feel that cringe?). John Lindmark had discovered his love of book collecting and selling when he purchased a rare American law book for $300 and turned around to sell it for $7000! From then on, he made a business of books. He and his wife Rae moved to Poughkeepsie in 1912 and set up their first bookstore on Liberty Street. They soon outgrew it and moved to [...]

by Shannon Butler This week in our Local History Blog we are continuing in a series of articles that will look at buildings that once stood in Poughkeepsie. Today we are going to take a look at the Y.W.C.A. building that once stood on Cannon Street. The building itself was used by the Y for almost 70 years before it was raised in order to make a larger parking lot, which is sad when one considers the history of its use and the work that was put into its creation. The Young Women’s Christian Association got its start back in the 1850s but the official chapter for Dutchess County was founded in 1881. That first year they held their meetings at 297 Main Street in Poughkeepsie. The following year they moved to Garden Street and had 40 members on the books. In 1889, Dr. Grace Kimball, a local doctor and missionary, was elected to serve as President which she continued to do for the next 41 years. Under her administration, the Y would grow to offer more classes for young women and better opportunities for growth. Several prominent donors would contribute to the organization at this time including William Smith (of [...]

by Shannon Butler This week in our Local History Blog we are continuing in a series of articles that will look at buildings that once stood in Poughkeepsie. Today we are going to take a look at two buildings that were located in separate parts of the city but were connected by name, the Eastman Business College and the Eastman Mansion. There are most likely very few people still living who would remember the former but the latter was still standing as late as the 1960s. Poughkeepsie was known for being the place to receive a fine education in the early 20th century. There were several schools in the area that focused on everything from liberal arts, to nursing, and in the case of the Eastman College, business. Harvey G. Eastman had been an educator all of his life. Beginning in his home county of Oneida, making his way out west in the years before the Civil War, and then coming back to New York in 1859 to begin a small business school here in Poughkeepsie. The story goes, that Eastman began with one student and rented a small room for 75 cents a week. A year later, he had more [...]

by Shannon Butler This week in our Local History Blog we are beginning a series of articles that will look at buildings that once stood in Poughkeepsie. Some of them you may remember visiting once upon a time, others you may have only heard about. First up, we will take a look at the Nelson House that once stood on Market Street. If you happen to be walking up Market Street between the Dutchess County Probation Office and the County Offices, you will find a big parking lot and a little park with benches and interpretive signs. Here once stood the majestic Nelson House Hotel which saw much history during its nearly 200 years of service. Although, that number may be stretching the age of the hotel a bit. There was certainly a hotel at this location going back to the American Revolution. Stephen Hendrickson had an inn here during that time which saw some of our country’s early founding fathers including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Mrs. Catherine Taylor purchased the site from her brother Homer Nelson in 1861 and later built a brand new hotel on the site which she named for her distinguished brother in 1875. The hotel [...]

by Shannon Butler Have you ever been to Locust Grove, the home of Samuel F.B. Morse? If not, what are you waiting for? It’s right here in Poughkeepsie. Don’t know who Samuel Morse is? He is responsible for inventing the telegraph and the code that is used with it, known as Morse code. “Oh yeah, that guy!” you are probably thinking that you did know about him, but did you also know that Samuel Morse was a talented artist long before he was an inventor? It’s true, and you can go see his work for free with a museum pass thanks to your library card. But did you also know that long before the Morse family lived at this estate there was another older family that called this property home? If you live in the Hudson Valley, you have certainly heard the family name of Livingston. That name is associated with at least a dozen large estates up and down the river’s edge and Locust Grove is one of them. This property originally belonged to Henry Livingston Sr. who served as the Dutchess County Clerk for 52 years (1737-1789) and also served in the Provincial Assembly (1759-1768). He owned several hundred [...]

Written by Shannon Butler, Local History Staff Poughkeepsie has an excellent collection of buildings from different eras and various forms of Architecture. Several prominent architects have made their marks here but it’s always nice to focus on someone who was born and raised in Poughkeepsie. Edward C. Smith was born on March 14, 1880 the son of George T. Smith and Mrs. Clara Buys Smith. After he studied at local schools he went on to study architecture under the chief architect for the City of Poughkeepsie, Percival Lloyd. By 1910, Smith had opened up his own office at #39 Market Street and began taking on projects. It’s amazing just how many of his buildings dot the city landscape as well as Dutchess County and while most blend in with the crowd, there are a few standouts. Some of the standard two-family homes around town represent his early works, for example #35 Corlies Avenue which he designed in 1911. That year he also added a large addition to the Poughkeepsie Foundry and Machine Co. But what really stands out is his masterpiece at 93 Hooker Avenue, which he built that same year for clothing store owner Ely Elting. This lovely Spanish Colonial [...]