Beacon Falls in Beacon, NY
Jun 14, 2021 02:42:31 #
Here are some shots of Beacon Falls, in Beacon, NY. The color of the water is from lights the City of Beacon installed to illuminate the falls at night. Some nights the color changes randomly, but tonight it was a steady color and did not change while I was there.
During the 1800s, Beacon became a factory town and was known as "The Hat Making Capital of the US" with nearly 50 hat factories operating at one time. The Matteawan Manufacturing Company was the first hat maker in the area and employed 500 workers. Many others followed, including Dutchess Hat Works, which produced 450 dozen hats daily by 1900 and owned its own showroom in Manhattan.
Beacon is home to one of a handful of operating "dummy lights" in the United States, located at the intersection of Main and East Main Streets. It is a traffic signal on a pedestal which sits in the middle of an intersection, dating back to the 1920s. There are two others that are located in New York, one in Canajoharie and one in Croton-on-Hudson.
The 1960s were not very kind to Beacon, as urban renewal led to the destruction of many significant historic buildings. In the 1970s, a decline in the economy shuttered most of the factories, and this decline became a severe and ongoing economic downturn that lasted from 1970 to the late 1990s. During that time, almost 80 percent of the city's commercial business spaces and factories were vacant, and businesses shuttered on Main Street.
Starting in the late 1990s, with the opening of one of the world's largest contemporary art museums Dia Beacon, the city of Beacon began an artistic and commercial rebirth. Main Street has seen buildings remodeled from the West side to the East side. There are many new restaurants in the rebuilt buildings. Many of the factories have been remodeled into lofts, artist spaces, and apartments. The old hat factory at the corner of Main and East Main is one of these buildings given another life.
During the 1800s, Beacon became a factory town and was known as "The Hat Making Capital of the US" with nearly 50 hat factories operating at one time. The Matteawan Manufacturing Company was the first hat maker in the area and employed 500 workers. Many others followed, including Dutchess Hat Works, which produced 450 dozen hats daily by 1900 and owned its own showroom in Manhattan.
Beacon is home to one of a handful of operating "dummy lights" in the United States, located at the intersection of Main and East Main Streets. It is a traffic signal on a pedestal which sits in the middle of an intersection, dating back to the 1920s. There are two others that are located in New York, one in Canajoharie and one in Croton-on-Hudson.
The 1960s were not very kind to Beacon, as urban renewal led to the destruction of many significant historic buildings. In the 1970s, a decline in the economy shuttered most of the factories, and this decline became a severe and ongoing economic downturn that lasted from 1970 to the late 1990s. During that time, almost 80 percent of the city's commercial business spaces and factories were vacant, and businesses shuttered on Main Street.
Starting in the late 1990s, with the opening of one of the world's largest contemporary art museums Dia Beacon, the city of Beacon began an artistic and commercial rebirth. Main Street has seen buildings remodeled from the West side to the East side. There are many new restaurants in the rebuilt buildings. Many of the factories have been remodeled into lofts, artist spaces, and apartments. The old hat factory at the corner of Main and East Main is one of these buildings given another life.
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From this vantage point you can see another viewing area on the other side of the creek.
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Looking West on Main Street with the "Dummy Light" at the intersection of Main and East Main.
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This building was a hat factory at one time, and has been converted into artist spaces and lofts, and apartments.
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Looking West on Main Street... East Main Street is the left at the light.
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Jun 14, 2021 04:27:06 #
Jun 14, 2021 09:13:14 #
angler wrote:
Excellent sent Vince.
Thank you very much for looking and commenting Jim.
Jun 14, 2021 10:06:17 #
Jun 14, 2021 10:34:59 #
quixdraw wrote:
Good set, interesting story. Thanks!
Thanks for looking and commenting QD. Probably many more small cities that have similar stories I'm sure.
Jun 14, 2021 14:13:20 #
Jun 14, 2021 15:12:08 #
Sylvias wrote:
Very good set and interesting narrative Vince. 
Thank you very much Sylvia, glad you enjoyed it.
Jun 14, 2021 16:53:13 #
Jun 14, 2021 18:23:59 #
UTMike wrote:
Excellent set - photos and narrative, Vince!
Thank you very much Mike. Glad you liked them.
Jun 15, 2021 00:16:44 #
Nice set Vince, I do remember that fall, but saw it during that day so no lights - we had an enjoyable lunch with friends that live in the area at the nearby Roundhouse Restaurant during our last visit around Christmas 2015- thanks for bringing back some good memories! Joe
Jun 15, 2021 00:18:53 #
weberwest wrote:
Nice set Vince, I do remember that fall, but saw it during that day so no lights - we had an enjoyable lunch with friends that live in the area at the nearby Roundhouse Restaurant during our last visit around Christmas 2015- thanks for bringing back some good memories! Joe
Glad it brought back good memories for you Joe. Thanks for looking and commenting.
Jun 15, 2021 06:05:40 #
Vince68 wrote:
Here are some shots of Beacon Falls, in Beacon, NY... (show quote)
Fantastic set of imagers!!!!Vince
Jun 15, 2021 07:26:43 #
Jun 15, 2021 09:56:33 #
Jun 15, 2021 12:37:24 #
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