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Poughkeepsie Public Library District Blog Local History - History
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194 Main Street – Dunwoody Brothers Soap & Candle Factory
By Bill Kleppel William Dunwoody and his brother George both immigrated to the United States from Ireland in the 1820s. In 1866, William purchased a soap and candle factory that was run out of an old schoolhouse at 194 Main Street. Over the next 35 years, William, George, and William’s seven children,
The Explosion of the Reindeer
By Shannon Butler If you read the title above and immediately thought of Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer blowing up into a million pieces with bits of antler flying everywhere, no one could blame you. Very few people today know that there was once a steamship called Reindeer and that it
Gunshots on Main Street: “Vice and Crime Go Hand in Hand” – The Wilbur Van Tassell Murder
In January of 1904, up the road from the Hudson Day Line Pier, and near the Poughkeepsie Train Station, a deadly shooting took place outside Frank Long’s Elberon Hotel at 50 Main Street. This crime wasn’t “cut and dry,” nor was it random. There was pre-meditation on both sides of the
Dick Wood – Creepy Tales of the “Hudson River Grappler”
By Bill Kleppel Fame and celebrity tend to spout from the same fountainheads of publicity. Actors, athletes, politicians, musicians, entrepreneurs, or artists of any stripe, are bestowed with accolades, whether deservedly or not, by the usual media guttersnipe. A story going viral can make a person a household name in less than
Lucy Maynard Salmon – The Records We Leave Behind
By Shannon Butler Studying history can be incredibly enlightening, while also full of holes and dead ends. Sometimes the records that we hope to come across in our research have actually been lost to time, and our questions go unanswered. Sometimes we need to look beyond the well known facts, and
Nineteenth Century Main Street: Farrington’s China Shop
By Bill Kleppel Life on Poughkeepsie’s Main Street during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was frenetic and teeming with activity. The lifeblood of the city flowed through this arterial, transporting and distributing everything that was needed for Poughkeepsie to survive and thrive. It expanded exponentially during this period, developing its own culture
G. Gordon Liddy and Family
By Bill Kleppel The family attends the Dutchess County Fair every year. It’s 1969, and there are plenty of animals to see and lots of rides for the kids. “…Dutchess County apples are the best in the world, and it doesn’t matter how you eat them,” explained Thomas, the second youngest
Early Settlement In Poughkeepsie
By Shannon Butler Poughkeepsie has always been a place of growth and change, and despite what some may believe, it's never really been the kind of place that stays entirely frozen in time. Here in the Local History Room, we are always working on research projects that we intend to turn
Sounds from 19th Century Main St: Hickok’s Music Store
By Bill Kleppel There are many reasons why vinyl record stores have made a renaissance over the past 20+ years. Nostalgia looms large as one reason. Some music aficionados believe there’s an auditory resonance you get from vinyl records that cannot be replicated by other modes of listening to music. Other
No Longer Standing: Buildings of Poughkeepsie – The George Innis House
By Shannon Butler It's been awhile since we looked at a building that was once a part of the city’s landscape, but has now been lost to time. Much of the city’s waterfront has been altered over the past century and many buildings, as well as entire neighborhoods, are gone. If
Uriah Boston – African American Barber
The story of Uriah Boston’s life and its significance to Poughkeepsie shouldn’t be lost to history. Frederick Douglass’s visit to Poughkeepsie and his famous “Emancipation Day” speech at College Hill on August 2, 1858, should be held in reverence. Learning more about the historical interaction between these two men, their differences in
A Different Perspective: Loyalists in Poughkeepsie
This weekend, Dutchess County is kicking off its celebration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Several local historical societies and organizations will set up displays at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor Center in Hyde Park. Why do we tell you this? Well, because the PPLD’s Local History Room
Poughkeepsie City Directories
Hannah and Storm Coach & Saddlery Hardware, 427 Main St. (1860) By Bill Kleppel Like newspapers and maps, village and city directories were once vital references for everyday life. From a historical perspective, these relatively modern conveniences are now being erased, in real time, by the explosion of the Information Age. For some
