Beacon (New York)
Dutchess County
36-05100
Beacon is in the valley of the Hudson River about 20 km south of Poughkeepsie and 90 km north of New York City in the U.S. state of New York located town with 15,541 inhabitants ( 2010). To the west of the site is bounded by the Hudson River, on the west bank of the city of Newburgh is located, while the eastern boundary of the municipality runs the hills Hudson Highlands, whose highest peak Beacon Mountain just to the east is the city.
History
On the territory of today's Beacon since 1709, the villages were Matteawan and Fishkill Landing, were among the first settlements in the state. On May 15, 1913, the two villages and a portion of the hamlet of Glenham the city Beacon were united in their name - English for Beacon - from the nearby superior mountain Beacon Mountain and there inflamed during the American War of Independence for communication with the Continental Army signal fires was derived. The name was previously used informally for lying at the foot of the mountain resorts.
Along the opening into the Hudson in today's city Fishkill Creek originated in the 18th century first flour mills, which were supplemented by numerous companies in the textile industry in the 19th century. In particular, the production of hats gained great importance. Since 1743 consisted in Fishkill Landing a harbor, which was replaced after about a hundred years through the opened in 1851 along the Hudson River Railroad. Other times, important industries included the manufacture of bricks and paper. From the 1970s, however, Beacon lost much of its manufacturing industry.
Since the 19th century, the valley of the Hudson River and the surrounding regions are also tourist destinations, particularly for the nearby New York metropolitan area. The Beacon Mountain was from 1902 to 1978, developed by the Mount Beacon Incline Railway, a funicular railway; in the 1960s and 1970s was on one of the slopes above the Hudson River also called a Dutchess ski area.
The decline in importance of the site for industrial and tourism meant that were empty from the late 1970s until the 1990s, at times up to 80 % of industrial and commercial space in Beacon. Only since the late 1990s, the city became again an economic and cultural center, including, among others, opened in 2003 Art Museum Dia: Beacon contributing.
Demographic data
The census in 2000 showed that the 13,808 residents living in 5,091 households Beacons and 3,360 families. After ethnic vote, the residents spread over 9,440 White ( 68.37 %), 2,713 African- Americans ( 19.65% ), 2,334 Hispanics / Latinos (16.9% ), 181 Asians ( 1.31% ), 43 Indians (0.31 %) and 956 persons of "other origin". 475 inhabitants more than one of the mentioned population groups considered themselves to belong.
In the average household Beacons lived 2000 2.61 persons; the average family size was 3.23 persons. The average age was 36 years; the relationship between women and men in 100 to 90.3. An average household has experienced an annual income of 45 236 dollars, families $ 53,811. Men received $ 40,949, women $ 29,154 on average. The per capita income was $ 20,654 a year. 1,465 residents (11%) and 310 families (9.1%) lived below the poverty line, including 834 under 18 ( 11%) and 99 on 65 ( 8.6%).
Traffic
The most important national road link in Beacon is the running east -west highway I- 84, which crosses the Hudson River on the Newburgh - Beacon Bridge. In addition to this there is also a toll bridge since 2005 a ferry service between Beacon and Newburgh. In a north-south direction Beacon is accessed primarily by the New York State Route 9D.
The place also is situated on the east bank of the Hudson following railway line, the Hudson Line. The Metro-North Railroad provides passenger on at least hourly connections towards Poughkeepsie and New York City to; freight handles CSX Transportation. Another, but not used as planned railway line leading from Beacon east to Brewster.
The nearest airport is Stewart International Airport west of Newburgh.
Famous sons and daughters of the town
- James V. Forrestal (1892-1949), Marine and Defence of the USA
- Robert Montgomery (1904-1981), actor
- Sharon M Hart (1945-2013), author of children's books
- Jacob Levy Moreno ( born May 18, 1889 in Bucharest, † May 14, 1974 in Beacon, New York) Austrian- American physician, psychiatrist, sociologist, founder of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy of.