Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 7

54 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 first official business district, which welcomed the West Shore Railroad in 1883. Soon, a new village developed on the higher ground above the landing – an area aptly called Highland – and steamboats began to shuttle freight and passengers between Highland Landing and New York City. Meanwhile, ferryboats were crossing the Hudson to Poughkeepsie several times a day. 1888 saw the completion of the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge and Central New England Railway and a westbound trolley line in 1897. Highland’s combined river, rail, and road connections were catalysts for much of the development that occurred in the neighboring hamlets. Thousands of tourists would move through the village during the early part of the 20th century, drawn by the delights of the surrounding Illinois Mountain, the Hudson River, and the local inns, hotels, and boarding houses that had opened to accommodate them. Charles Glasner, Chair of the Economic Development Committee, states, “The history of the town is fairly lengthy and in the 19th century, Lloyd was referred to as ‘the Gateway to Ulster County’, and a major part of its economic base was the development of guesthouses where people could stay for the weekend, or even a season. The other industry was agriculture – there were a lot of grape vineyards, AT A GLANCE TOWN OF LLOYD, NEWYORK WHAT: Picturesque, growing community; population approx. 12,000 WHERE: On the shores of the Hudson River, eastern part of Ulster County, NY WEBSITE: www.townoflloyd.com