Coming Soon! Walking Tour of Dwight Street and Hooker Avenue
By Shannon Butler You’ve been asking for a new walking tour, and it’s in the works! When you open the July-August Rotunda you will find mention of a walking tour on Dwight Street and Hooker Avenue. This is another historic district in the south end of the City of Poughkeepsie, and
Ruth Linda Deyo: Child Prodigy
By Bill Kleppel Recently, we had a visiting patron in the Local History Rooms doing research for a project on Hudson Valley composers. He was particularly interested in sheet music from the 19th and early 20th centuries. My colleague and I selected material for him in advance so he could get
No Butts about it! Scrabble in Poughkeepsie
By Shannon Butler If you walk down Academy Street, you will see some lovely houses that represent the Victorian era. Among the people who lived in these homes were the big names of Poughkeepsie business and culture, such as Adriance, Smith, and Hull. Another name comes to mind that might not be
Female Physicians of Poughkeepsie
By Shannon Butler In previous blog entries we have discussed several female doctors that have lived, worked, and studied here in Poughkeepsie. It stands to reason that since we are home to one of the first female colleges in the country, this city would naturally be a more attractive place to
Grace Roberts
By Bill Kleppel Another treasure was found while sifting through the miscellaneous files of the History Rooms at the Adriance Memorial Library. Today, I’ll introduce you to a local outspoken suffragette and social reformer who ran her own dairy cattle farm. Her previously unearthed memoir was written in the year before her
Poughkeepsie Architecture: The City Almshouse
By Shannon Butler In previous blog posts we have discussed beautiful buildings of Poughkeepsie, some that are still standing and many that have been lost to time. When one thinks of fabulous architecture, we tend to imagine grand mansions where wealthy bankers and businessmen once lived, or local landmarks like banks,
Before the Oath of Office: Future Presidents at the Bardavon
February 9, 2024 By Bill Kleppel “All roads to the White House lead through Poughkeepsie!”…. are words that have never been uttered. However! Several future presidents visited our town in the years before they’d taken the oath of office. More specifically, their trips included being on or near the stage of our
Mary Ellen Reid – A Name to a Face
January 26, 2024 By Shannon Butler There are lots of photographs of interesting people in our collections here in the Local History Room. Some of those people have been properly identified, while others have not. It can be somewhat difficult to put a name to a face, when everyone who might have
The Bodey’s of Poughkeepsie Saga – Part II
by Bill Kleppel We left you at the end of Part I in November of 1859. The patriarch of the Bodey family had vanished in a blizzard close to where he had struck gold in the western hills of El Dorado, California… ….Meanwhile, Back In Poughkeepsie A flood of catastrophic events engulfed
The Bodey’s of Poughkeepsie Saga – Part I
Ogden Bodey While researching Civil War era veterans from the 150th New York Infantry Regiment, I stumbled across Ogden Bodey. His family story is so incomprehensible and tragic that I felt the need to share it with you. It features war, the California Gold Rush, a sudden disappearance, a Wild West boomtown and its demise, and
John Bolding
by Bill Kleppel In 1824, John Bolding was born enslaved in South Carolina. On August 24, 1851, he was a free man working as a tailor in Poughkeepsie. On August 29, 1851, John Bolding was held before a Federal Law Commissioner in New York City. This commissioner would determine if Bolding was free to live his life
St. Barnabas’ Hospital
Long before the days of Vassar Brothers Medical Center or Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital (formerly St. Francis) there were not many options for medical care here in Poughkeepsie. In the 19th century, if you were ill or had an emergency, the best you could hope for was a trip to the local pharmacy, where you might
Paraclete Potter and the 1820 World Atlas
By William Kleppel It’s a cold and stormy winter night. You’re carrying a candle up the flight of stairs to your second floor study. The flame flickers and you realize someone has left the window open beside your desk! You shut it quickly, grab a quilted blanket, and drop into your chair to read. Earlier in the
Poughkeepsie Men in the 54th Massachusetts Regiment
