1980 Map of Hyde Park

About this map

The Hudson River bisects this landscape, separating the wooded ridges of Esopus in Ulster County from the expansive estates and riverfront hamlets of Hyde Park in Dutchess County. This stretch of the river valley is characterized by significant religious and educational institutions, including the Holy Cross Monastery and the Mt St Alphonsus Seminary overlooking the water. Navigation landmarks like the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse and Esopus Island Lighthouse guide the way through the Lange Rack reach of the river. On the eastern shore, the transition from gilded age estates to mid-century growth is evident, anchored by the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site and the F D Roosevelt Home National Historic Site. Settlement patterns follow the Conrail line and the north-south corridor of Post Road, connecting Staatsburg and West Park across the water.