Promote your business by advertising at our popular kids educational activities, attractions & websites page. Find Kids Educational Activities & Websites in Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester counties.
Rainbeau Ridge, a “real and accessible” farm, is located at 9 David's Way, Bedford Hills, NY 10507. Rainbeau Ridge goat cheese is made practically in your backyard. (Only CAP members can purchase farm products at farm - Click blue button for more information).
Family & Individual Visits as well as Group Visits are offered seasonally or by prior booking or just come at your leisure during the visiting times. Maps are provided for your use during your visit and you are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy on the farm.
We also have Special Events at Rainbeau Ridge, so press blue button for more information about the farm, kids events, CAP membership and Rainbeau Ridge.
Attractions Annual Sheep Shearing event Cooking classes in Lisa's kitchen Garden produce Goat cheese
The Bedford Historic Library c1807 is located in Bedford Village. Until 1902, this was the Bedford Academy, one of Westchester's first classical schools. The Corporation of Bedford Academy gave the building to the Historical Society in 1972. It is currently leased for $1 a year to the Bedford Free Library who is responsible for its maintenance. Press blue button for more information about the Bedford Historical Society and its historic properties.
Click to enlarge photo of Old School House in Bedford Village.
The School House c1829 is located in Bedford Village. This small stone building on the Green, often called the Stone Jug, was the village school from 1829 to 1912. From 1913 to 1969 it housed the Bedford Museum which was moved to the second floor of the renovated Court House. The School House was then restored to its original use as a 19th century one-room school. It is open to the public from May to October.
Press blue button for more information about the Bedford Historical Society and its historic properties.
Click to enlarge picture of "Croton Gorge Spillway"
Croton Gorge Park, a 97-acre property, is located at Route 129, Cortlandt Manor, NY 10520 in Westchester County. The Park is located at the base of the New Croton Dam, and affords impressive views of the dam and spillway.
The Croton River begins here. The bridge that spans the Croton River offers beautiful views of the spectacular spillway.
Click to enlarge picture of "Croton Gorge Park - Water Views".
"The Old Croton Dam, built to supply New York City with water, was the first large masonry dam in the United States. Completed in 1842, it was the prototype for many municipal water supply dams in the east during the mid-nineteenth century. The city’s needs, however, soon outgrew the Croton Dam water supply.
"Consequently, work began on the New Croton Dam, also called the Cornell Dam because of its location on land purchased from A.B. Cornell, in 1893. Completed in 1907, the Cornell Dam stands over 200 feet high. The Croton Reservoir has a capacity of about 34 billion gallons of water with a watershed covering 177 square miles." Source: Westchestergov.com
Click to enlarge picture of "Croton Dam Plaza Lookout".
Visit Croton Gorge Park. The park offers many activities such as fishing, picnicking, biking, and hiking trails (with direct trail access to New York State’s Old Croton Aqueduct). Croton Gorge Park is also available for winter activities such as cross-country skiing and sledding.
Click to enlarge picture of the falls at Croton Dam Plaza
Enjoy walking, picnicking, ball fields, and spectacular views of the spillway from the base of Croton Dam Plaza. A playground for small children is available just a short walk from this spot.
Press blue button for more information about the New Croton Dam at Croton Gorge Park. Learn more about the history of the Old Croton Dam.
Things To Do at Croton Gorge Park Ball Fields Biking Trails Fishing Hiking Trails / Walking Nature Study Picnicking Playground Restrooms
Winter Activities Cross-Country Skiing Sledding
Wheelchair Accessible Accessible indicates that, to the extent practicable, this facility or activity meets the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards. It is strongly recommended that you contact the facility in advance for a full description of facilities.
Copland House at Merestead is located at 455 Byram Lake Road, Mt. Kisco, NY 10549 in Westchester County. "Merestead (“farmland” in Scottish) was designed and built in 1906–07 by famed architects Delano & Aldrich as the country home of William Sloane, President of the W & J Sloane Furniture Company, and his family.
"Sloane’s son-in-law and daughter, Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Patterson, Jr., gave this majestic property to the people of Westchester, “so that present and future generations ... will be able to use, see, and enjoy it [for] conservation, educational, cultural, intellectual, historical, and recreational purposes.” A County Park, the 130-acre estate includes a 26-room Georgian Revival mansion, carriage house, farm buildings, formal gardens, natural woodlands, rolling hills and meadows, and over two miles of trails.
"In September 2009, an innovative public-private partnership between Westchester County and Copland House was launched to realize the Pattersons’ sweeping vision, and establish a unique creative center at Merestead, which will serve as an extension of Copland House’s acclaimed musical, educational, and public programs. This extraordinary collaboration preserves a large parcel of open land, revives one of Westchester’s last great country estates, and creates a singular institution that champions American music and the arts—and makes all of this accessible to the public."
Press blue button for events and tickets, school and community programs, education, composers, and more about Copland House at Merestead.
Attractions at Copland House at Merestead Concerts Educational Programs Events Hiking Historic Site
Click to enlarge picture of "Entrance to Ward Pound Reservation".
The Trailside Nature Museum is located at 6 Reservation Road, (Junction of Routes 35 and 121 South), Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River, NY 10518 in Westchester County. The Museum is owned and operated by Westchester County Parks, Recreation, and Conservation. The museum was built in 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and is one of the oldest interpretive nature centers in the United States.
Click to enlarge pictures of "Ward Pound Ridge - Biodiversity Reserve Area" sign.
The sign reads: On February 15, 2001 The Westchester County Parks Board designated Ward Pound Ridge Reservation a Biodiversity Reserve Area for the protection of wildlife habitat.
Click to enlarge pictures of "Important Bird Area" sign.
The sign reads: Important Bird Area This site is part of a global network of places recognized for their outstanding value to bird conservation Audubon
"The museum exhibits specimen birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, minerals, American Indian artifacts, and also houses the Delaware Indian Resource Center. Nature interpretive programs are offered weekly.
"The museum hosts thousands of school children and scouts each year for a variety of educational programs including stream study, American Indian culture, maple sugaring, and badge work. Family-oriented nature programs are scheduled for the general public on nearly every weekend.
"The Trailside Nature Museum is also the home of the Delaware Indian Research Center, a vast collection of books and artifacts concerning American Indians, especially the Delaware. The Research Center is well utilized by both students and educators and has assisted several authors in researching their publications. The Research Center is open to the public by appointment.
"During the summer months, butterfly and moth hatcheries are maintained inside the museum for a close look at the miracle of metamorphosis. Be sure to go butterflying at the outside demonstration butterfly garden which attracts parades of butterflies. The brochure Butterflies of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation lists 83 species that have been seen on the grounds.
"Birds of field and forest abound throughout the year. Birds of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation contain a checklist of the 184 species recorded in the park to date.
"In addition, there is a one-half acre wildflower garden containing more than 80 different kinds of labeled wildflowers. There are several self-guided nature trails – directions and pamphlets are available in the museum."
Press blue button for hours, programs and activities, Wildflower Garden, Delaware Indian Center, Biodiversity Research, Arts in the Park, and more about the Trailside Nature Museum in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation at The Friends of the Trailside Nature Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
Things To Do at Trailside Nature Museum Art Gallery (Located in historic Benedict Homestead) Biodiversity Research Bird Watching Birthday Parties (Educational programs offered as birthday parties for any age.) Educational Programs Fishing (Catch & Release - Artificial lures only) Hiking Trails (35 miles of hiking trails) Nature Programs Picnicking ( Self Guided Nature Trails Souvenir Shop Trailside Nature Museum Wildflower Garden
Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, a 4,315-acre park, is the largest park in Westchester County. The park is divided in area between the towns of Pound Ridge and Lewisboro. The northern one-third of the park is in Lewisboro and the remaining two-thirds of the park are in Pound Ridge.
Click to enlarge picture of "Visitor Center at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation".
As you drive into the park and up to the main entrance booth, you'll see the visitor center on your right and the Art Center a short distance ahead, on your left.
Ward Pound Ridge Park offers different landscapes and scenic views throughout its 4,315 acres. You'll find open terrain, woods, meadows of open fields sprinkled with wild flowers, fallen trees, old barns, and open space.
Click to enlarge picture of the main road in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
The park offers different landscapes during the seasons. Whether you visit the park in spring, summer, fall, or winter, you will experience the natural landscape and beauty of Ward Pound Ridge with its wetlands, wooded areas, places to cross-country ski, and fabulous fishing spots. Park attractions also include camping sites, playgrounds for younger kids, the Trailside Nature Museum and more.
Click to enlarge picture of "Kimberly Bridge Picnic Area".
Kimberly Bridge Picnic Area is the perfect spot to go bird watching, fishing, hiking, or relax with a picnic as you enjoy the serenity of the brook.
Ward Pound Ridge is also home to the Trailside Nature Museum, that hosts weekend nature interpretive programs, and the Art in Parks program, where exhibitions of work by accomplished regional artists are held throughout the year.
Ward Pound Ridge offers hiking trails, fishing spots (catch & release), birding, nature trails, and vistas for the photographer, painter, and nature lover. Depending on where you are in the park, given the large size of Ward Pound Ridge, you can experience the park in many different ways.
With its varied terrain, 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, cross-country skiing, and two playgrounds for younger children. The park is also home to the Trailside Nature Museum, which hosts weekend nature interpretive programs year-round.
Hiking Trails Ward Pound Ridge offers approximately 35 miles of hiking trails among meadows, woods, wetlands, and cross-country ski areas. Hiking trails are available for beginners, intermediate, or advanced hikers.
"You could easily while away a couple of days on the trails here and still not see the entire park. Its sublime scenery is a marvelous medley of hardwood forests, glacial ridges, lowland bogs, granite outcroppings and high-rising bluffs, with a couple of ravines, a river, and a far-reaching viewpoint as added attractions. The main trails are wide and very popular with family groups, while many narrower routes provide a more rugged experience. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is the largest preserve in the Westchester County Parks system . . . It is also the most beautiful of the county's parks, where litter on the ground is as rare as candy in a dentist's office, and the camping shelters (stone lean-tos constructed by the CCC more than 60 years ago) are raked clean by park personnel. Scenery: Swamps, hemlock, laurel, and hardwood forests, impressive rock outcroppings, scenic overlook of Cross River Reservoir, and historic cave." Visit www.trails.com for more about the Ward Pound Ridge Main Loop.
Audubon Society of Westchester "Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is a mixture of streams, woodland and open fields. Bluebirds can be common here and the park offers good birding even in the middle of summer due to large list of breeding birds. They include: Cooper's and Goshawks, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-throated , Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos, Brown Creeper, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 14 species of warblers including Black-throated Green, Worm-eating and Pine Warblers." Ward Pound Ridge is also the best park to watch butterflies in New York. Visit Hudson River Audubon Society of Westchester for more about bird watching at Ward Pound Ridge.
Please remember: "Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is a Biodiversity Reserve Area. Help to take care of this unique and beautiful space by following our simple stewardship rules."
Press blue button for location of Ward Pound Ridge, map (or pick-up a map at the tool booth park office) and reservation trails and facilities, parking, restrooms, and more about Westchester County's largest park.
The Croton Point Nature Center is located at the 504-acre Croton Point Park, the largest peninsula of the Hudson River in Croton-on-Hudson. The scenic discovery trail winds its way through the park, enabling visitors to explore the Croton Point's many plant and wildlife species, including painted turtles and a variety of frogs, as well as its unique historical features.
The Croton Point Nature Center located on the northwest tip of the park, displays exhibits about the Hudson River, local history, flora and fauna, and archeology. The center hosts weekly programs, including nature walks, presentation on area history, and arts and crafts workshops. The center is also the headquarters for the Material Archives and Laboratory for Archaeology.
Explore four miles of Hudson River shoreline at Croton Point Nature Center. The grounds attract Bald Eagles, and is designated an Important Bird Area (IBA). A capped landfill is now a vast meadow abundant in species of birds and butterflies. The park's historical structures are designated as a historic district.
Special Interest: Treaty Oak Monument, Meadow, Brickyard Excavation, Teller's Point and English Yews, Croton Bay, The Wine Cellars, Conifer Forest
Things To Do at Croton Point Nature Center Baseball Fields Birding | Bird Watching (IBA) Bird Sanctuary Cultural History Programs Hiking Trails Historic District Museum Nature Center Picnicking Restrooms
Winter Activities Cross-Country Skiing Sledding
Wheelchair Accessible Accessible indicates that, to the extent practicable, this facility or activity meets the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards. It is strongly recommended that you contact the facility in advance for a full description of facilities.
Croton Point Park, a 508-acre property, is located at Croton Point Avenue, Croton-on-Hudson in Westchester County. Find many historical features at Croton Point, including Historic School House, Wine Cellar, Wine Cottage, and more.
"This park offers year-round events and activities and has facilities for camping, hiking and swimming. The park, rich in natural and human history, is also the site of historic wine cellars that are thought of be the oldest in New York State and the Croton Point Nature Center.
"The oldest oyster shell middens on the North Atlantic Coast uncovered by archeologists on Croton Point confirm that the peninsula was inhabited by Native Americans as early as 7,000 years ago. Croton is in fact named for the Indian sachem, Kenoten, which means "wild wind.” In the 17th century, Indians of the Kitchawank tribe on the Wappinger Confederacy occupied a large fortified village on the high flat at the neck of Croton Point, which they called Navish. This was one of the most ancient and formidable Indian fortresses south of the Hudson Highlands.
"The oldest oyster shell middens on the North Atlantic Coast uncovered by archeologists on Croton Point confirm that the peninsula was inhabited by Native Americans as early as 7,000 years ago. Croton is, in fact, named for the Indian sachem, Kenoten, which means "wild wind.” In the 17th century, Indians of the Kitchawank tribe on the Wappinger Confederacy occupied a large fortified village on the high flat at the neck of Croton Point, which they called Navish. This was one of the most ancient and formidable Indian fortresses south of the Hudson Highlands. A marsh known by the Indians as “Senasqua” separates the Point from Croton Neck, and a plaque marks the spot where a peace treaty was signed with the Kitchawank tribe.
"Cornelius Van Bursum was the first to purchase Croton Point from the Indians in 1682. A few years later William and Sara Teller were given permission to live on the point and operate an Indian trading post. In the 18th century the area came to be known as Teller’s Point. Soon after, Stephanus Van Cortlandt incorporated the property into his Cortlandt Manor. By the end of the 18th century the Tellers, who married into the Van Cortlandt family, were in full possession of Croton Point. The Van Cortlandt Manor House still stands on the Croton River east of Croton Point Park."
Croton Point Park and the Revolutionary War "Although several military actions took place here, many involving invasions by the British, the most notorious was connected with the attempted betrayal of West Point by Benedict Arnold and the capture of his British confederate, Major John Andre." Learn more about Benedict Arnold in the American Revolution.
Press blue button for more history and information about Croton Point Park
Things To Do at Croton Point Park Beach access Boat Launch Camping Fishing Food Service Hiking Trails /Walking Museum (Historic features) Nature centers & study Picnicking Playground Restrooms Swimming
Winter Activities Cross-Country Skiing Sledding
Wheelchair Accessible Accessible indicates that, to the extent practicable, this facility or activity meets the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards. It is strongly recommended that you contact the facility in advance for a full description of facilities.
Van Cortlandt Manor, situated on the banks of the Croton River in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, is a working estate and elegant country house that brings the new nation period vividly to life. The history of the estate is richly documented and the manor house contains primarily original furnishings, which provides an element of authenticity rarely seen in house museums.
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 Children's Birthday Party 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.
Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park is located at 15 Walnut Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 in Westchester County.
A Bit of History During the 1830s New York City was in dire need of a fresh water supply to combat the steady rise of disease and to fight numerous fires that often engulfed large tracts of businesses and homes. After numerous proposals and an abandoned plan two years into its production, construction of an unprecedented magnitude began in 1837 under the expertise of John Bloomfield Jervis. The proposed plan called for a 41 mile aqueduct and dam to be built in order to run water from the Croton River to New York City. Three to four thousand workers, mostly Irish immigrants earning up to $1.00 per day, completed the masonry marvel in just five years. In 1842 water flowed into above ground reservoirs located at the present sites of the New York Public Library and the Great Lawn of Central Park. Throngs of people attended the formal celebration held on October 14th and celebrated with "Croton cocktails" - a mix of Croton water and lemonade.
In 1968, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation purchased 26.2 miles of the original 41 mile aqueduct from New York City. Presently, Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park is a linear park which runs from Van Cortlandt Park at the Bronx County/City of Yonkers border to the Croton Dam in Cortlandt. In 1987 a section was reopened to supply the Town of Ossining and in 1992 the Old Croton Aqueduct was awarded National Historic Landmark Status.
The scenic path over the underground aqueduct winds through urban centers and small communities. It passes near numerous historic sites, preserves, a museum highlighting the construction of the Aqueduct, and many homes. The Aqueduct’s grassy ceiling provides abundant recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. While primarily for walking and running, parts of the trail are suitable for horseback riding, biking (except during “mud season”), bird watching, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing.
Press blue button for directions, activities, and more about the history of the Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park.
Things To Do at Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park Biking Birding Bridle Path Hiking Interpretive Signs Nature Trails Self Guided Tours
The Children's Theatre at the Westchester Broadway Theatre is located at One Broadway Plaza, Elmsford, NY 10523 in Westchester County. The Westchester Broadway Theatre is the longest running year-round professional theatre in the State of New York.
Note: Individual seats are sold for Children's Theatre. All tables are considered to be shared.
There is no food service for Children's Theatre productions.
Press blue button for more about Children's Theatre at the Westchester Broadway Theatre.
V. E. Macy Park is a 172-acre park centrally located at Saw Mill River Road, Irvington, New York. The park is actually divided into three distinct areas with slightly different atmospheres. One part functions as a local park with ballfields, a playground, comfort station and picnic pavilion. Another includes Woodlands Lake, fishing, ice skating, access to the South County Trailway, and 500 feet of the former Putnam Division Railroad. The final area is largely undeveloped.
