Croton

Village of Croton-on-Hudson (Enter Croton's Hudson River Gallery)

The first inhabitants of Croton were Native Americans, followed by the Dutch and then the English. Most were farmers and traders. By the 19th century manufacturing arrived, along with the railroad and the construction of major public works projects — the dam and the aqueduct. The advent of the railroad had a major effect on Croton as it was here in 1913 that the terminal was built where the New York Central Railroad trains would switch their engines from electric to steam in order to travel north.

Early in the 20th century Croton became a Mecca for artists and intellectuals. Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, dancer Isadora Duncan, and actress Gloria Swanson resided here. Many members of the American Communist Party also took up residence. Today, it is a mostly suburban community, but one with a rich artistic heritage.