Columbia County 219 



The city of Hudson was founded after the devolution (1783) 

 by enterprising men of property from Rhode Island, in all about 

 thirty persons. Twenty of this company sailed up the Hudson 

 to find some favorable locality in which to settle. At the time they 

 purchased the site of the present city it was occupied as a farm, 

 with a single storehouse on the bank of the river. They were 

 soon followed by other emigrants from the east and two years 

 later it was incorporated as a city with a population of nearly 

 1,500. About twenty-five vessels were owned in the place at that 

 time and these were mostly employed in the West India trade. 

 A large business in whaling and seal fishing was also followed for 

 some years by vessels from this place. 



During the difficulties and impressment of seamen previous 

 to the War of 1812 the shipping business of Hudson received a 

 severe blow, but later on the whale fishing once more became 

 profitable. 



The completion of a railroad from this city to Boston some 

 years later marked the beginning of a new era. 



DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY 

 Columbia County being favorably located on the river, hay was 

 extensively produced and shipped at an early date. Large 

 quantities of paper and medicinal extracts were also shipped, the 

 county excelling in the production of both commodities at about 

 I860. Fifty years ago Columbia County was one of the largest 

 potato producing counties in the state. The land is now largely 

 given over to the fruit industry. Fruit raising has developed to 

 a large extent in the western part, along the entire length of the 

 county and extending about eight miles back from the Hudson. 

 This industry has increased very rapidly during recent years, 

 especially in the town of Kinderhook. In the growing of apples, 

 according to the 1918 census, Columbia far outranks the other 

 counties of the state. The shipping companies, as well as the 

 railroads along the river, are adopting the practice of sending 

 trucks to Kinderhook for the fruit, which may be collected one 

 afternoon and put on the New York market the following morn- 

 ing. Kinderhook is also prominent in dairying, which is the pre- 

 dominating industry throughout the part of the county lying back 



