Fishkill

Fishkill, in spite of its name, is a friendly place that doesn’t want to kill fish. There was even a dispute with the mayor regarding the name, which actually means “fish” and “stream”, as “kill” is the Dutch word for “stream”. The Dutch were the settlers of Fishkill, which later served as a supplier for goods to Revolutionary War soldiers, and Samuel Loudon’s Press printed the first sections of the Constitution here in 1777.

Today, people live in Fishkill because of the low housing costs (280,0004 is the median cost of a home here), low crime rate, five-star school system, easy transportation, and excellent amenities. People visit for the restaurants, shops and entertainment, as Fishkill is home to two water parks: Roseland and SplashDown, which brings in visitors from all over America to enjoy cooling off in the sun. Roseland even has a twister speed slide, and you can go tubing or just relax along its lazy river, and Splash Down has great slides for all ages, and is a great place to have a birthday party. Fishkill also attracts many inner-city youth to Camp Mariah, a day camp for young city dwellers founded by pop singer Mariah Carey, giving them a taste of country life. History buffs will love Van Wyck’s colonial house and museum or the 1900 Scottish-style castle, Batterman’s Castle. There’s also the lovely grounds at Mount Gulian Gardens, which is home to an 18th-century style colonial mansion, as well as 18 acres of garden to explore.

Restaurants and shops here make Fishkill a wonderful place to visit, as residents and visitors alike have access to stores like Sam’s Club, Shop Rite, a Walmart Supercenter, and a Doller Store for great savings. Unique shops like Hands of Serenity even offer Reiki from people who are professionally trained in the healing arts. (There’s also a gift shop and you can participate in workshops for a reasonable price.) Restaurants here are very eclectic, including ethnic delights as Tanjore for traditional Indian quizine, or family favorites like the fun-loving American classic Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse.

Fishkill is a lovely town where tourists will feel right at home and visitors will be glad they’ve decided to stay. Commuters will find it easy to point A to point B using the nearby Poughkeepsie or Beacon train stations. People who need to take the bus will have access to the Chappaqua Bus Company which stops in town, and there are numerous taxi services to be found in Poughkeepsie, Beacon and other nearby areas which will come to your aid in a jiffy.

Come visit Fishkill for a great taste of American history, quality food, great schools and you won’t be disappointed: you might not even want to leave!

Fishkill is a town of 22,000 people located in southern Dutchess County. It includes the hamlets of Brinkerhoff, Glenham, Dutchess Junction and the Village of Fishkill.

Fishkill has all the benefits of suburbia- nearby shopping, restaurants, a variety of recreational activities, and a minor-league baseball team. However, it’s not crowded or noisy. The town is spread out over 32 square miles. Some of the town is located along the banks of the Hudson. There are two mountain peaks in the area as well, Mount Beacon and Mission Peak, both reaching 2,000 feet above sea level.

Students who live in Fishkill primarily attend school in the Wappingers Central School District. With an enrollment of 12,000 students, it’s one of the largest districts in New York State. The district also draws from surrounding towns, covering nearly the entire southwestern corner of the county. In 2011-2012, the district was newly identified by the state as being in need of improvement in the areas of elementary, middle school and secondary English Language Arts. Several private and parochial schools also serve the area.

Fishkill has been home to significant new home construction, including single-family homes and townhouse and condominium complexes. Long-time residents have not necessarily been pleased to see housing developments go up where farms once stood, but changing times have given way to changing landscapes. The town is accessible to a wide range of budgets; homes can be found starting in the mid-$200k range.

Homebuyers have been drawn to the lower prices and lower taxes in Dutchess County, though in exchange many residents who work in the city find themselves with longer commutes. The nearest Metro North station is in Beacon, with travel time to Grand Central running at an hour and a half. Fishkill is convenient to major highways for those commuting by car- Interstate 84, Route 9 and the Taconic all run through or near the town. There is also easy proximity to Poughkeepsie and its array of shopping, including the Galleria Mall and one of the largest Barnes & Noble stores in the area, complete with a spacious café.

