Philipsburg Manor is a historic site of great historical importance. Once the headquarters of a large Hudson Valley manor, the site vividly interprets aspects of the history of colonial New York and the system of racially-based slavery which helped keep the estate running in the 18th century. The visitor center at Philipsburg, located on Rt. 9 in the village of Sleepy Hollow, offers a wide range of services and changing exhibitions, and also serves as the visitor center for Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate.

Philipsburg Manor is a late 17th/early 18th-century milling, farming, and trading complex owned by an Anglo-Dutch family of merchants. Philipsburg Manor was tenanted by farmers of diverse European backgrounds, and operated by enslaved Africans. In 1693, Frederick Philipse, a carpenter who rose to become the richest man in the colony of New York, was granted a charter for 52,000 acres along the Hudson River by William and Mary of England. Historically, the site is of particular interest because of the size of the enslaved community and the highly developed nature of this 18th-century commercial property.

Featuring a stone manor house filled with a handsome collection of 17th-and 18th-century period furnishings, this famous house also includes a working water-powered gristmill and millpond, an 18th-century barn, a slave garden, and a reconstructed tenant farm house. The grounds are home to historic breeds of cattle, sheep, and chickens.

Points of Interest: Philipsburg Manor is a living history museum. Guides in 18th-century costume conduct tours of the site and numerous special events are held throughout the year. One of many fun things to do with children in the Hudson River Valley.

Attractions include: The Greenhouse Cafe, Picnic grounds, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery located next to Philipsburg Manor, Tours of Kykuit that originate at the Philipsburg Manor Visitor Tourist Center.

Point of Interest: The Great Hunger Memorial

Parks attractions include: Picnicking, Playground, "The Great Hunger Memorial"

Click on photo to enlarge.

The Post Office c1838 is located in Bedford Village. An example of Greek Revival style, the Post Office was originally a harness shop. It has been the village Post Office since around 1900. It first stood next to the Library but was moved in 1930 to make room for the Fire House. It was purchased in 1972 by the Society and enlarged in 1975 so that the Post Office could remain in the village.

Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Bedford Historical Society and its historic properties.

Click on photo to enlarge.

In addition to operating and maintaining our historic buildings, we open our two museums to the public from April to December with the help of our devoted volunteers. The Society also sponsors lectures of historical and community interest, educational tours, special exhibits of our collections, and special events that promote an appreciation of our history. We work to preserve and collect our local historic treasures and to provide educational information to those studying local history. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Bedford Historical Society and its historic properties.

At the comer of Guard Hill and Succabone Roads stands a tall, handsome brick tower which is a landmark and a source of joy and some amusement to the townspeople. This is the famous Sutton Clock Tower, and this is the story behind it.

In the late 1880s when the Sutton family moved to their country home in Bedford, Mrs. Sutton was homesick for New York City. Among other things, she missed the sound of the city's church bells. Thereupon Mr. Sutton installed in his barn a huge clock, an E. Howard time and strike model with a 550-pound bell. After Mrs. Sutton’s death, the property was sold. The barn was dismantled but the clock and bell were rescued and in 1939 a group of neighbors raised $3000 to build a tower to house the clock. They then donated the tower to the Town of Bedford. Since 1985, the Historical Society has leased the tower and maintains the clock. A small group of neighbors, known as the Clock Winders, takes turns winding the clock, which is accurate to this day as the chimes ring the hours across the surrounding fields and meadows.

Parks Attractions
Boat Launch
Cabin Rental, RV Camping, and Tent Camping
Cross Country Skiing
Fishing
Hiking / Walking
Historic Wine Cellars
Museum
Nature Study
Pavilions
Picnicking
Playground
Swimming Beach

A National Historic Landmark, the 18th-century stone manor house is the centerpiece of the property. It features a fine collection of Georgian and Federal period furnishings, many original to Van Cortlandt Manor. Of particular note is an extraordinary kitchen on the ground floor, with original hearth, beehive oven, and extensive collection of cooking equipment and utensils. Also on the grounds is an 18th-century tavern situated on the historic Albany Post Road at the site of a ferry crossing over the Croton River. The tavern showcases an extraordinary collection of vernacular Hudson River Valley furnishings and evokes fascinating tales of travel and transport in the post-revolutionary period. Press "Blue Button" for photos and more information about Van Cortlandt Manor.

Attractions
Gardens
Guided tours of the house and grounds
Stone manor house
Tenant farmer's house and tavern

The word is: Great fun for the kids and children of all ages, as costumed guides demonstrate and invite visitors to try blacksmithing, brick making, open-hearth cooking and more from the past.

With pleasing proportions and marvelous acoustics, the Theater has been touted as “one of the finest municipal halls in eastern New York State” by Alvah French History of Westchester County, “A jewel of a theater on the Hudson” by Robert Sherman New York Times and “Acoustically superb” by Lou Cevetillo Opera Critic Gannett Newspapers. Press "Blue Button" for the Irvington Town Hall Theater - Children's Theater, Box Office, House Map, and more.

In 1958 the house and thirty of the original acres were purchased from Eleanor Jay Iselin’s heirs by Westchester County and transferred to the State of New York, which opened it to the public in 1964 as John Jay Homestead State Historic Site. The historic house is open most of the year, and can be seen by a guided tour through twelve beautifully furnished period rooms, restored to an 1820's appearance. Specialized tours and education programs are available by appointment. The historic site now encompasses sixty-two acres, including lovingly-tended formal gardens, magnificent woodland walks, rolling meadows, and a cluster of 19th century farm buildings. An 1820's schoolhouse and an 1830s barn are open for touring.

