Peekskill Downtown Historic District

The Peekskill Downtown Historic District encompasses a large section of the City of Peekskill in northwestern Westchester County, NY. It covers numerous streets: Main, Division, South, Park, Bank, Brown, First, and Esther Streets, as well as Central and Union Avenues. There are 150 contributing buildings in the district including many former commercial and bank buildings, houses of worship, art lofts, former homes, inns, parks, municipal buildings, and offices. Examples of Greek Revival Style architecture from the mid-nineteenth century can be found in the district, along with Italianate and Second Empire, Late Victorian, Art Deco Style and the Modern Movement. Over the past centuries many changes have affected Peekskill’s downtown landscape, chiefly the demolition of historic buildings during the Urban Renewal Program of the 1960s and 70s and the construction of nearby interstate highways. In spite of the loss of significant portions of its fabric, the Peekskill Downtown Historic District remains a rare surviving example of nineteenth-century urban commercial development in the Hudson Valley. The Peekskill Downtown Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

For two centuries, the Peekskill Downtown Historic District has been the heart of Peekskill’s commercial zone due in large part to its geographic location. The district is situated in the center of Peekskill where two historic roads intersect: the Albany Post Road, now known as Route 9; and Danbury Road, or Route 202, which leads down to the Hudson River. Still important for travel and trade, these were two of the most important north-south and east-west land routes in the lower Hudson Valley from colonial times into the automobile age.

Before businesses took center stage in Peekskill’s downtown, residences were built close to mills, near what was known as Magregere’s Brook. In 1781, there were about twenty houses. By 1800 numerous stores and more mills appeared, joined by churches, a schoolhouse, and a burying ground. In 1816, the year that the Village of Peekskill was incorporated, there were approximately two hundred and fifty people living in the area.

With its proximity to the Hudson River, and the “Peek’s Kill” (now known as the Annsville Creek) landing, the downtown was also close to ports for the shipment of local agriculture. In the 1820s, industry also arrived here, beginning with iron works for the production of farm equipment and stoves. More industry and stores pushed residences a bit further from the center to accommodate the commercial growth of the downtown. Two residential structures from the mid-nineteenth century have survived to the present day. They are located across from one another at the fringes of the Peekskill Downtown Historic District at 211 S. Division Street and 925 First Street, both built c.1850.

Many 19th century places of worship downtown still exist in the Peekskill Downtown Historic District (although some have since been converted to other uses): the Peekskill First Baptist Church built in 1847 and rebuilt in 1871; St. Peter’s Episcopal Church from 1891 (added individually to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003); the First Presbyterian Church built in 1846 (added individually to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002); the Second Presbyterian Church/Field Library from 1845; the Church of the Assumption built in 1866; and the First Hebrew Congregation from 1904.

Existing commercial buildings in the Peekskill Downtown Historic District include: Mandeville’s Tavern at 1000 Main Street, the oldest surviving commercial building in the district from c.1820; the Peekskill Evening Star Building from 1930; the Bank Street Service Station from 1937; the F.W. Woolworth Co. Store from 1947; and the former N.Y. Telephone Co. Exchange building at 1023 Brown Street from 1952.

Also included in the historic district are many diverse building types: banks; art lofts; “The Guardian” school from 1905; the Cortlandt Hook & Ladder Company at 828 Main Street from 1920; Pugsley Park from 1930; the Paramount Theatre from 1930; Peekskill City Hall from 1936; the U.S. Post Office on South Street from 1930; a private residence-turned-museum dating back to 1873 (Herrick House/Peekskill Museum); and Jan Peek Square Park from 1970. The Peekskill Downtown Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

1. Horton, William T. Pioneers, Patriots and People Past and Present: A History of Peekskill, New York. 1953.
2. City of Peekskill. “Peekskill: A Journey Into History 1839-1965; Commemorating 126 Years of History.” Peekskill, NY: Monument Printers & Lithographers, Inc. 1965.
3. Horton, William T. Pioneers, Patriots, and Peoples Past and Present: A History of Peekskill, New York. 1953.
4. “Peekskill Downtown Historic District #04000095.” National Register of Historic Places. United States Department of the Interior/National Park Service. 2005. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75323155 
5. Shargel, Baila R. and Drimmer, Harold L. The Jews of Westchester: A Social History. Fleischmanns, NY: Purple Mountain Press. 1994.