Fishkill offers many amenities, including shopping, recreation, affordable homes, and a beautiful uncrowded, unhurried environment.

I had heard about Fishkill in the context of IBM well before I came to the area and always thought it a strange name. After moving to the area, when I asked around I found out that the 'kill' refers to creek and is evidence of the early Dutch influence in the area - so, we have Peekskill and Catskills among other similar names in the vicinity.

I recently had an occasion to visit the Van Wyck Homestead Museum in Fishkill to help some kids with their research of Colonial times and found it a very education experience. The large frame farmhouse that sits just off the junction of I-84 and Route 9 may not look like much from outside. However, I highly recommend a visit to anyone interested in a history of the area. The museum in maintained by the Fishkill Historical Society which came into existence in the 1960s mainly to save this house from demolition during the I-84 construction. This 1730s structure was originally the home of Isaac Van Wyck and his family. It was requisitioned to be the Officers’ Headquarters by the Continental Army in 1776. Many key figures of that time were visitors here. The rooms inside this homestead allow you to get a feel for the life of the times. It is also a good way to get a personal sense of the history that shaped the region. The Fishkill of today is such a typical bustling suburb that it is very easy to forget that it has been around a long time and there are buildings here with many stories to share.

As other reviewers have pointed out, Fishkill has a lot to offer in terms of conveniences and amenities for those looking to settle in the area. It offers a small town vibe with big town amenities.

Fishkill is a small modestly wealthy suburban town in Dutchess County with quite a few amenities as well as gorgeous views of the glorious Hudson River. Fishkill has everything from Victorian homes to small and mid-scale single family dwellings to condos and apartments. It also has affordable housing options and senior housing.

Fishkill restaurants include Locanda Restaurant with its family-friendly atmosphere and terrific Southern Italian cuisine, Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse, Toro which has excellent sushi and Korean kalbi, Mamma Carmela’s Italian Deli, Ruby Tuesday, Sapore Steakhouse with its succulent aged beef offerings, Tanjore Cuisine of India, a little gem with delicious and diverse Indian fare, the romantic and casual-chic Il Barilotto Enoteca, the I-84 Diner where breakfast is served twenty-four hours a day, the festive Maya Café replete with mariachi music, Boston Market and old stand-by, Friendly’s Ice Cream Shop. There is also a beloved local Cracker Barrel

Shopping in Fishkill consists of Simply Chic Consignment Boutique, Once Again, Dean’s Books, Hallmark Cards and Gifts, Payless Shoe Source, Nifty Thrifty Resale Shop, Anthony Jewelers, Special Occasions & Bridal, Country Curtains, Play n' Trade, Radio Shack, Old Navy, Ames Department Store, Chico’s, Sears, Talbots, Famous Footwear, Gap, Dollar Tree, a Home Depot, a Walmart and a Sam’s Club. There are also several dry cleaners, laundromats, liquor stores, gas stations, jewelry stores, opticians and florists.

For additional grocery food options other than Walmart and Sam’s, you can head to Shop Rite, Osbourne Mini Market, Convenient Food Mart, T & F Grocery Center and Fishkill Beer & Soda Discount.

The Fishkill Recreation Center has great summer camps and a ton of terrific sports programs including little league as well as classes such as karate. They also offer a babysitting course. You can even rent rooms at the center to host special events. Their main hall has a full kitchen.

For further entertainment, Splash Down Beach is a very cool water park located in Fishkill with a monster wave pool, a lazy river, huge slides, a super bungee jumper, winding water tunnel rides, a shipwreck lagoon, a new Big Cat Encounter Animal Show and a rock beach with a Nathan’s Famous and a Pepsi Stage where even Justin Bieber has performed! There is also a Regal Cinemas 10 and Schneider’s Fishkill Bowl.

