Welcome to Dutchess County

Dutchess County was formed in 1683 as one of the original counties of New York, in a bold move by English Colonial Governor Thomas Dongan to cut off New England expansion and confirm control of the Northeast by the Stuart monarchy. Our name honors Maria Beatrice D’Este, the Dutchess (old spelling) of York. Her husband James, the Duke, as proprietor and future King, named everything he controlled for relatives and friends. The sole inhabitants then were the Wappinger Indians.

By 1700 small settlements were growing where the Hudson and kills (Dutch for streams) met at Fishkill, Rhinebeck and Poughkeepsie, where the County seat was established in 1714. The river and King’s Highway (Rt. 9) were main arteries of travel, with our position mid-way between New York and Albany a logical stopping place. Stage routes and commerce increased with the advent of inns and small villages, and those roads became supply routes during the Revolution. First Fishkill and then Poughkeepsie were New York’s first capitals, and it was on July 26, 1788 at the Poughkeepsie Courthouse that New York delegates chose to ratify the US Constitution.

European immigrants flocked to the area at the dawn of the 19th c. and as personal fortunes grew, public institutions were endowed. The Hudson River Valley was reflected in the works of painters, writers, architects and landscape architects; sloops, steamboats, trains and trolleys connected even the most remote areas of the county.

During the 20th c. railroads surrendered to the family car, and the trauma of the Great Depression gave way to hope as Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt made Dutchess an experimental laboratory for New Deal ideas. Since World War II and the coming of IBM, our area has flourished with a revival of culture and education.

Rediscovery of our rich and exciting past has become a public pursuit and we invite you to join in the journey.

Download Dutchess County, New York, Drive Tour Guide

PDF format, 7.11MB, 48 Pages.

Tour 1

Explores the towns of Rhinebeck, Red Hook, and Milan. Rhinebeck boasts 35 miles of meadowland, small streams, and wooded hills with lovely mountain vistas. Tradition holds that Red Hook was named by Henry Hudson’s crew in 1509 for a hook-like configuration of land near where they anchored, covered by red foliage at that time of year. Milan, a rural and sparsely populated town, offers some of the most beautiful roads and scenic views found here.

Visit Dutchess County Tourism Website

Dutchess County Tourism (DCT) was established in 1984. The officially designated destination marketing organization for Dutchess County, it brings tourism dollars to area businesses by marketing and promoting the assets of Dutchess County to the nation and the world.

Program areas are:

    * External Marketing: Advertising, national and international trade shows, publications, familiarization tours and direct mail;
    * Promotions/Publicity: Public relations, regional promotions and travel writers;
    * Retention/Expansion: Hospitality training, tourist information centers and advocacy programs;
    * Publications: Travel Guide, Scenic & Historic Drive Tours, Bike Tours and Calendar of Events.
    * Product Development, Winery Programs, Great Estates and Waterfront;
    * Major Events: Tourism Conference, Travel Writers’ Conferences, Holiday of Lights Reception, National Tourism Week.

DCT is New York State’s Division of Tourism’s “I Love New York” matching funds partner and a partner in Hudson Valley Tourism, Inc. in their regional marketing programs.

DCT is a division of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation. Programs provided by this agency are partially funded by moneys received from the County of Dutchess.

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