You’ve Seen New York’s Great Seal, But Did You Know It Shows a Hudson Valley Town?

Can You Identify The Hudson Valley Town on The Great NY Seal?

I've lived in the Hudson Valley for most of my life Most of life has been spent in Dutchess County and it seems like I'm always learning something new.

I grew up in Poughkeepsie, but have lived in Beacon for the last 10 years so I follow local pages on social media like the Beacon Historical Society.

While doing my daily scroll, I saw an interesting post from the Beacon Historical Society with the title "A DOZEN THINGS EVERY BEACONITE (NATIVE OR NEWCOMER) SHOULD KNOW ABOUT OUR HISTORY."

Of course I took a look.

According to the post, if you look closely to the Great New York State Seal, you'll see a picture of a body of water, with a mountain in the background and the sun rising behind it.

That mountain, is none other than Mount Beacon. Who knew?!

The Beacon Historical Society writes:

According to New York State Library Historian Joseph Gavit in New York History, Volume XXXI: “In the center, a shield reveals the sun rising behind Mount Beacon over the Hudson River." How proud we are to live in her shadow!

For more fun facts about Beacon, and to support the historical society in their 50th year, visit BeaconHistorical.org..

Mount Beacon: Top Hudson Valley Hiking Destination

As a Beacon resident, I've been known to visit Mount Beacon a few times throughout the year.

One may say that Mount Beacon is a great trail to hike if you're looking to start picking up hiking as a hobby.

That's not to say it's an easy hike, it's very steep and rocky and there are stairs involved, but once you get that first hike out of the way, you'll be a pro in no time.

With that being said, there are some rules that locals have come up with over the years when it comes to hiking the popular Dutchess County trail.

Locals and visitors a like should take the following "commandments" into consideration next time they hike Mount Beacon.

Popular Dutchess County Hiking Trail Under Construction

A popular hiking trail near Mount Beacon is currently under going a huge construction project.

Mount Beacon's neighbor Breakneck Ridge trailhead is closed until 2027 due to a project called the Breakneck Connector and Bridge. New York Parks said that the new construction will make the area safer for hikers and motorists.

They said the construct will "bring much-needed improvements such as restrooms and trash

This project will also "bring much-needed improvements such as restrooms and trash and recycling receptacles to the area."

While Breakneck is closed, check out some of these local hikes to pass the time: