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Hudson Valley Timeline

It is not meant to be all-inclusive Exact dates are used when available

1777 -- Clermont burned to the ground by the British (after they had torched Kingston). 1777 -- Mrs. Margaret Beekman Livingston, wife of Robert Robert (grandson of the first Robert Livingston) starts to rebuild the mansion. Chancellor was a backer of Robert Fulton and his steamship (the Clermont). On its maiden voyage the ship stopped at the Clermont mansion. 1835 -- Saugerties light-house built. 1869 -- a period home replaces the lightkeeper's house. 1954 -- Saugerties lighthouse closes. 1962 -- Clermont becomes state property.

1609

The 315-mile long Hudson River was America's first river, discovered by Henry Hudson in 1609

1652

Kingston was settled

The Town of Coxsackie, Greene County, the Dutch were the pioneers of the area, coming in as early as 1652, and settling on a tract six miles square, purchased from the Indians.

1659

The Old D utch Church in Kingston, 272 Wall Street, was built.

1660

In Kinston on July 15, Governor Peter Stuyvesant signed a treaty with the Indians to end the first Esopus War.

1663

The Bronck Farm, of Greene County is established.

1766

Timothy Gregory built the first log cabin in the Town of Colchester, Delaware County in 1766.

1783

The Treaty of Paris opened the way for settlers into the Hudson Valley and New England.

1786

Columbia County was formed in 1786 out of Albany County.

1791

The Town of Clarkstown was created by an act of the New York State Legislature on March 18, 1791, during Washington's first term of office. Since Rockland County was not created until 1798, Clarkstown was first a Town in Orange County before it became a Town in Rockland County.

1799

In 1799, the southern boundary of Columbia County was modified to include the portion of Livingston Manor located in Dutchess County. The county seat was originally at Claverack, but moved to Hudson in 1805, where it is today.

Mar 23 - The Town of Blooming Grove was incorporated. There are several historic sites in the Town; one being America's oldest winery, Brotherhood, which is located in the Village of Washingtonville.

1800

Mar 21 - The Town of Plattekill was divided from Marlborough and become the ninth town to be formed in Ulster County.

Mar 25 - Greene County established by NY State. Taking it's name from Revolutionary War General, Nathanael Greene.

1803

Cairo and Greenville in 1803 were formed

1806

Aug 11 - The village of Catskill is incorporated

1811

New Baltimore in 1811

1813

The town of Hudson, chartered. Hudson is now in Columbia County, NY

1815

Athens, NY in 1815

1818

The court house in Kingston was built located at 285 Wall Street

1820

In 1820, after a political dispute, Scotia split from Schenectady and became a part of Glenville.

1821

Town of Glenville was incorporated in 1820.

1823

The Catskill Mountain House built.

The Town of Olive was chartered in 1823

1825

Oct 25 - The Erie Canal opened in Upstate New York connecting Lake Erie and the Hudson River.

1839

In 1839 the NYS legislature approved the incorporation of the Village of Peekskill

Established 1839, Brotherhood, America's Oldest winery, located in the picturesque village of Washingtonville, NY.

1845

The Town of Chester, NY was formed in 1845 from parts of the Towns of Blooming Grove, Goshen, Monroe and Warwick.

1852

The Old Dutch Church in Kingston, 272 Wall Street, was burned down and rebuilt.

1868

March 28, 1868, Rondout Savings Bank was chartered

1869

The Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz was founded by Albert Smiley.

1874

The Hudson-Athens lighthouse was built

1881

June 28 - The Kaaterskill Hotel opened to the public. The hotel was later destroyed by fire on September 8, 1924

1885

The Catskill Forest Preserve is the state land within the Catskill Park. Since its creation in 1885, it has grown from 34,000 to almost 300,000 acres.

1892

The Otis Elevating Railway opens for bussiness in Greene County.

The Village of Chester, NY was incorporated in 1892.

1894

An 1894 amendment to the New York State Constitution (now Article 14) directs: "the lands of the State now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed."

1900

Francis Bannerman bought the Hudson River island.

1902

Byrdcliffe Arts Colony founded in Woodstock, NY

1901

1904

In 1820, after a political dispute, Scotia split from Schenectady and became a part of Glenville. It wasn`t until 1904 that it was incorporated as a village.

1908

December 7 - The Catskill Mountain Railway repair station at Catskill Point burns to the ground.

1910

1913

The Kingston Roundout Light house was built

April 8 - The Greene County Court House opens to the public.

1914

The Prospect Hotel in Catskill, later sold and became St Anthony Seminary, is destroyed by fire.

1915

December 15 - Catskill Point, The Loud's Hotel, formerly The New Hart Hotel, burns to the ground

1924

Sep 08 - The Kaaterskill Hotel was destroyed by fire.

1935

The Rip Van Winkle Bridge is completed.

1939

The Woodstock Guild, established in 1939

1954

The Hudson-Athens lighthouse ceased operations in 1954.

1963

January 25 - The Catskill Mountain House was burned to the ground by the state.

1969

Aug 15 to 17 - The Woodstock Music and Arts Fair opens in upstate New York. It was actually held in Bethel, NY, in Sullivan County, not Woodstock (Ulster County). It was called the largest and most peaceful gathering of young people ever assembled. Woodstock was held on Max Yasger's farm and attracted hundreds of thousands of people who communed in heavy rain, lots of mud, and bright sunshine, with lots of music by the biggest acts in rock music.

1994

The 25th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival was held in Saugerties, NY.

1998

1999

The 30th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival was held in Rome, NY.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

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