A Brief History of the Village of Nyack

The first known inhabitants of the Nyacks were Indians, of a tribe which is said to have originated in Brooklyn.  With the sale of Manhattan Island, these people migrated to Staten Island, and eventually northward, following the banks of the Hudson.

The first European settlement was originally a Dutch outpost, for which a patent was granted in 1671, and the area remained essentially a farming community until the early 19th century. The village prospered with the establishment of several shipyards, and Nyack came to prominence as the best harbor north of Manhattan on the west bank of the Hudson River.

With this prosperity came new growth, and the development of Nyack as a manufacturing center. Shoes, sewing machines, pianos and organs were made her into the early 1900s, and Nyack became Rockland County's retail and cultural center.

As elsewhere, the economic depression of the 1930;s took a disastrous toll in Nyack, and the village struggled to maintain its standing as the economic hub of the county. The advent of the automobile, the building of the Tappan Zee Bridge, New York State Thruway and the Palisades Parkway led to the residential and commercial development of the interior of the county, and further diminished the village's importance.

In the 1960s and 70s, the Nyack Village Board resolved to undertake a process of "urban renewal."  This program of new construction , combined with a commitment to architectural restoration, imbued Nyack with a renewed vitality.  The combination of commercial revitalization, historic preservation and small-town charm drew a new contingent of craftspeople, restaurateurs, artists and retailers to the village, creating a foundation for the Nyack we know today.  As we enter the 21st century, Nyack has emerged once again as the cultural, artistic and social center of Rockland County.