Mid-Hudson

Today’s Mid-Hudson Region lies within Lenapehoking, the ancestral homeland of the Lenape (Delaware) people. The Lenape thrived here using the abundant resources of the Mahicanituck (Hudson River) and Delaware River Valleys. Sustained contact between the Lenape and Europeans, particularly the Dutch and English, began in 1609 when Henry Hudson led an expedition for the Dutch East India Company exploring the river that would come to bear his name.

The region was strategically important during the American Revolution (1775-1783) as the Continental and British Armies sought control of the Hudson. Forts Clinton and Montgomery guarded the river, while redoubts and supply depots in Dutchess and Putnam Counties provided further support. Sites such as Knox’s and Washington's Headquarters served as key command centers in Orange County. 

In the 19th century, the region’s industrial growth was fueled by its access to key transportation routes. In Putnam County, the West Point Foundry became a key producer of military ironworks, and Rockland County became the center for brickmaking. Westchester County emerged as a major producer of iron stoves and plow blades, while in Dutchess, Orange, and Putnam Counties, the Borden Company produced condensed milk, which transformed the dairy industry. Tourism flourished as railroads and steamboats provided access to attractions throughout the region.

In the 20th century, the rise of the automobile led to the building of extensive roadways and infrastructure in the region such as the Bear Mountain Bridge and the Taconic Parkway. With increased accessibility, businesses, including IBM and Pepsi-Cola, established regional campuses. The area also emerged as a leader in environmental conservation with the 1960s grassroots legal battle to save Storm King Mountain. This fight is credited with sparking the modern environmental movement.

Today, residents and visitors alike can visit countless places that highlight the Mid-Hudson Region’s extensive history and scenery.  

Image at top: The Hudson Valley is world-renowned for its iconic vistas and landscapes, including this one looking south towards the Hudson River and Storm King Mountain from Breakneck Ridge.