LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the City
of Newburgh on June 20, 2015

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize and
honor the proud and distinguished histories of the communities which
comprise the noble body of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 150th Anniversary of the City of Newburgh, to be celebrated at
its Illuminated Festival on Saturday, June 20, 2015; and
WHEREAS, Located on the west shore of the Hudson River, Newburgh
incorporated as a village in 1800, doubling in population during its
first 40 years to nearly 6,000 residents, much larger than the average
American village of that time; and
WHEREAS, During this time, Newburgh became a major hub of commerce in
the mid-Hudson; sailing sloops from Newburgh traded internationally, and
steamboats stopped on the route between Albany and Manhattan; turnpike
roads, augmented by canals, brought more trade, inventors thrived, and
many new manufacturing businesses took advantage of the transportation
network; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, financial institutions also took hold, and
before the Civil War began, Newburgh had four local banks; the National
Bank of Newburgh was tapped by the federal government to help fund the
War of 1812; and
WHEREAS, The Civil War sparked an expansion of industry in the manu-
facture of critical supplies such as woolen blankets and cannon
carriages, and veterans from the local Orange Blossom regiment returned
and embraced a second chance at life; and
WHEREAS, Newburgh incorporated as a city in 1865, during which time
civic organizations thrived, and dozens of clubs and charities began a
long history of public contribution and local pride; the City's decision
to build Downing Park provided employment to local residents; and
WHEREAS, As the 20th century dawned, Newburgh was thriving with over
100 manufacturing plants; its industries were predominantly machine
shops, shipbuilding yards, cloth manufacturies, clothing design and
production factories, brickyards, plaster works and shipping concerns;
and
WHEREAS, Newburgh was also a recreational hub; sports included speed
skating, ice boating, yachting and rowing clubs, baseball leagues, casi-
nos and dance ballrooms, as well as many picnic groves, amusement parks
and river excursion steamers with a great transportation network
connecting it all; and
WHEREAS, As World War II ended, there was another building boom and
the city's largest population of 32,000 was recorded in the 1950 census;
a four-year college opened at Mount Saint Mary in 1960, and the New York
State Thruway, Interstate 84 and the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge centered
Newburgh on Northeast United States maps; and
WHEREAS, In the 1970s, volunteers catalogued over 4,000 historic
buildings in the East End, which was declared a National Historic
District in 1973, and enlarged in 1985; the Vaux-designed City Club on
Grand Street and five brick Victorian houses on Montgomery Street were
saved from demolitions, and in 1998 the city received a Save America's
Treasures grant for the Dutch Reformed Church, which was declared a
National Historic Landmark in 2001; and
WHEREAS, Today, the waterfront is a bustling destination, featuring a
half-dozen restaurants and other businesses, drawing thousands of
customers every weekend; and

WHEREAS, A true gem, Newburgh has the largest historic district in the
state, as well as beautifully designed neighborhoods like Washington
Heights and Colonial Terraces, a great scenic park in Downing and a
great recreational park in Delano Hitch; and
WHEREAS, Newburgh also has a growing arts community to feed the imag-
ination and a remarkably rich collective of civic improvement organiza-
tions in which citizen volunteers keep the city moving ahead; and
WHEREAS, Of historic origin, and remaining fruitful over the ebb and
flow of decades of growth and change, the City of Newburgh continues to
provide the quintessential quality of life for its residents; and
WHEREAS, The residents of Newburgh, New York have a bright outlook for
the future of their community, which remains a beautiful place in which
to live, work and raise a family; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of Newburgh's rich history and enduring
contribution to the State of New York, this Legislative Body is proud to
pay tribute to this spirited town upon the occasion of its 150th Anni-
versary; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the City of Newburgh on June 20,
2015; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the City of Newburgh.