The Great Hunger Memorial “A section of V. E. Macy Park has been renamed so that the history of the Irish who fled to Westchester in the 1840s to escape poverty and famine will never be forgotten".
Point of Interest: The Great Hunger Memorial
Things To Do Fishing Great Hunger Memorial Picnicking Playground
The Yorktown Theatre Company, KJK Productions, is a non-profit organization that serves as the major resident theatre program at the Music Hall at Tarrytown. The Yorktown Theatre Company has produced several successful productions which have brought major classic Broadway musicals (including: The Music Man, Phantom, The Sound of Music, Christmas Carol, West Side Story) and live children's theatre to Tarrytown and nearby areas.
Caramoor Center for Music and Arts is located at 149 Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah, NY 10536 in the beautiful Hudson River Valley. Caramoor is a magnificent estate dedicated to the Performing Arts. Throughout the year, Caramoor offers musical experiences to be enjoyed by everyone. Programs include Great Artists in the Music Room, Caramoor Classics, Programs for Families, Cabaret, Vocal Gala, Jazz, Festivals, and more.
Caramoor's House Museum has twenty rooms that are open to the public. These rooms are filled with an extraordinary collection of paintings, sculpture, tapestries, stained glass, furniture, cloisonné, and an important jade collection.
A Bit of History Caramoor is the legacy of Walter and Lucie Rosen, who established the estate and built a great house as its centerpiece, filling it with treasures collected on their travels. Walter Rosen was the master planner, bringing to reality his dream of creating a place to entertain friends from around the world. Their legendary musical evenings were the seeds of today's International Music Festival that is held annually on the estate.
The Rosen's had two children, Walter and Anne. In 1944, during the Second World War, while flying for the RAF, Walter was killed returning from a raid in Germany. His absence from the house was keenly felt and it prompted his parents to act on their previously discussed plans to preserve the artistic and musical heritage of Caramoor. In 1945, the Rosens bequeathed the Caramoor estate as a center for music and art in memory of their son.
In the summer, come early, explore Caramoor's beautiful grounds, take a tour of the House Museum, enjoy a pre-concert picnic, and discover wonderful music in a relaxed setting. With its unique heritage, Caramoor remains a place where you can experience magical summer days and nights. Year round, select from the many venues and programs.
Press blue button for Music Festival, House Museum and Gardens, upcoming concerts and more about Caramoor.
Things to Do at Caramoor Birthday Parties Family Concerts Gardens & Grounds Historic Site International Music Festival Jazz Festival Museum Programs for Families Summer Music Festival
John Jay Homestead State Historic Site is located at 400 Jay Street, Katonah, NY 10536 in Westchester County.
History of Chief Justice John Jay "Nestled in the rolling Westchester countryside is the gracious home and farm of John Jay (1745-1829), one of America's principal Founding Fathers. Jay co-authored the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War, and the Federalist Papers, which aided ratification of the U.S. Constitution. He served as President of the Continental Congress, U.S. Secretary for Foreign Affairs, first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and the second governor of New York State.
"During many years of devoted service to the State and the Nation, he looked forward to the day when he would retire with his wife and children to "the house on my farm in Westchester County. The land where John Jay lived his later years was purchased in 1703 by his maternal grandfather, Jacobus Van Cortlandt. By 1800 Jay had acquired, by inheritance and by purchase, 750 acres of property near Bedford, New York. In 1799 he began construction of a comfortable 24-room farmhouse. He moved there in 1801, after his retirement from politics. Tragically, Jay's wife Sarah died only months after moving to their new home. John Jay never remarried and lived as a gentleman farmer until his death in 1829.
"His son William (1789-1858) inherited the house and farm; he later became a leading figure in the struggle to end slavery. William's son John Jay II (1817-1894) inherited the property and upon his death it was given to his son Colonel William Jay (1841-1915). The Colonels' daughter, Eleanor Jay Iselin (1882-1953) was the last of the family to use the property as a full time residence. 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."
John Jay: First Chief-Justice of the United States 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.
Anti-Slavery Movement John Jay and his family retired to his farm in Bedford. Upon John Jay's death in 1829, the farm and home were inherited by William Jay, John's second son. William Jay became a prominent leader of abolitionists, and the Homestead became a center in the anti-slavery movement.
Attractions This historic site 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 a 1830s barn are open for touring. 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."
Press blue button to learn more about attractions and the history of the John Jay Homestead.
Things To Do at John Jay Homestead Audio-Visual Programs* Birthday Parties Bridle Paths Demonstrations* Educational Programs K-12* Gardens Gift Shop* Group Tours* Hiking Historic House Interpretive Sign Picnic Area Scenic Views Special Exhibitions
* Wheelchair Accessible Accessible indicates that, to the extent practicable, this facility or activity meets the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards. It is strongly recommended that you contact the facility in advance for a full description of facilities.
Muscoot Farm, a 777-acre interpretive farm is located at 51 Route 100 in Katonah, NY 10536 in Westchester County.
From the owner: "Muscoot Farm was originally a "Gentleman's Farm" founded by Ferdinand T. Hopkins in 1880 and operated as a dairy farm until Westchester County acquired the property in the late 1960s. Today, Muscoot Farm is a Westchester County Park that strives to preserve and interpret its agrarian past. Visitors may stroll through the original barns, visit with the animals, participate in educational programs or hike the many miles of trails. There is something for everyone on Muscoot’s 777 acres."
More than seven miles of hiking trails allow visitors to explore some of Muscoot's 777 acres through fields, woodlands and wetlands. Trail maps are available in the reception center. For the protection of our animals and our visitors, petting and feeding of the farm animals is not permitted and dogs are not allowed at Muscoot.
Today, Muscoot Farm has many of the original buildings, some of which were moved to accommodate the Muscoot Reservoir. Visitors can walk through the dairy barn, milk house, ice house, blacksmith shop and several other barns and buildings. Livestock and poultry are breeds typical of an early 20th century gentleman's farm and many represent minor rare breeds. The Main House is used to exhibit monthly art shows by local artists.
Blueberry Pond Theatre Ensemble is the only professional theatre company in Westchester County whose season consists solely of original work, and as such we fill a unique place in the community and indeed in the tri-state area. The company is developing cutting-edge, provocative works in an ensemble process involving actors, directors, and writers.
The Ensemble had its origin in the summer of 2001 at the Croton-on-Hudson estate of Blueberry Pond, the residence of Stephan Summa, a businessman, and Jean-Paul DeVellard, a writer, food critic and playwright. According to Mr. DeVellard, "We knew a group of very talented artists, and my idea was to bring them together as the nucleus of a theatrical ensemble along the lines of the original Actors Studio. We all knew playwrights, actors, directors, that it would take a cooperative effort to bring our dream of original and bold and indeed provocative theater to life. Our commitment is to creative cooperation and support for new and exciting visions which reflect the world in which we live."
The Children's Theatre Company of Peekskill is located at The Ford Theatre, 1031 Elm Street, Peekskill, NY in northern Westchester County.
From the Children's Theatre Company "Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to building character on stage by introducing children and youth to the incomparable magic of theatre, with a commitment to develop in each child a keen sense of citizenship alongside their artistic achievements. This Program made possible by the Peekskill/Cortlandt Baha’i community in association with the Children’s Theatre Company, NYC and Peekskill Parks and Recreation.
“Building Character Onstage”, the Company fosters the belief that, through the arts, young people can be agents of healing in the world. Committed to character and ethical development, CTC is rooted in the belief that through the incomparable magic of theater combined with a robust ethical education curriculum, children and youth can indeed become the voices of positive change.
"CTC promotes theater as a tool for active and analytical learning (rather than prescribed and passive), and is centered on a pedagogical and community development approach which emphasizes a culture of inclusivity and service through arts."
Press blue button for more about The Children's Theatre Company of Peekskill and their current productions.
Little Village Playhouse, a not for profit theatre group located at 147 Wheeler Ave, Pleasantville, NY 10570 in Westchester County.
From LVP: "Welcome to Little Village Playhouse. We are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt not for profit corporation based in Pleasantville, New York.
"At LVP, we endeavor to create a safe environment where students feel free to explore the artistic process and express themselves without fear of ridicule. We encourage thinking skills rather than rote memorization and spoon-fed direction. We believe that every child has an intellectual and imaginative voice that should be respected and heard."
Blue Hill Cafe at Stone Barns is located at 630 Bedford Road in Pocantico Hills, New York 10591.
Restaurant Review
Local, grass-fed and organic ingredients Outdoor Dining
The word is from the owners "A respite for hikers and moms with active toddlers, Blue Hill Café offers light snacks, farm-fresh lattes, and jars full of locally grown goodies. Warm Paninis made from Hudson Valley cheeses and our greenhouse vegetables and fresh sausages created right in Blue Hill's kitchen are available to eat in the courtyard or to take on a walk around the farm."
Click to read review Blue Hill at Stone Barns, serving Farm-to-Table cuisine, is located at 630 Bedford Road in Pocantico Hills, NY 10591 in Westchester County. From the owner: "In spring of 2004, Blue Hill at Stone Barns opened within the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, New York. The Barbers helped create the philosophical and practical framework for Stone Barns Center, a working four-season farm and educational center just 30 miles north of New York City, and continue to help guide it in its mission to create a consciousness about the effect of everyday food choices.
"Sourcing from the surrounding fields and pasture, as well as other local farms, Blue Hill at Stone Barns highlights the abundant resources of the Hudson Valley. There are no menus at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Instead, guests are presented with a list of over a hundred ingredients, updated daily, which contains the best offerings from the field and market."
Press blue button for the farm, the markets, recipes, education, and more about dining at Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
The word is "If you are open to trying new things and want an elegant and unique dining experience" have at least one dinner at Blue Hill. Most agree that "it was fantastic and look forward to going back". Before booking, check prices on their website menu. Blue Hill is "very expensive, but . . . the food was not only delicious, fresh and nutritious, it was a work of art." Most agree that although pricey "be prepared to be amazed" as even the service was impeccable". A few do not agree as they exclaim "a lot of pomp, a little protein (small portions) and an extraordinary bill".
Things To Do at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture Children's Programs College Programs Cooking Classes Cooks and Gardeners Farm Camp Farming Classes School Programs Sustainable farming practices Teacher Training
Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, is now a historic site of the National Trust. Many believe it is the Hudson Valley's most exceptional house and gardens. Be sure to include this magnificent landmark on any tour of the Historic Hudson Valley.
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.
Click to enlarge photo of Union Church in Pocantico.
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 at Union Church of Pocantico Hills Stained glass windows by Marc Chagall Stained glass windows by Henri Matisse
Click to enlarge picture of "Entrance to Ward Pound Reservation".
The Trailside Nature Museum is located at 6 Reservation Road, (Junction of Routes 35 and 121 South), Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River, NY 10518 in Westchester County. The Museum is owned and operated by Westchester County Parks, Recreation, and Conservation. The museum was built in 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and is one of the oldest interpretive nature centers in the United States.
Click to enlarge pictures of "Ward Pound Ridge - Biodiversity Reserve Area" sign.
The sign reads: On February 15, 2001 The Westchester County Parks Board designated Ward Pound Ridge Reservation a Biodiversity Reserve Area for the protection of wildlife habitat.
Click to enlarge pictures of "Important Bird Area" sign.
The sign reads: Important Bird Area This site is part of a global network of places recognized for their outstanding value to bird conservation Audubon
"The museum exhibits specimen birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, minerals, American Indian artifacts, and also houses the Delaware Indian Resource Center. Nature interpretive programs are offered weekly.
"The museum hosts thousands of school children and scouts each year for a variety of educational programs including stream study, American Indian culture, maple sugaring, and badge work. Family-oriented nature programs are scheduled for the general public on nearly every weekend.
"The Trailside Nature Museum is also the home of the Delaware Indian Research Center, a vast collection of books and artifacts concerning American Indians, especially the Delaware. The Research Center is well utilized by both students and educators and has assisted several authors in researching their publications. The Research Center is open to the public by appointment.
"During the summer months, butterfly and moth hatcheries are maintained inside the museum for a close look at the miracle of metamorphosis. Be sure to go butterflying at the outside demonstration butterfly garden which attracts parades of butterflies. The brochure Butterflies of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation lists 83 species that have been seen on the grounds.
"Birds of field and forest abound throughout the year. Birds of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation contain a checklist of the 184 species recorded in the park to date.
"In addition, there is a one-half acre wildflower garden containing more than 80 different kinds of labeled wildflowers. There are several self-guided nature trails – directions and pamphlets are available in the museum."
Press blue button for hours, programs and activities, Wildflower Garden, Delaware Indian Center, Biodiversity Research, Arts in the Park, and more about the Trailside Nature Museum in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation at The Friends of the Trailside Nature Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
Things To Do at Trailside Nature Museum Art Gallery (Located in historic Benedict Homestead) Biodiversity Research Bird Watching Birthday Parties (Educational programs offered as birthday parties for any age.) Educational Programs Fishing (Catch & Release - Artificial lures only) Hiking Trails (35 miles of hiking trails) Nature Programs Picnicking ( Self Guided Nature Trails Souvenir Shop Trailside Nature Museum Wildflower Garden
Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, a 4,315-acre park, is the largest park in Westchester County. The park is divided in area between the towns of Pound Ridge and Lewisboro. The northern one-third of the park is in Lewisboro and the remaining two-thirds of the park are in Pound Ridge.
Click to enlarge picture of "Visitor Center at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation".
As you drive into the park and up to the main entrance booth, you'll see the visitor center on your right and the Art Center a short distance ahead, on your left.
Ward Pound Ridge Park offers different landscapes and scenic views throughout its 4,315 acres. You'll find open terrain, woods, meadows of open fields sprinkled with wild flowers, fallen trees, old barns, and open space.
Click to enlarge picture of the main road in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
The park offers different landscapes during the seasons. Whether you visit the park in spring, summer, fall, or winter, you will experience the natural landscape and beauty of Ward Pound Ridge with its wetlands, wooded areas, places to cross-country ski, and fabulous fishing spots. Park attractions also include camping sites, playgrounds for younger kids, the Trailside Nature Museum and more.
Click to enlarge picture of "Kimberly Bridge Picnic Area".
Kimberly Bridge Picnic Area is the perfect spot to go bird watching, fishing, hiking, or relax with a picnic as you enjoy the serenity of the brook.
Ward Pound Ridge is also home to the Trailside Nature Museum, that hosts weekend nature interpretive programs, and the Art in Parks program, where exhibitions of work by accomplished regional artists are held throughout the year.
Ward Pound Ridge offers hiking trails, fishing spots (catch & release), birding, nature trails, and vistas for the photographer, painter, and nature lover. Depending on where you are in the park, given the large size of Ward Pound Ridge, you can experience the park in many different ways.
With its varied terrain, 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, cross-country skiing, and two playgrounds for younger children. The park is also home to the Trailside Nature Museum, which hosts weekend nature interpretive programs year-round.
Hiking Trails Ward Pound Ridge offers approximately 35 miles of hiking trails among meadows, woods, wetlands, and cross-country ski areas. Hiking trails are available for beginners, intermediate, or advanced hikers.
"You could easily while away a couple of days on the trails here and still not see the entire park. Its sublime scenery is a marvelous medley of hardwood forests, glacial ridges, lowland bogs, granite outcroppings and high-rising bluffs, with a couple of ravines, a river, and a far-reaching viewpoint as added attractions. The main trails are wide and very popular with family groups, while many narrower routes provide a more rugged experience. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is the largest preserve in the Westchester County Parks system . . . It is also the most beautiful of the county's parks, where litter on the ground is as rare as candy in a dentist's office, and the camping shelters (stone lean-tos constructed by the CCC more than 60 years ago) are raked clean by park personnel. Scenery: Swamps, hemlock, laurel, and hardwood forests, impressive rock outcroppings, scenic overlook of Cross River Reservoir, and historic cave." Visit www.trails.com for more about the Ward Pound Ridge Main Loop.
Audubon Society of Westchester "Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is a mixture of streams, woodland and open fields. Bluebirds can be common here and the park offers good birding even in the middle of summer due to large list of breeding birds. They include: Cooper's and Goshawks, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-throated , Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos, Brown Creeper, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 14 species of warblers including Black-throated Green, Worm-eating and Pine Warblers." Ward Pound Ridge is also the best park to watch butterflies in New York. Visit Hudson River Audubon Society of Westchester for more about bird watching at Ward Pound Ridge.
Please remember: "Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is a Biodiversity Reserve Area. Help to take care of this unique and beautiful space by following our simple stewardship rules."
Press blue button for location of Ward Pound Ridge, map (or pick-up a map at the tool booth park office) and reservation trails and facilities, parking, restrooms, and more about Westchester County's largest park.
The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens is located at 700 and 735 Anderson Hill Road, PepsiCo headquarters in Purchase, NY, Westchester County in the Hudson River Valley. The Sculpture Gardens and the Purchase campus of SUNY are across the street from each other.
This world acclaimed sculpture collection is beautifully situated on the immaculately tended gardens on the grounds of PepsiCo Headquarters. The garden was designed by Russell Page. The Sculpture Gardens include works by Alexander Calder, Joan Miró, Alberto Giacometti, Henry Moore, George Segal, Jean Dubuffet, Auguste Rodin and Max Ernst.
The Sculpture Gardens is a collection of 45 sculptures by some of the best-known artists of the 20th century. Capricorn, Max Ernst’s largest freestanding sculpture is among the inspiring works. The grounds themselves are 168-acres of green lawns, trees, ponds, fountains, and landscaped gardens with a topiary, well-tended hedges, flower beds and water-lily ponds. These spectacular grounds were conceived as an integration of architecture, landscape, and sculpture. "It is a landscape exhibiting superior thought and attention, a thorough knowledge of plants, a respect for what has come before, and a working effort to remain true to a vision."
