How It All Began

Last Saturday, it was the scene of the annual Oakdale Plunge, and every summer, it is the site of the Hudson Youth Department's day camp. Native Hudsonians grew up swimming there in summer and ice skating there in winter.

Swimming at Oakdale, 1951--Photo by Gibson

On Thursday, March 19, at 6:00 p.m., Oakland Lake, the park, and the surrounding neighborhood will the subject of a talk by local historian Paul Barrett: "Beyond the Farmyard: The Development of Oakdale Park."

In 1907, plans were underway for a community of new homes in Hudson, offering paved streets, sidewalks, and convenient access to the Hudson business district. The design for this new development included an artificial lake, fed by a natural spring, surrounded by a beautifully landscaped park. In his talk, Barrett, in collaboration with History Room researcher extraordinaire John Craig, will discuss how the neighborhood known as "the Boulevards" developed and the importance of Oakdale Park for residents today.

The event, which is sponsored by the Hudson Area Library and the Greenport Historical Society, takes place in the Community Room of the library, 51 North Fifth Street. A question-and-answer period and refreshments will follow the talk. For more information, email programs@hudsonarealibrary.org or call 518 828-1792, ext. 101.
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