Poughkeepsie, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Poughkeepsie, New York
City
Poughkeepsie during its annual balloon festival
Flag Seal
Etymology: U-puku-ipi-sing: "The reed-covered lodge by the little-water place"
Nickname(s):  The Queen City of the Hudson, PK
Poughkeepsie, New York Location in New York Show map of New York Poughkeepsie, New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Dutchess
Founded	1686; 339 years ago (1686)
Incorporated (town)	1799; 226 years ago (1799)
Incorporated (city)	1854; 171 years ago (1854)
Government
• Type	Mayor–council government
Area
• City	5.72 sq mi (14.81 km2)
• Land	5.14 sq mi (13.32 km2)
• Water	0.57 sq mi (1.49 km2)
• Urban	327.1 sq mi (847.3 km2)
Elevation	180 ft (50 m)
Highest elevation (College Hill)	380 ft (120 m)
Lowest elevation (Hudson River)	0 ft (0 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	31,577
• Density	6,137.41/sq mi (2,369.86/km2)
• Urban	314,766 (US: 131st)
• Urban density	1,499.4/sq mi (578.9/km2)
• Metro	697,221 (US: 84th)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	12601–12604
Area code(s)	845
FIPS code	36-59641
GNIS feature ID	979392

Poughkeepsie (pronounced pə-KIP-see) is a city in New York. It is the main city of Dutchess County. In 2020, about 31,577 people lived here. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley region. It's about halfway between New York City and Albany, the state capital.

Poughkeepsie is often called "The Queen City of the Hudson." Dutch settlers first arrived here in the 1600s. After the American Revolution, it briefly became New York State's second capital. Poughkeepsie officially became a city in 1854.

Two important bridges cross the Hudson River here. The Walkway over the Hudson was once a railroad bridge. It reopened in 2009 as a public path for walking and biking. The Mid-Hudson Bridge was built in 1930. It carries U.S. Route 44 over the river.

The City of Poughkeepsie and the nearby Town of Poughkeepsie are often thought of as one place. Together, they had a population of 77,048 in 2020. Major companies like IBM help the city's economy. Many colleges are also nearby, including Marist College, Vassar College, Dutchess Community College, and The Culinary Institute of America.

What's in a Name?

The name Poughkeepsie comes from the Wappinger Native American tribe. Their word, U-puku-ipi-sing, means 'the reed-covered lodge by the little-water place'. This refers to a small spring or stream that flows into the Hudson River.

A Look Back: Poughkeepsie's History

English and Dutch colonists bought the land from a local Native American tribe in 1686. The first families settled here soon after. The community grew quickly, and a church was built by 1720.

Poughkeepsie was not a battle site during the American Revolutionary War. It became the second capital of New York State after Kingston was burned. In 1788, important leaders like Alexander Hamilton met here. They approved the United States Constitution, making New York the eleventh state to join the new country.

The city was officially formed in 1854. In the 1800s, Poughkeepsie was a big center for shipping and making things. Industries included paper mills and breweries. Wealthy families like the Astors and Vanderbilts built large homes nearby. They loved the area's beauty and its closeness to New York City. The Vanderbilt Mansion is a great example of these grand homes.

Samuel F.B. Morse, who invented the telegraph, also lived nearby. Poughkeepsie is home to the Bardavon 1869 Opera House. It's the oldest theater in New York State that has been open continuously.

Where is Poughkeepsie?

Poughkeepsie is on the western edge of Dutchess County. It's in the Hudson River Valley Area of New York.

The Hudson River is to the west. The Town of Poughkeepsie surrounds the city on the north, east, and south. As mentioned, two bridges cross the Hudson River here: the Mid-Hudson Bridge and the Walkway over the Hudson.

The city covers about 5.7 square miles (14.8 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small part being water. Poughkeepsie is about 75 miles north of New York City. It's also about 73.5 miles south of Albany. The highest point in Poughkeepsie is College Hill, which is 380 feet (116 meters) above sea level. The lowest point is at the Hudson River.

Historic Areas

Poughkeepsie has several historic districts. These are areas with many old buildings that have special historical importance. They include:

• Academy Street Historic District
• Balding Avenue Historic District
• Dwight-Hooker Avenue Historic District
• Garfield Place Historic District
• Mill Street-North Clover Street Historic District
• Mount Carmel District
• Union Street Historic District

Weather in Poughkeepsie

Poughkeepsie has a climate with warm summers and cold winters. It gets about 41.9 inches (1064 mm) of rain each year. Most of this rain falls in late spring and early summer.