Maurer Geering Park has four tennis courts, two basketball courts, a little league playing field, a senior league playing field, a playground, a pavilion, a concession area and restrooms. It also holds summer concerts in the parks. Shepheard Memorial Park has a baseball field, a softball field, two little league fields, a concession stand and restrooms. Sarah Taylor Park has a nice new jungle gym for kids. Doug Philips Park has a basketball court, three tennis courts, nature trails, two softball fields, a playground, picnic areas and restrooms. Friendly Paws Park is located within Doug Philips Park.

Fishkill is only ten miles from Steward International Airport. The nearest train station is in nearby Beacon and the commute time to NYC is one hour and seventeen minutes to one hour and a half, depending on time of day.

And speaking of Beacon, many Fishkill residents head there for an arts and culture fix as it has an amazing contemporary art museum, the Howland Cultural Center with its myriad offerings as well as a ton of very cool art and sculpture galleries. It also has a very eclectic mix of shopping in its Historic Main Street District.

Fishkill students are a part of both the Wappingers Central School District and the Beacon School Board, both with bragging rights to award-winning schools.

The median income is about $52,145 and the median home value is roughly $151, 000.

The population of Fishkill is approximately 22,000. .

I have to admit I'm a huge fan of FIshkill. It's a small hamlet, with a limited population and overall not very big geographically, yet there's a fair bit to do and see. The average income isn't very high, and the home prices are reasonable for quality. it's not as picturesque as some other hamlets in the town of Fishkill, but the hamlet of Fishkill is great.

First up, I really like Sarah Taylor Park. Again, not as fancy as some parks, but it's very well kept up, has soccer fields, a playground for kids, and plenty of room to go for a walk or have a picnic. I'm not much of a fisherman, but I've heard a lot of people like to fish there. If that's your thing, you've got a place to go!

There are also a handful of places to get in shape in Fishkill, which is nice considering how small it is. There's a Gold's Gym (I haven't been to this particular one, but these chain gyms tend to be all the same) and a splash park for summer fun and exercise in the water.

For dining and nightlife I recommend Paula's Stone Cottage Wine Bar. It's a very welcoming establishment where you can try out a lot of great wines and talk to the proprietor Paula and enjoy yourself. I've been here a few times with my fiancee and loved every visit. There are some other good dining options in Fishkill, from India or Mexican food to steakhouses and good old fashioned pizza. Not bad, and you'll have enough to keep entertained.

If you have kids and are Christian, St. Mary Mother of the Church is right nearby. I'm not sure if it's technically part of FIshkill or not, but it's so close you can easily send your kids there. I've heard it's a great place for teaching your kids.

There are a lot of great things about Fishkill, and the overall welcoming nature just had me hooked right from the get go. I highly recommend it if you can find work nearby.

There are two very distinct sides to Fishkill, one having been designated by a buzzing commercial corridor and the other a small village of homes, shops, churches and schools. Route 9, which draws shoppers from parts of Putnam, Dutchess, and Orange counties, runs directly through the center of Fishkill, serving as an outlet to big box stores, shopping centers, restaurants and gas stations. On the flip side, Route 52 serves as the village's main street, with quieter mom-and-pop shops, housing developments, an elementary school and a handful of churches paving the way to a quieter suburban lifestyle.

To me, Fishkill is reflective of a small town struggling to maintain a name for itself amongst a growing trend of Wal-Marts, Mobil gas stations and Panera Breads. While I feel like I'm in a local village, it's easy to get distracted by the hustle and bustle of Route 9. Of course it's great for shopping- everything you could ever need is at your finger tips with just a short ride down the road; but if you enjoy a quieter lifestyle, you may want to check out other places in Dutchess County. Fishkill can be a good place for teenagers, however- unlike other parts of Dutchess, there's much more to do along Route 9, with shopping malls, movie theaters, food places, mini golf and even a seasonal water park lining the commercial strip.

Since employment opportunities are limited to commercial business, most commute outside of Fishkill for work. It's a great location for this, however; Route 52 will bring you back into Putnam County, and Route 9 runs north into Wappingers and Hyde Park. Interstate 84 is right down the road, giving residents access to Newburgh and Beacon or Putnam County and Connecticut in the east.