Things To Do at Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens
Neuberger Museum of Art is located in SUNY Purchase, at 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577. Presenting 12 changing exhibitions annually in addition to ongoing exhibitions from the permanent collections, the Neuberger Museum of Art offers visitors insights into the work of 20th century masters, and mid-career and emerging artists, as well as exposure to the Westchester County's only permanent exhibition of African art. Neuberger Museum is one of Westchester's finest cultural resources, featuring 12 changing exhibitions of modern, contemporary and African art annually. Press blue button for Exhibitions, Collection, African Art, Events and more about Neuberger Museum of Art.
Jay Heritage Center is located at 210 Boston Post Road, Rye, NY 10580. The Jay Center, a National Historic Landmark, is the boyhood home of New York State’s only native Founding Father, John Jay (1745-1829). Located next to a marshlands preserve with public trails, this sylvan and historic 23 acre park is all that remains of the original 400 acre Jay family estate where America’s first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and author of The Jay Treaty grew up. Located just 35 minutes from Manhattan, the Property has an 8000 year old scenic vista of Long Island Sound over a meadow bordered by sunken stone ha-ha walls, a European garden design feature added by Jay’s eldest son circa 1822. It is also located on the historic Boston Post Road where mile marker “24” out of 230, designated in 1763 by Jay’s colleague, Benjamin Franklin, is set into the perimeter wall.
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.
The Westchester Children’s Museum will have a premier location on the Long Island Sound in the historic landmark North Bathhouse at Rye Playland, a building that evokes whimsy and sets the stage for an exceptional children’s museum experience.
"The iconic North Bathhouse provides nearly 23,000 square feet of space for temporary and permanent exhibits, classrooms, a birthday party room, performance space, restaurant/cafe, gift shop, and other amenities.
"The Westchester Children’s Museum will be a vibrant new learning center that nurtures curiosity, enhance knowledge, and ignite imagination in our children as they explore the history, arts, environment, and cultural diversity of their local and global communities.
"Imagine a light-filled, colorful, vibrant learning space filled with water play, physics, science, art, music, and nature, with places to climb, build, and examine - a place to discover who we are and where we live. The Westchester Children’s Museum will be a celebration of childhood. Exhibit areas will contain experiential laboratories, interactive art pieces, sculptural elements, hidden worlds, climbing structures, and physical connections to the outdoors. The museum’s exhibits and programs will draw from the region’s rich history, cultural diversity, flourishing ecosystems, and literary and artistic traditions."
Highly innovative, dynamic, engaging, fun and enriching
Appeal to audiences of different generations, backgrounds, emotional, physical, and learning abilities
Present visitors with the opportunity for hands-on interaction
Stimulate repeat visitation with changing exhibits, performances, and public programs
The 1883 Lighthouse at Sleepy Hollow is located at Kingsland Point Park, Route 9, Sleepy Hollow, NY. Long a fixture on the Hudson River, the 1883 Lighthouse at Sleepy Hollow, formerly known as the Tarrytown Lighthouse or the Kingsland Point Lighthouse, is the only Caisson-style lighthouse on the river.
Erected in 1882-1883, the lighthouse provided navigational aid to shipping on the Hudson and warned captains away from the dangerous shoals on the river's eastern shore. It is easily seen from the Tappan Zee Bridge, with the best viewing from Kingsland Point Park, located directly on the Hudson River.
Like all lighthouses on the Hudson, the 1883 Lighthouse at Sleepy Hollow was designed as a "family station," as the keeper and his family lived in the five-story structure year-round. The duties of the keeper were to perform the never-ending chores of maintaining the lighthouse and lamp and to operate the lamp every night as well as during inclement weather.
During its entire 78 years of service, the 1883 Lighthouse at Sleepy Hollow had a nearly perfect record of performance. When the bell mechanism malfunctioned (on several occasions), the keeper rang the bell by hand, at two-minute intervals, often for hours at a time. The constant beacon, a white light for the first eleven years, then a red light, and later a blinking red light, would guide vessels safely through darkness, fog and storms. Press blue button for information on visiting the Lighthouse at Sleepy Hollow.
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.
Things To Do at Philipsburg Manor Birthday Parties at Philipsburg Manor Greenhouse Cafe Picnic grounds Sleepy Hollow Cemetery located next to Philipsburg Manor Tour Philipsburg Manor Historic Site Tours of Kykuit that originate at the Philipsburg Manor Visitor Tourist Center
Lasdon Park, Arboretum and Veterans Memorial, located on Route 35 in Somers, NY, Westchester County, is a magnificent 234-acre property consisting of woodlands, open grass meadow and formal gardens with flower and shrub specimens from all over the world. Lasdon is also the site of the Chinese Friendship Pavilion and four inspirational memorials and a museum honoring Westchester veterans.
The house that presently stands on this property was built in 1933 by Dr. Voislawsky after the original Van Cortlandt dwelling was destroyed by a fire. This three-story Colonial style mansion was modeled after George Washington’s Virginia home, Mount Vernon . . .
Enjoy the wonderful Midsummer Night Music Series featuring varied fare of classical, show tunes and more. Spend a magical evening under the stars and listen to the “Midsummer Night Music” concerts featuring the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra on four Saturdays this summer at Lasdon Park, Arboretum and Veterans Memorial in Somers. Each concert will feature varied and exciting musical fare to appeal to music aficionados of all kinds, so pack a picnic supper, sit back and enjoy the music.
Things To Do at Lasdon Park Arboretum Botanical Specimens Chinese Friendship Pavilion Formal Gardens Open Grass Meadow
Midsummer Night Music concerts at Lasdon Park
Gates open at 5 pm for picnicking; the music begins at 6 pm. Tickets will be sold at the gate on the evening of the performance. In case of rain, concerts will be cancelled. Call for tickets prices.
Click to enlarge picture of "Wolf at the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem".
The Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) located in South Salem, NY 10590, is a 501c3 organization that promotes wolf conservation by teaching about wolves, their relationship to the environment, and the human role in protecting their future.
The Wolf Conservation Center accomplishes this mission by:
Promoting wolf conservation through education
Supporting wolf reintroduction in federally designated areas that can sustain viable wolf populations
Being the preeminent facility in the eastern United States for the captive breeding and pre-release of endangered wolf species
Providing the natural habitat for a few captive wolves where observation of natural behavior is possible
Through educational programs, the center works to convey the following messages:
Wolves in the wild are not dangerous to people
Wolves perform a vital role in the environment
Wolves are not pets
It is everyone's responsibility to do something each day to make the world a better place"
Press blue button to learn more about wolves, schedule a visit, checkout the events calendar, and learn more about the Wolf Conservation Center.
Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve, Inc., located in Sleepy Hollow, New York, was established in 1997 to encourage public participation in protecting the Preserve's wildlife and habitat, sustaining its historical and archeological features, and maintaining its unique system of carriage roads.
Click to enlarge photo of Lyndhurst from rear grounds.
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.
Walk from Lyndhurst to Washington Irving's Sunnyside 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. Walk the pathway connecting Lyndhurst and Sunnyside along the riverfront. If you are a tourist or local resident exploring the Hudson River Valley, be sure to include this landmark in your list of sights.
Things To Do at Lyndhurst Castle Events at Lyndhurst First Floor of Lyndhurst Castle is handicap accessible* Hiking / Walking Historic Site Lyndhurst to Washington Irving's Sunnside Museum Shop Tour the castle Virtual Tour
Wheelchair Accessible* Accessible indicates that, to the extent practicable, the first floor of the mansion meets the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards. It is strongly recommended that you contact the facility in advance for a full description of facilities.
Circa 1835. Historic site of the National Trust and architectural landmark. Meticulously restored picturesque home of renowned author Washington Irving, America's first successful, internationally known author. Washington Irving's writings include numerous works of fiction, history and biography.
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.
Located in the Hudson Valley Village of Warwick, New York
Admission is FREE
Applefest began in 1989 as a simple harvest celebration to support the Warwick Valley Community Center. Named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the country, over 30,000 visitors now attend the one-day event, traveling from neighboring states to experience the extraordinary variety of Warwick’s apples, culture, and entertainment. The festival is produced by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center. Festival proceeds benefit these and other local non-profit organizations.
Things To Do and See at the Festival
Over 200 craft vendors
Dozens of food vendors
50 local non-profit exhibitors
Music & entertainment on several stages all day
Children’s Carnival
Farmers’ Market
Walk to Village shops, restaurants & businesses
2:09 AM 12/10/2012
Apple Pie Baking Contest (slices for sale)
Applefest Visitor's Guide An updated Applefest Visitors’ Guide will be posted on the website before Applefest next fall, and will also be available for free at the festival.
This 32-page booklet contains schedules of Applefest events, transportation information, directories for craft/food vendors, wineries, u-pick apples, a user-friendly map of the festival area, ads for local businesses and more.
Press Blue Button for more information about Applefest.
Early Dutch settlers were attracted to the area now known as "Historic River Towns" of Westchester. Visit the charming many towns overlooking the Hudson River and walk through areas both rich in history and beautiful to explore. Tourists and Weschester residents will enjoy wonderful sites including: Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park, The Old Dutch Burying Ground in Sleepy Hollow, Lasdon Park Arboretum & Veterans Memorial consisting of woodlands, grass meadows, formal gardens or the beautiful Lyndhurst National Trust Historic Landmark.
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.
Performers of Westchester was established in 1982 by pianist Joel Rosen with the purpose of arranging performances of chamber music in homes rather than in concert halls. As a result we can listen to chamber music in an ambience intended by the composer. The performances are arranged by our artistic director, Andy Simionescu, with the musicians selected being professionally established, performing artists. The programs include the more frequently presented chamber music repertoire as well as modern, rarely presented, or unusual pieces.
Press blue button for the current season's Concert Schedule, tickets, contact information, and more about the Performers of Westchester.
American Revolution - Battle atop Chatterton Hill "Historic Site"
914-422-1348
Battles of the American Revolution Battle atop Chatterton Hill in White Plains Date: October 28, 1776 Between: British against the American Continental Army Location: White Plains, New York
Battle-Whitney Park is a historical landmark in White Plains. This park commemorates the Battle of White Plains and the historic event that occurred on this site on October 28, 1776.
"Following their occupation of Manhattan Island, British forces under General William Howe chased George Washington’s retreating Continental Army into Westchester County. Washington’s troops amassed atop Chatterton Hill and other heights near White Plains, where the British and their Hessian auxiliaries attacked them on October 28, 1776. Although Howe was credited with a victory because Washington eventually withdrew, he allowed the Americans to retreat into New Jersey."
Signage at Site Interpretive sign in Battle-Whitney Park, atop Chatterton Hill, recount the battle.
"During the Battle of White Plains, the Americans under General Washington were forced off Chatterton's Hill after inflicting heavy casualties on British troops, checking their advance into Westchester."
Historic Account of Battle of White Plains on Chatterton's Hill
"Chatterton's Hill, where the battle was fought, sixteen hundred Americans being engaged, is a commanding eminence west of the Bronx River, about a mile from White Plains. Washington's head-quarters, at the "Miller House," were to the north of the village, and east of that stream, the main body of the army being intrenched (entrenched) two miles beyond."
Wednesday, October 30 "At White Plains: Visits the several posts of the army. On the night of the 31st of October, General Washington withdrew his army to a very strong position upon the heights of North Castle, about two miles in the rear of his first encampment, and five from White Plains, where he caused new works of defense to be thrown up.
Wednesday, November 6 "At White Plains: "Yesterday morning the enemy made a sudden and unexpected movement from the several posts they had taken in our front. They broke up their whole encampments the preceding night and have advanced towards Kingsbridge and the North River. . . In consequence of this movement I called a council of general officers to-day to consult on such measures as should be adopted in case they pursued their retreat to New York."— Washington to the President of Congress.
"The council agreed unanimously, that, in case the enemy were retreating towards New York, it would be proper immediately to throw a body of troops into Jersey; that those raised on the west side of Hudson's River should be detached for this purpose, and that three thousand men should bo stationed at Peekskill and the passes of the Highlands.
Sunday, November 10 "At White Plains: "The late movement of the Enemy, and the probability of their having designs upon the Jerseys, (confirmed by sundry accounts from deserters and prisoners), rendering it necessary to throw a body of troops over the North River, I shall immediately follow, and the command of the army, which remains, (after General Heath's division marches to Peekskill,) will devolve upon you." - Washington to General Lee.
"Washington left White Plains at eleven o'clock on the morning of November 10, and arrived at Peekskill, the entrance to the Highlands, at sunset.
Sunday, November 11 "At Peekskill, New York: "November 11th.—The Commander in Chief directed our General [Heath] to attend him in taking a view of Fort Montgomery, and the other works up the river. Lord Sterling, Generals James and George Clinton, Gen. Mifflin and others were of the company. They went as far up the river as Constitution Island, which is opposite to West-Point, the latter of which was not then taken possession of; but the glance of the eye at it, without going on shore, evinced that this post was not to be neglected. There was a small work and a block house on Constitution Island. Fort Montgomery was in considerable forwardness."—Heath's Memoirs."
Source: "Itinerary of General Washington, From June 15, 1775, to December 23, 1783" by William S. Baker, J. B. Lippincott company, 1892.
Visit more historic sites in the Hudson Valley and learn about the Battle of Fort Montgomery in Bear Mountain.
The Cranberry Lake Nature Center is a 190-acre nature preserve comprised of forest, wetlands, and a 10-acre lake that was carved by glaciers thousands of years ago. There are three miles of trails, including a loop around the lake, and others that traverse the predominantly northern oak-hickory forest. The area is part of the Kensico Reservoir watershed, which provides drinking water for residents of Westchester County and New York City. The name Cranberry Lake is derived from the growth of wild cranberry, which still exist in various parts of the fen.
"Since 1967, the park has been a safe haven for animals and plants, including migratory birds, turtles, and dragonflies. Within the preserve are a variety of habitats including a four-acre lake, cliffs and scrubland, mixed hardwood forest, vernal pools, and a swamp. Visitors can learn about the area's past by following the History Trail to the remains of a 19th-century farmhouse and early 20th-century stone-mining operation.
"The Nature Center offers family-oriented nature programs most weekends and houses a variety of interactive, educational displays. Nature programs are offered to the public nearly every weekend."
Things To Do at Cranberry Lake Nature Center Birding | Bird Watching Children's Summer Ecology Program Hiking / Walking Nature Hikes Nature Interpretive Programs
Winter Activities Cross-country Skiing
After a day of birding, hiking, nature study, or viewing the beautiful scenery, enjoy dinner out at one of the excellent Restaurants in Westchester, New York
White Plains Performing Arts Center, Westchester's regional theatre, is located at 11 City Place, White Plains, NY 10601 in Westchester County.
From White Plains Performing Arts Center "The White Plains Performing Arts Center is committed to building, engaging, inspiring and educating the culturally diverse audiences of White Plains, Westchester County and the Tri-State area through the presentation of classical and contemporary theatre, music and dance as well as the development and training of the next generation of theatrical artists, while providing a vital resource of dynamic and progressive programming that enriches the quality of life in our community."
Attractions Concert Series Conservatory Theatre Mainstage Shows
The word is "Theatergoers have reason to celebrate in White Plains. Although it’s always been just a short train ride to Broadway, they don’t even need to make that trip anymore to see excellent theater. It just might be the best theater deal in the Hudson Valley.” by White Plains Times.
Press blue button for calendar, tickets, and more about the White Plains Performing Arts Center.
Beczak Environmental Education Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating people about the ecology, culture, and history of the Hudson River, is located at 35 Alexander Street, Yonkers, NY 10701 in Southern Westchester County. Located on the banks of the Hudson River, within the two-acre Habirshaw Park, Beczak offers exciting interactive learning experiences year-round for young and old alike.
We believe that all children need to safely interact with the natural environment for healthy development. Our engaging, interactive learning programs are built on this principle. One of the primary goals of Beczak is to show even our youngest visitors that the river is part of a complex ecosystem that nurtures an amazing diversity of living things, including people.
Beczak offers an extensive curriculum of interactive educational programs designed to teach students about the complexity of the Hudson River and inspire them to become better stewards of this magnificent resource. Each year more than 5,000 school-age children visit Beczak on class trips and with youth organizations.
All our staff members are trained educators with specialized degrees in fields such as marine biology and environmental interpretation. By creating interdisciplinary programs that meet the New York State Department of Education standards for science, social studies, math, art and English language arts, Beczak educators help animate important concepts that many teachers have introduced in their own classrooms.
Press blue button for the Environmental Education Center, Interpretive Center, birthday parties at the center, and more about Beczak Environmental Education Center.
Things to Do and Learn at Beczak Beczak Center's Estuary Monitoring Birthday Parties - "Where children discover the Hudson" Education Center Interpretive Center
Habirshaw Park Yonkers, Westchester County Hudson River Valley, New York State
Scenic Hudson is working with New York State, Westchester County, the City of Yonkers and the Beczak Environmental Center to create a five-acre riverfront public park, esplanade and environmental education center with stunning views of the Palisades. Historically the area was dominated by industrial facilities that blocked public access to the river. Once slated for six, 38-story apartment buildings, the property is now protected by a 25-acre conservation easement held by The Scenic Hudson Land Trust. The park is currently open but improvements are continuing.
Directions From Rt. 9/9A south in Yonkers: right on Dock Street, right on River Street, left on Wells Street, right on Alexander Street, park 0.1 mile on left.
Press blue button for Scenic Hudson, hours of operation, parking information, trail maps, photos and more about Habirshaw Park.
After a day of hiking, walking, or relaxing at the Habirshaw Park, select from one of many excellent restaurants in Yonkers.
The Hudson River Museum is located at 511 Warburton Ave, Yonkers, NY 10701. The Hudson River Museum collects 19th and 20th century American art and cultural, social and historical material related to the Museum's historic Mansion and the wider Westchester County and Hudson River Valley region. Though the Museum's collecting focus has evolved over its 84-year history, the trustees and staff have always been concerned with the institution's value and relevance to the surrounding region and its residents. The majority of the collections have been donated by Museum members and other local residents.
