The former state capital of New York, Poughkeepsie is now home to one of the country's most prestigious colleges, Vassar. "The Queen City of the Hudson River" is located in the scenic Hudson River Valley and is the largest city in Dutchess County. Once a vacation destination for families like the Astors and the Vanderbilts, Poughkeepsie and the region that surrounds it is on the verge of a tourism renaissance.
Theatre buffs need not travel to Broadway to get a sense of New York's performing arts history. Poughkeepsie is home to the Bardavon 1869 Opera House. The Bardavon is the oldest continually operating theater in New York State and has featured performances by the legendary Sarah Bernhardt, John Barrymore and Mark Twain. Designed by J.A. Wood, it was originally known as the Collingwood Opera House and and features a two-stage dome. In 2010, featured performers included Joan Baez.
Visitors to Poughkeepsie can advantage of tours offered by the Duchess County Historical Society. Tours of the Clinton and Glebe Houses, two of the city's oldest homes, are operated through the society. The Historical Society reports that the Silver Ribbon House Tour is its most popular annual event. The tour features different distinctive or historic homes, churches, farms, landscapes, and landmarks in Dutchess County each summer. Contact the Historical Society for further information.
Poughkeepsie's Grinnell Library is home to a famous bird display featuring over 30 kinds of birds. It has charmed both native Poughkeepsians and visitors alike. Of special interest is the passenger pigeon, one of the few remaining examples of this extinct, native New York bird species. The birds were donated to the library in 1913 by Martense Cornell. Admission to the bird display is free of charge. The library is New York State's sixth oldest library and is a site of historical and architectural interest.
The Poughkeepsie area is home to several small art galleries, including the Barret Art Center, the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center, and the Mill Street Loft. At Vassar College, the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center are open to the public while also playing an important part in the college's curriculum. Admission to the 36,000 square foot gallery is always free.
The Poughkeepsie Main Street Farmers' Market runs every Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine, from June to October. Special events occur at various times throughout the market season. Foodies may also be interested in self-guided tours of the formal Victorian and heirloom gardens at Locust Grove, the Samuel B. Morse estate. Wine enthusiasts can hop on The Little Wine Bus, which stops at eight wineries around Poughkeepsie and was voted the "Best Way to Tour the Hudson Wine Valley" by Best of Hudson Valley Magazine in 2008.
