Carl G. Whitbeck, Jr. was born in 1948. As a lifelong Hudson resident, he has worked as a lawyer and has served on various Hudson community boards. Carl has presented several talks on Hudson’s history as part of the Hudson Area Library's Local History Speaker series.

In this interview, Carl recalls early childhood memories in Hudson, including going to the Columbia Diner with his father, and playing sports during high school. After graduating from high school in 1966, he completed his undergraduate degree in History at Williams College, where his interest in Hudson’s history began with the discovery of a family archive of original historical documents from the Proprietors. Carl discusses the industrial shifts in Hudson during the 1950s and expresses an interest in delivering a talk on this part of Hudson’s history. 

Carl speaks about the various types of law he has practiced over the course of his career, including a shift to environmental law. He describes participating in athletic activities outdoors with his adult children, including swimming across the Hudson River with his son and going on runs with his daughter. 

Throughout the interview, Carl emphasizes the importance of learning about one’s family history and being involved in one’s community. He tells the story of the Whitbeck family’s arrival to New York in the 1600s. He concludes the interview by speaking about the future of Hudson, and emphasizes the importance of children as part of a thriving community. 

This interview may be of interest to those researching or wanting to learn more about the history of Hudson, industrial shifts in Hudson in the 1950s, the Gifford and Whitbeck families, environmental law cases in the Hudson area, and raising children in Hudson in the late 20th century.