The Museum's collections have evolved from the original holdings of the Yonkers Museum, which was founded at City Hall in 1919 and relocated to the Yonkers Museum of Arts and Science in 1924. In 1937, H. Armour Smith, an avid collector of fine art, Americana and documentary materials, became director. Smith advocated changing the Museum's name to The Hudson River Museum to acknowledge that its collections documenting the Hudson River Valley were of primary importance to the Museum's goals. In 1956, the transfer of the stuffed elephant Tip, a popular display since 1929, to the Elephant Hotel in Somers, New York, was indicative of the changes that had occurred in the Museum's perception of its mission.
By 1948, the collection had grown to include a small group of 19th and 20th century fine arts, paintings, sculptures, and graphic works, as well as Victorian furniture, decorative arts and costumes, and materials documenting local history. In 1969, the New Wing added approximately 15,000 square feet of gallery space. Whereas previously much of the museum in the Mansion had been devoted to permanent displays, the new galleries were used for changing exhibitions of art, history and science. At the same time, the Mansion's first floor was partially restored, with four furnished period rooms and two small galleries for displaying decorative and historical materials from the collection.
Today, the Museum's collections reflect its mission to provide for development, preservation, and display of 19th and 20th century American art and history. The staff regularly organizes special collection exhibits and loan exhibits in which the permanent collections can play a role. Paintings, furniture and decorative arts are also always on view in the six period rooms in Glenview Mansion and its second floor hall and Lifflander Galleries. Press blue button for more information about The Hudson River Museum.
On November 28, 1776, the same year that 56 Americans signed the Declaration of Independence, well over 200 colonial New Yorkers placed their signatures on a "Declaration of Dependence". These signers were Loyalists, citizens who remained faithful to their sovereign, George III, King of Great Britain. Prominent among the signatures was that of Frederick Philipse III, Lord of the vast Manor of Philipsburg and resident of the elegant mansion known today as Philipse Manor Hall.
Frederick Philipse III and his family lived in luxury, well supported by rents from the many tenant farms on his property. Times were changing, however, and while others rebelled against Great Britain, Frederick III defended the Crown. His Loyalist beliefs were so strong that General George Washington ordered him arrested in 1776. Philipse and his family later fled to British occupied New York City and then to England, where the last "Lord of the Manor", broken in spirit and health, died in 1786. His land and his mansion were confiscated by the New York State Legislature and sold at public auction.
In 1868, after passing through the hands of many owners, the house became Yonkers Village Hall and, in 1872, the first City Hall. By the 20th century, city growth threatened the Manor Hall’s future until it was acquired by New York State in 1908. Today, Philipse Manor Hall serves as a museum of history, art and architecture, as well as host to community organizations, meetings, educational programs and special events. Highlights of the Hall include its 18th century, high style Georgian architecture, a 1750s papier mache Rococo ceiling, and an impressive collection of presidential portraits, including the six Presidents from New York State.
Attractions Collection of Presidential Portraits Educational Services Georgian Architecture, 18th century high style Group Tours Guided Tours Interpretive Sign
Located in the Hudson Valley Village of Warwick, New York
Admission is FREE
Applefest began in 1989 as a simple harvest celebration to support the Warwick Valley Community Center. Named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the country, over 30,000 visitors now attend the one-day event, traveling from neighboring states to experience the extraordinary variety of Warwick’s apples, culture, and entertainment. The festival is produced by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center. Festival proceeds benefit these and other local non-profit organizations.
Things To Do and See at the Festival
Over 200 craft vendors
Dozens of food vendors
50 local non-profit exhibitors
Music & entertainment on several stages all day
Children’s Carnival
Farmers’ Market
Walk to Village shops, restaurants & businesses
2:09 AM 12/10/2012
Apple Pie Baking Contest (slices for sale)
Applefest Visitor's Guide An updated Applefest Visitors’ Guide will be posted on the website before Applefest next fall, and will also be available for free at the festival.
This 32-page booklet contains schedules of Applefest events, transportation information, directories for craft/food vendors, wineries, u-pick apples, a user-friendly map of the festival area, ads for local businesses and more.
Press Blue Button for more information about Applefest.
Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site is located at 32 Catherine Street, Albany, NY 12202 in the Upper Hudson River Valley. Schuyler Mansion was home to Philip J. Schuyler, the renowned Revolutionary War general, US Senator, and business entrepreneur. He and his wife, Catharine Van Rensselaer, descended from affluent and powerful Dutch families. Together they raised eight children in this home. The Georgian structure, reflecting Schuyler's English tastes - was built on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River. Originally situated on an 80-acre tract of land, the grounds once included an orchard, a formal garden, and a working farm. Throughout the Schuyler family occupancy from 1763-1804, the mansion was the site of military strategizing, political hobnobbing, elegant social affairs, and an active family life.
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.
Located in the Hudson Valley Village of Warwick, New York
Admission is FREE
Applefest began in 1989 as a simple harvest celebration to support the Warwick Valley Community Center. Named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the country, over 30,000 visitors now attend the one-day event, traveling from neighboring states to experience the extraordinary variety of Warwick’s apples, culture, and entertainment. The festival is produced by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center. Festival proceeds benefit these and other local non-profit organizations.
Things To Do and See at the Festival
Over 200 craft vendors
Dozens of food vendors
50 local non-profit exhibitors
Music & entertainment on several stages all day
Children’s Carnival
Farmers’ Market
Walk to Village shops, restaurants & businesses
2:09 AM 12/10/2012
Apple Pie Baking Contest (slices for sale)
Applefest Visitor's Guide An updated Applefest Visitors’ Guide will be posted on the website before Applefest next fall, and will also be available for free at the festival.
This 32-page booklet contains schedules of Applefest events, transportation information, directories for craft/food vendors, wineries, u-pick apples, a user-friendly map of the festival area, ads for local businesses and more.
Press Blue Button for more information about Applefest.
The Copake Iron Works Museum is located at 8 Miles Road, next to the Copake Falls Post Office, Copake Falls, NY 12517 in Columbia County.
The small building that now houses the Copake Iron Works Museum, was formerly the Copake Iron Works machine shop. Copake Iron Works was established in 1845 and ceased operation in the 1920's. It was acquired by Taconic State Park in 1928.
Copake Iron Works Museum - established in 1845, iron remained active until 1903. The charcoal blast furnace, blowing engine house, machine shop, office and powder storage building still remain and are open to the public.
Hours of Operation The museum is only open for monthly events (usually the 3rd Tuesday of the month, September-May) and during the Summer Exhibit (July -October, Saturdays and Sundays from 2-4pm), the Museum is also open by appointment.
Clermont State Historic Site, overlooking the Hudson River, is located at One Clermont Avenue, Germantown, NY 12526 in Columbia County in the Hudson River Valley. Clermont State Historic Site was the Hudson River seat of New York's politically and socially prominent Livingston Family. Seven successive generations of the family left their imprint on the site's architecture, room interiors, and landscape.
Robert R. Livingston, Jr. was Clermont's most notable resident. His accomplishments include: drafting the Declaration of Independence, serving as first U.S. Minister of Foreign Affairs, administering the oath of office to George Washington, negotiating the Louisiana Purchase, and developing steamboat technology with Robert Fulton. Today, Clermont appears much as it did in the early 20th century . . . Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973, Clermont is an anchor in the 1990 Hudson River National Landmark District.
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.
Press blue button for attractions and events at Clermont State Historic Site.
Things To Do at Clermont, Home of the Steamboat Bird Watching Gift Shop Group Tours Guided Bird Walk Historic House Special Events
Candlelight tours of museum and grounds Child's Christmas (stories and treats) Croquet Tournament Farm, Food & Music Festival
Harrier Hill Park City of Hudson, Columbia County Hudson River Valley, New York State
This beautiful grassland offers splendid long-distance views of the Catskills and the Hudson River.
These protected acres in Columbia County include breathtaking meadows, wooded bluffs and a hay farm, all near the Stockport Flats Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve. With assistance from the state and Columbia Land Conservancy, we are safeguarding these valuable habitats while enabling people to hike the land and learn about wildlife. Park improvements currently underway include creation of a handicapped-accessible hiking trail and construction of an open-sided pavilion for picnicking and community-group activities.
Things To Do Hiking / Walking Nature Study Picnicking Scenic Views
Directions From Warren Street, City of Hudson: 4.8 miles north on Rte. 9, left on W. Atlantic Avenue at light, right on Rod & Gun Road. Follow Rod and Gun approximately 1/2 mile to entrance gate.
After a day of hiking, walking, or studying the wildlife, dine at one of the many excellent restaurants in Hudson, New York.
Olana State Historic Site, overlooking the Hudson River, is located at 5720 Route 9-G, Hudson, NY 12534 in Columbia County in the Hudson River Valley. Olana is a masterpiece created by Frederic Edwin Church (1826 - 1900), one of the most renowned American artists of the Hudson River School. The stone, brick, and polychrome stenciled Persian-style villa is the best known element of Olana. Church designed "the castle" as the family home for his wife and four children, as well as a multidimensional work of art.
Olana encompasses the house, the farm and the entire 250-acre estate. The picturesque landscape, with panoramic vistas of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains, like the house, was designed by Church. Visitors throughout the year enjoy guided and self-guided tours of the Church-inspired landscape.
Press blue button to learn more about this historic house in Hudson, NY
Things To Do Artists (Children can stop by the Wagon House for pencils and paper.) Bird Watching Gardens Gift Shop Guided Tours Hiking Trails / Walking on the carriage roads Historic Site Maurice Sharp Gallery Museum Store Picnic Area Scenic Views
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site is located at 1013 Old Post Road, Kinderhook NY 12106, Columbia County in the Hudson Valley. "The history associated with Martin Van Buren and the culture of ante bellum America are deep, rich veins for discovering much about the country. Likewise, his farm Lindenwald provides a microcosm for us to learn about the transformations taking place in America during the 1840's and 1850's.
"Van Buren was preeminent among the second generation of American politicians. As eighth President, the first born under the U.S. flag, he continued building the Democratic Party he helped organize. His administration faced daunting challenges: The nation suffered a severe and lingering economic depression. Crises with Great Britain, Spain, and the Republic of Texas taxed his diplomatic skills.
"Most troubling throughout his political career was the issue of extending slavery into new states. Van Buren opposed extension while still trying to cultivate a coalition of northern and southern interests. The issue divided the nation and his party and foreshadowed the whirlpool of frustration, anger and violence which was to consume the country in the 1860's."
"The lover of the expressive in nature, or the beautiful in art, will find here innumerable subjects for study. The natural scenery in many portions approaches the character of grandeur, and the foreground of rich woods and lawns, stretching out on all sides of the mountain, completes a home landscape of dignified and elegant seclusion, rarely surpassed in any country" by Andrew Jackson Downing
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.
Located in the Hudson Valley Village of Warwick, New York
Admission is FREE
Applefest began in 1989 as a simple harvest celebration to support the Warwick Valley Community Center. Named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the country, over 30,000 visitors now attend the one-day event, traveling from neighboring states to experience the extraordinary variety of Warwick’s apples, culture, and entertainment. The festival is produced by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center. Festival proceeds benefit these and other local non-profit organizations.
Things To Do and See at the Festival
Over 200 craft vendors
Dozens of food vendors
50 local non-profit exhibitors
Music & entertainment on several stages all day
Children’s Carnival
Farmers’ Market
Walk to Village shops, restaurants & businesses
2:09 AM 12/10/2012
Apple Pie Baking Contest (slices for sale)
Applefest Visitor's Guide An updated Applefest Visitors’ Guide will be posted on the website before Applefest next fall, and will also be available for free at the festival.
This 32-page booklet contains schedules of Applefest events, transportation information, directories for craft/food vendors, wineries, u-pick apples, a user-friendly map of the festival area, ads for local businesses and more.
Press Blue Button for more information about Applefest.
The home of Franklin D. Roosevelt, a National Historic Site, is located at 4097 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park NY 12538, Dutchess County in the Hudson River Valley. Visit the Home of FDR and Presidential Library & Museum to learn about the only President elected to four terms.
"All that is within me cries out to go back to my home on the Hudson River." FDR The above quote captures FDR's connection to Springwood, the estate that he loved and the place he considered home. The first US Presidential Library was started by FDR here.
The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site includes:
FDR's Springwood, the lifelong home of America's only 4-term President
Presidential Library and Museum
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kill Cottage
Summer Programs for children and their families
Guided tour of FDR's home
Self-guided tour of the Museum, grounds, gardens, and trails of this 300-acre site.
Self-guided tour of the Museum, grounds, gardens, and trails of this 300-acre site. Start your visit at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center and watch the introductory film. Arrange for self guided tours of the Presidential Library and Museum, and Ranger-led tours of the historic home. Visit FDR’s Top Cottage retreat, the place he built in 1938 to, "escape the mob" at Springwood. He also brought close friends and political allies here to discuss the state of the world or to simply relax. Designed by FDR to emulate the Dutch colonial architecture found throughout the Hudson River Valley, the structure was planned with accessibility in mind to accommodate his wheelchair and give him greater independence.
Press blue button for schedule of events, fees & reservations, things to do, things to know before visiting, family events, kids section, and more about this National Historic Site.
The word is At least one day is recommended to experience Franklin D. Roosevelt, National Historic Site. Visit Springwood, Top Cottage retreat, and Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kill Cottage along with the grounds, the library, family events and more.
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is located at 4079 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park NY 12538; on the eastern shore of the Hudson River, four miles north of Poughkeepsie, New York, midway between New York City and Albany. The Library is easily reached by car, train or plane.
History of the FDR Library and Museum The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is America's first presidential library and the only one used by a sitting president. It was conceived and built under President Roosevelt's direction and opened to the public in 1941.
Prior to Roosevelt's Presidency, the final disposition of Presidential papers was left to chance. Although a valued part of the nation's heritage, the papers of chief executives were private property which they took with them upon leaving office . . .
In erecting his library, Roosevelt created an institution to preserve intact all his papers . . .
"Fireside Chat" from the Library, December 24, 1943. Roosevelt's actions served as a precedent. When Congress passed the Presidential Libraries Act in 1955, it regularized the procedures initiated by President Roosevelt for privately built and federally maintained libraries to preserve the papers of future Presidents . . .
. . . He visited the library often during the war to sort and classify his records and memorabilia; and from his study in the library he delivered several of his famous radio speeches or "fireside chats".
In early planning for the Library the President expressed the hope that Mrs. Roosevelt's papers would eventually find a place here . . . At the time of her death in 1962 Eleanor Roosevelt's papers totaled a staggering three million pages. In 1972, the wings FDR envisioned were added to the original building. Mrs. Roosevelt's papers were stored in the South Wing, and a gallery devoted to Eleanor and her life and accomplishments was created in the museum portion of the new addition.
The Library reflects the vision that its founder displayed when he spoke at the dedication of the library on June 30, 1941. To maintain archival facilities and records, he stated: ". . . a Nation must believe in three things. It must believe in the past. It must believe in the future. It must, above all, believe in the capacity of its own people so to learn from the past that they can gain in judgment in creating their own future." by Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Press blue button for information for Students, Teachers, Museum Visitors, and much more about the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Shaupeneak Ridge Louisa Pond, Ulster County Hudson River Valley, New York State
Deer, foxes, coyotes and wild turkeys roam this rugged and beautiful property in the Marlboro Mountains
In addition to great hiking and mountain biking, educators can use this 570-acre park as an outdoor classroom; this mountain forest featuring a pond, waterfall, hiking trails and views of the Hudson River and Catskills is a great place for children to learn about ecology and environmental ethics.
Perfect for nature study, hiking and mountain biking. Six miles of trails. Great views of eastern Hudson River shore and Catskill Mountains.
Things To Do Birding | Bird Watching Fishing (Contact local guides for information.) Hiking Trails Mountain Biking Nature Study Picnicking Scenic Views
Directions Crossing Mid-Hudson Bridge from east to west, take Route 9W north for 8.2 miles. Left on Old Post Road. Lower parking lot is 0.2 miles on right. For upper lot, follow Old Post Road to Poppletown Road, which splits off to the right. Parking area is on the left, 2.5 miles from intersection of 9W and Old Post Road.
Press blue button for Scenic Hudson, hours of operation, maps, and more about Shaupeneak Ridge in Ulster County, New York.
After a day of hiking, nature study or mountain biking in this scenic wonderland, pack a picnic from the produce at one of the local farms in the Hudson Valley. Or dine at one of the many excellent restaurants in Ulster, New York.
Val-Kill at Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site is located at Hyde Park NY 12538, Dutchess County in the Hudson River Valley.
“The greatest thing I have learned is how good it is to come home again,” Eleanor Roosevelt
This simple statement expresses her love for the modest house she called Val-Kill. The only National Historic Site dedicated to a first lady, Val-Kill welcomes visitors in the style of Mrs. Roosevelt. Come and be part of the entire Roosevelt Experience at Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kill.
Eleanor Roosevelt chose Val-Kill for her retreat, her office, her home, and her "laboratory" for social change during the prominent and influential period of her life from 1924 until her death in 1962. During that time she formulated and carried out her social and political beliefs. This is the place most closely associated with one of the most prominent women of 20th-century America.
Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill (ERVK) works to preserve ER's home as a living memorial, a center for exchange of significant ideas, and a catalyst for change and the betterment of the human condition. They offer programs such as the Girls Leadership Workshop, held every summer.
Enjoy fun things to do with your children this summer. Join a park ranger for free Summer Family Programs. Press blue button for a schedule and description of Family walks and hikes on the grounds of the FDR estate. "Play like Franklin Roosevelt did in the olden days of the 19th century. Learn to use a Jacob’s ladder, a jump rope, or the hoop and stick." Previous scheduled walks for children included:
Springwood Stroll: A Historic Site Grounds Walk ER’s Woodland Walk: Nature Study at Val-Kill FDR’s Boyhood Fun
Note: Children ages 4 and up, and for big kids of all ages.
Press blue button for schedule of events, fees & reservations, things to do, things to know before visiting, family events, kids section, and more about this National Historic Site.