John Jay: First Chief-Justice of the United States
John Jay during the latter part of his life resided in the northern part of Bedford, NY. The annexed sketch of his life is from Blake's Biographical Dictionary: "John Jay, LL.D., first chief-justice of the United States under the constitution of 1789, graduated at Kings, (now Columbia College) in 1764 and in 1768 was admitted to the bar. He was appointed to the first American congress in 1774. Being on the committee with Lee and Livingston to draft an address to the people of Great Britain, he was the writer of the eloquent production. In the congress of 1775, he was on various important committees, performing more service perhaps than any other member except Franklin and John Adams. In May, 1776, he was recalled to assist in forming the government of New York, and in consequence his name is not attached to the Declaration of Independence... Though not a member of the convention, which formed the constitution of the United States, he was present at Annapolis and aided by his advice. He also assisted Madison and Hamilton in writing the Federalist. In the convention of New York he contributed to the adoption of the constitution. He was appointed chief justice by Washington, December 26, 1789. In 1794, he was appointed minister plenipotentiary to Great Britain, and succeeded in negotiating the treaty that still goes by his name. Chief-Justice John Jay was governor of the state of New York from 1795 to 1801. The remainder of his life passed in retirement. He died in 1829, aged 84."

Attractions
Audio-Visual Programs
Bridle Path Demonstrations
Educational Services
Gardens
Gift Shop
Group Tours
Hiking
Historic Site
Interpretive Sign
Picnic Area
Scenic Views
Self Guided Tours

The Thomas Paine Memorial Building is located north of the Paine Monument at the corner of North Avenue and Valley Road in New Rochelle. The construction of this building began May 30,1925 when the great American inventor Thomas A. Edison turned the first spadeful of earth. For years this beautiful old building has housed our library and museum collection. Press "Blue Button" to explore the Thomas Paine National Historical Association website.

The Herrick House is a restored Victorian building that was owned by Dwight S. Herrick, a prominent Peekskill attorney. The Peekskill Museum was presented to the Field Library by Mrs. Ida M. Adams by deed dated January 3, 1944. It is one of Peekskill's most famous Victorian houses. The house was designed by the famous architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and Bigelow. The Herrick House is a fine example of a "well to do" Victorian home - with a spacious staircase, library, parlor and a fireplace with Dutch 'Delft' tiles depicting Biblical scenes.

The house was built between 1873 and 1877, occupied by the Herrick family until approximately 1912. Mr. Herrick's picture, presented to the Museum by Jennie Mabie in 1948, hangs on the wall in the front foyer, ready to greet visitors as Mr. Herrick would have done. The house itself was published in the best architectural journal of it's day, "The American Architect and Building News" on June 2, 1877. More recently, the house has been mentioned by Vincent Scully, a professor of Art History at Yale, in his book "The Single Story". Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Herrick House and the Peekskill Museum.

Completed in 1913 for John D. Rockefeller by architects Delano and Aldrich, Kykuit has been home to four generations of the Rockefeller family. Kykuit commands a breathtaking view of the Hudson River and occupies a landscape of extensive stone terraces, formal gardens, and glorious fountains designed by landscape architect William Welles Bosworth. The gardens include Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller's extraordinary collection of 20th-century sculpture. The house itself contains fascinating collections of art, fine furniture, and Chinese ceramics. Horse-drawn vehicles and classic automobiles from the family's collection fill the coach barn.

Tours include an introduction to each part of Kykuit, the main floor of the house, the art galleries, terraced gardens with classical and 20th-century sculpture, and the Coach Barn with antique carriages and classic cars. The sculpture collection, sited throughout the grounds, includes works by Pablo Picasso, Aristide Maillol, Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Isamu Noguchi, Louise Nevelson, and many others.

The Union Church of Pocantico Hills features stained glass windows created by two modern masters: Henri Matisse (1869-1954) and Marc Chagall (1887-1985). Commissioned as memorials by members of the Rockefeller family whose estate, Kykuit, is nearby, the windows include the final work of Matisse, completed just two days before his death, and the only cycle of church windows created by Chagall in the United States.

On behalf of his family, Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller commissioned Matisse to create a rose window in memory of his mother Abby Aldrich Rockefeller (1874-1948), a distinguished patron of the arts, a founder of the Museum of Modern Art, and wife of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Before his death, Matisse had finished the design and had also selected the colors and exact type of glass to be used in the window. His daughter carried out his instructions, and the window was dedicated on Mother's, Day 1956.

David Rockefeller, representing his brothers and sister, commissioned Chagall in 1963 to design a similar memorial to their father, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. who had died in 1960. The large window "The Good Samaritan" was installed and dedicated in 1965. Chagall created eight smaller windows in the sanctuary, seven of which are devoted to Old Testament subjects. The eighth window, established as a memorial to Michael Rockefeller (1938-1961) who was lost in New Guinea, has a New Testament theme.

Attractions
Stained Glass Windows by Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall

With its varied terrain and landscapes and miles of wooded trails, the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation provides a variety of activities in all seasons. There are areas for picnicking, lean-to camping, fishing and cross-country skiing. The park is home to the Trailside Nature Museum, which hosts weekend nature interpretive programs year-round.

Park attractions include: Camping, Cross-Country Skiing, Fishing, Hiking Trails / Walking, Museum, Nature study, Picnicking, Play equipment is available in two areas of the park.

The centerpiece of this National Historic Landmark is an 1838 Greek Revival mansion with soaring Corinthian columns built by Peter Augustus Jay atop the footprint of his father and grandfather’s original home “The Locusts” reusing original timbers and nails from the same house. Visitors can literally see the layers of history being uncovered here. The PA Jay House is being carefully restored and managed by the not-for-profit organization, the Jay Heritage Center (JHC) for use as an educational facility hosting Programs in American History, Social Justice, Landscape Conservation and Environmental Stewardship. The house is an official project of the Save America’s Treasures Program and at 170 years old, it is the oldest National Historic Landmark in New York State to be using an energy efficient geothermal heating and cooling system.

The Jay site is also listed on Westchester County’s African American Heritage Trail. John Jay is well known for advocating emancipation, serving as President of the Manumission Society and establishing the first African Free School. Press "Blue Button" for tour information, hours, and more about the Jay Heritage Center.

Point of Interest: Rye Playland has the distinction of being America's first totally planned amusement park and prototype for today's successful theme parks. Dedicated as a National Historic Landmark in 1987, Playland has provided family fun since 1928. Often referred to as "Rye Playland", it is America's only government owned and operated amusement park.

