Early settlers established this hamlet on higher ground amid farmland with views of the Hudson, and locals long pronounced its name literally as “high land.” In the 1820s, Philip Elting donated land for a church and built stores to create a town center, though many called the venture "Philip's Folly." More than half a century later, the railroad turned that folly into an economic hub, including a large lumber yard that served a growing population and building boom. Fire destroyed much of the business district in 1891, but it was rebuilt in brick and stone. A trolley linking New Paltz to the Hudson once ran through town, foreshadowing a population peak driven by a broader railway system connecting Kingston and Newburgh. With the arrival of the automobile and the construction of 9W, commerce shifted away from the hamlet, helping preserve much of its turn-of-the-century character. Today, its industrial heyday remains visible in the architecture as boutique shops and restaurants thrive amid the Hudson Valley’s beauty and tranquility.