The word is At least one day is recommended to experience Franklin D. Roosevelt, National Historic Site. Visit Springwood, Top Cottage retreat, and Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kill Cottage along with the grounds, the library, family events and more.
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is located at 119 Vanderbilt Park Road, Hyde Park NY 12538, Dutchess County in the Hudson River Valley. "Vanderbilt Mansion NHS, in terms of architecture, interiors, mechanical systems, road systems and landscape, is a remarkably complete example of a gilded-age country place, illustrating the political, economic, social, cultural, and demographic changes that occurred as America industrialized in the years after the Civil War. Vanderbilt Mansion was the first home in the Town of Hyde Park to have electricity.
"The Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site was established as a monument to an era rather than a tribute to any one person or family. The estate illustrates a way of life modeled on the English country house and is only unusual today because so few examples survive in the 21st century. More than a place to discuss the lifestyles of the rich and famous, the park offers a window into the philosophy of the American country house, the lives of its domestic staff, and its relationship to the surrounding community.
Formal Gardens "The Frederick W. Vanderbilt Garden Association was formed in 1984 with a mission to restore the Formal Gardens as closely as possible to their appearance in the 1930s." Visitors may walk the grounds, hike carriage trails, or picnic at the overlook." The above information is sourced from the National Park Service.
Press blue button for directions, kids and teachers' section, history and culture, and planning a visit to the Vanderbilt Mansion.
The word is Tour the house and stroll the 200 + acres of park land that boast centuries old tree plantings, stunning Hudson River and Catskill Mountain views and Italian Gardens. At least one full day is recommended to experience the Vanderbilt Mansion and Franklin D. Roosevelt, National Historic Sites.
Clinton House State Historic Site is located at 549 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12602 in Dutchess County. The Clinton House is an 18th century Georgian stone building, named for George Clinton, who served as the first Governor of New York and fourth Vice-President of the United States.
The vernacular stone house now known as Clinton House State Historic Site was built in 1765. The house was actively utilized from 1777 - 1783 when Poughkeepsie was the capital of New York State and several branches of state government convened in town. After a fire in 1783, General George Washington's New Windsor Cantonment ordered carpenters to rebuild this important structure. In addition to repairs, the house was enlarged and the present stairway was constructed at this time. 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. Today, with the support of the Dutchess County Historical Society, the site houses archives and a library for local historical research.
Things To Do at Clinton House State Historic Site Gift Shop Historic House
The Hyde Park Station, 34 River Road (Riverside Park), Hyde Park NY 12538, Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley. A station was built at this location around 1851, when the Hudson River Railroad was constructed from New York City to Albany. That structure was torn down and replaced by the current station in 1914. The last regularly-scheduled New York Central passenger train stopped there in 1958. Subsequently the outer two tracks of the four-track "Water Level Route" were removed, and the entrances to the tunnel passage serving the southbound platform were boarded over.
A great deal of repair work, both interior and exterior had to be done by the society . . . The interior work included rebuilding the ticket booth, refurbishing benches, waiting room, and baggage room. Wiring, plumbing and heating systems had to be rebuilt.
Inside the Station you will find displays depicting the area's railroading past, running models trains, and knowledgeable railroad enthusiasts who can answer your questions about the great "Iron Horse".
Location We are located at the foot of the hill which is formed by West Market Street and River Road that follows the south wall of the Vanderbilt’s Estate. Even though the station is inactive, a very active Hudson Division still exists. AMTRAK trains that pass the station are unique to the Empire Corridor Service. Press blue button for more about the Hyde Park Station.
Locust Grove, the Samuel Morse Historic Site, is located at 2683 South Road, Poughkeepsie NY 12601, Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley. Locust Grove was the nineteenth-century country estate of Samuel Morse, the artist, founder of the National Academy of Design, and the inventor of the telegraph and Morse Code.
In honor of the site’s history and connection to the visual arts and the Hudson River School of Art, Locust Grove opened its doors in 2006 to contemporary artists whose work reflects this style of artwork. Juried by a panel of art professionals, selected artists are offered a solo show at the estate’s elegant Museum Pavilion. Locust Grove encourages artists to develop new works of art for this exhibition opportunity. Contact Ursula Morgan at 845.454.4500, ext. 17 or at u.morgan@lgny.org.
"The historic site's stately trees, rolling hills, and picturesque views from the house and gardens situated on the highest bluff above the river all combine to create the natural landscape garden that Morse found so appealing . . . Near the house, Victorian style gardens and urns are set within the larger context of this landscape garden. Both the Morse and Young families loved flowers and the Main Perennial Garden preserves the unique style of these enthusiastic "students" of horticulture and plant collectors. It is truly a one-of-a-kind garden in the Hudson Valley."
About the Trails Walk or hike three miles of trails comprised of carriage roads and footpaths, all clearly marked with trail maps available tol visitors.
Garden Volunteer Program Volunteers are vital to the horticulture program at Locust Grove. Most garden volunteers come on a regularly scheduled day for two to three hours to help the professional horticulture staff with all variety of garden related projects.
Press blue button for Trail Maps, History, Gardens and Grounds, and Visiting information at Locust Grove.
Mid-Hudson Children's Museum is located at 75 North Water Street, Poughkeepsie NY 12601, Dutchess County in the Hudson River Valley. "Our Mission is to enlighten minds through a fun and creative learning environment where hands-on experiences spark curiosity, discovery and the joy of exploration." The Children's Museum offers two floors of hands-on exhibits.
Activities for Children Hudson River Tides Water Play Table River Town Disney Radio Station The Battle for Liberty - Hands on History Hudson River Dive Bell Sculpture: "Light aat the End of the Fallkill" IBM's Da Vinci Inventions Morse Telegraph Health Center Geography Gravity Roll Starlab Planetarium Hudson River Mural . . .
Press blue button for more about the activities at the Children's Museum.
"On October 3, 2009 Governor David A. Paterson opened the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park as a legacy project of the Hudson Fulton Champlain Quadricentennial. The park provides access to the Hudson River's breathtaking landscape for pedestrians, hikers, joggers, bicyclists, and people with disabilities. The bridge deck stands 212 feet above the river's surface and is 6,678 feet (1.28 miles) long, making it the longest, elevated pedestrian bridge in the world.
"The Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge was built in the late 19th century to link New York and New England to an extensive, nationwide railway network. For decades, it was a major rail corridor for both freight and passengers.
"After a fire in 1974, the bridge was abandoned and sat for decades as an oprhaned relic. This brand new park was made possible due to the unwavering commitment of the community, who, through a non-profit organization called Walkway Over the Hudson, forged a public private partnership involving the State of New York, the federal government, neighboring municipalities, private corporations and other not for profit groups. The amazing result of this wonderful partnership is a brand new state park, now open for all to enjoy."
The park offers interpretive signs and a Talkway Over the Walkway cell phone tour. The park closes as sunset. Please visit sunrisesunset.com to plan your trip. There are two entrances to the park, one on either side of the Hudson River
Press blue button for hours of operation, directions, history, maps, amenities and activities and more about the Walway Over The Hudson - Entrances to Walkway Over the Hudson are located in Poughkeepsie NY 12601 in Dutchess County, and in Highland NY, Ulster County.
Click to enlarge photo of the CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck.
The CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck is located at 661 Route 308, Rhinebeck NY 12572, Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley. The CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck (known familiarly as The CENTER) is a non-profit arts organization which offers performances and classes throughout the year. Performing and teaching artists are of local, national and international talent.
The CENTER serves as a regular performance venue for local theater companies including CENTERstage Productions (Death of a Salesman, Cabaret, Into The Woods) the Gilbert & Sullivan Musical Theater Company (The Mikado, A Little Night Music, The Pirates of Penzance), Kids on Stage (Cinderella, The Emperor's New Clothes), Rhinebeck Theater Society (HONK!, The Complete Works of Shakespeare, Abridged, Oliver!), and Up In One Productions (Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, Company).
The CENTER also hosts appearances by artists such as Jeff Boyer, Brian Bradley, Elaine Colandrea, Alpin Hong, Kitty Jones, Jeff McBride, The Puppet People, Solas an Lae, Tanglewood Marionettes, Pitchfork Militia, Barbara Rankin, and David Temple, to name a few.
Press blue button for calendar of events and to learn more about the CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck.
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is located at 9 Norton Road, Rhinebeck NY 12572, Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley. A great deal has changed here at Old Rhinebeck since a Spad XIII, Aeronca C3 and a Fleet biplane touched down on a thousand feet of dirt and gravel nearly 51 years ago. But Cole Palen's dream and vision lives through it's dedicated staff, volunteers and membership.
On Saturday June 12th, the Aerodrome will begin its 51st Season. The 2010 season will run through October 17th, with air-shows every Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. The gates open and biplane rides begin at 10:00am, the air show starts at 2pm and ends at 4pm, and the Museum is open daily 10:00am - 5:00pm. Press blue button for more about the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.
Wilderstein Historic Site is located at 330 Morton Road, Rhinebeck NY 12572, Dutchess County in the mid-Hudson Valley. The history of Wilderstein begins in 1852 with Thomas Holy Suckley's purchase of the river front site, then a sheep meadow of the adjacent late 18th-century estate, Wildercliff . . .
Thomas Suckley and his wife Catherine Murray Bowne wanted a building site endowed with striking natural features in the best traditions of the picturesque aesthetic. The landscape setting for Wilderstein fulfilled this criteria by virtue of its varied terrain and the scenic views it afforded of the river and distant mountains - the vistas framed by tall cedars and evergreens.
Suckley named the property "Wilderstein" (wild man's stone) in reference to a nearby Indian petroglyph, an allusive reminder of a cultural heritage that preceded European settlements in the region.
The original Italianate villa designed by John Warren Ritch was remodeled and enlarged in 1888 by Thomas's son Robert Bowne Suckley and his wife, Elizabeth Philips Montgomery. Poughkeepsie architect Arnout Cannon was hired to transform the two story villa into an elaborate Queen Anne style country house . . .
The fashionably appointed interiors were designed by the New York City decorator, Joseph Burr Tiffany. With the ground floor rooms executed in contrasting historic revival and aesthetic movement styles, the interiors at Wilderstein offer a splendid microcosm of the decorative arts during this period of American design.
The self-conscious opulence of the newly remodeled Wilderstein was complimented by the Picturesque Landscape design of Calvert Vaux who laid out the grounds at Wilderstein according to the principles of American Romantic Landscape style . . .
The last resident of Wilderstein was Margaret (Daisy) Suckley. A cousin and confidante of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Miss Suckley traveled extensively with FDR during his presidency, gave him his famous black Scottish terrier Fala and helped to establish his library in Hyde Park. Miss Suckley was with FDR when he was fatally stricken at Warm Springs, Georgia in 1945. She died at Wilderstein in 1991, in her 100th year. The letters they exchanged during their friendship, discovered in a black battered suitcase at Wilderstein, provide one of the best resources for understanding the private side of Roosevelt’s life during his presidency. Press blue button for more about Wilderstein Historic Site in the Hudson Valley of New York.
Staatsburgh State Historic Site is located at Old Post Road, Staatsburg NY 12580 in Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley. Staatsburgh is the elegant country home of Ogden Mills and his wife Ruth Livingston Mills. Sitting atop a grassy hill overlooking the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains, their house is a fine example of a great estate built by America's financial and industrial leaders during the Gilded Age (1876 - 1917). Also known as the American Renaissance, this period in American history was marked by America's rapid economic growth and emergence as a world power. 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.
A Bit of History 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.
Press blue button for directions, fees and rates, hours of operation, activities, and more about Staatsburgh State Historic Site.
Things To Do at Staatsburgh State Historic Site Biking Educational Services (Accessible) Gift Shop Group Tours Guided Tours Hiking Historic House Interpretive Signs (Accessible) Picnic Area (Accessible) Scenic Views (Accessible)
The Thomas Cole National Historic Site is located at 218 Spring Street, near the western entrance to the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, in the village of Catskill NY 12414, Greene County in the Hudson Valley.
"In the early nineteenth century, many in this country were searching for a style of art that they could call their own. Painter, poet, and essayist Thomas Cole (1801-1848) responded to this quest by creating pristine landscape paintings unlike any yet seen in America. His vision of wild and untouched scenery with majestic mountains and tangled forests stood in stark contrast to the gentle landscape images that had come before.
"Influential people of the nascent New York cultural scene embraced his work enthusiastically, and Cole became the leader of an informal alliance of landscape artists now known as the Hudson River School. Cole, Asher Durand, Frederic Church, Sanford Gifford, Jasper Cropsey, and other painters, along with literary figures such as William Cullen Bryant and James Fenimore Cooper, forged a self-consciously “American” style and landscape vision for what was still a relatively new nation.
"The artists of the Hudson River School were united by their belief that their art might lead to spiritual renewal and contribute to the formation of a uniquely American national culture. Their work established a notion of America as a new Eden, a concept that still resonates with artists, environmentalists, and landscape enthusiasts to this day."
Visit the Thomas Cole Historic Site and join a guided tour of Cole’s home and studio, see the film about his art, stroll through the flower gardens and enjoy the sweeping view of the Catskill Mountains. Take in a special lecture about the Hudson River School, or join a guided hike to the magnificent nearby places seen in Thomas Cole’s paintings.
Things To Do at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site Exhibitions Hiking (Guided hike along Hudson River School Art Trail) Hudson River School Art Trails School Programs Sunday Salons Lectures Visitor Center & Shop
Located in the Hudson Valley Village of Warwick, New York
Admission is FREE
Applefest began in 1989 as a simple harvest celebration to support the Warwick Valley Community Center. Named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the country, over 30,000 visitors now attend the one-day event, traveling from neighboring states to experience the extraordinary variety of Warwick’s apples, culture, and entertainment. The festival is produced by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center. Festival proceeds benefit these and other local non-profit organizations.
Things To Do and See at the Festival
Over 200 craft vendors
Dozens of food vendors
50 local non-profit exhibitors
Music & entertainment on several stages all day
Children’s Carnival
Farmers’ Market
Walk to Village shops, restaurants & businesses
2:09 AM 12/10/2012
Apple Pie Baking Contest (slices for sale)
Applefest Visitor's Guide An updated Applefest Visitors’ Guide will be posted on the website before Applefest next fall, and will also be available for free at the festival.
This 32-page booklet contains schedules of Applefest events, transportation information, directories for craft/food vendors, wineries, u-pick apples, a user-friendly map of the festival area, ads for local businesses and more.
Press Blue Button for more information about Applefest.
"New York's State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) helps communities identify, evaluate, preserve, and revitalize their historic, archeological, and cultural resources. The SHPO administers programs authorized by both the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the New York State Historic Preservation Act of 1980. These programs, including the Statewide Historic Resources Survey, the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places, the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit, the Certified Local Government program, the state historic preservation grants program, state and federal environmental review, and a wide range of technical assistance, are provided through a network of teams assigned to territories across the state. The SHPO works with governments, the public, and educational and not-for-profit organizations to raise historic preservation awareness, to instill in New Yorkers a sense of pride in the state's unique history and to encourage heritage tourism and community revitalization."
Hudson River Cruises is located in Kingston, NY in Ulster County. For thirty years, Hudson River Excursions with Hudson River Cruises has provided passengers a first hand view of the historic shoreline from the decks of the Rip Van Winkle cruise boat. Hudson River cruises provide a delightfully unique opportunity to explore this scenic shoreline.
As you relax on the cool shaded deck of the Rip Van Winkle, visit our beverage & snack bars for tasty refreshments. Your experienced guide will point out millionaires' sumptuous estates, picturesque Hudson river lighthouses and quaint sleepy villages surrounded by the natural beauty of vineyards, orchards and scenic preservation sites.
Among the tours available is a cruise to Hudson River Lighthouses offering an intriguing glimpse into the past. See the Lighthouses in Ulster County, including Rondout Lighthouse and the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. Esopus Lighthouse, the only lighthouse made of wood, is the second oldest, on the job since 1871. See the extraordinary and opulent Hudson River waterfront mansions that marked the height of industrial success during the turn of the century.
Press blue button to view Public Sightseeing Schedule, and other cruise schedules, available in the Hudson River Valley.
A Walk in the Woods website can be enjoyed by K3 and older children. Kids and adults learn the basics of enjoying a safe and fun walk in the woods. Tips given to make your walk safe and enjoyable include wearing the right shoes, bringing insect repellant, identifying poison oak and poison ivy, and more. Site sections include a Teachers Guide, Nature Notes, Getting Ready, Fun Place, and Resources.
A Walk in the Woods website conveys information in simple and easy to follow steps that can be followed by even the youngest child. The Teachers' Guide can be used by parents and teachers as an opportunity to explore the environment.
The word is A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is a wonderfully funny and engaging tale of Bryson's walk on the Appalachian Trail. Follow him on his walk and prepare to laugh out loud.
Ask for Kids is a fast, easy and kid-friendly way for kids to search online. Designed to be a fun destination site focused on learning and "edu-tainment," Ask for Kids uses natural-language technology that allows kids to ask questions and perform web searches, such as "When did Hawaii become a state?" or "What's it like to live in space?"or even "Convert 122 inches into feet" in the same way they would ask a parent, friend or teacher.
Ask for Kids combines human editorial judgment, age-appropriate feature content and filtering technology to enable kids to find both relevant and befitting information on the Web. Press blue button to explore Ask For Kids.
Cogito was developed and is maintained by the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. "You're passionate about math and science. You already like to think about, talk about, and do math and science, but you also want to know what else is out there; and who else is out there. Or maybe you're someone with a developing interest in math or science and trying to figure out what's out there for you and who's out there to share your ideas with. Either way, Cogito is just the place for you. On Cogito, you can learn about amazing scientists your own age, what they're doing and how they managed to do it."
Inspired and funded by the John Templeton Foundation, Cogito is being developed through a collaborative effort by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth and eight partners; all highly renowned organizations that serve gifted youth.