Philipsburg Manor is a historic site of great historical importance. Once the headquarters of a large Hudson Valley manor, the site vividly interprets aspects of the history of colonial New York and the system of racially-based slavery which helped keep the estate running in the 18th century. The visitor center at Philipsburg, located on Rt. 9 in the village of Sleepy Hollow, offers a wide range of services and changing exhibitions, and also serves as the visitor center for Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate.

Philipsburg Manor is a late 17th/early 18th-century milling, farming, and trading complex owned by an Anglo-Dutch family of merchants. Philipsburg Manor was tenanted by farmers of diverse European backgrounds, and operated by enslaved Africans. In 1693, Frederick Philipse, a carpenter who rose to become the richest man in the colony of New York, was granted a charter for 52,000 acres along the Hudson River by William and Mary of England. Historically, the site is of particular interest because of the size of the enslaved community and the highly developed nature of this 18th-century commercial property.

Featuring a stone manor house filled with a handsome collection of 17th-and 18th-century period furnishings, this famous house also includes a working water-powered gristmill and millpond, an 18th-century barn, a slave garden, and a reconstructed tenant farm house. The grounds are home to historic breeds of cattle, sheep, and chickens.

Points of Interest: Philipsburg Manor is a living history museum. Guides in 18th-century costume conduct tours of the site and numerous special events are held throughout the year. One of many fun things to do with children in the Hudson River Valley.

Attractions include: The Greenhouse Cafe, Picnic grounds, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery located next to Philipsburg Manor, Tours of Kykuit that originate at the Philipsburg Manor Visitor Tourist Center.

Parks attractions include: Botanical Specimans, Chinese Friendship Pavilion, Formal Gardens, Open Grass Meadow

The Castle has changed very little in its first century. Much of the original interior woodwork and furnishings, which were built by a team of carpenters brought from Germany, still remain intact. Designed for graceful living and entertaining, the Castle has been renovated into a luxury hotel. In 1981, the town of Tarrytown designated the Castle a historic landmark, protecting the outside structure from ever being changed.

The Equus restaurant and General's bar, open to the public, occupy elegantly appointed rooms and an enclosed veranda with splendid views of the Hudson River and the New York City skyline. Press "Blue Button" for menus, photos, and more about The Castle on the Hudson.

Features
Outdoor Dining

Circa 1838. Lyndhurst, a historic site of the National Trust, is a preeminent architectural landmark. It resides on a 67-acre park representing 19th century architecture, decorative arts, and landscape. Overlooking the Hudson River in Tarrytown, NY, Lyndhurst is one of America's finest Gothic Revival mansions. The architectural brilliance of the residence is complemented by a park-like landscape and a comprehensive collection of original decorative arts. Its noteworthy occupants included: former New York City mayor William Paulding, merchant George Merritt, and the railroad magnate and Wall Street tycoon Jay Gould.

In the late 1830s, William Paulding acquired property high above the Hudson River overlooking the Tappan Zee. Lyndhurst was first conceived in the minds of architects A. J. Davis and William Paulding who constructed the country villa in 1838 and called it "Knoll". In 1864 Lyndhurst was acquired by George Merritt who hired Davis to more than double its size. In 1870, they also built one of the largest private greenhouses in the world.

In 1880, Jay Gould purchased the estate and renamed it Lyndhurst. The 1870 greenhouse that burned was replaced in the Gothic Revival style. The Goulds redecorated the house and embellished the spectacular art gallery with works by Corot, Courbet, Bouguereau, and others.

The important "gardenesque" landscape is the work of Ferdinand Mangold, a master gardener who worked at Lyndhurst for forty years. Many of the landscape features created by Mangold, his predecessors, and successors, are preserved. The spectacular specimen trees are of special interest.

The romantic Gothic Revival design immediately drew attention to the building. Critics called it "Paulding's Folly" because its fanciful turrets and asymmetrical outline were unlike most homes constructed in the post-colonial era. Fascination with the property continued for decades and, as ideas of wealth and status changed with the growing nation, so did the estate, reflecting the tastes and interests of wealthy New York.

Point of Interest:
Lyndhurst is adjacent to Washington Irving's Sunnyside. The ability to walk between these two historic sites has a special appeal. At present, visitors may walk along the publicly maintained Croton Aqueduct Trail from Lyndhurst to West Sunnyside Lane. A pathway connecting Lyndhurst and Sunnyside along the riverfront will shortly be open. If you are a tourist or local resident exploring the Hudson River Valley, be sure to include this landmark in your list of sights.

Washington Irving was born in New York City on April 3, 1783 (1783 - 1859) as the youngest of 11 children. His father was a wealthy merchant, and his mother, an English woman, was the granddaughter of a clergyman. Early in his life Irving developed a passion for books. He studied law privately but practiced only briefly. From 1804 to 1806 he travelled widely in Europe. After returning to the United States, Irving was admitted to the New York bar in 1806.

Washington Irving was a short story writer, essayist, poet, travel book writer, biographer, and columnist. He is best known for the short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle". Washington Irving also held diplomatic posts in Great Britain and Spain.

Sunnyside is one of the most famous historic landmarks in the Hudson Valley. This important house and landscape enjoys a quiet and unspoiled riverside setting in Tarrytown, New York. Sunnyside is adjacent to Lyndhurst, a historic landmark of distinction open to the public, to which it is possible to walk via the Croton Aqueduct Trail.

Sunnyside and its Romantic landscape are presented to visitors by guides dressed in the costume of the mid-Victorian period. You may take a guided tour of the house and grounds, or purchase a grounds-only ticket for a self-guided experience.

Point of Interest: For children, Sunnyside offers "Irving's Traveling Totes" that come stuffed with five to seven engaging family activities, a brief guide, a Talk Back card for feedback related to the activities, and a blank book for visitor responses. Visitors can learn about Washington Irving by reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow picture book and It Looks Like Spilt Milk, which, though not written by Irving, celebrates the life of the imagination, something Irving aspired to do. Children can play the Sunnyside Matching Card game and join in for a Scavenger Hunt. Dominoes, a 19th-century game, rounds out the experience. If you are a tourist or local resident exploring the Hudson River Valley, be sure to include this landmark in your list of places to see.

Attractions include: Seasonal Café, Sunnyside Tours, Museum Shop, Picnic Grounds.

