The Odd Little Town of Hudson

Hudson New York is an odd little town. It is about 120 miles up river from New York City (and the ocean). After the British won New York from the Dutch, in the mid 1670s, some New England Whalers moved to Hudson the city, which was navigable via Hudson the river to the ocean.

So you have a town quite far from the ocean, with a whaling background. Weird. Its population peaked in the early 1800s when it was the 20th biggest city in the country. then the Eire Canal construction started and the economic growth moved further north. This leaves a shambolic town, once thriving, then losing importance as the Eire Canal opened. Then losing its economy when whaling started to collapse.

To the left is a home, to the right, city offices.

I do love that so many New York Armories have been turned into useful building. This one is now a library.

So the town fell into disrepair. Then comes the luck of / curse of gentrification. The city is now growing more and more hip and cool with antique stores and art galleries crowding into downtown. And the city's gorgeous but decrepit old houses being bought and fixed but younger, richer people fleeing New York City. Now they are pricing out some less prosperous residents.

This is one of the oldest Opera Houses in New York state.

So the city is moving into a mix of renovated and crumbling. It's a cool city, but I don't want to live there - too cold int he winter and to crushed with tourists in the summer. But cute as hell.