COME HOME TO POUGHKEEPSIE
[Sounds like a grand celebration - could we do it again?]
YOUR OLD HOME BIDS YOU WELCOME
to the greatest celebration in her history.
OLD HOME WEEK
During the Hudson Fulton Celebration and exercises at Poughkeepsie
Thursday, September 30th, to Monday October 4th, 1909
"Breathes there the man with soul so dead
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own, my native land!
Whose heart hath ne'er within him burn'd
As home his footsteps he hath turn'd
From wandering on a foreign strand?"
Poughkeepsie wants her sons and daughters home to help her celebrate her new life and growth and prosperity and to take part with her in the mammoth Hudson-Fulton Celebration that centers with such great interest in the old home town.
PROGRAM FOR OLD HOME WEEK
Thursday, |
September 30th, morning; Registration and distribution of literature at rooms of Information Committee. (Information stands and signs will be found at depots and docks.)
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Thursday, |
September 30th, afternoon: Dutchess County day at Hudson River driving park . Steeplechases and Flat Races under the auspices of the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association.
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Thursday, |
September 30th, afternoon and evening: Educational exercises at Collingwood Opera House for school children and parents; admission by card. Illustrated lecture on Hudson, Fulton and steamboat navigation by Mr. Charles Seymour Bullock , a noted historian on steamboats.
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Thursday, |
September 30th, evening: Grand illumination of city and of Eastman Park .
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Friday, |
October 1, morning: Opportunity to take trains and trolleys over Poughkeepsie bridge , around the city and to city's new parks .
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Friday, |
October 1, afternoon; Poughkeepsie day that the great Dutchess County Fair at the Hudson River Driving Park . Trotting Races, Steeplechases, Running Races, Wild West, Wonderful Exhibits, Bands of Music.
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Friday, |
October 1, evening: Open house and welcome to all former members of Poughkeepsie lodges, fraternal organizations, churches and order whose separate invitations accompanies this program.
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Saturday, |
October 2d, afternoon: Arrival of the United States fleet with attendant vessels, steamers, yachts and launches. Grand evening electrical display.
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Saturday, |
October 2d, afternoon; Athletic contests at Eastman Park for local and visiting athletes, with special prizes for sailors of the fleet.
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Saturday, |
October 2d, evening: Magnificent illumination and unique fireworks along the riverfront of the city. Illuminations and searchlights on board the fleet. (Poughkeepsie is prepared to give anchorage to one thousand vessels.)
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Sunday, |
October 3d, morning: Special Hudson-Fulton and Home Week services in churches.
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Sunday, |
October 3d, afternoon: Immense mass meeting on College Hill with chorus of five hundred male voices accompanied by bands of music.
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Sunday, |
October 3d, evening: Continuance of Home Week services in churches.
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Monday, |
October 4th , The entire Hudson-Fulton Celebration of the State centers on Poughkeepsie on this day. Morning : Landing of Marines, United States Regulars, Coming of the Dutchess County Society from New York, and a general welcome and good time for everybody in the Old Home. Afternoon: Immense spectacular street parade , the most elaborate and pompous ever seen in the city. Hudson-Fulton floats, native Indians, Civic Organizations, United State Marines, Regular Army and others. At the termination of the parade Governor Charles E. Hughes will deliver an open air address in Eastman Park . Evening: Complimentary banquets to Officers of the Fleet and Invited Guests. Special theatrical performance at Collingwood Opera House . Band Concert and grand Electrical Illumination at Eastman Park . ALL SING! "Little old Poughkeepsie, boys, was good enough for me, But its bigger new Poughkeepsie boys, I am going back to see. I'll sing her praises far and wide, for she's mighty glad that we Are all coming for reunion" (Tune of Marching through Georgia) OLD HOME WEEK - September 30 - October 4, 1909 |
Come to Poughkeepsie in September
Throughout the present month, in anticipation of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration, there are many interesting things to seen in "The Queen City of the Hudson."
The magnificent COURT OF HONOR [see photo below] on Market street is brilliantly and beautifully illuminated with electric lights three nights a week - Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Special lines of thousands of incandescent lights illuminate Main Street from the New York Central Railroad Station through the business section. These decorations will remain until the eve of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration, when they will be entirely rearranged and elaborated for the Three-Days' Celebration - October 2d, 3d, and 4th.
Remember that Poughkeepsie is the only city on the Hudson, outside of New York, which has the fleet and Hudson-Fulton celebration for more than one day.
Three days at Poughkeepsie 2, 3 and 4. Old Home Week, Five Days commencing September 30.
If you are a former Poughkeepsian , come back, renew old acquaintances and see how your old home city has improved.
If you have never visited Poughkeepsie, come here for a good time and see "The Queen City of the Hudson" at its best.
[the above appears to have been an insert prepared by the "Old Home Week Committee" which was then inserted into the local pamphlet on the Hudson Fulton Celebration - Adriance Memorial Library - Local History Collections]
[picture is from pamphlet published by the Publicity Committee of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration in Poughkeepsie - Adriance Memorial Libarary - Local History Collection]