Hank adds this to the mix:

Another great picture.

From Don Ringwalds book on the Day Line:
SS New York: Reg #130373; Built 1887, Harlan & Hollingsworth, Wilmington DE. 301 ft long, 40.2 beam, 11' draft; 1552.52 grors tons cost abot $242,000
Lengthened 1897-98, 335' x 40.4' x 11.2', 1974 gross, 1261 net tons. Fletcher beam engine; 1 cyl 75" bore, 12 ft stroke. 3850 hp

Caught fire during layup at Marvel yard, Newburgh, Oct 20, 1908, burned completely.

Day Line needed a new boat for the 1909 season, with the Hudson-Fulton celebration. They had been considering another big boat like the Hendrik Hudson, but cost was high. Now they had an urgent need for some kind of a new boat. It was found that engine and boilers from SS N.Y. could be reusedd, thus saving considerable time. These were built into the SS Robert Fulton:

SS Robert Fulton: Reg #203424, Built 1909. New York Ship Building Co, Camden NJ. 337' x 42' x 11.5' 2168, 1344 net tons. Same engine cost about $500,000
Operated 1909-1954. Sold 1956.

I have ridden on the Fulton at least twice.

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I'm curious as to why the roof over the platform on the right has "Albany" painted on it.

[The Day Line operated the steamers New York and Albany between New York and Albany.]

The sparse crowds on shore in their jackets, and the clear decks of the New York indicate this is off season.

All summer long the crush of humanity would escape to the Catskills, causing steamboat companies to run extra boats, and railroads to add cars and extra trains to handle the crowds. These yearly summer-long events wouldn't begin to ease off until about the time of the Great War.

You need to see some photos of Kingston Landing or Catskill from the same era in summertime. Those benches were very much needed.

The Hudson River Day Line boat "New York", while laid up for repairs, burned to the hull in Newburgh, NY in 1908. New York's machinery was recycled for use in her replacement, the "Robert Fulton".

Hiding on the other side of the covered platform is a train of the Ulster and Delaware RR. The train will make a broad turn to the right in the distance and run across the long fill to Rondout and on to Kingston and the Catskill Mountains.

We are much more civilized today...hop in the family Studebaker and take off.

There really is no rhyme nor reason to those benches, is there?

This steamboat was one of more than 3,000 painted by the famous steamboat (and sailing ship) artist James Bard in 1887. Born in 1815, he died in 1897.