All Roads Lead to Hastings-on-Hudson: A History of the Lower Hudson River Valley and New York City

A definitive history of Hastings-on-Hudson, reflecting the triumphs and challenges of progress within America for over 400 years.

Despite its modest footprint, Hastings-on-Hudson mirrors the growth of America, revealing the good, the bad, and the ugly. This small enclave on the Hudson River has shaped broader historical movements throughout the lower Hudson River Valley and New York City for over four hundred years while preserving its character, making it the unique community that it is today.

In All Roads Lead to Hastings-on-Hudson, Jonathan Lillard shares his deep connection to his hometown. Beginning with the geological formation of the region during the receding Ice Ages, when the Palisades cliffs, fertile valleys, and kettle lakes were carved into the land, the story follows the migration of the Indigenous peoples via the Bering Land Bridge and delves into the establishment of Native American settlements in the area, later disrupted by the brutal extermination campaigns of Dutch and English colonists. Lillard explores key historical events such as the settling of New York City, the Indian Dutch and Indian English wars, the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War, in particular, the unrest between Black and Irish laborers in New York City. Tackling the industrialization in Hastings-on-Hudson and subsequent pollution of the Hudson River, Lillard highlights the ongoing environmental legacy of the area. And while the village's industrial scars are still visible, Lillard praises the ongoing requirements and efforts to restore the vitality of the river. Interwoven into the narrative are the lives of notable individuals who lived in Hastings-on-Hudson, including many alumni of Kings College and Columbia University. Capturing the imagination of anyone who is interested in how America was built, the book offers a comprehensive portrait of the region's lasting influence on both local and national history.