Winters can be very cold, with temperatures sometimes dropping below 0°F (-18°C). The city can also get big winter storms called "nor'easters." However, it usually gets less snow or rain from these storms than places further south and east. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -30°F (-34°C) in 1961. The hottest was 104°F (40°C) in 1995.

Who Lives in Poughkeepsie?

In 2020, Poughkeepsie had a population of 31,577 people. The city is home to many different groups of people. About 39.8% of residents were white, and 36.4% were Black or African American. About 17.1% of the people were of Hispanic or Latin American heritage.

In 2018, there were about 12,627 homes in Poughkeepsie. Many of these homes had children living in them. The average household had about 2.33 people.

Religions in Poughkeepsie

Many people in Poughkeepsie have religious beliefs. The largest group is Catholic, followed by Methodists and Presbyterians. Other Christian groups are also present.

Outside of Christianity, Islam is the second largest religion. There are also people who practice Judaism and other eastern religions.

What Does Poughkeepsie Make?

Smith Brothers

Smith Brothers menthol, introduced in 1922

Today, the main industries in Poughkeepsie are healthcare, retail, education, science and technology, and finance. Many creative people are moving to Poughkeepsie from New York City. They are helping to make the city's arts scene grow.

IBM has a very large campus in the nearby Town of Poughkeepsie. This site was once known as IBM's "Main Plant." It built famous computers like the IBM 700/7000 series and later, IBM mainframes. Even the computers that won a chess match against Garry Kasparov were made here! Today, Poughkeepsie is still a key place for IBM to design and make its newest mainframes.

Until 1972, Poughkeepsie was home to the Smith Brothers cough drop factory. You can find the Smith Brothers' gravesite in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery.

News and Radio

Historic headquarters of the Poughkeepsie Journal

Poughkeepsie has its own newspaper, The Poughkeepsie Journal. It is one of the oldest newspapers still active in the United States. There are also many radio stations in the area.

Some popular FM radio stations include:

• WRRV-96.9 (alternative rock)
• WPDH-101.5 (album-oriented rock)
• WRHV-88.7 (classical music, and NPR affiliate)
• WCZX-97.7 (country)
• WKXP-94.3 (soft adult contemporary)
• WRWD-FM-107.3 (country)
• WSPK-104.7 (top 40)
• WHUD-100.7 (adult contemporary)
• WDST-100.1 (independent rock)
• WPKF-96.1 (top 40)
• WVKR-91.3 (Vassar College Radio)
• WRNQ-92.1 ('80s to current music)

AM radio stations include:

• WEOK-1390 (oldies)
• WGNY-1220 (sports)
• WHVW-950 ('50s and older blues and country)
• WKIP-1450 (talk radio)

Schools and Colleges

Oakwood Friends School

The Poughkeepsie City School District is the public school system for students from kindergarten to 12th grade. It serves about 5,000 students.

The Oakwood Friends School is a private school for grades 5-12. It's the oldest college prep school in New York State, founded in 1796. Another private school, Poughkeepsie Day School, was started in 1934. Other private schools are Tabernacle Christian Academy and Our Lady of Lourdes High School.

Colleges and Universities

While no colleges are right inside the city limits, several are very close by in the Town of Poughkeepsie. These include:

• Dutchess Community College
• Marist College
• Vassar College

Adelphi University also offers a Master of Social Work program at Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital.

Fun Things to Do

Sports

Poughkeepsie is home to the Hudson Valley Renegades. They are a minor league baseball team linked with the New York Yankees. They play at Dutchess Stadium in nearby Fishkill.

Spectators at the 1907 Poughkeepsie Regatta

One of Poughkeepsie's most famous sports events was the annual Poughkeepsie Regatta. This rowing race was held on the Hudson River from 1895 to 1949. Top college teams competed, and tens of thousands of people watched. Poughkeepsie was known as the "rowing capital of the world." The races were very long, about 4 miles!

In 2009, a special recreation of the regatta was held. It included fireworks and the first time women's teams were allowed to race.

Arts and Entertainment

The Bardavon 1869 Opera House

Poughkeepsie has many places for arts and entertainment. The Bardavon 1869 Opera House hosts music, plays, dance, and movies. It's also home to the Hudson Valley Philharmonic orchestra.

The Mid-Hudson Civic Center is another place for concerts and trade shows. It also has an ice rink for ice hockey.