Today, visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the mansion as well as an orientation exhibition in the Visitor Center focusing on Philip Schuyler's life. Temporary exhibitions and public programs are scheduled year-round. Tours for school and adult groups, as well as outreach programs, are available by reservation. Press "Blue Button" for attractions and more information about Schuyler Mansion.

Clermont hosts a variety of annual events throughout the year. The spring Sheep and Wool Showcase is based on historical model farming events at Clermont, where groundbreaking work in agriculture and sheep breeding occurred. What better place to celebrate Independence Day than the former home of a drafter of the Declaration of Independence. Families will enjoy a variety of music, performances, and viewing of local fireworks displays. The summer fun continues in August as Clermont celebrates its ties to the steamboat industry on Steamboat Day, a family event in which children can craft their own scrimshaw ornament and watch a theatrical performance on an actual steamboat. Since Clermont was home to the many Livingston dogs, the estate continues to welcome "a man's best friend" every October to participate in contests, demonstrations, makeovers, and exhibits in Every Dog Has Its Day. Christmas at Clermont kicks off the winter season with guided tours, candlelight receptions and children's activities. Press "Blue Button" for attractions and more about Clermont State Historic Site.

American Revolution / War of Independence
Because of the Livingston family's prominent role in support of independence, Clermont was burned by British troops under the command of General John Vaughan during a foray up the Hudson River in the autumn of 1777. Margaret Beekman Livingston, who managed the estate during most of the war years, rebuilt the family home between 1779 and 1782.

Olana encompasses the house, the farm and the entire 250-acre estate owned by Frederic Church. The picturesque landscape, with panoramic vistas of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains, like the house, was designed by Church. Over a 40-year period he transformed 250 acres of treeless farm fields into an artistic composition encompassing a lake, park, farm, extensive road system, and gardens. Visitors throughout the year enjoy guided and self-guided tours of the Church-inspired landscape. Press "Blue Button" for attractions and more information about Olana.

Montgomery Place, a serene reflection of nearly 200 years of continuous family stewardship, is best known as an architectural landmark designed by Alexander Jackson Davis and a landscape influenced by the great Andrew Jackson Downing. But the totality of the estate - house furnishings, gardens, woodlands, orchards, and hamlet make it a unique American treasure.

A National Historic Landmark, Montgomery Place is an extraordinary 434-acre Hudson River estate with magnificent views of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains. It is located on historic River Road in the hamlet of Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, just north of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge.

Montgomery Place was established by Janet Livingston Montgomery, widow of Revolutionary War hero General Richard Montgomery. She built the Federal-style house in 1804-05 and established a prosperous commercial nursery on the property. During the first half of the 19th century, her descendants created one of the most beautiful estates in the nation. The era's preeminent designers, architect Alexander Jackson Davis and landscape designer Andrew Jackson Downing, assisted them in their endeavor. In 1850, Downing wrote that Montgomery Place is "...nowhere surpassed in America in point of location, natural beauty, or landscape gardening charms." In the 1930s, the generation living there created a 20th-century horticultural showcase, one that continues to flourish today.

Clinton House State Historic Site has foundations which are two feet thick. The walls are constructed of rough fieldstone, while the gabled ends are made of wood. It is named in tribute to George Clinton, first governor of New York State, who resided in Poughkeepsie for twenty-one years.

Darius Ogden Mills, father of Ogden Mills, established the family fortune by investing in banks, railroads and mines. Ogden Mills, like his father, was a noted financier and philanthropist. In 1882 he married Ruth Livingston, whose family had been prominent landowners in the Hudson Valley since the 17th century. In 1890, Ruth Livingston Mills inherited her childhood home and property which had once belonged to her great-grandfather, Morgan Lewis, the third governor of New York State. In the 1890s Mr. & Mrs. Mills commissioned the prestigious New York City architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White to remodel and enlarge their home. Work began in 1895 and when completed in 1896, the house had been transformed from a 25-room Greek Revival style home into a Beaux-Arts mansion of 65 rooms and 14 bathrooms. Although the interior was lavishly decorated, mostly in the styles of 17th and 18th-century France, many architectural features of the earlier Livingston home such as the trims, moldings and many of the fireplaces had been preserved. This melding of grandeur and heritage is characteristic of the American Renaissance period.

Owning five homes, the Mills family resided in their Staatsburg home primarily in the fall and entertained as many as 80 guests at a time. The home and surrounding property was passed to their son, Ogden Livingston Mills in 1929. After his death in 1937 his sister Gladys Mills Phipps inherited the property and in 1938 donated the house and 192 acres of the estate to the State of New York as a memorial to her parents. Today the elegant mansion, restored to its turn-of-the-century appearance, is open for tours and the house and grounds offer special events throughout the year.

Attractions include: Biking, Educational Services, Gift Shop, Group Tours, Guided Tours, Hiking, Historic Site, Interpretive Sign, Picnic Area, Scenic Views, Cross-Country Skiing

Bring your family and experience the wonder of the Hudson River Valley with special programs and events geared especially for children.

Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, New York, may be the most popular site in the Hudson Valley for children. This working 17th century farm and trading center features demonstrations of early farm techniques with oxen, cows, and sheep. A working water-powered grist-mill is fascinating for children of all ages. Demonstrations of spinning and open-hearth cooking in the tenant farmer's house are scheduled frequently.

Whether you're nose-to-nose with Western lowland gorillas in our famous Congo Gorilla Forest , spotting snow leopards in our naturalistic Himalayan Highlands Habitat, or experiencing almost an acre of an indoor Asian rain forest, you're always within roaring distance of the world's most amazing wildlife. In the end, you'll know that your admission fees went to a conservation organization that has more expert researchers in the field than any other. Together, we make a difference.

The Neversink Valley Area Museum occupies historic canal-era buildings in the D&H Canal Park right on the Neversink River.

For the Kids
The Neversink Valley Area Museum has a number of activities that are especially suited to kids and their families.

The County Park, our home, has lots of grass and a playground.

Children love our Narrated Boat Rides along the D&H Canal (Sundays: 30 minute boat rides, boat seats 12 people, rides are $5.00).

