Historic Footage Highlights 1936 Crew Race On The Hudson River

Historic footage of a 1936 crew race in Poughkeepsie is part of a PBS documentary telling the amazing story of how nine University of Washington men beat the odds to win an Olympic gold medal in Nazi Germany.

The Boys of '36 originally aired in August of 2017 and their path to victory passed through Poughkeepsie and the Hudson River where they won the National Championship over other elite rowing programs. This remarkable tale provides background on the rowers who were sons of loggers, farmers, and shipyard workers who would go on to triumph over Hitlers 'supposed' elite athletes.

Getty Images/Central Press/Hulton Archive

The 1936 Olympics also featured a big win over Hitler's Nazi backed athletes by American Jesse Owens who took home gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and as a member of the 4 x 100 relay.

Most years from 1895 until 1949, the Poughkeepsie Regatta was the annual national championship for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association after breaking with Harvard and Yale and the annual New Haven event.

The 4.1-mile race began in Hyde Park and ran just south of the railroad bridge, now the Walkway Over The Hudson. The footage gives a glimpse into just how lively the Poughkeepsie waterfront could be at the time as thousands converged to watch both on land and via moving rail cars.

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