Parents' Choice Awards Fall website 2009 Ages: 12 - 18 yrs Publisher: Cogito, Center for Talented Youth, Johns Hopkins University
FirstGov for Kids is a U.S. government interagency Kids' Portal. This site was developed and is maintained by the Federal Citizen Information Center. It provides links to Federal kids' sites along with some of the best kids' sites from other organizations all grouped by subject.
FirstGov for Kids is divided into educational subjects that you might have in your school. Within each subject, we have also divided the sites into these categories: Government, Organizations, Education, and Commercial. The Government sites could be Federal, State, or Military sites. Government sites generally do not sell anything. They are simply sharing information with visitors. Organization sites are developed by groups that have an interest in a special topic - sometimes these sites sell products. Education sites are developed by schools. They can be developed by colleges/universities or high, middle, or elementary schools. These sites usually do not have products to sell. Commercial sites are developed by businesses. Commercial sites share information, but they also have products to sell. Press blue button to explore Ask For Kids.
Fizzy's Lunch Lab is a vibrant, fun and kid-friendly web-only series featuring original characters and funny stories that entertain and educate families about the importance of good nutrition, a balanced diet, and physical activity. Join Professor Fizzy and his friends in the super-charged Lunch Lab Test Kitchen, as they prepare healthy snacks, investigate the difference between good and bad food, and learn what happens once the food you eat goes into your body.
Each week, The Lunch Lab web site will release a new animated short video as well as a corresponding recipe for kids and parents to enjoy. Monthly food/nutrition themes will help guide the program's message, and the animated videos will reinforce concepts pertaining to the featured theme. This will make it easy for parents to extend the learning into the home.
KidSmart is a guide to early learning and technology for the Home and School. Both Parents and Teachers can benefit from this website. Whether you are just becoming comfortable with technology or have been using it for years, KidSmart will help you understand what's possible when it comes to young children and computer time.
KidSmart answers many questions such as:
How can I use a computer to encourage early learning in our home? How can I make the computer a part of our household routine? How can I make sure that the computer serves my child?
Things You Can Do A list of useful ideas and suggestions to help you get the most out of your family's PC
School Link Concrete teacher tips, overviews of classroom issues and other tools that your child's teacher may use. The text and audio features of this site will help you discover that the computer is just one of many rich, varied materials found in a good learning environment.
Kids Health is about health, behavior, and development from before birth through the teen years. On a typical weekday, more than 500,000 people visit KidsHealth. One of the things that makes KidsHealth special is that it's really three sites in one: with sections for parents, for kids, and teens.
KidsHealth is more than just the facts about health. As part of The Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media, KidsHealth also provides families with perspective, advice, and comfort about a wide range of physical, emotional, and behavioral issues that affect children and teens.
KidsHealth has received its share of recognition — among them, four Webby Awards, including for Best Family/Parenting Site and Best Health Site on the Web, the Parent's Choice Gold Award, the Teacher's Choice Award for Family, and the International Pirelli Award for best educational media for students.
KidsHealth is more than just the facts about health. As part of The Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media, KidsHealth also provides families with perspective, advice, and comfort about a wide range of physical, emotional, and behavioral issues that affect children and teens. Also in Category Children | Kids - Activities | Things To Do Educational Websites for Kids
OLogy, the Museum of Natural History's website for kids ages seven through twelve, is based on the premise that "everyone wants to know something," and is designed as a place for kids to explore, ask questions, get answers, meet OLogists, play games, and see what other kids are interested in.
With age-appropriate content in archaeology, astronomy, biodiversity, genetics, marine biology, paleontology, and physical science, OLogy makes science learning rich and engaging. Educators can find suggestions and tips on how to use the OLogy website in the Educator's Guides.
Ology is The Museum of Natural History's "science rich" website for kids. Winner of 2004 Distinguished Achievement Awards for Interactivity and Navigation from The Association of Educational Publishers. Press blue button and enjoy.
"Big Green Company, Inc. (BGC) is dedicated to creating a portfolio of original children's entertainment properties collectively known and marketed as The Healthiest Children's Brands on the Planet.™ BGC believes that there is a clear link between our personal health and the health of the planet. We foster a connection between children of all ages, their bodies, their communities, and the natural world. . . . BGC is pioneering entertainment that addresses two of the biggest epidemics affecting future generations today: childhood obesity and global environmental degradation . . .
". . . BGC is a "first mover" in demonstrating how these two issues are intrinsically connected now and in the future. It is a holistic approach to children's media that reminds us that we're all connected, and that taking good care of ourselves and each other can lead to better care of our planet as a whole."
Parents' Choice Awards Fall website 2009 Big Green Rabbit Ages: 2 - 8 yrs. Publisher: Slice of Lime
ABCya.com is the leader in free educational kids computer games and activities for elementary students to learn on the web. All children's educational computer activities were created or approved by certified school teachers.
All educational games are free and are modeled from primary grade lessons and enhanced to provide an interactive way for children to learn. Grade level lessons incorporate areas such as math and language arts while introducing basic computer skills. Many of the kindergarten and first grade activities are equipped with sound to enhance understanding.
Press blue button for fun educational activities for kids.
Dentists4kids.com offers good information on Oral Health and Dental Care as well as fun activities. Be sure to visit Mouth Power for a fun time while learning how to take care of your teeth.
Disney Online includes many features for both children and adults. You can visit the Character Gallery and see Mickey Mouse, Winnie The Pooh, Disney Princess, Disney Fairies and more. Also available are Kids Island, Disney Destinations, and Playhouse Disney. Or, you can shop, play games, visit Video Entertainment which includes Walt Disney Pictures, Disney DVD & Video, Disney on Broadway and many other Disney venues.
Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online is a subscription service that supplements children's pre-kindergarten learning in a fun, safe, and personalized interactive environment that is secure and advertising-free.
The word is Advertising is displayed on the non-subscription sections of Disney Online.
The Literacy Center Education Network is non-profit organization with a mission to deliver free, professionally designed, education material to preschool-age children. In 2009, the LiteracyCenter.net had more than 30 million page views from children in 220 countries.
One hundred years ago, children learned to read with one book. Today, they are exposed to a dizzying array of objects, toys, and games that purport to be educational. The only thing these products have in common is that they are confusing.
At the LiteracyCenter.Net, we believe that learning to read in a first language should be as natural as learning to speak. Learning becomes clear and concise. Our system offers alphabets, numbers, and words in clear and concise formats . . . Our lessons allow children to have fun, concentrate, and remember.
The word is Teach children how to read with this clear, concise, and easy to use online educational guide - provided with no ads.
PBSKids.org is the official Public Broadcasting Service website for children. Young children love the many interactive activities available with their most beloved characters. You and your child can explore Games, Stories, Coloring and Music within many sections including: Arthur, Barney, Berenstain Bears, Between the Lions, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Cyberchase, Dragon Tales, Postcards From Buster, Mister Rogers, Reading Rainbow, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, Zoboomafoo, and ZOOM.
Press blue button for hours of fun, entertainment, learning and enrichment for your child.
Sesame Workshop is a nonprofit educational organization making a meaningful difference in the lives of children worldwide by addressing their critical developmental needs. The Workshop is committed to the principle that all children deserve a chance to learn and grow; to be prepared for school; to better understand the world and each other; to think, dream and discover; to reach their highest potential.
Sesame Workshop provides information about children's activities and tips for parents. This site is helpful and informative - whether you're visiting with a child in search of educational fun or looking for resources to help guide a child through a particular challenge - See how Elmo is comforted when "Visiting the Doctor" or during the "First Day at School".
The Sesame Street website is rich in Games, Stories, Art, Music, Mail, Elmo's World and more. Take the time to explore and find your favorites sections. Play Dot-To-Dot or Letters Big Bird Gets a Letter, Keyboard-o-rama, Bumper Cars, Ernie's Window Box or Numbers Keyboard-o-rama, Cooking with Rosita, Walking the Dogs or Shapes Clouds, Make-a-Monster, Prairie Dawn in the Science Lab, Elmo's Road Trip or Sorting Zoe's Pet Shelter, Bert's Bottle Caps, Oscar's Trash Collection, Things in a Car or visit the Special Section Snuffy's Magic Garden, Zoe's Pet Shelter, Big Bird Gets a Letter, Limbo Elmo, Elmo's Mixed-Up Farm, Your Amazing Body, Footprints and more. See Pinky Dinky Doo designed for children ages 4 to 7, to encourage literacy through the power of storytelling.
For 35 years, Sesame Street has been embraced by millions of viewers through PBS in the U.S. and around the world. You may not know it, but Sesame Workshop is much more than Sesame Street. Sesame Workshop is guided by the conviction that all children deserve a chance to dream and discover, to understand the world and their place in it, to reach their highest potential.
If you're a parent, revisit Sesame Street with your child and watch their joy as they experience your childhood favorites: Bert, Big Bird, Ernie, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, Grover, Cookie Monster, Zoe, Rosita and Count Von Count. Play along with Elmo at Elmo's World or visit Sesame Street's Music Zone. Go ahead - sing along!
Sesame Street has helped generations of children around the world to learn ABCs, to understand the meaing of letters and letter sounds, and to use these means to begin making sense of the world. "Press blue button to explore the website of Sesame Street - possibly the most wonderful and certainly the most innovative concept in children's education.
With Toy Symphony, Tod Machover and his team at the MIT Media Lab strive to bridge the gap between professional musicians and children, as well as between audience and performers. This three year project, combining children, virtuosic performers like violinist Joshua Bell and conductor Kent Nagano, composers and symphony orchestras around the world, is intended to radically alter how children are introduced to music, serving to redefine the relationship between professional musicians and young people.
Through the use of innovative technologies to create musical instruments and compositional tools designed for an individual of any skill level, as well as weeklong workshops culminating in an integrated performance with children and professional musicians, Toy Symphony is designed as an utterly inclusive experience, one that will infuse the orchestra with youthful and enthusiastic collaborators, and the instruments, sounds, and ideas of the 21st century.
Press blue button and enjoy an exploration into the world of music.
The EPA Environmental Kids Club helps you explore your environment and learn how to protect it. Learn about Air, Water, Garbage & Recycling, Plants & Animals, and about you and your environment. Discover the Art Room, Coloring and Activities Books, Game Room, Science Room, and Trophy Case; in addition to Questions A to Z listing everything in the Kids Club.
Press blue button to explore this website. Learn all about our environment through interactive games and more. Learn how you can show your commitment to keeping our planet clean for everyone.
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood invites children to visit the places that make them feel good. As in the television program, Mister Rogers' website is geared to 2 to 5 year olds, but appropriate for all ages. Through Songs, Games, Videos, and even Coloring Pages, Mister Rogers brings children a one-to-one affirmation of their self-worth and offers them a place where they feel accepted and understood.
Games such as "Stop Light Green" help children to develop control over their bodies. Playing “stop and go” games helps them practice control, so that they may be more likely to have self-control and be able to stop in other situations.
Songs such as "It's Such a Good Feeling" or "Its You I Like" teach children that they are important, "not the things you wear or they way you do your hair" . . . Press blue button and listen to a few songs . . . be sure to watch the smile on your child's face as they hear:
It's you I like It's not the things you wear It's not the way you do your hair But it's you I like. The way you are right now The way down deep inside you Not the things that hide you Not your toys They're just beside you . . . It's you I like. Also in Category Children | Kids - Activities | Things To Do Educational Websites for Kids
Welcome to MouthPower®, the online oral health education program created by the National Museum of Dentistry! This program is excellent for use in classrooms, libraries, or your home.
MouthPower is an interactive learning experience about oral health. There are six modules within MouthPower, each focusing on a different aspect of oral health and dentistry. In each one, a character named Mouthie serves as guide . . . to help children explore and learn about oral health.
The Food Station introduces the Food Pyramid, explores combination foods, and demonstrates healthy portion sizes of common foods.
The Tobacco Experiment Station demonstrates some dangers of tobacco use in terms of oral health. Older children and teens can drag cigarettes or chew tobacco into Mouthie's mouth and see the dangerous consequences. Explore peer pressure and media influences.
The Cleaning Experiment Station examines the consequences of various levels of personal dental hygiene, revealing the long-term effects of poor hygiene.
Your Tooth Story shows typical development of teeth from birth to adulthood. This demonstration eases concerns kids have about losing teeth and engages them in a discussion of how their mouth develops with their body. Younger kids may enjoy a lesson about the tooth fairy and tooth traditions around the world.
The Dental Time Warp lets children compare dental instruments and practices from the 19th century and today to see how the focus has shifted from painful intervention to painless prevention. Discuss the types of instruments the students are looking at and what they might be used for.
The Creativity Corner lets children and teens design a poster or product packaging to share their new knowledge about the dangers of tobacco with their peers. Kids can use a simple drawing program to make a poster about peer pressure, or tobacco packaging that tells the true story about tobacco addiction.
This National Gallery of Art website includes NGA Kids and Online Tours. Many wonderful activities for children are available. Children can learn about art through various activities available for kids of all ages.
Online Tours Online Tours presents a collection of tours. Choose a tour by school or medium and explore the National Gallery's collections of painting, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, and decorative arts.
NGA Kids An interactive area where fun and learning are combined in The Art Zone. Topics include: Collage Machine, Mobile, PixelFace, 3-D Twirler, Cubits, and more.
Faces and Places Faces & Places encourage children of all ages to create portraits and landscape paintings in the style of American artists. By combining visual elements borrowed from more than 100 works in the National Gallery's permanent collection, this two-part interactive activity offers an overview of American folk art of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Photo Op This interactive activity introduces you to digital photography and image editing. Use the virtual camera to snap photos, then edit the images or add special effects to create your own works of art.
Still Life Still Life allows you to create an interactive Still Life that mirrors the paintings of the old masters. Children of all ages can learn about the world of "Still Life" art by creating their own masterpiece.
The New York Philharmonic KidZone offers many exciting sections that will teach, entertain, and engage your child in the art of Music. Kids and adults can explore the Game Room, Musicians' Lounge, Composers' Gallery, Instrument Storage Room, Instrument Laboratory, Conductor/Soloist Dressing Rooms, Newsstand, Composition, and Workshop.
Meet famous composers at The Composer's Gallery or meet the musicians in the Musicians' Lounge. Learn about different categories of instruments in the Instrument Lab; you can even make your own instrument. Kids can also create their own music at the Composition Workshop.
The New York Philharmonic KidZone is a must for anyone interested in music. Press blue button to hear and see this unique website.
PBS Parents is a trusted online resource that's filled with information about your child’s development from birth through the early school years. Filled with input from experts in child psychology, early childhood education, media and other fields, PBS Parents provides the answers you need to be your child’s first, best teacher.
Looking for expert advice on the latest parenting issues? Check out the Expert Q & A blog on our Issues and Advice page. Post comments, ask questions, share stories — be part of the conversation.
PBS Parents is committed to providing valuable educational resources for parents and caregivers. Our Education section offers strategies for building literacy and math skills, tips for Going to School, and recommendations from children’s book experts in our Booklights blog.
"Visit Fun and Games for engaging, age-appropriate games from your child's favorite PBS KIDS programs. And, be sure to put a PBS KIDS character in a photo with your child with our Photo Factory. There's also a field guide with activities that encourage children to explore the wonder of the world around them. Our Parties page has fun party ideas and activities too.
To enhance your online experience, visit My PBS Parents, where you can customize the site to see TV schedules from your local PBS station and get activities from your child’s favorite PBS KIDS programs.
Starfall, a completely ad-free site, teaches children to read with phonics. Starfall is designed for children in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade; using exciting phonics games and online interactive books to teach children how to read.
Starfall includes a lot of ABC animations, animated interactive books and other reading exercises. There are also a lot of downloadable materials such as handouts for home or classroom use and print-outs for learning activities. This site can be used to teach both younger and older children to read. It teaches simple alphabets and sounds for the younger child and phonics based reading for an older child.
"Welcome to StoryPlace, the ultimate Children's Digital Library. Explore our pages full of stories and activities for children young and old." StoryPlace. a wonderful website for children! The following awards and acknowledgements say it all.
Awards & Acknowledgements
Chosen by the American Library Association as a Great Web Site for Kids.
Chosen by PBS Teacher Source as a recommended resource for teachers.
Selected as a featured site by Lightspan’s StudyWeb as one of the best educational resources on the Web.
Selected as a Best Bet on the USA TODAY Education Web Site for educational value.
A+ rating by Education World as an outstanding site for Pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade.
Net-mom approved as one of the best sites for families on the Net!
Selected as Web Site of the Month by School Library Journal for providing quality content appropriate for family viewing and participation.
The Story of Thomas & Friends Our story begins in 1917 in the sleepy village of Box in Wiltshire, England. It is nighttime and a young boy lies awake in his bed, listening to steam engines huffing and puffing along the nearby railway tracks.
Deep in the surrounding countryside, where the Great Western Railway main line climbs steadily uphill for 2 miles, a tank engine from Box station is steaming away, helping a heavy goods train up the hill. To the little boy tucked up in bed, listening to the engines struggling up the incline, it sounds very much like they are talking to each other.
The young boy is Wilbert Awdry - later to become the Reverend W. Awdry, the creator of Thomas. Listen to the story of how Thomas became "the most famous tank engine in the world".
Press blue button for wonderful stories that reinforce friendship, loyalty, and "being a useful engine". Thomas entertains your child with Games, Videos, Activities and more fun.
The word is There are advertisements on top and side bars, but the stories of Thomas and his friends are quite wonderful.
Watchknow collects and organizes educational videos for kids. Watchknow does the screening for you so that you do not need to research, literally, millions of videos that are available on the net.
Watchknow makes it easier to find good educational videos for children by subject. You can easily access quality educational videos for kids by age, subject, and sub categories. Parents and Teachers may select videos for kids to learn from, by category and by rating. The best rated videos are sorted at the top of the page.
