Book excerpt: Catskill Village has deep roots in the long human history of the Hudson River Valley, from its native population who greeted Henry Hudson on his voyage upriver in 1609 to its early settlers. Today's village is located on the commercially advantageous landing on the Hudson River. In 1802, the Susquehanna Turnpike opened the village to the expanding western frontier, and Catskill Village became one of the most prominent commercial ports on the Hudson River. Local trades such as shipbuilding, tanning, farming, brickmaking, fishing, and tourism flourished. By the mid-20th century, the long era of prosperity had faded, only to rise phoenixlike in the past decade with an infusion of young professionals, artists, craftsmen, merchants, and those determined to save and restore the village's exceptionally rich architectural heritage.