Once upon a time, the 600 block of Columbia Street was called "Gifford Place." This was because the home of Elihu Gifford, the owner of the Gifford Foundry, located a little farther up Columbia Street, was on the south side of the street and the five houses he had built for five of his six sons were on the north side of the street.
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Last night, at the Planning Board meeting, it was disclosed that Walter Chatham plans to call the private street in the subdivision he wants to create on Hudson Avenue "Gifford Place." The street is identified in the drawing below as "Shared Driveway."
The obvious reason for the name of this proposed private street is that the Gifford Company, which in 1905 became the Gifford-Wood Company, moved from its original location at Columbia and Green streets to a new location at the end of Hudson Avenue in 1907.
The home of Elihu Gifford was demolished in 1965. The original Gifford building was destroyed by fire in November 1969. The houses of the five Gifford sons survive, as does the Gifford-Wood building at the end of Hudson Avenue.
COPYRIGHT 2023 CAROLE OSTERINK
What a shame to loose those two beautiful buildings in the 1960's.
ReplyDeleteMost people in Hudson don't even realize that old factory building is rotting over there. It is a huge building. If you walk along the railroad tracks from the police station down to the waterfront you can get a good look at the back of it and see what a huge building it is. Quite a waste of space. The same route along the railroad would also be good for a paved bike / walking trail connecting uptown Hudson to the waterfront.
ReplyDeleteOn another topic, seeing the recent train disaster in Ohio, does anyone know what products are moved on that freight line through Hudson? There do appear to be liquid container cars. It makes one wonder what is in them and if safety protocols are being adhered to.
That spur goes only to ADM, Archer Daniels Midland, food, pet, and animal nutrition company, located on Route 23B in Greenport. adm.com
DeleteJust a friendly FYI. It is illegal and considered trespassing to walk along the right of ways for railroad tracks.
ReplyDelete