by Shannon Butler If you are interested in the American Civil War, like me, perhaps you have seen the 1989 film Glory, starring Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick. The film takes a close look at the famous 54th Massachusetts Regiment; the first regiment of African American soldiers to fight in the Civil War. The
Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery – 170 Years
by Shannon Butler Adriance Memorial Library just celebrated our 125th anniversary and we wanted to wish a happy anniversary to our partners in local history, the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery! This week the cemetery is 170 years old and still looks as beautiful as ever. We thought it would be nice to share some of the details
125 Years of Adriance Memorial Library: The Old Days and the Future
by Shannon Butler We might sound like a broken record here, but have we mentioned that it's the 125th anniversary for Adriance Memorial Library? That’s right! Come and see us this Saturday from 1pm to 3pm for all sorts of fun activities (brownie points if you come dressed in 1890s clothing!) We will have a little
Must Love Dogs: Some Pups in Poughkeepsie
In this blog post, we decided to look at an interesting piece of dog history. Twenty twenty-three marks 215 years since the New York State Legislature decided that all dog owners must make sure that their dogs have collars and that their family name (meaning the owner’s) is visible on that collar. Is this a…
William Lyon Dobbs and his Orchestra
Buried within the collections of the Local History Room is a box with a thick leather ledger inside. On the cover of this book, someone wrote in pen, “Chas. E. Dobbs, Daybook. Feb 1. 1906 to” and that's it. However, the pages inside the ledger are a bit more complicated than a simple daybook, as…
No Longer Standing: Buildings of Poughkeepsie – The Stratford and Liberty Theaters
The invention of the moving picture was a big deal at the turn of the 20th century! Watching fast moving images of people on a big screen, as opposed to watching actual people in real time on the stage took some getting used to. However, not everyone was quick to jump on the movie making
125 Years of Adriance Memorial Library
By Shannon Butler Did you know that the library has a big birthday coming up? More specifically, the anniversary of the opening of Adriance Memorial Library! Save the date, October 21, 2023, for the special celebration event. We will honor the library namesake and benefactors, the Adriance Family, who financed the construction of this building through
125 Years of Adriance Memorial Library
By Shannon Butler Did you know that the library has a big birthday coming up? More specifically, the anniversary of the opening of Adriance Memorial Library! Save the date, October 21, 2023, for the special celebration event. We will honor the library namesake and benefactors, the Adriance Family, who financed the construction of this building through
Murder in the Asylum
Murder in the Asylum The Hudson River State Hospital (HRSH) has always been an intriguing place with looming gothic towers and windows that arch like eyes on a jack-o-lantern. Patients aimlessly wandered long hallways or were locked away in rooms. There are tales of underground tunnels that led to every wing, including the morgue where many
Made In Poughkeepsie – Guilder Trucks
You are probably aware that Poughkeepsie was once known as a place where just about everything was made! Cars, computers, cough drops, and even indestructible pants once came from this city. In the 19th century right up through the mid-20th century, the Queen City on the Hudson had become a very attractive place
The Weird World of Patent Medicines
Do you know the ingredients of the medicines you are taking? Maybe you don’t, but you can easily google what goes into those blood pressure pills or that cough syrup. Modern medicine must be thoroughly tested and approved by the FDA and complete a lengthy process including: discovery/concept, preclinical research, clinical research, FDA review, and
Charles N. Arnold – Worker of Wood and Politics
Charles N. Arnold - Worker of Wood and Politics There were many prominent men who left their mark on the City of Poughkeepsie. Some gave us great institutions like Matthew Vassar and his college, and his nephews Matthew Jr. and Guy Vassar with their hospital and institute. Albert Tower had his iron industry and also contributed
Charles McCabe: A Lifetime of Service
Charles McCabe: A Lifetime of Service Have you ever committed a crime? Have you ever had an interaction with a police officer? Even if you haven’t, you could agree that it’s not easy to be a cop. It takes a certain personality to want to uphold the law in any situation. It also takes guts to