Flyer Distribution Beacon, NY

Beacon is a city in Dutchess County, New York, with a population of 13,769. It is situated in the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown Metropolitan Statistical Area and the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport Combined Statistical Area. The name "Beacon" was inspired by the historic beacon fires that alerted the Continental Army of the British troop movements. Initially, an industrial city, Beacon experienced a revival in 2003 with the establishment of Dia Beacon, one of the largest modern art museums in the US. Beacon is located in the Mid-Hudson Region, about 90 miles south of Albany and 60 miles north of New York City. History of Beacon, NY The city was purchased in 1683 by Francis Rombout and Gulian Verplanck from the Wappinger tribe. In 1706, the Rombout Patent was partitioned, and Catheryna Brett received and maintained around 28,000 acres along the Vis Kill. During the first third of the nineteenth century, Dutchess County was the state's leading county in wheat production. Mills on Brett's property attracted farmers from both sides of the river. Fishkill Landing developed into a river port with two dozen vessels operating out of it as early as 1780. The city became a factory town in the 1800s and was known as "The Hat Making Capital of the US," with nearly 50 hat factories operating at one time. Incorporated in 1913, Beacon was formed by combining the villages of Fishkill Landing and Matteawan, as well as a small portion of the hamlet of Glenham from the town of Fishkill. During the 1960s, urban renewal led to the destruction of some significant historic buildings. In the 1970s, a decline in the economy shuttered most of Beacon's factories, resulting in a severe and ongoing economic downturn. However, starting in the late 1990s, Beacon began an artistic and commercial rebirth, primarily due to the opening of Dia Beacon in 2003. Beacon is also home to one of a handful of operating "dummy lights" in the United States, located at the intersection of Main and East Main Streets.