A Retrospective of Peekskill’s Artist District

History of District is theme of Peekskill Museum’s Gala

By Dave Mueller

October 9, 2023

It was an unusual idea for northern Westechester some 30 years ago and was written about everywhere from the New York Times to the Wall Street Journal to the Journal News and the Peekskill Herald, Peekskill became known as a city for artists. What was the reasoning behind the Artist District and who came up with the idea? The history of the Artist District will be discussed by the people who created it on Thursday, October 19 at 7 p.m.

A Retrospective of Peekskill’s Artist District: How it evolved and contributed to the city’s revitalization is the theme of the Peekskill Museum’s Gala at KinoSaito in Verplanck.

Join the Peekskill Museum as Ralph DiBart, Urban Planner and the brainchild behind the idea of an Artist District, Dwight Douglas, former Director of Planning and Development, now serving as a Peekskill Common Council member, and Larry D’Amico, mural and landscape artist, and member of the Peekskill Artist Alliance (PAA) for 24 years recount the history and development of the Artist District that jumpstarted Peekskill’s metamorphosis into an artist mecca.

This is a must-attend event for residents, newcomers, and anyone curious about how Peekskill became a city full of Artists. KinoSaito, located at 115 7th Street in Verplanck is the venue for the event.

Cocktail Hour begins at 6:00 p.m., followed by a brief history and panel discussion beginning at 7:00 p.m. The cost is $40 per person. RSVP by October 13th via PayPal at: https://peekskillmuseum.org/programs/ or payment by check to: Peekskill Museum, P.O. Box 84, Peekskill NY 10566.

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About the Contributor

Dave Mueller

As a Peekskill native, Dave is thrilled to be working with the Peekskill Herald showcasing featured calendar events. A 1999 graduate of PHS, he remembers reading and enjoying the original weekly print edition of the Peekskill Herald every Thursday. He especially liked the political stories, local features and sports coverage when it was written by Peekskill Runner columnist Jack Burns who always managed to weave history into the running times. An avid hiker, he enjoys exploring the local trails as well as the concrete ones in his job as a conductor for Metro North Railroad. He’s a former teacher and co-founder of the Friends of the Peekskill Dog Park, where he frequently can be found with his Koda. He’s happy to be part of the Herald’s growth as the source of local news for Peekskill and looks forward to highlighting a few of many of the events and happenings in Peekskill and the surrounding communities. Reach Dave at [email protected]