1939 Map of Rhinebeck

About this map

The Hudson River serves as the central artery for this 1930s landscape, dividing the riverfront communities of Kingston and Port Ewen on the west bank from the estates and rail stops of Dutchess County on the east. The dominance of the river-and-rail economy is evident in the parallel paths of the West Shore RR and the New York Central, which serviced ferry-connected landings like Rhinecliff and Sleightsburg. Inland, the terrain transitions into a patchwork of rural school districts and small hamlets like Schultzville and Netherwood, where the geography is defined by the winding Wappinger Creek and Landsman Kill. Religious and educational institutions are prominently marked, including St Josephs Sem near Ulster Park and St Andrews Seminary further south. From the Red Hook Golf Club in the north to the Landing Field near Rhinebeck, the map captures a period of early twentieth-century regional development before the expansion of modern highway systems.