‘Jeopardy!’ Answer Delights Hudson Valley: Can You Solve It?

An answer that appeared on a popular television game show is the talk of the Hudson Valley this week.

Fans of Jeopardy! probably won't be shocked to find out that the Hudson Valley was featured in one of the show's daily clues. In fact, "Poughkeepsie, New York" is one of the most popular questions. We don't have any actual proof, but we strongly suspect that at least one of the clue writers is either from Poughkeepsie or went to school at Vassar College. There have been dozens of questions about the Poughkeepsie school and its campus over the past 30 years Jeopardy! has been on the air, making it one of the show's most-used clues.

This week's Hudson Valley reference wasn't about Vassar, but it has caught the attention of many New Yorkers, including an official State agency.

Hudson Valley Mention on Jeopardy! Causes Stir

On Monday, April 14, the following answer was revealed to the Jeopardy! contestants:

Astute Hudson Valley residents immediately recognized the reference. Of course, the correct response is "Who is Rip Van Winkle?".

The day after this clue aired, the New York State Bridge Authority chimed in, explaining that the bridge was actually the whole reason why the department was created. In 1932, the Bridge Authority was established to help pass a resolution to raise almost $3.5 million to build the bridge connecting Greene and Columbia Counties across the Hudson River.

Opening ceremonies for the bridge were held on July 2, 1935. The celebration included a parade with local officials and over 3,000 cars that crisscrossed the span before the first toll was collected at 6pm.

According to the New York State Bridge Authority, cars were charged 80 cents to cross the bridge and an additional 10 cents per passenger, with a maximum toll of $1. There were different prices for trucks and motorcycles and even pedestrians were charged a toll of 10 cents to walk across.

The Rip Van Winkle Bridge converted to electronic tolling in 2021 and now costs $2.15 with a discounted rate of $165 for EZ-Pass users.