Information Source
The history of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton during the American Revolutionary War; a War of Independence between the Americans and England, is sourced from interpretive signs at the Fort Montgomery Visitor Center and on the Fort Montgomery historic trails.

Click to enlarge sign about Fort Montgomery in the American Revolution.
The interpretive sign reads: Welcome to Fort Montgomery "You are standing near the western end of Fort Montgomery: a Revolutionary War fort built to defend the Hudson Highlands and protect American control of the Hudson River. On October 6, 1777, the British captured Fort Montgomery and destroyed it in the days that followed. "Trails from this parking area lead to two of the fort's redoubts. The trail that passes beneath the highway will take you to the Fort Montgomery visitor center and Fort Montgomery's remains where interpretive signs will help you understand the history of the fort and the battle." Today, Fort Montgomery is an archeological site and a historic ruin. Fort Montgomery was the scene of a fierce battle for control of the Hudson River during the American Revolutionary War; the Hudson was considered strategic by both the Americans and the British during the American War for Independence.
Building Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton "Early in the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress realized that the Hudson River was critical to the American cause. If the British controlled the river, they could divide the rebellious colonies. Therefore, the Americans began work on Fort Montgomery in March 1776. . . " . . . When the Americans discovered that the land on the opposite side of the Popolopen Creek was higher and would threaten Fort Montgomery if held by the enemy, they began constructing a second fort there, called Fort Clinton. They connected the two forts by a pontoon bridge. . . "Fort Montgomery was a bustling community of hundreds of people. Soldiers, laborers, merchants, families, servants, and slaves lived at or visited the fort. Ships and boats arriving and departing added to the atmosphere of a small city. "Supplies were often hard to obtain, morale was often low, and discipline was a chronic problem. Nevertheless, Forts Montgomery and Clinton were largely complete by October 1777, when the British attacked them." Fort Clinton "Originally, the commissioners in charge of the work were confident that no overland attack on the fort was possible, but misgivings led them to begin extending the fortifications inland. They began fortifying several pieces of high ground that became Fort Montgomery's three redoubts. The realization that a higher piece of ground just across the Popolopen Creek threatened Fort Montgomery led to the construction of Fort Clinton."
Click to enlarge sign about the Battle of Fort Montgomery in the American Revolution. The interpretive sign reads: Battle of Fort Montgomery "To aid Lieutenant General John Burgoyne's British army stalled at Saratoga, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton sailed from New York with 3,000 British, German, and Loyalist soldiers and a flotilla of warships. On the morning of October 6, 1777, Clinton landed 2,100 of his men on the west side of the Hudson River near Stony Point. This force followed a narrow trail through the mountains, where they ran into a party of 30 men sent from Fort Clinton to detect the British advance. After beating the Americans back, Sir Henry Clinton sent 900 men around Bear Mountain to attack Fort Montgomery. The rest would wait to attack Fort Clinton until the first group had reached Fort Montgomery. "In the afternoon, the British began an assault on both forts, which were defended by no more than 700 men. At Fort Montgomery, the Americans kept the British at bay as the two sides exchanged musket fire. When the Americans refused to surrender, the British stormed both forts. Taking advantage of the growing dark and the smoky haze from the battle, many of the Americans escaped, but as many as 275 were taken as prisoners to New York City where they remained for much of the war. "Following the battle, the British destroyed Fort Montgomery, garrisoned Fort Clinton, and burned New York's capital at Kingston. Then, receiving orders to join Sir William Howe's army near Philadelphia, Clinton's men destroyed Fort Clinton and sailed back down the Hudson. Although captured and destroyed, the forts had presented enough of an obstacle to keep the British forces in New York from aiding Burgoyne's army. The following year, in 1778, the American began rebuilding their defenses, this time at West Point."
Click to enlarge photo of the Wounded Patriot at the Battle of Fort Montgomery.
	Men in the photo represent two American patriots: Private, Ulster County Militia, and Private, 5th New York Regiment. The militiaman, in civilian clothing, is armed with a British musket. He assists his wounded comrade carrying a French musket from the 1750s.
The American Revolution - 1777: History of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton The following historical accounts record the Battles of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton from different historical perspectives: The War of the Revolution, by Christopher Ward, Volume II (Macmillan, 1952) "An opaque fog lay close to the surface of the Hudson River on the morning of October 5, 1777. The awakening bugles of General Israel Putnam’s Continentals at Peekskill on the eastern shore of the river seemed muted by the white and misty blanket. The slow-rising sun burned irregular holes in it, however, and through these the General’s sentinels, who had been posted south of his encampment during most of the summer, saw something that banished their accustomed boredom. There were barges and galleys downriver—many of them—and above the low lying haze rose the towering masts of British frigates. From downriver, too, came the muffled sounds of alarm guns. The long-dreaded invasion of enemy troops from occupied New York had begun. The elderly Yankee Israel Putnam was busy at once. An oarsman, rowing desperately, bore messages across the wide stream to Fort Montgomery, an unfinished cluster of earthworks then under the command of the thirty-eight-year-old governor of the new state of New York, Brigadier General George Clinton. At this bastion, nearly a hundred and fifty feet above the spot where the Popolopen Creek joins the Hudson, the Governor received Putnam’s letter. Immediately he sent a summary of its contents to his older brother, General James Clinton, then in command of Fort Clinton, a smaller stronghold on the steep south bank of the narrow creek. In the meantime, the British under Sir Henry Clinton (a distant cousin of the American generals of the same surname) were disembarking at Verplanck’s Point on the east bank of the Hudson, not far below Putnam’s headquarters. The grating of their boats in the shallows of the river, the sharp voices of their officers ordering immediate formations, came strangely through the thick fog to the ears of Putnam’s scouts, informing them only that the invaders were in considerable numbers . . . . . . Perhaps the Battle of Fort Montgomery would have been utterly neglected had not two young American soldiers chosen to visit the site on a sunny spring day of the following year. Historians do not usually end their chapters on such footnotes as these men provided, but their reports have so documented the narrative that they deserve place here. One of them, a young chaplain named Timothy Dwight (later president of Yale College), wrote in his journal that while he was climbing from a river barge to the place where the battle had been fought, the stench of dead bodies caused him great distress. We found, at a small distance from Fort Montgomery, a pond of a moderate size, in which we saw the bodies of several men, who had been killed in the assault upon the fort. They were thrown into this pond, the preceding autumn, by the British … Some of them were covered at this time; but at a depth so small as to leave them distinctly visible. Others had an arm, a leg, or a part of the body, above the