IBM was a great neighbor. During the 60´s and 70´s, they carried a major portion of the real estate taxes for the community. They also contributed financial support for many community projects. IBM employees were well educated and they expected and demanded good schools for their children. The East Fishkill School System known as Wappinger Central is considered one of the best in the country.

IBM retains a significant presence in the area; but is no longer the largest employer. When IBM downsized a few years ago, they laid off approximately 15,000 local people. It brought a severe unemployment problem into the area.  It took many years to recover from the negative financial impact.

Early settlers relied on the Hudson River to transport goods between New York City and Albany. The port at Fishkill Landing was a major stopping point along the way. Fishkill flourished with the increased river traffic, following the Revolutionary War. The Town´s center also became a major rest stop for stage coaches traveling on the "Kings Highway" (Albany Post Road), between New York City and Albany.

Early settlers built their one and two story colonial style homes along a road know as Madam Brett´s Highway. Madam Brett´s Highway was heavily traveled by early settlers. It started as a dirt road that ran between Fishkill Plains and Brett´s Mill, at the Fishkill Landing. It was named after Catharyna Brett. She was the only daughter of Francis Rombout.

In 1685, Francis Rombout and Gulian Verplanck bought 85,000 acres of land from the Wappinger Indians. The property included Beacon, the Village of Fishkill, Dutchess Junction, Glenham, Brinkerhoff, the Town of Wappingers, and East Fishkill. Catharyna Brett inherited her father´s share of the property and later sold off portions of her land to help support her family.

The Wappinger Indians used Madam Brett´s highway to bring their corn from their encampment in Fishkill Plains, to the Brett Mill at Fishkill Landing. Settlers also used it to bring milk and other trade goods to market. As the country grew, the highway was extended all the way to Connecticut. It was used extensively during the Civil War to move troops and supplies from Boston to the Hudson River. It eventually became know as the Continental Highway.

The early settlers would not recognize Fishkill, nor the whole Hudson River Valley for that matter. Much of the farm land had been transformed into beautiful new Fishkill home communities.

Albany Post Road is known as Route 9. The New York State Thruway and the Taconic State Parkway are now the most traveled routes between New York City and Albany. Route 9 is a major area of commerce with numerous stores, malls and restaurants along it´s path.

Fishkill Landing is no longer a major Hudson River shipping center. It´s now used to provide ferry service between the City of Newburgh, and the train station in Beacon. Fishkill, however, is still a significant center of commerce with a major truck shipping center located near the junction of Route 9 and Interstate 84.

Fishkill will never return to the days of river schooners, stage coaches, and dirt roads. It was a great new beginning for the early settlers. It would be considered a hard life today. Yet, with it´s assortment of middle and upper income homes, a variety of quality restaurants, moderately priced fine food diners, convenient access to trains and exceptional highways. Fishkill is still a great place to live in Dutchess County.