Videos for kids are categorized and easily found by subjects. Find videos by language arts, literature, math, science, history, social studies, and many more topics. Once you've selected your category, just drill down to sub-categories such as chemistry within science. Watchknow is excellent for children that need extra help or for gifted children that want to expand their learning experience in a particular subject.
educational site, teachers, education majors, material for preschool, material for preschool, education teachers, learn to read, children use abcteach, use abcteach to teach basic Spanish, retrain stroke victims, Homeschool parents, homeschool curriculum
For over thirty years, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan has been an exciting destination for children to discover new ideas and stretch the imagination. Each year, 350,000 museum visitors participate in a school field trip, a family visit, a professional development session or an outreach program.
Exhibitions at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan are created and built by a team of education specialists and designers and tour both nationally and internationally. Based on the idea that students learn by doing, each theme-based exhibition uses hands-on activities, interactive components and larger than life environments to encourage students to explore in new ways and make learning fun.
Engaging, hands-on programs at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan make learning fun. Key observation, analytical and problem solving skills are developed through applied learning using directed experiments, exhibition exploration, open-ended art projects and more. Activities support learning in the areas of science, math, language and the creative arts, and our interdisciplinary approach to themes appeals to students with a variety of learning styles. Programs conform to New York State and City learning standards, are adapted to each grade level and can be tailored to classes with special needs
The Intrepid Sea-Air Museum displays one of the most successful ships in US History, now a national historic landmark, and one of the most unique attractions in New York City. In 1943, the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier was commissioned for service in World War II and went on to serve as a primary recovery vessel for NASA and then in Vietnam. Today the museum features a range of interactive exhibits and events that make Intrepid a snapshot of heroism, education, and excitement.
The hangar deck houses three of the legendary aircraft types which originally flew from the Intrepid during World War II: an original TBM Avenger torpedo bomber, and replicas of an F6F Hellcat fighter and an SB2C Helldiver dive bomber.
On the flight deck and portside aircraft elevator, America’s modern military cutting edge is represented by a Navy F-14 Tomcat, an Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon, a Marine Corps aV-8C Harrier, and an A-12 Blackbird spy plane formerly in service with the CIA. During your visit, you’ll also find international air power on display with a British F-1 Scimitar, a French Entendard IV-M and a Polish MiG-21.
The Intrepid Sea-Air Museum's helicopter collection includes two Vietnam-era UH-1 Hueys, a Marine Corps AH-1J Sea Cobra, and a fully restored Army AH-1G Cobra gunship. Press blue button to browse through the "Intrepid Sea-Air Museum" website, and then plan your visit!
The Bronx Zoo is the flagship zoo of the largest network of metropolitan zoos in the country. The Bronx Zoo is the heart of the Wildlife Conservation Society and our work to save wildlife and wild places around the globe. With award-winning, cutting-edge exhibits featuring over 4,000 animals, there is no other zoo in the world that offers the diversity, superb viewing, and world-renowned expertise that assures a rewarding experience and the knowledge that visitors can make a difference in the world around them.
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.
Press blue button for photos, education about animals and their habitat, and to explore the Bronx Zoo website.
Bear Mountain Park: Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center The study of native animals and their habitat at Bear Mountain has a long history. In 1921, the American Museum of Natural History installed a facility at the Boy Scouts headquarters on Lake Kanawauke. Four years later, the same Museum began a program for the study of insects in Harriman State Park. The Commission added a bear den in 1926, which became a small zoo, as the facility took in more injured animals in need of shelter.
Today's Trailside Museums and Zoo occupy 40-acres on a bluff 250 feet over the Hudson River. The trails, including the first section of the Appalachian Trail, are among the oldest in the country; they link the various homes of Samantha, the eagle, and other birds of prey, the bear den, as well as habitats for beavers, a river otter, foxes, coyotes, and more.
Children enjoy the various presentations of indigenous wildlife, geology and herpetology. On display are Native American artifacts, models of Revolutionary War battles fought on-site, and an exhibit of the origins of the Boy Scouts, and four Museum buildings. See the bald eagle, black bear, owl, river otter and more animals local to Bear Mountain.
The Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center also highlight the history of the area. Learn about the importance of Bear Mountain in the American Revolutionary War. Visit historic 1777 & 1779 Trails that retrace the routes taken by the British army during the American War of Independence. Visit Fort Montgomery, a Revolutionary War fort built to defend the Hudson Highlands and protect American control of the Hudson River and learn about the Battle of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton.
Young children, older children, and adults all enjoy visiting each of the Museum buildings that house different exhibits. Visit the Local Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish Museum, the Geology Museum, History Museum and Nature Study Museum.
Hudson Highland Nature Museum offers the Outdoor Discovery Center and the Wildlife Education Center.
Outdoor Discovery Center 100 Muser Drive, across from 174 Angola Road Cornwall, NY 12518
Wildlife Education Center 25 Boulevard Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY
Founded in 1959, the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum is a center for nature, with a focus on environmental education an a mission to develop responsible caretakers of the natural world. Over the years it has developed quality educational programs for students and the public that focus on the unique ecology of the Hudson Highlands and promote knowledge and appreciation of our natural world. Each year the Museum reaches over 30,000 children and adults.
Kids Things To Do Animals and Nature programs Birthday Parties at the Wildlife Education Center More birthday parties ideas for children. Hiking Trails (Guidebooks at the Outdoor Discover Center) Summer Science and Nature Camp Weekend Nature Programs Young Naturalists Classes
Things To Buy for Kids The Museum Nature Shops have a wide selection of items to spark a child’s imagination, great books to enjoy and beautiful jewelry to wear. They offer a wonderful supply of small toys, birthday party goodie bag items, nature guide books, nature crafts and nature-themed books for children, jewelry, bird feeders and bird seed and more.
Press blue button for more about the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum for children, families, and grownups. Also in Location Cornwall-on-Hudson
Founded in 1959, the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum is a center for nature, with a focus on environmental education and a mission to develop responsible caretakers of the natural world. Over the years it has developed quality educational programs for students and the public that focus on the unique ecology of the Hudson Highlands and promote knowledge and appreciation of our natural world.
Things To Do at Outdoor Discovery Center The Outdoor Discover Center is located at 100 Muser Drive (entrance to the center is on Muser Drive across from 174 Angola Road) in Cornwall, NY.
Things To Do at Wildlife Education Center See the Living Hudson Exhibit; a multi-sensory experience full of the flora and fauna native to the Hudson Estuary. Follow the journey as water trickles down a highland creek into a wetland pond. The pond empties into a freshwater stream which then joins the Hudson River Estuary.
Press blue button to learn more about upcoming events, featured programs, and to Meet the Animal of the week.
Kenridge Farm Cornwall, Orange County Hudson River Valley, New York State
Scenic Hudson purchased this historic 178-acre farm in 1993 so that the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum could establish an "Outdoor Discovery Center".
Nature trails on the grounds of this former farm (now home to the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum) are helping to inspire the next generation of environmentalists. Three miles of trails are owned and managed by the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum.
Things To Do Hiking / Walking Trails Nature Study Scenic Views
Directions Kenridge Farm is on Muser Drive, across from 174 Angola Road. Take Route 9W to the Angola Road Exit. Go .1 mile west on Angola Road.
After a day of hiking, nature study, or a casual walk at Kenridge Farm, dine at one of many excellent restaurants in Orange County, New York.
The D&H Canal Park and the Neversink Valley Area Museum are located in Cuddebackville, Orange County, NY along the banks of the Neversink River. The Neversink Valley Area Museum preserves and documents the history of the peoples and industry of the Neversink and Shawangunk valleys of New York's Catskill region.
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).
Discover the beauty of the Neversink Valley This lovely region of Orange County is home to the Neversink, the Minisink, the amazing D&H Canal, a rich archaeological history and a network of small museums and historical societies devoted to presenting it all to you. Join us at the Neversink Valley Area Museum and our sister institutions for a tour of the natural beauty and rich history of our little corner of New York State. Press blue button for Kids & Family, events, and more about Neversink Valley Area Museum
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."
Fort Montgomery State Historic Site Fort Montgomery is located in Fort Montgomery, NY 10922 at Bear Mountain in the historic Hudson River Valley.
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. Today, Fort Montgomery stands as an archeological site and a historic ruin.
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. . .
"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.
"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.
Click to enlarge sign about the Battle of Fort Montgomery.
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.
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.
Things To Do at Fort Montgomery Audio-Visual Programs Demonstrations Group Tours Hiking Historic Site Interpretive Signs Museum Scenic Views Self Guided Tours Visitor Center
Sources: Ward, Christopher. The War of the Revolution, Volume II (Macmillan, 1952) Wood, W.J. Battles Of The Revolutionary War: 1775-1781 (Dec 23, 2003) Savas, Theodore P. and Dameron, David J. A guide to the Battles of the American Revolution Savas Beatie LLC, NY 2006
The sign reads: Fort Montgomery's West Redoubt "Fort Montgomery's West Redoubt was one of three strong points built to defend the fort from an overland attack. New York State's Governor, Brigadier General George Clinton, commanded Fort Montgomery during the battle on October 6, 1777. Clinton ordered his men into the fort's three redoubts, where they were attacked by 900 British and Loyalist soldiers. After mounting a brave resistance, the Americans were driven from the redoubts and were forced to abandon the fort."
One of the drawings in the sign shows that "Aware that the British were approaching, Governor Clinton ordered some of his men to take a 3-pounder cannon down the road that lead to the fort, and delay them. The Americans were able to temporarily stop the advancing British and Loyalist soldiers, but were eventually forced to abandon the gun and return to the fort."
Click to enlarge 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.
Things To Do on the American Revolution Trail Educational Trail Hiking Historic Site Museum at the Fort Montgomery Visitor Center
Storm King Art Center is located at Old Pleasant Hill Road, Mountainville NY 10953, Orange County in the Hudson Valley. Storm King is widely recognized as one of the world’s greatest sculpture parks. "Storm King Art Center is a museum celebrates the relationship between sculpture and nature. Five hundred acres of landscaped lawns, fields and woodlands provide the site for postwar sculptures by internationally renowned artists. At Storm King, the exhibition space is defined by sky and land. Unencumbered by walls, the subtly created flow of space is punctuated by modern sculpture. The grounds are surrounded by the undulating profiles of the Hudson Highlands, a dramatic panorama integral to the viewing experience. The sculptures are affected by changes in light and weather, so no two visits are the same.
History of Storm King Art Center "Ralph E. Ogden and H. Peter Stern, then joint owners of Star Expansion Company founded Storm King Art Center in 1960. Originally Ogden envisioned a museum of the Hudson Valley painters, however after visiting a marble quarry in Austria in 1961 he became partially interested in sculpture. Early purchases were set outside the building as part of a formal garden scheme. Six years later, Ogden saw sculptures by David Smith (1906-1965) set in open fields outside his home in Bolton Landing. The Art Center purchased thirteen works from the artist’s estate and inspired in part by Smith’s sculpture fields soon began to place works outdoors in a new way that directly responded to the landscape of Mountainville. Since that time, each sculpture has been sited as part of a visual fabric that includes its immediate surroundings and the distant landscape scene – expanding the context for viewing far beyond traditional garden confines. In 1972 the Art Center began acquiring a permanent collection of large-scale sculptures. Works are acquired selectively, always with attention to the potential interaction of sculpture with the Storm King landscape. Ogden died in 1974; H. Peter Stern continues to serve as both Chairman and President of the Art Center.
Museum Building: "Completed as a residence in 1935 for the late Vermont Hatch, the French Normandy-style building was designed by architect Maxwell Kimball. The building's granite stones were salvaged from Danskammer, the 1834 Edward Armstrong mansion located north of Newburgh that stood overlooking the Hudson River for almost 100 years. The five Ionic columns now situated on the Art Center's property formed the front of Danskammer. The interior of the museum building contains many period details such as walnut paneling, and walnut and oak parquet floors. Inside are nine exhibition galleries, a museum shop, and offices.
Landscape "At Storm King, visitors are encouraged to enjoy nature as well as art, to meander on trails and discover sculptures, or to traverse the fields to walk among monumental works. The grounds are under a carefully supervised program of maintenance and change. Recently the Art Center has developed the North Trail and a wooded grove with sculptures, and has restored several walking paths."
Visitors may walk through the grounds or take a self-guided tour aboard a handicap-accessible tram that travels through the main portion of the grounds. An audio-guide is available for rental at the museum shop. Press blue button to learn about the collections, current exhibitions, membership, photos, and more about Storm King Art Center.
The word is Fabulous collection of modern and majestic sculptures in an exceptional outdoor setting that complement each and every piece of art. Storm King is magical in all seasons, especially in the Fall. Bring the children, a picnic, and dine under a tree; four miles of hiking trails are also available.
From April 1782 to August 1783, General George Washington, commander in chief of the Continental Army, made his military headquarters and residence at the Hasbrouck family's farmhouse in Newburgh. Washington's Headquarters is located 12 miles north of the forts at West Point.
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".
Located in the Hudson Valley Village of Warwick, New York
Admission is FREE
Applefest began in 1989 as a simple harvest celebration to support the Warwick Valley Community Center. Named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the country, over 30,000 visitors now attend the one-day event, traveling from neighboring states to experience the extraordinary variety of Warwick’s apples, culture, and entertainment. The festival is produced by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center. Festival proceeds benefit these and other local non-profit organizations.
Things To Do and See at the Festival
Over 200 craft vendors
Dozens of food vendors
50 local non-profit exhibitors
Music & entertainment on several stages all day
Children’s Carnival
Farmers’ Market
Walk to Village shops, restaurants & businesses
2:09 AM 12/10/2012
Apple Pie Baking Contest (slices for sale)
Applefest Visitor's Guide An updated Applefest Visitors’ Guide will be posted on the website before Applefest next fall, and will also be available for free at the festival.
This 32-page booklet contains schedules of Applefest events, transportation information, directories for craft/food vendors, wineries, u-pick apples, a user-friendly map of the festival area, ads for local businesses and more.
Press Blue Button for more information about Applefest.
Sterling Forest State Park, a 21,935-acre park, is located at 116 Old Forge Road, Tuxedo, NY 10987 in Orange County. Sterling Forest State Park offers a nearly pristine natural refuge amidst of one of the nation's most densely populated areas, a remarkable piece of woodland, a watershed for millions, and a tremendous outdoor recreation area. This unbroken deep-forest habitat is important for the survival of many resident and migratory species, including black bear, a variety of hawks and songbirds and many rare invertebrates and plants. Hunting, fishing and hiking opportunities are available.
Learn about Sterling Forest's environment and history at the Visitor Center, overlooking Sterling Lake. The visitor center features exhibits about the local environment.
Sterling Forest Bird Conservation Area The Sterling Forest® BCA is part of Sterling Forest® State Park. Sterling Forest® State Park is within a natural area of state and national importance due to its watershed, wildlife habitat, cultural resources, open space and outdoor recreation significance. Most of the park is covered by either ecological communities that have statewide significance or of such quality that they should be protected as significant examples within New York State. The park has considerable biodiversity including a diversity of bird species. A part of the Hudson Highlands, the area has strong relief ranging from 800-1200' in elevation.
Press blue button for more about biking, fishing, hiking, hunting, birding, and the Museum at Sterling Forest State Park.
Things To Do at Sterling Forest State Park Biking Birding Fishing Gift Shop Hiking Hunting Museum / Visitor Center Nature Study Recreation Programs Scenic Views
Knox's Headquarters State Historic Site is located at Vails Gate, NY 12584 in Orange County in the Hudson River Valley. On several occasions during the Revolutionary War, Major General Henry Knox, Commander of the America artillery, established his military headquarters at John Ellison's 1754 Georgian-style house in Vails Gate. From October 1782 until the spring of 1783, as 7,000 soldiers and 500 "camp followers" were establishing winter quarters at the New Windsor Cantonment, and General Washington was lodged at Jonathan Hasbrouck's house in Newburgh, New York, Major General Horatio Gates occupied the elegant home from which he commanded the cantonment. Here the army awaited the end of the Revolutionary War that became effective when Washington issued the cease fire orders on April 19, 1783.
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
New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site is located at Vails Gate, NY 12584 in Orange County in the Hudson River Valley. In October 1782, General George Washington moved his army to New Windsor, above West Point and just beyond the Hudson Highlands, to establish winter quarters. He was accompanied by 7,000 troops including 500 women and children or "camp followers." By late December 1782, they had erected nearly 600 log huts into a "cantonment," a military enclave. High-ranking officers were quartered in private homes.
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.
Constitution Island is part of West Point, the United States Military Academy, a National Registered Landmark.
Constitution Island is most famous for the Great Chain that was placed across the Hudson during the Revolutionary War. Constitution Island is also known for the Warner family who lived on the Island during the 19th century. The Warner House and ruins of the Revolutionary War fortifications are the primary points of interest. The Island’s 280 acres are covered with hiking trails that are enjoyed by the Island’s visitors. The Constitution Island Association was founded in 1916 to preserve and protect the history and traditions of this unique American site. Also learn about the chaining of the Hudson.
Things To Do at Constitution Island Hiking Trails Historic Site Warner House Daily and Weekend Tours
Cold Spring Tours Daily tours leave from West Point’s South Dock Weekend tours & Special Events are served by a shuttle bus from the Cold Spring Metro-North train station.
The United States Military Academy Museum is considered to be the oldest and largest diversified public collection of militaria in the Western Hemisphere. The museum is located in West Point, NY 10996 in Orange County.
About the West Point Museum
"As a department of the United States Military Academy, the Museum supports cadet academic, military and cultural instruction. Its collections include nearly all aspects of military history and encompass the history of West Point and the United States Military Academy, the evolution of warfare, and the development of the American Armed Forces. While only a portion of the collection is on display, all artifacts are available for cadet academic instruction, special exhibition and research.
"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 more about the United States Military Academy Museum at West Point.
Visiting West Point West Point is located in West Point, NY 10996, Orange County in the Historic Hudson Valley.
