Tivoli is a tiny village on a dead end road, abutting the Hudson river and surrounded by extravagant estates. I had the pleasure of living in this community for two years, and I know my relationship with it will continue for many years to come.

In many ways, the history of Tivoli reflects the history of the whole region. The early 20th century saw Tivoli as a booming port town. At that time the river was afloat with steamboats and the bank was lined with railroad workers, along with brothels and bars to suit their every fancy. Up the hill, the small village center had a post office and towering churches where “respectable” families could be found on Sundays.

The mid-20th century saw commerce dry up, bringing the demolition of the train station, and many local shops shuttering its doors. Like many small communities throughout the country, Tivoli faced near fatal work shortages. And yet unlike so many, the village of Tivoli held fast to its heritage and maintained a strong life-force. During this period, Tivoli was viewed as “rough around the edges” by outsiders.

In the 70’s and 80’s, the Tivoli schoolhouse was closed. Tivoli students were bussed to a school in a nearby town where other children scorned them as outsiders. This contributed to a young, fierce, and tight-knit generation.

Everything began to change in the early 2000’s. The population of nearby Bard College quadrupled as the school gained higher esteem, bringing Tivoli an influx of college students and faculty. Since then, the village has regenerated with fine restaurants and hotels to suit the tastes of New Yorkers on holiday. Much of the appeal of Tivoli for vacationers, Bardians, and locals alike, is the historic “place out of time” atmosphere. To this day, most of Tivoli’s houses and storefronts remain much as they were a hundred years ago, preserved over time through poverty and isolation from the outside world.

Although Tivoli has undergone many transformations, there has always been a small community of locals maintaining the atmosphere of the place. In its unpoliced mid-century heyday, Tivoli had four bars and four churches. Locals say this about sums up the sometimes opposing cultures of the tiny village. Today there are only one bar and one church left in Tivoli, and many of the older residents are dying. Yet the ones who remain have colorful stories of a community they have lived and loved for generations.

I have had the honor of working with deputy mayor Emily Majer, mayor Joel Griffith, town historian Greg Moynahan, and eminent local residents. I researched local history, recorded in-depth oral history interviews, and organized community meetings at the town hall. I am passionate about this community and preserving its unique heritage for generations to come.

This ongoing project has been supported by funding from the Bard Center for Civic Engagement and Bard Digital History Lab, with help from Historic Red Hook.