Tesla at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY

The Chance is a popular spot for live rock concerts, featuring both local and famous bands.

At Vassar College, the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center has a huge collection of art. It includes paintings, sculptures, and photographs from ancient times to today.

Locust Grove was the home of Samuel Morse, the inventor of Morse code. You can see his paintings and old telegraph technology there.

For shopping and movies, the Poughkeepsie Galleria is in the Town of Poughkeepsie. It's a large mall with many shops, restaurants, and a 16-screen movie theater.

The Mid-Hudson Children's Museum is a fun place for younger kids. The Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center hosts music, dance, and visual arts events. Bananas Comedy Club is a place to see comedians.

Library

The Poughkeepsie Public Library District serves the city and town. Its main library, Adriance Memorial Library, is in the city. There's also the Sadie Peterson Delaney African Roots Branch Library.

Getting Around Poughkeepsie

Walkway over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie

Poughkeepsie is located where major highways meet. These include US 9 (running north-south) and US 44 and NY 55 (running east-west).

You can take a train from the Poughkeepsie Metro-North station to New York City. This is the last stop on Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line. Amtrak trains also stop here, going north to Albany and beyond, or south to New York City.

Poughkeepsie Bridge strengthening project, 1906

The Mid-Hudson Bridge, built in 1930, carries cars and people across the Hudson River. The Poughkeepsie Bridge was built in 1889 for trains. After a fire in 1974, it was closed. But in 2009, it reopened as the Walkway over the Hudson. It's now a park for walking and biking, and it's a state historic park.

Poughkeepsie Bridge and ferry landing, circa 1897

Highways and railroad tracks in Poughkeepsie

The Dutchess County Airport is nearby for smaller planes. For bigger flights, Stewart International Airport is about 25 miles south. Other major airports for New York City are also within reach.

Local bus transit in Poughkeepsie

Local bus service is provided by Dutchess County Public Transit. These buses travel throughout Dutchess County. They also connect to places like the Poughkeepsie Galleria.

Famous People from Poughkeepsie

Many notable people have connections to Poughkeepsie:

• George Appo – a famous pickpocket and con artist.
• Joseph Bertolozzi – a composer known for his "Bridge Music" project on the Mid-Hudson Bridge.
• Josh Billings – a humorist from the 1800s.
• Jane Bolin – the first Black woman to serve as a judge in the United States.
• Alfred Mosher Butts – the inventor of the board game Scrabble.
• Shawn Christensen – an Oscar-winning screenwriter and film director.
• Richard Connell – an author.
• Carolyn Garcia – also known as "Mountain Girl," connected to the Grateful Dead.
• Benjamin A. Gilman – a former U.S. congressman.
• Alex Goot – a YouTube musician.
• Tibor Kalman – a graphic designer.
• Keith Lockhart – the conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra.
• Lee Miller – a famous fashion model, photographer, and World War II reporter.
• Samuel Morse – the inventor of Morse code.
• Anna Morton – the Second Lady of the United States from 1889 to 1893.
• Mark Parker – the former CEO of Nike, Inc..
• Robert Sheckley – a science fiction author.
• Debi Thomas – a figure skater and Olympic medalist.
• Matthew Vassar – who founded Vassar College in 1861.
• Ed Wood – a film director.

Scientists and Inventors

• Sara Josephine Baker – a physician and inventor of infant formula.
• William Henry Brewer – a chemist, geologist, and botanist.
• Alfred Mosher Butts – inventor of Scrabble.
• Donald Klein – chemist and inventor of the MOSFET transistor.
• Fritz Lipmann – a biochemist and Nobel Prize winner.
• Calvin D. MacCracken – an inventor.
• Samuel Morse – inventor of Morse code.
• Samuel Slocum – an inventor.
• William Wallace Smith 2nd – a chemist, who created the first advertised cough drops in the U.S.

Major League Baseball Players

Several professional baseball players have come from Poughkeepsie:

• Frank Bahret
• Tommy Boggs
• Buttons Briggs
• Frank Cimorelli
• Bill Daley
• Ricky Horton
• Fred Lasher
• Mickey McDermott
• Jeff Pierce
• Elmer Steele

Bands

Poughkeepsie has also been home to several bands:

• Against the Current (pop rock)
• Genghis Tron (grindcore metal)
• Matchbook Romance (emo punk)
• Pound (rock)
• Shai Hulud (hardcore metal)
• That's Outrageous! (metalcore)
• We Are the In Crowd (pop punk)