Peebles Island, one of five named islands in the delta-like confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, was originally inhabited by Native Americans and later became a center of waterpowered industry during America’s industrial rise in the 19th century. Today it is a state park with trails, amenities, and scenic views, and its former industrial buildings house the Peebles Island Resource Center, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Erie Canalway Heritage Corridor Visitor Center. Across the parking lot, the brick buildings of the Peabody Bleachery were operated by Cluett, Peabody and Co., which built the bleachery in 1909 to treat and finish raw cloth for its factory across the Hudson River in Troy. After decades of successful operation, the bleachery closed in 1972, and New York State purchased the island the following year and turned it into a state park. The former bleachery complex now houses the Division for Historic Preservation. The 750-mile Empire State Trail connects people to New York’s natural beauty, cultural heritage, iconic landscapes, and outdoor recreation, linking New York City with the Hudson River Valley, Buffalo along the Erie Canal, and the Champlain Valley and Adirondacks.
