The Past and Future

It was interesting to see first hand the life surrounding the Hudson River. I feel we went at the perfect time of year to see the splendor and inspiring beauty of the region. I also believe we went at the right moment to capture the change between the year round residents and the seasonal visitors of the Hudson River Valley. I first noticed it in Newburgh when we got off the bus on the waterfront. Numerous bars and restaurants lined the shore, each with a new modern façade capturing to a younger wealthier crowd. At the hour we arrived there were few patrons and when we left it still looked empty, but the pier was full of local residents. It is understandable that people would flock to the shore of the Hudson during the summer months and that the true residents would stay year round. This difference in “old” residents verses “new” residents and visitors was also very visible this time of year. I previously said that the pier of was full of people and as Emma blogged about many of them were fishing. Here is were the contrast comes in, on one hand you have the wealthier crowd that keeps the bars in business and supports the city’s economy and on the other hand you have the residents who go back three or four generations who are not as prosperous and cannot solely support the new Newburgh economy. I saw this same tension in Hudson. Hudson’s Mayor met with us and told us that even after the Saint Lawrence Cement Plant had been opposed the city was still in a small civil war between the newer Hudson residents and the older Hudson residents. It is sad to see this change, I can imagine that you cannot have a city without an economy, but what defines a city? I would say people define a city and if you lose the people while saving a city, then you have not truly saved the city. There has to be some way to solve the local economic issue without evicting the lower income residents in the process.