The History of the Hudson River Valley ─ From the Civil War to Modern Times

Here we see the formation of the great estates of the Valley, including the Rockefellers, Sunnyside, and Olana, and the book shows us how the turn to the twentieth century brought a new era of population growth and prosperity to the region. A young Franklin Delano Roosevelt takes his first political steps in the New York senate during this time, and Thomas Dewey’s work as the New York State governor morphed him into a viable candidate on the national political stage as well. In short, the twentieth-century Hudson River Valley was a hotbed of wealth, influence, and culture, a vibrant scene of American development as significant as any our country has seen.

By taking his narrative all the way into the post-September 11th present moment, Vernon Benjamin finishes his engaging, readable, and comprehensive history of one of America’s most significant and culturally important regions. Richly illustrated and meticulously researched, The History of the Hudson River Valley will be the definitive text on the subject for years to come.