īeginning on February 24, 2010, a massive snowstorm affected the city and surroundings. Currently, the two largest planned projects are a waterfront hotel and conference center, and "The Rivers and Estuaries Center" on Dennings Point. New development continues to enlarge the city. Starting in the late 1990s, and with the opening of Dia Beacon, one of the world's largest contemporary art museums, in 2003, Beacon began an artistic and commercial rebirth. This resulted in a severe and ongoing economic downturn that lasted from about 1970 to the late 1990s, during which almost 80 percent of the city's commercial business spaces and factories were vacant. Also in the 1970s, a decline in the economy shuttered most of Beacon's factories. In 1975, the Dutchess Ski area, which had been a large tourist attraction, was closed. īeacon incorporated as a city in 1913, combining the villages of Fishkill Landing and Matteawan as well as a small portion of the hamlet of Glenham from the town of Fishkill.ĭuring the 1960s, urban renewal led to the destruction of some significant historic buildings. Many others followed, including Dutchess Hat Works, which produced 450 dozen hats daily by 1900 owned its own showroom in Manhattan. The Matteawan Manufacturing Company was the first in the area devoted to hat production, employing 500 workers. The city's name came from signal fires lit atop nearby Mount Beacon.ĭuring the 1800s, the city became a factory town and was known as "The Hat Making Capital of the US" with nearly 50 hat factories operating at one time. It manufactured war supplies, and served as a fort and signaling point. The city served a variety of roles during the Revolutionary War. It lay at the foot of the Fishkill Mountains, and was a station on both the Newburgh, Dutchess & Connecticut, and the New York & New England Railroads, and was connected with the Fishkill Landing by stage, and rail. Matteawan was situated on the Fishkill Creek about a mile and a half east of Fishkill Landing, and a like distance above the mouth of the creek, whose hydraulic properties contributed to its development as a manufacturing center. The village of Fishkill Landing was incorporated in 1864. John Peter DeWint, owner of 2,000 acres at Fishkill Landing, helped further raise its status as a port by building the Long Dock in 1815. As early as 1780 two dozen vessels operated out of Fishkill Landing. This store marked the beginning of river freighting in the area, and Fishkill Landing developed into a river port. In 1748 Brett and a group of other settlers agreed to build the Frankfort Store House near the water at the "Lower Landing" north of Dennings Point. Mills on Brett's property attracted farmers from both sides of the river. During the first third of the nineteenth century, Dutchess County ranked first among New York State counties in wheat production. The Rombout Patent was partitioned in 1706, and Brett received and maintained approximately 28,000 acres along the Vis Kill.īrett sold some of her land to other settlers, often retaining the right to build a flour mill on the property. Rombout died in 1691, leaving his share to his daughter, Catheryna Brett. The sale was sanctioned by James II of England in 1685 in the Rombout Patent. In 1683 Francis Rombout and Gulian Verplanck, merchant-fur traders from New York City, purchased the land that would come to include the City of Beacon from the Wappinger tribe. Perspective map of Matteawan and list of landmarks from 1886 by L.R. Beacon is located in the southwestern corner of Dutchess County in the Mid-Hudson Region, approximately 90 miles (140 km) south of Albany, and approximately 60 miles (97 km) north of New York City. They were among the first colonial communities in the county. The area known as Beacon was settled by Europeans as the villages of Matteawan and Fishkill Landing in 1709. Recent growth has generated debates on development and zoning issues. Originally an industrial city along the Hudson, Beacon experienced a revival beginning in 2003 with the arrival of Dia Beacon, one of the largest modern art museums in the United States. Beacon is part of the Poughkeepsie– Newburgh– Middletown, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York– Newark– Bridgeport, New York– New Jersey– Connecticut– Pennsylvania Combined Statistical Area.īeacon was so named to commemorate the historic beacon fires that blazed forth from the summit of the Fishkill Mountains to alert the Continental Army of British troop movements. The 2020 census placed the city total population at 13,769. Beacon is a city located in Dutchess County, New York, United States.
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