Similar to Cold Spring, Peekskill has an industrial past based on iron stoves, plows and tools that were shipped north and south. Peekskill also has a rich history involving the American Revolution, the underground railroad, civil war fire brigades, Abraham Lincoln, Frank Baum and the yellow brick road, the production of military food provisons for WWII armed forces, and the original home for Crayola Crayons. Peekskill still has a one of the iron stove production buildings in tact that is used for the production of "green" industrial building products. It also has a rich mix of American Craft buisnesses.
This history, I'm sure, is similar to the history of other communities in the
Mid-Hudson region. One economic development goal could be to use rail and river transportation to draw tourism to the Regional Historic assets so that tourism is regional and sustainable. Shuttle services within a community to connect historic assets with downtowns,entertainment districts and nearby parks can provide extended weekend stays that can support an burgeoning tourism economy complete with
bed and breakfasts and boutique hotels, and river cruises / rail passes.