By Joseph McMahon, Environmental Studies, Class of 2024. Opened in 1871, the Hudson River State Hospital was pivotal in the creation of new bases for mental health treatment. Yet, to this day, a history of community discontent, suffering, and social change has shaped public sentiment about the hospital complex. The institution gradually shut down between… Continue reading The Legacy of the Hudson River State Hospital
Tag: historic preservation
Walkway Over the Hudson
By Loren Pacheco, Geography, Class of 2024. In 1871, a group of Poughkeepsie businessmen proposed building the largest cantilever bridge up to that point. The Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge, or “Great Bridge”, would span the Hudson River, providing an alternative to ferries and other small-scale transport operations. Such a behemoth project required an incredible amount of… Continue reading Walkway Over the Hudson
Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center
9-12 Vassar Street, Poughkeepsie By Julia Maisel-Berick, American Studies, Class of 2024. When the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center opened as an artistic and community hub in the late 1970s, the site already had a long history of providing space for cultural and philanthropic efforts in Poughkeepsie. Divided between two buildings, 9 Vassar Street and 12 Vassar… Continue reading Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center
Union Street Historic District
By Julia Maisel-Berick, American Studies, Class of 2024. Facing the threat of urban renewal, one Poughkeepsie neighborhood resisted the encroaching demolition efforts through community action and remains a symbol of resistance to this day. Officially registered on the National Register of Historic Places in December of 1971, the Union Street Historic District represents several centuries… Continue reading Union Street Historic District