surface. The clothes which they wore when they were killed, were still on them, and proved that they were militia; being the ordinary dress of farmers. Their faces were bloated and monstrous; and their postures were uncouth, distorted and to the highest degree afflictive . . ." Battles Of The Revolutionary War: 1775-1781 by W.J. Wood (Dec 23, 2003) "On October 6th, 300 Continental soldiers of the 5th New York regiment, 100 artillerymen of Lamb's Artillery, and some 300 Levies and militiamen defended the unfinished Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton against a combined force of roughly 2,100 Loyalists, Hessians, and British regulars led by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton attacked Forts Montgomery and Clinton from the landward side (which was only partially completed) with support from cannon fire from British ships on the Hudson River. The land columns attacking from west of the fort consisted of the New York Volunteers, the Loyal American Regiment, Emmerich's Chasseurs, the 57th and the 52nd Regiments of Foot. The Americans had emplaced an iron chain and a boom across the Hudson River, protected by four warships, to impede the British flotilla. Lt. Col. Mungo Campbell and several British regulars approach the fort with a flag of truce indicating that they wish to avoid `further effusion of blood.' Clinton sends Lt. Col. William S. Livingston to meet the enemy. The British officer requests that the patriots surrender. They are promised that no harm would come to them. Livingston, in turn, invites Campbell to surrender and promises him and his men good treatment. Fuming at this audacity, the British resume the fight. British ships working against an ebb tide attack the forts and American vessels. A steady volley ensues with each side receiving a share of the bombardment. British officers Campbell and Vaughan close in on all sides of the twin forts. Leading his men into battle, Campbell is killed in a violent attack on the North Redoubt of Fort Montgomery. Vaughan's horse is shot from under him as he rides into battle at Fort Clinton. After a fierce battle lasting until dark, the British pushed the courageous Americans from the forts at the points of their bayonets. The defenders are overpowered by sheer numbers and the British gain possession of Forts Montgomery and Clinton. American casualties numbered about 350 killed, wounded and captured, while the British paid a price of at least 190 killed and wounded. Those who were not killed or did not escape are shipped to the infamous Sugar House Prisons in New York City and then onto British "hell ships" (prison ships) in the harbor. A "return," or report of prisoners, is sent to communities in the Highlands to inform families of their loved ones' capture. It is up to the families to send provisions lest the prisoners starve. Countless patriots perish on the prison ships. U.S. Army battle map, The Battle of Fort Montgomery, 5-6 October 1777 U.S. Army battle map, The Battle of Fort Montgomery, The British Attack, Dusk, 6 October 1777 Forts Montgomery and Clinton, located just south of West Point, were built for the defense of the Hudson Highlands in 1776. It was here that British and loyalist troops overwhelmed Clinton's outnumbered patriots in October. Although the Americans lost the battle for the Highlands, a relative handful of Americans aided in delaying British reinforcements from joining Burgoyne in the upper Hudson Valley and allowed Gates to gain much needed militia reinforcements in time to ultimately win Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga." A guide to the Battles of the American Revolution by Theodore P. Savas and J. David Dameron (Savas Beatie LLC, NY 2006) American Perspective: "Waiting within the American fortifications on Bemis Heights was the bloodied Continental Army led by Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates. Not an audacious commander, Gates was content to await General Burgoyne's next move. While Gates market time on Bemis Heights, Patriot forces assigned to defensive positions guarding the entrance to the Hudson Highlands worked to complete two forts on the Hudson River 100 miles south of Albany, New York. Their commander was Brig. Gen. George Clinton (not to be confused with the British commander with the same last name). The forts over which the American Clinton (who was also governor of New York) labored were named Montgomery, in honor of fallen Patriot Gen. Richard Montgomery, and Clinton, after himself as commander of the forces in that region. Built on opposite banks of Popolopen Creek, which emptied into the Hudson River on its western shore at a strategic bend, eight miles south of West Point, the bastions were key to the strategic defense of the Hudson Highlands. Fort Montgomery guarded the northern bank of the creek and Fort Clinton the southern bank. To the east of both forts flowed the majestic Hudson River. All told, the American fielded 600 men and 20 pieces of heavy artillery. The Patriots strung a heavy iron chain across the river and seeded the water with log obstacles to disrupt any maritime assault upon the American forts. Patrolling the Hudson were two Americans warships, Montgomery and Congress, supported by a handful of smaller vessels . . . . . . Fort Clinton was constructed on the south side of Popolopen Creek on a rocky ridge overlooking the Hudson River below, oriented to cover a 400-yard wide plain before the drop to the waterway. Fort Montgomery also overlooked the Hudson River, but was situated on the northern shore of Popolopen Creek, which ran west from the Hudson . . . After a perfunctory request that the defenders capitulate (which was rejected), the twin assaults began. There was no element of surprise or effort at finesse. The British attached nearly simultaneously with the sun setting behind Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell's columns. Sir James Wallace's British river fleet also arrived and opened fire on the American vessels and forts, providing the British land forces with supporting fire. Fort Montgomery fell first . . . Fort Clinton's defenders offered a better account of themselves, but the outcome was the same. Sir Henry Clinton ordered his command to launch a direct attach (there was little room to maneuver). His regulars and Hessian allies swept forward through a line of obstructions, taking terrible casualties during the approach and in the close-quarter fighting that followed. The weight of British metal carried the day, however, and within a short time the garrison was dead, wounded, captured, or fleeing . . . By 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. the fighting was over. Only 300 Americans, including Generals James and Governor George Clinton, escaped, most from Fort Montgomery . . . Casualties: British: 190 killed and wounded; American: 350 killed, wounded, and captured." Fort Montgomery as a Historic Ruin New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has decided not to recreate Forts Montgomery and/or Clinton. "Because of the limits of available information, any recreation would be inaccurate and would hide the violent end of these massive fortifications. Instead, the remains are preserved, just as the have survived the ages, as hallowed ground." Fort Montgomery stands as an archeological site and a historic ruin. Fort Montgomery, Today Today, Fort Montgomery is an archeological site and a historic ruin. This Historic Site is a genuine vestige of our nation's struggle for independence. Visitors will see the actual foundations of the fort's buildings and remains of the fort's earthworks. Visit Fort Montgomery and tour the remains of the 14 acre fortification, perched on a cliff overlooking the Hudson River. The site includes a Visitor Center and interpretive trail that guides visitors past the fort's ruins to breathtaking views of the Hudson River. The Visitor Center features artifacts discovered in Fort Montgomery, mannequin displays, a 3 dimensional map model, and a 14 minute orientation film. Attractions Include Audio-Visual Programs Demonstrations Group Tours Hiking Interpretive Signs Scenic Views Self Guided Tours Visitor Center

