Famously known as the hometown of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Hyde Park has attracted residents with its sweeping river views. Settled as a community of farms and ice houses along the Hudson, the Dutchess County town later became a hub for country estates for the wealthy.
The town was first known as Stoutenburgh, the last name of the Dutch settlers who had purchased property in Dutchess and moved to the area in the mid 1700s. John Bard—a prominent New York City doctor, founder of Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, and friend of patriarch Jacobus Stoutenburgh—moved to the region shortly after, and named his estate Hyde Park in honor of New York Governor Edward Hyde.
In 1804, a nearby tavern keeper adopted the name of the Hyde Park Inn (“much to the annoyance of Dr. Bard,” according to the town’s history), and applied to set up a post office at the location. The request was granted, and in 1812, the town changed its name to Hyde Park to reflect the new post office of the same name.
Family Life
Children living in the town attend schools within the Hyde Park CSD, which serves 3,310 K-12 students across four elementary, one middle, and one high school. There are also several higher education institutions in the area, including the renowned Culinary Institute of America (CIA), located on a former Jesuit property overlooking the Hudson. In neighboring Poughkeepsie, you’ll find Marist University and Vassar College.
Hyde Park tends to be a popular choice for commuters due to its proximity to the train station in Poughkeepsie. Travelers can ride to Albany and Penn Station with Amtrak, an hour or an hour and a half ride, respectively, or to Grand Central on Metro-North’s Hudson line in just under two hours.
On the Town
While Hyde Park is more of a residential town, there is still an array of restaurants and shops. The hamlet of Hyde Park is home to dining spots such as Italian restaurants Coppola’s and Antonella’s, Mexican eateries El Rey and El Guacamole, Mizu Sushi, and the retro Eveready Diner. Nearby is dessert shop and bakery Emy Delights & Bites, vintage store Hyde Park Consignments, and River Connection, which sells kayaks and canoes. Soul food spot Lady K’s Southern Comfort is in the eastern hamlet of Haviland, next door to Alterniverse, a comic book store. Further south on Route 9 is Dassai Blue, a Japanese sake brewery (the only one in the Hudson Valley) that offers tastings and small plates, plus tours of the facility.
Of course, the CIA campus is also a hotspot for excellent meals. Farm-to-table-focused American Bounty, the French Bocuse Restaurant, Tuscan-style Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici, and Apple Pie Bakery Café are all run by students, and prioritize using local ingredients and cutting-edge techniques.
Get out There
Some of the best things to do in Hyde Park include visiting the local estates. Springwood welcomes the public to view the home, presidential library, and museum of FDR. More of the family’s history can be explored at the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (Val-Kill) and Top Cottage, a smaller, private retreat that FDR frequented during his later years. The Vanderbilt Mansion, a grand 54-room Gilded Age-era structure, also offers guided tours, and the Beatrix Farrand Garden at Bellefield is open to stroll.
Other outdoor activities include hiking the Roosevelt Farm Lane Trail and the Winnakee Nature Preserve, or visiting Riverfront Park, which is also home to the Hyde Park Station rail museum. Nighttime entertainment awaits at the Roosevelt Theatre cinema and Hyde Park Roller Magic.
The history of the town’s famous inhabitants is still an important facet of Hyde Park, but today, the grandiose homes are surrounded by more modern—and modest—dwellings. You’re not likely to move in next to politicians and tycoons, but instead will be greeted by friendly families, young professionals and commuters, and students of nearby colleges.
Neighborhood Stats
Area: 36.66 sq. mi.
Population: 21,125
Median home listing price: $399,000
To find a real estate agent in Hyde Park or any Hudson Valley town check out near-me.hvmag.com/realtors.
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