POUGHKEEPSIE, po-kfp'sl. A city and the county-seat of Dutehess County, N. Y., 74 miles north of New York City; on the east bank of the Hudson River, on the New York Central and Hudson River and other railroads, and connected by ferry with the West Shore Railroad, on the opposite side of the river (Map: New York, G 4). A noteworthy cantilever bridge, completed in 1889, spans the Hudson at this point. (See BRIDGE.) Pough keepsie is situated partly on a plateau at an elevation of about 200 feet above the river, and partly on the slope to the river. It is well known as the seat of Vassar College (q.v.). whose fine buildings and grounds are some distance east of the city. It has also a number of schools for secondary education, and the Eastman Business College. The Adriance :Memorial Library con tains more than 24.000 volumes. Besides the Hudson River State Hospital for the Insane, two miles north of Poughkeepsie, there are the Vas sar Brothers Institute, Pringle Memorial Home, Saint Barnabas Hospital, and several other insti tutions. College llill Park contains 100 acres, and from its highest point commands a fine view of the picturesque surroundings.
The manufacturing interests of Poughkeepsie, according to the census of 1900, represented a capital of $5.6S8.000, with products valued at
86,827,000. Among the important establishments are mowing machine works, foundries and ma chine shops, a shoe factory, patent medicine fac tories, slaughtering houses, tobacco, cigar, and cigarette factories, cooperage shops, and lumber mills. The government is administered under a revised charter of 1900, which provides for a mayor elected every two years, and a unicameral council. The majority of administrative officials are appointed by the mayor, whose nomination of members of the hoard of health, however, are made with the consent of the council. The water works are owned and operated by the municipal ity. The Dutch made a settlement about 1698 on the site of Poughkeepsie, which was called by the Indians Apokrepsing (safe harbor). During the Revolutionary War (after 17i•3') it was the State capital. and here in 1788 met the State CODVell tioR which, under the influence of Alexander Hamilton, ratified the Federal Constitution. The village was incorporated iu 1799 and a city charter was granted in 1854. Population, in 1890, 22,206; in 1900, 24,029.