Click trail marker for the Historic 1777 & 1779 American Revolution Trail.

The sign reads: The Historic 1777 & 1779 Trails "You are walking part of the 1777 historic trail that retraces as nearly as possible the routes taken by the British army during the Revolutionary War. "The 1777 trail represents the route taken by British General Sir Henry Clinton's forces on October 6, 1777. After landing 2100 men at Stony Point, he marched north to capture Forts Clinton and Montgomery. At Doodletown, the trail splits. The east branch of the trail follows the march of forces under Sir Henry Clinton and Major General John Vaughn that captured Fort Clinton. The west branch follows the route of Lieutenant Colonel Mungo Campbell's force, which captured Fort Montgomery. "The 1779 trail traces the route taken by Brigadier General Anthony Wayne's Corps of Light Infantry in its assault on the British fortifications at Stony Point just after midnight on July 16, 1779. After a brief but fierce fight, Wayne's men captured Stony Point, achieving one of the Continental Army's most spectacular victories."

Walk the grounds of the Historic 1777 & 1779 Trails at Fort Montgomery Historic Site. You can pick up the 1777 & 1779 trails close to the Bear Mountain Bridge and/or near the Fort Montgomery Visitor Center.

George Washington (February 22, 1732 - December 14, 1799), also called Father of his Country, was an American general and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) and later the first President of the United States (1789–1797). He also served as President of the 1787 Constitutional Convention. George Washington is recognized as one of the most important figures in U.S. history. George Washington played an important role in both the "French and Indian War" and in the "American Revolution".

In 1754, Washington was commissioned as a colonel in the Virginia militia. In 1755, Washington accompanied the Braddock Expedition of the British Army during the French and Indian War. In 1757, he resigned his commission and married Martha Dandridge Custis, the wealthy widow of Daniel Parke Custis. The couple moved to Mount Vernon where he took up the life of a genteel farmer. He became a member of the House of Burgesses. By 1774, Washington had become one of the colonies' wealthiest men. In that year, he was chosen as a delegate from Virginia to the First Continental Congress and the next year to the Second Continental Congress. He did not support colonial independence until 1776, when he read Thomas Paine's "Common Sense".

In the First Continental Congress, twelve colonies sent delegates to discuss how to return to a state of harmonious relations with the Mother Country and not have a revolution! But radical thinking won out. Parliamentary acts were declared "unconstitutional". Taxes were not paid, an import-export ban was established, and Colonists were urged to arm themselves. The "shot heard 'round the world" was fired at Lexington where armed colonists tried to resist British seizure of an arsenal. Eight Americans and 273 British soldiers were killed. The Revolutionary War began. The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775 and they declared themselves the government. They also named George Washington Commander in Chief of the newly organized army.

The Revolutionary War ended in 1783 and unlike many other revolutionary leaders, Washington voluntarily relinquished power. On December 23, 1783, General George Washington resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Army to the Congress, which was then meeting at the Maryland State House in Annapolis. This action was of great significance, establishing the precedent that civilian elected officials, rather than military officers, possessed ultimate authority. If Washington had wanted to retain power he may have been able to seize it. There was some support among his most devoted followers for making Washington a permanent ruler or king, but Washington, like most of the Founding Fathers of the United States, abhorred the very idea. This established an important precedent of republican democracy throughout the world.

On February 4, 1789, America's first presidential election took place. On April 30, 1789, standing on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City, Washington took his oath of office as the first President of the United States.

Congressman Henry Light Horse Harry Lee, a Revolutionary War comrade, famously eulogized Washington as "a citizen, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen".

For most of the 18th and into the 19th century, the Ellison family had important commercial dealings in milling and trade. From their mill, flour was shipped down the Hudson River to New York City and the West Indies. At present, remains of the mill, with traces of the underground racecourse, and the Jane Colden Native Plant Sanctuary may be visited. Explore how the Ellisons and other families of the mid-Hudson Valley lived 200 years ago.

Point of Interest Knox's Headquarters State Historic Site is fun for the children and family of all ages.

Attractions
Costumed Interpreters
Demonstrations
Educational Services
Gardens
Group Tours
Guided Tours
Hiking
Interpretive Sign
Picnic Area
Re-enactments
Scenic Views

Washington was pleased that the army was better housed, fed, and clothed than ever before in the long war, but life for the officers and troops at the Cantonment remained hard. It was at the New Windsor Cantonment that the cease fire orders were issued by Washington ending the eight-year War of Independence on April 19, 1783. The final success, however, was the gradual, orderly disbandment of the army at the Cantonment, and the peaceful march of its still largely unpaid officers and men back to their homes or new pursuits.

New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site is fun for children and family. See the staff in reproduction period dress and uniforms demonstrate musket drills, blacksmithing, military medicine and camplife activities. View the exhibits at the Visitor Center and the reconstructed Temple Building, which served as a chapel for the soldiers.

Attractions
Audio-Visual Programs
Costumed Interpreters
Demonstrations
Educational Services
Group Tours
Guided Tours
Hiking
Interpretive Sign
Picnic Area
Re-enactments
Scenic Views
Self Guided Tours
Visitors Center/Museum

The word is: Wonderful day out for the kids and children of all ages.

