Stretching 315 miles north from New York Harbor to its source in the Adirondacks, the majestic Hudson River became a major trade artery with the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, which connected it to the Great Lakes. But patterns of commerce changed and by the early 20th century the Hudson Valley had fallen into decline. Fortunately, the past decade has seen a renewal spurred by relatively inexpensive real estate and a revived agricultural base. 
The small city of Hudson has found a new identity as a weekend retreat for New Yorkers, drawn by the scenic grandeur that once inspired the Hudson River School of landscape painters. (Both Thomas Cole’s Federal-style house, Cedar Grove, and Frederic Church’s Orientalist mansion, Olana, are located approximately 5 miles to the south of town.) Antiques shops, stylish boutiques and farm-to-table restaurants line Warren Street, the town’s main roadway.