Dutchess County Back In The Day offers a nostalgic view of its rich history. In the early 1900s, the county saw a boom in the violet industry, along with luxurious Gilded Age estates and a lively farming community. By the turn of the century, western Dutchess was known as America’s “Violet Belt,” a floral center. Rhinebeck, called the “Crystal City,” was the hub of this belt, with up to 400 greenhouses. This era also saw wealthy New York industrialists building lavish country mansions along the scenic Hudson River, while industries developed along the river and major creeks.