Parks attractions include: Biking, Boat Launch Sites, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Ice Fishing, Museum / Visitor Center, Recreation Programs, Snowshoeing

Based upon captured British materials brought to West Point after the British defeat at Saratoga in 1777, the Museum collections actually predate the founding of the United States Military Academy. When the Academy opened in 1802, many Revolutionary War trophies remained to be used for cadet instruction. By the 1820s, a teaching collection of artifacts existed at the Military Academy and after the Mexican War (1846 - 1848).

West Point was designated by Executive Order as the permanent depository of war trophies. In 1854 the first public museum was opened and in 1989 the West Point Museum in Olmsted Hall opened at Pershing Center. Today it represents the culmination of more than two centuries of preserving our military heritage. Press "Blue Button" for West Point Gallery, History of US Army Gallery, American Wars Gallery, and more about West Point.

From the front lawn at Boscobel, one can see the Constitution Marsh Sanctuary and Constitution Island immediately below, the Bear Mountain Bridge to the south, the United States Military Academy at West Point across the river, and Storm King Mountain to the north. Spectacular views of the Hudson River and the Hudson Highlands, including Crow’s Nest, Storm King, and Sugar Loaf Mountains are visible from Boscobel’s grounds. The Hudson has been an inspiration for artists through the centuries, and great works by Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Doughty, Thomas P. Rossiter, and Frederic Church, have depicted the majesty of the River and its surroundings.

Boscobel was originally located in Montrose, New York, about fifteen miles south of the present site, with views overlooking the Hudson River at Haverstraw Bay. It was built by States Morris Dyckman (1755-1806), a descendant of one of the early Dutch families of New Amsterdam.

The Boscobel Mansion dates from the early nineteenth century and contains one of the nation's leading collections of furniture and decorative arts from the Federal period with high-style furniture by Duncan Phyfe and other recognized New York cabinetmakers of the day. Much of Dyckman's English china, silver, glass, and part of his library have also survived and are on exhibit. Collections are displayed in beautifully appointed period interiors with reproduction carpets, wallpaper, fabrics, and window treatments based upon contemporary sources.

Point of Interest: Visitors can explore the quaint nineteenth century village of Cold Spring with its antique and specialty shops, restaurants, Bear Mountain State Park, Historic West Point and more. Press to see more Historic Sites

Point of Interest: The Hudson River was recently named one of ten "American Heritage Rivers."

Attractions include: Guided Tour of Mansion, Self-Guided Tour of Magnificent Grounds including Rose Garden, Orangery, Springhouse and Garden House, Woodland Trail, Exhibition on Rescue and Restoration of Boscobel, Spectacular Panoramic Views of Hudson Highlands and River

"Bennington, in fact, was one of the most important fights of the Revolution, contributing as it did so largely to the final surrender of Burgoyne's whole army at Saratoga, and the utter ruin of the British invasion from the north. It is also interesting as an extremely gallant bit of fighting . . . There stood the enemy strongly entrenched on a hill, and Stark, calling his undisciplined lines about him, went at them . . . He and his men fought well their hand-to-hand fight on that hot August day, and carried the entrenchments filled with regular troops and defended by artillery. It was a daring feat of arms, as well as a battle which had an important effect upon the course of history and upon the fate of the British Empire in America." Henry Cabot Lodge

This battle was fought on August 16, 1777 in a British effort to capture American storehouses in Bennington to restock their depleting provisions. The British forces had underestimated the strength of their enemy and most of their men were killed or taken prisoner while the Americans sustained smaller losses. The British surrendered on October 17, 1777, after two unsuccessful battles in Saratoga.

Casualties and losses were recorded as:
American losses: 30 killed and 40 wounded = 70 casualties.
British losses: 207 killed and 700 captured = 907 casualties.

Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site is located in Grafton, NY 12082, in Rensselaer County in the Hudson River Valley. Bennington Battlefield is the location of a Revolutionary War battle between the British forces of General John Burgoyne and Colonel Friedrich Baum against the American forces under Brigadier General John Stark and Colonel Seth Warner. Press "Blue Button" for more about Bennington Battlefield.

Crailo was built in the early 18th century by Hendrick Van Rensselaer. Hendrick died in 1740 and his eldest son, Johannes, inherited Crailo. He remodeled the house and added an east wing in the Georgian style, reflecting the increasing influence of the English on the Albany-area Dutch.

Crailo today tells the story of the early Dutch inhabitants of the Upper Hudson Valley through exhibits highlighting archeological finds from the Albany Fort Orange excavations, special programs, and guided tours of the museum. Press "Blue Button" for attractions and more about Crailo State Historic Site.

The Stony Point Battlefield marks the "Battle of Stony Point" and the victory of the American light infantry over the British in a daring midnight raid.

Visit the site of the Battle of Stony Point, one of the last major Revolutionary War battles in the northeastern colonies. This is where Brigadier General Anthony Wayne led his corps of Continental Light Infantry in a daring midnight attack on the British, seizing the site's fortifications and taking the British garrison as prisoners on July 16, 1779.

By the late 1770s, the war had been raging for four years and both sides were eager for a conclusion. Sir Henry Clinton, commander of the British forces in America, attempted to coerce General George Washington into one decisive battle to control the Hudson River. As part of his strategy, Clinton fortified Stony Point. Washington devised a plan for Wayne to lead an attack on the fort. Armed with bayonets only, the infantry captured the fort in short order, ending British control of the river.

The site features a museum, which offers exhibits on the battle and the 1826 Stony Point Lighthouse, as well as interpretive programs, such as reenactments highlighting 18th century military life, cannon and musket firings, cooking demonstrations, and children's activities.

Attractions Include
Children's Activities
Costumed Interpreters
Demonstrations
Educational Services
Group Tours
Museum and Visitors Center
Picnic Area

In 1887, to recognize Senate House's role in the Revolution, New York State acquired the property, which quickly became a vital community museum. A two-story Museum Building was constructed in 1927 to house and display the site's burgeoning collection. Among its treasures are: major art works by John Vanderlyn and other members of the Vanderlyn family of Kingston, dating from the 1720s through the 1870s, and notable paintings by Ammi Phillips, Joseph Tubby, James Bard, and Thomas Sully. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Senate House State Historic Site.