[Hastings-on-Hudson Online]


Village History

In 1879 the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson was incorporated, formalizing the name which had been in use for forty or fifty years. William F. Chrystie became the first "mayor" and the first ordinance prohibited the running at large or pasturing on any public street of horses, swine, geese, goats or other animals. A policeman was hired at $40 per month and his duties included lighting and extinguishing the street lamps and enforcing the 6 miles per hour speed limit.

Since the days when boys were paid a dollar a week for grazing cows along the river, Hastings has come a long way. Blasting for marble was one of the earliest industries; another quarry was worked for bluestone. The refining of sugar was another major industry with the refinery situated on the waterfront where Anaconda Wire and Cable Co. and Zinsser Chemical were later located. Fires in 1875 destroyed the refineries and resulted in the formation of our first volunteer fire company, Protection Engine Co. No. 1, with the firehouse being constructed with bricks salvaged from the refinery building.

Workers from Poland, Russia, Hungary, Italy, etc., came to Hastings to man the waterfront industries that manufactured chemical dyes, made paving blocks, and wire and cable of every description. Large estates were gradually broken up as the demand for housing increased following World Wars I and II.


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last update: 7/31/02