Beacon, City of
Beacon blends bustling small city life with outdoor opportunities
A hip community in a
walkable neighborhood, Beacon underwent a cultural revitalization in the 2000s,
transforming from an industrial metropolis that manufactured hats, carpets and baby carriages and other commodities, to a welcoming
home for families, locals and workday commuters.
The city encompasses
about four square miles on the eastern shore of the Hudson River in
southwestern Dutchess County and has been referred to as
a “quaint city rediscovered. A walkable city that is like Old Europe,”
by The New York Times.
Beacon boasts a historic
downtown district with several historic sites, along with plentiful art
galleries, theater and music venues, including the Towne Crier Cafe, where Peter Tork of The Monkees fame was once a
regular player. The 2003 opening of Dia:Beacon—one of
the largest modern art museums in our country—in the city’s former Nabisco box
factory serves as an artistic community hub for families and individuals. In
addition to artist collections and exhibitions, the museum also provides enrichment programs for fun and learning for kids and
adults, including community, kid, school, teen, family and internship programs.
Outdoor enthusiasts
enjoy the surrounding region’s forests, mountains,
waterfalls, river views, historic places and ruins, as well as hiking trails, parks,
and farms. In fact, the singer/environmentalist Pete Seeger was one of
Beacon's most famous residents and instrumental in forwarding environmental
issues. As well, the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries on Main
Street and in a state-of-the-art educational facility on Denning's
Point, works to instill sustainable solutions for estuary and
freshwater ecosystems throughout the region and state.
Commuters and locals
appreciate Beacon’s weekday bus service and the proximity of the
Newburgh-Beacon Bridge that spans the Hudson River, Beacon train station and I-84
highway.
Beacon's youth is served by the
city’s school system; the competitive housing market includes plans to covert
spaces in vacant factory buildings into residential units.
If you’re wondering
where Beacon got its name, it stems from the beacon fires that burned from the
Fishkill Mountains to alert the Continental Army of the whereabouts of British
Troops during the Revolutionary War. The land was purchased from native
Wappinger tribe to become Beacon.