Contact Information:

Archives and Special Collections
Cannavino Library
Marist College
3399 North Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone: 845-575-5217
Fax: 845-575-3150
Email: john.ansley@marist.edu
URL: http://library.marist.edu/archives/HRVC_Aid.html

Processed by:

Jordan Heiligmann

Date Completed:

July 22, 2004

Descriptive Summary

Title:

The Hudson River Valley Commission Collection

Creator:

Hudson River Valley Commission

Extent:

3.33 linear feet

Date Span:

1955–1976

Repository:

Marist College Archives and Special Collections

Abstract:

The Hudson River Valley Commission (HRVC) was formed by Governor Rockefeller and his staff to regulate development along the Hudson River in 1966. This collection primarily consists of the findings from a series of surveys conducted by the HRVC between 1965 and 1970.

Administrative Information

Access:

No restrictions.

Usage Restrictions:

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Provenance:

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Library presented the records to the Marist College Archives in 2004.

Online Catalog Terms

Hudson River Valley (N.Y. and N.J.)
Hudson River Valley Commission
Hudson River Environmental Society
Environmental Auditing -- United States
Environmental Protection
Hudson River

Historical Note

In September 1962, the Consolidated Edison Company announced plans to build a pumped storage facility, the largest of its kind in the world, at Storm King Mountain near Cornwall, New York. The initial application for license to construct the plant was filed with the Federal Power Commission in January 1963. Some three years later the Hudson River Valley Commission was formed by Governor Rockefeller and his staff to regulate development along the Hudson River. Widespread public concern over the social and economic impact of urban sprawl, the deterioration of scenic beauty and natural resources along the Hudson and the economic stagnation of many riverfront communities led to the creation of HRVC. The Commission was directed by law to review proposed projects within its jurisdiction “which would destroy or substantially impair significant historic or recreational resources or bring about a major change in the appearance or use of the water in the Hudson River or the surrounding land.” As part of this directive the HRVC conducted surveys of the Hudson River between the years of 1965 and 1970.

The Hudson River Environmental Society took possession of the collection soon after the Hudson River Valley Commission was dissolved and added additional materials. The Hudson River Environmental Society preserved the collection until 1983, when they transferred it to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park, NY.

The Hudson River Environmental Society (HRES), a nonprofit membership organization, was founded in 1970 to foster research on the Hudson River environment and related coastal areas, provide a forum for communication and cooperation among researchers, and make the results of environmental research available and accessible to concerned citizens and public officials.

HRES works to facilitate and coordinate research in the physical, biological and social sciences; environmental engineering; resource management; urban and regional planning; and other disciplines in the Hudson River region. Equally important, HRES serves as a channel of communication between the research community and researchers. HRES strives to ensure that the best possible information is available to those who potentially affect the environment. The Society's membership includes corporate members, individuals from major academic and research institutions, consulting firms, government agencies industries and conservation organizations concerned with environmental matters in the Hudson Valley region and interested citizens. The best known activities of HRES are its conferences and workshops on subjects of current environmental interest. HRES has organized topical meetings on such subjects as: PCBS, acid rain, dredging and soil disposal, the Hudson River fisheries, State Environmental Quality Review Act, freshwater and tidal wetlands, toxic and hazardous waste management, coal conversions, scenic and historic area preservation, energy and the future, and coastal revitalization and preservation.

Collection Overview

This Collection consists of 2.75 linear feet of papers, photographs, and audiovisual materials created by the HRVC and the Hudson River Environmental. The collection contains approximately 4081 negatives, 782 black and white prints, 290 sheets of contact prints, 80 color slides, 32 color negatives, 13 color prints, and 67 pages of manuscript material relating to several surveys of the Hudson River conducted by the Hudson River Valley Commission, between 1965 and 1970. The collection also includes four open-reel sound recordings of HRVC meetings and symposia, 1969-1973; two cassette tapes of HVRC meetings, 1972 and 1976; and two other videotapes.

Lists of Series:
1. Photographs
2. Recorded Media
3. Publications
4. Oversized Materials Series

Series Descriptions:

1. Photographs
4,081 negatives, 782 black and white prints, 32 color negatives, 16 color prints

Size: 1.66 Linear Feet

Arrangement: by original order

Containers: Boxes 1-5

Folders: 1-143

2. Recorded Media
4 open reel sound recordings, 2 cassette tapes, 2 videotapes

Size: .66 Linear Feet

Arrangement: by original order

Containers: Boxes 6-7

Folders: 144-161

3. Publications
Size: .33 Linear Feet

Arrangement: by original order

Containers: Box 8

Folders: 161-165

4. Oversized Materials
31 oversized photographs

1 glass slide

Size: .66 Linear Feet

Arrangement: by original order

Containers: Boxes 9-10

Folders: 166-197

Series One – HVRC Photographs

Box 1: HVRC Photographs

Folder 1	Negatives – Marinas
Folder 2	Manhattan NYC, 3/8/62
Folder 3	Brooklyn NYC, 2/21/67
Folder 4	New Baltimore T.
Folder 5	Athens V.
Folder 6	Troy
Folder 7	Schaghticoke
Folder 8	East Greenbush
Folder 9	Castleton on the Hudson
Folder 10	Watervliet
Folder 11	Ravena
Folder 12	Green Island V.
Folder 13	Colonie Western Gateway
Folder 14	Cohoes
Folder 15	Coeymans, 2/67
Folder 16	Albany, 1/15/70-12/25/68
Folder 17	Saugerties, 4/67
Folder 18	Esopus Meadows Lighthouse, 11/26/65
Folder 19	Esopus
Folder 20	Hudson
Folder 21	Wappingers Falls, V.
Folder 22	Wappingers, T., 11/3/65
Folder 23	Poughkeepsie T., 2/70
Folder 24	Beacon, 11/9/65
Folder 25	Tarrytown Lighthouse
Folder 26	Hudson Falls
Folder 27	Tarrytown, 9/70
Folder 28	Kingston
Folder 29	Red Hook
Folder 30	Greenport
Folder 31	Estates, 8/1/68
Folder 32	Easton
Folder 33	Cold Spring
Folder 34	Briarcliff Manor
Folder 35	Bannerman’s Island, 2/8/68

Box 2: HVRC Photographs

Box 3: HVRC Photographs

Box 4: HVRC Photographs

Box 5: HVRC Photographs

Series Two – HVRC Recorded Media

Box 6: HVRC Recorded Media

Folder 144	¼” Open Reel Audio Tape: Larry Birns Interviews, October 15, 1964, Benjamin Frasier and Charles E. Hoppin, unedited tape
Folder 145	¼” Open Reel Audio Tape: Dr Eisenbud, HR Symposium, October 1969
Folder 146	¼” Open Reel Audio Tape: HRVC Steering Committee, February 17, 1970
Folder 147	¼” Open Reel Audio Tape: “Tape 1”
Folder 148	¼” Open Reel Audio Tape: “Tape 2”
Folder 149	¼” Open Reel Audio Tape: “Tape 3”
Folder 150	¼” Open Reel Audio Tape: “Tape 4”
Folder 151	¼” Open Reel Audio Tape: “Tape 5”
Folder 152	¼” Open Reel Audio Tape: “Tape 6”
Folder 153	¼” Open Reel Audio Tape: July 6, 1973, Assessment Meeting
Folder 154	Audio Cassette: Hudson River Tidal Marsh Workshop/ Bard College Tape 1, 06/02/1976
Folder 155	Audio Cassette: Hudson River Tidal Marsh Workshop Tape 2, 06/02/1976
Folder 156	Audio Cassette: HRES 11/16/1972

Box 7: HVRC Recorded Media

Series Three - HVRC Publication

Box 8: HVRC Publication

Folder 163	Historical Quotes
Folder 164	Newspaper Clippings
Folder 165	Publications
Folder 166	Photos Used In Publications

Series Four - HVRC Oversized Materials

Box 9: HVRC Oversized Materials

Folder 167	4 x 3.25” Glass Slide: “Paper Bags”
Folder 168	9.5 x 6” mounted photograph of Hudson River
Folder 169	6.25 x 9.5” mounted photograph of Storm King Mountain on Hudson River
Folder 170	9.5 x 6.25” mounted photograph of forest on Hudson River
Folder 171	9.5 x 6.25" mounted photograph of Hudson River in winter
Folder 172	8 x 6.25” mounted photograph of mountain on Hudson River
Folder 173	8 x 7.5” mounted photograph of Upper Reservoir
Folder 174	7.5 x 7.5” mounted photograph of brook in forest near Hudson River
Folder 175	7.5 x 7.5” mounted photograph of waterfall in forest near Hudson River
Folder 176	9.5 x 6.25” mounted photograph of West Point Ceremony on Hudson River
Folder 177	m9.5 x 5.5” mounted photograph of “Break Neck Ridge” on Hudson River
Folder 178	9.5 x 6.25”mounted photograph of railroad tracks along Hudson River
Folder 179	9.5 x 6.25” mounted photograph of mountain on Hudson River in winter
Folder 180	6.25 x 7.75” mounted photograph of mountain along Hudson River
Folder 181	9.5 x 6” mounted photograph of factory on Hudson River
Folder 182	5.75 x 7” mounted photograph of factory on Hudson River
Folder 183	7.5 x 7.5” mounted photograph of forest near Hudson River
Folder 184	7.5 x 7.5” mounted photograph of forest near Hudson River
Folder 185	10 x 8” mounted photograph of Hudson River
Folder 186	13 x 9” mounted photograph of mountains near Hudson River
Folder 187	13 x 9.75” mounted photograph of Storm King Mountain
Folder 188	6.5 x 4.25” mounted photograph of Hudson River

Box 10: HVRC Oversized Materials

Folder 189	18.75 x 14.75” mounted photograph of pollution on Hudson River
Folder 190	19 x 14.5” mounted photograph of factory on Hudson River
Folder 191	18.75 x 15.25” mounted photograph of explosion on abandoned railway bridge
Folder 192	19 x 14.5” mounted photograph of billboards on road close to Hudson River
Folder 193	18 x 15.5” mounted photograph of factory on Hudson River
Folder 194	19.5 x 15.5” mounted photograph of sewage pipe on Hudson River
Folder 195	10.75 x 15.25” mounted photograph of sewage pipe on Hudson River
Folder 196	19.5 x 15.5” mounted photograph of sewage pipe on Hudson River
Folder 197	15.75 x 18.15” mounted photograph of high voltage tower on Hudson River
Folder 198	19.5 x 15.5” mounted photograph of factory on Hudson River

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last updated on May 11, 2006