Poughkeepsie
a city and countyseat of Dutchess co., N. Y.; on the Hudson river, and the Central New England, and the New York Central and Hudson River railroads; 75 miles N. of New York. It has daily steamboat connection with New York and Albany. The Hudson is here crossed by a celebrated cantilever bridge which was completed in 1889 at a cost of nearly $5,000,000.
It is 7,100 feet long, has three cantilevers, and rests on six massive piers. Poughkeepsie is the seat of VASSAR COLLEGE (q. v.). Here are Riverview Military Academy, and other private educational institutions, parks, public library, orphan asylum, Home for Old Men, Home for Old Women, General Hos pital, Hudson River Hospital for the Insane, court house, Home for the Friendings, steel wheels, metallic axles, car-less, less, National and private banks, electric riages, nails, boilers, agricultural implements, cigars, etc. Pop. (1910) 15,599; (1920) 17,431. lights and street railroads, and daily and weekly periodicals. Poughkeepsie has manufactories of iron, machinery, boots and shoes, leather, carpets, glass, shirts, silk goods, clothing, flour, earthenware, drugs, etc. The city was settled by the Dutch in 1698; during the Revolution it was the capital of New York. The State convention to ratify the National Constitution met here in 1788. Pop. (1910) 27,936; (1920) 35,000.