"The Visitors Center provides an excellent central starting point for all visitors to the U.S. Military Academy. The Visitors Center and West Point Museum are open to the general public on a daily basis. Visitors may enter the academy grounds only by guided tours, however, there are no guided tours during Graduation Week, on Football home game days, or on any days the Visitors Center is closed or closes early. Tours may be cancelled at any time. It is strongly recommended that visitors call the Visitors Center, (845) 938-2638 the week they are traveling to West Point to check on the status of the tours."
For current schedule of tours and prices, call West Point Tours at 845-446-4724.
"West Point is not open for self touring. Visitors may take a nominally priced guided tour of the Academy grounds departing from the West Point Visitors Center. Entrance is allowed for business, for visiting staff, faculty and cadets who live on West Point, and for public events such as concerts, sporting events, cadet reviews, and graduation. A valid photo ID is required for all adults 16 and over, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Please allow additional time to enter the post if coming for well-attended events such as football games and concerts.
"The original Visitors Center was officially opened May 1, 1952, in the field artillery sheds at the south end of post, a site now occupied by the provost marshal’s office. The current Visitors Center, which opened September 1, 1989, on the site of the former Ladycliff College Library, continues to attract, educate and inform the public about the Academy and its environs. Videos on cadet life and West Point history are shown continuously throughout the day."
Press blue button for more about West Point Academics, Military, News, History, and West Point Cemetery.
Southeast Museum is located at 67 Main Street, Brewster NY 10509, Putnam County in the Hudson Valley. The Southeast Museum is a non-profit educational institution established in 1963; dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting the material artifacts and culture significant to the history of the Town of Southeast and its environs.
The Southeast Museum offers exhibits on the history of the Town of Southeast, including the early American Circus, the Harlem Line Railroad, the Tilly Foster Mine, the Borden Milk Condensery, and the Croton Reservoir System.
In addition, the museum presents various changing exhibits, drawing on its extensive collection of antique farm and household implements, quilts, clothing and assorted Americana reflecting 19th century material culture. The museum is located on Main Street, Brewster in one of Putnam County's largest landmarked buildings, the 1896 Old Town Hall, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Press blue button for events, exhibits, programs, museum shop, and more about the Southeast Museum.
The Tilly Foster Farm Museum, a 199-acre farm, is located at 100 Route 312, Brewster, NY 10509 in the Town of Southeast, Putnam County. Tilly Forster Farm is a preservation, farming and educational endeavor of the Society for the Preservation of Putnam County Antiquities and Greenways (aka Preserve Putnam) and its founder, George Whipple.
Events Include Home & Habitats. Meet animals from the rainforest, mountains, farm, desert and ponds. Hands-on age-appropriate science education program that uses live animals.
Maple Syrup demonstrations
Sheep Shearing. Enjoy the spring ritual of sheep shearing every half hour, visit with the animals, learn about farm equipment.
The word is Admission to the Tilly Foster Farm Museum is free and open to the public seven days a week from 10am – 4pm. Call for more activities and events.
Guided Canoe Trips "Discover the fascinating habitats of the estuary with us!"
Our interpretive canoe programs focus on the nearshore environments of the tidal Hudson River, especially the natural history of Constitution Marsh and the surrounding Hudson Highlands. It's easily the best deal around, as our own expert Audubon naturalists lead you through winding channels lined with tall, elegant marsh grasses, searching for hidden wildlife. Enjoy the physical activity and beautiful scenery, and learn the secrets of the Sanctuary.
Reservations are required for all canoe trips. We provide the canoes, paddles, and life jackets, and a safety lesson precedes the trip. At least one adult with paddling experience must accompany each canoe. Trips are tide and weather dependent, and normally last between two and three hours.
If you are planning a kayak or canoe trip through the marsh on your own, public water access is provided at the Foundry Dock Park in Cold Spring and not at the Audubon Center.
Press blue button for reservations, fees, and more information about the Guided Canoe Trips at Constitution Marsh, and to view the Public Canoe Program schedule.
Things To Do on Guided Canoe Trips Birding Boating Nature Trails Scenic Views
The Chapel of Our Lady Restoration is located at 45 Market Street, Cold Spring, NY 10516 in Putnam County.
From Chapel of Our Lady Restoration "Its situation, opposite West Point, on a high rock overlooking the Hudson, and surrounded by majestic mountains, is extremely well chosen, and the traveler. . .cannot but be struck with its romantic beauty. By the New York Mirror, November 1934"
"The Chapel Restoration, Cold Spring, New York, was built in 1833, in the Greek Revival style. Abandoned in 1906, it was a charred, weather-ravaged ruin until its restoration in the 1970s. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
"In 1996, with funds from the estate of Hugh Holt, a balcony based on the original was built and a tracker action pipe organ custom-built by George Bozeman was installed. The chapel also has a Steinway Grand Piano, once owned by the Livingston family.
"The historic chapel, breathtaking in its simplicity, is the acoustical equal of the world’s great concert halls. Against the backdrop of the Hudson River and Highlands, its dramatic setting inspires a bond between artist and audience. The 1893 Steinway grand piano, once owned by the Livingston family who had a country house up river, graces the stage. In the choir loft is an equally distinguished pipe organ of the kind played in the 17th through the 19th centuries."
Press blue button for Calendar of Events, the Music Series, Readings, Children's Programs, and more about Chapel of Our Lady Restoration.
The word is "The Sunday Music Series, April to November, features musicians of worldwide distinction. Concerts, primarily classical, with at least one each season of jazz or blues, country or bluegrass, are presented once a month at 4. Free of charge, contributions welcome. Series established in 2001."
Hiking in Philipstown Putnam County, Hudson River Valley of New York
"The Hudson Highlands is a region of simple, yet dramatic beauty, astounding biodiversity, and major historical significance."
The Hudson Highlands Land Trust is a community-based organization devoted to protecting the natural resources, rural character, and scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands in NY State’s Hudson Valley.
Breakneck Ridge Hike 1 - (difficult, 2.8 mi., 3-4 hr.) A steep, difficult loop hike with the most dramatic views in the Highlands. Exhilarating, but not recommended in windy or slippery conditions.
Hiking in the Hudson Highlands affords many breathtaking views and magnificent vistas. The following state parks and protected areas are found in the Hudson Highlands. All of these parks offer fabulous hiking and other outdoor activities that will immerse you in the natural wonders of this beautiful area of the Hudson Valley. In addition to hiking, many parks offer activities such as boating, skiing, nature walks and birding.
Hiking in Philipstown Putnam County, Hudson River Valley of New York
"The Hudson Highlands is a region of simple, yet dramatic beauty, astounding biodiversity, and major historical significance."
The Hudson Highlands Land Trust is a community-based organization devoted to protecting the natural resources, rural character, and scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands in NY State’s Hudson Valley.
Hiking Bull Hill (Mt. Taurus) Hike 5 of Hiking Trails in Philipstown is a strenuous hike, recommended for experienced hikers.
Bull Hill (Mt. Taurus)from 9D Hike 5 - (moderate/difficult, 5.7 mi., 4-5 hr.) A loop hike with a spur to the summit, at 1420 feet, Bull Hill is the tallest mountain in Putnam County. This loop hike steeply climbs Bull Hill, with tricky footing, and spectacular views over the Hudson River.
Hiking in the Hudson Highlands affords many breathtaking views and magnificent vistas. The following state parks and protected areas are found in the Hudson Highlands. All of these parks offer fabulous hiking and other outdoor activities that will immerse you in the natural wonders of this beautiful area of the Hudson Valley. In addition to hiking, many parks offer activities such as boating, skiing, nature walks and birding.
Hiking in Philipstown Putnam County, Hudson River Valley of New York
"The Hudson Highlands is a region of simple, yet dramatic beauty, astounding biodiversity, and major historical significance."
The Hudson Highlands Land Trust is a community-based organization devoted to protecting the natural resources, rural character, and scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands in NY State’s Hudson Valley.
Hiking Charcoal Burners Trail Hike 4 of Hiking Trails in Philipstown is an easy hike, recommended for beginner hikers.
Charcoal Burners Trail Hike 4 - (easy, 2 mi., 1-2 hr.) A woodland loop with a side trail overlooking a pond.
Hiking in the Hudson Highlands affords many breathtaking views and magnificent vistas. The following state parks and protected areas are found in the Hudson Highlands. All of these parks offer fabulous hiking and other outdoor activities that will immerse you in the natural wonders of this beautiful area of the Hudson Valley. In addition to hiking, many parks offer activities such as boating, skiing, nature walks and birding.
Hiking in Philipstown Putnam County, Hudson River Valley of New York
"The Hudson Highlands is a region of simple, yet dramatic beauty, astounding biodiversity, and major historical significance."
The Hudson Highlands Land Trust is a community-based organization devoted to protecting the natural resources, rural character, and scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands in NY State’s Hudson Valley.
Hiking Little Stony Point Hike 6 of Hiking Trails in Philipstown is an easy hike, recommended for beginning hikers.
Hiking Little Stony Point Hike 6 - (easy, 1 mi., 1 hr.) A short loop hike with spectacular views of the Hudson and a spur trail to a cliff top.
Little Stony Point Park Little Stony Point is a Hudson Highlands State Park located at 3011 Route 9D, Cold Spring, NY 10516 in Putnam County, just north of Cold Spring. Little Stony Point offers an unofficial swimming beach, as well as recreational boating, kayaking, and fishing.
Although Little Stony Point is a state owned recreational resource, its upkeep is dependent on the work of volunteers (LSPCA), who operate through a cooperative management agreement with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to keep the park clean and make needed improvements, such as weed abatement, grading trails, and trash pick-up. 100% of donations to the LSPCA are used directly for park and structural upkeep. Source: Little Stony Point Park
Hiking in the Hudson Highlands affords many breathtaking views and magnificent vistas. The following state parks and protected areas are found in the Hudson Highlands. All of these parks offer fabulous hiking and other outdoor activities that will immerse you in the natural wonders of this beautiful area of the Hudson Valley. In addition to hiking, many parks offer activities such as boating, skiing, nature walks and birding.
Hiking in Philipstown Putnam County, Hudson River Valley of New York
"The Hudson Highlands is a region of simple, yet dramatic beauty, astounding biodiversity, and major historical significance."
The Hudson Highlands Land Trust is a community-based organization devoted to protecting the natural resources, rural character, and scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands in NY State’s Hudson Valley.
Hiking Round Hill Hike 2 of Hiking Trails in Philipstown is a moderate hike, recommended for hikers with some experience.
Round Hill Hike 2 - (moderate, 5.5 mi., 3-4 hr.) A loop hike through woods with a couple of great views. This hike is in the Hubbard-Perkins Conservation Area.
Hubbard-Perkins Conservation Area "The Fahnestock Bird Conservation Area is a large, wooded tract which includes six lakes, a hemlock/stream ravine, and some marsh habitat. Much of the forest is mature oak and mixed hardwoods with an understory of mountain laurel. Relatively large stands of hemlock are also present in some areas of the park. The BCA supports a representative community of breeding birds that prefer mature hardwood forests, as well as some marsh and water-dependent bird species. The BCA includes the Hubbard/Perkins Conservation Area, and other portions of the state park." Source: Department of Environmental Conservation
Hiking in the Hudson Highlands affords many breathtaking views and magnificent vistas. The following state parks and protected areas are found in the Hudson Highlands. All of these parks offer fabulous hiking and other outdoor activities that will immerse you in the natural wonders of this beautiful area of the Hudson Valley. In addition to hiking, many parks offer activities such as boating, skiing, nature walks and birding.
Hiking in Philipstown Putnam County, Hudson River Valley of New York
"The Hudson Highlands is a region of simple, yet dramatic beauty, astounding biodiversity, and major historical significance."
The Hudson Highlands Land Trust is a community-based organization devoted to protecting the natural resources, rural character, and scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands in NY State’s Hudson Valley.
Hiking School Mountain Road Hike 3 of Hiking Trails in Philipstown is an easy hike, recommended for beginner hikers.
School Mountain Road Hike 3 - (easy, 8.2 mi., 4hr, ) An out and back hike especially good for horses, and mountain bikes. This out and back hike is in the Hubbard-Perkins Conservation Area. Horses and mountain bikes are permitted on this trail.
Hubbard-Perkins Conservation Area "The Fahnestock Bird Conservation Area is a large, wooded tract which includes six lakes, a hemlock/stream ravine, and some marsh habitat. Much of the forest is mature oak and mixed hardwoods with an understory of mountain laurel. Relatively large stands of hemlock are also present in some areas of the park. The BCA supports a representative community of breeding birds that prefer mature hardwood forests, as well as some marsh and water-dependent bird species. The BCA includes the Hubbard/Perkins Conservation Area, and other portions of the state park." Source: Department of Environmental Conservation
Hiking in the Hudson Highlands affords many breathtaking views and magnificent vistas. The following state parks and protected areas are found in the Hudson Highlands. All of these parks offer fabulous hiking and other outdoor activities that will immerse you in the natural wonders of this beautiful area of the Hudson Valley. In addition to hiking, many parks offer activities such as boating, skiing, nature walks and birding.
The Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library is located at 10 Morris Ave, Cold Spring, NY 10516, Putnam County in the Hudson Valley.
Butterfield Library offers many programs for children, teens, and adults. Teens can join TAB (Teen Advisory Board), help plan teen events, and provide input on building teen collections. Adults will benefit from Defensive Driving courses (at the lowest price in the area), CPR courses, computer courses, and many cultural and educational programs.
Programs for children include:
Weekly Story Hours Baby Playtime Battle of the Books Mad Science and more
A Bit of History about the Library "The Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library was established by the will of the late Julia L. Butterfield. Mrs. Butterfield died on August 6, 1913 at the age of 90.
"Mrs. Butterfield was born on December 19, 1824, in St. Marks' Place, New York City, NY. She moved to Cold Spring in 1852, with her first husband Fredrick James. Up until the time of her death, she spent a large portion of her time at her beautiful Cold Spring residence known as Cragside. Cragside was located on the site of the new Haldane Central School District's high school building. The gatehouse to Cragside still stands today on the corner of Route 9D (Morris Ave) and Craigside Drive.
"Mrs. Butterfield loved to entertain, and her frequent guests included, the Grand Duke of Russia, the Count of Paris, Presidents of the United States, several governors, famous generals and bishops.
"Many of the paintings that hang in the Library today once hung in Cragside. The most famous of which is "A Pic-Nic on the Hudson" painted in 1863 by Hudson River School artist Thomas Rossiter. Rossiter also lived Cold Spring and was a friend of Mrs Butterfield. The painting depicts a group of friends and neighbors enjoying a fashionable picnic on Constitution Island. The group includes Julia James, the future Mrs. Daniell Butterfield, whose estate endowed the library in 1913."
Press blue button for the library calendar, programs, FAQ, and more about the Butterfield Library.
The Putnam County Historical Society & Foundry School Museum is located at 63 Chestnut Street, Cold Spring, NY 10516 in Putnam County.
"The Putnam County Historical Society was founded in 1906 by a group of prominent Philipstown residents and chartered the next year to be the first historical society in the county. Its dedicated early members were prominent Cold Spring residents: A. Augustus Healy, Gouverneur Paulding, William Henry Haldane, Robert Floyd-Jones, and William Wood. Galvanized by the desire to collect and preserve historical and cultural materials pertaining to Putnam County, especially the Philipstown area, and the Hudson Highlands, while both looking back to the nineteenth century and forward into the twentieth, the members initially concentrated on the assemblage of information related to many county families, the compilation of a list of local Civil War veterans, and a study of the milestones on the Putnam County segment of the New York to Albany Post Road. During these early years, the members met in private homes, where objects collected by the society were stored, as well as in libraries, where special programs were held.
"In 1960, with funds from the estate of a longtime supporter, the noted writer Laura Spencer Porter Pope (1907–1957), the society acquired the Foundry School building, which was built in about 1830, enlarged in the 1860s, and used for the education of the foundry's teenage apprentices as well as its employees' children. In 1971, a wing was added to house the society's holdings related to the West Point Foundry. Since the establishment of this museum, the society's members, many of them extraordinarily informed about the history of the Highlands and the county, have continued to dedicate their time and talents as docents, researchers, and educators.
"Today, the organization is known as The Putnam County Historical Society & Foundry School Museum (PCHS–FSM) and is owned by a not-for-profit corporation under the oversight of the Department of Education of the State of New York. PCHS-FSM is governed by a board of trustees composed mainly of local residents accomplished in business and the professions and is administered by a professional staff including, an executive director and a curator.
"The purpose of the society is to collect, preserve, and present to the public historical and cultural materials pertaining to Putnam County, especially the Philipstown area, the West Point Foundry, and the Hudson Highlands. To fulfill this mission, the society maintains and administers the Foundry School Museum and a research library. The museum organizes changing exhibitions, with accompanying catalogues, and provides educational programming for the public."
The above information is sourced from the PCHS-FSM website.
Press blue button for the Putnam Historical Society, including directions, exhibits, and more about the Putnam County Historical Society & Foundry School Museum.
Stonecrop Gardens is located at 81 Stonecrop Lane, Cold Spring, NY 10516 in Putnam County. "Stonecrop was originally the home of Anne and Frank Cabot. Stonecrop became a public garden in 1992 under the direction of Caroline Burgess."
"At its windswept elevation of 1,100 feet in the Hudson Highlands Stonecrop enjoys a Zone 5 climate. The display gardens cover an area of approximately 12 acres and comprise a diverse collection of gardens and plants including woodland and water gardens, a grass garden, raised alpine stone beds, cliff rock gardens, and an enclosed English-style flower garden. Additional features include a Conservatory, display Alpine House, Pit House with an extensive collection of choice dwarf bulbs, and systematic order beds representing over 50 plant families.
"Stonecrop's plant collections and display gardens not only demonstrate what can be achieved by horticultural enthusiasts, but also serve as an educational resource which, together with its professional staff, constitute the foundation upon which is based a developing School of Practical Horticulture."
Press blue button for more about workshops, activities and attractions at Stonecrop Gardens.
Things To Do at Stonecrop Gardens Garden Conservancy Gardening workshops Gardens and walking paths Guided Tours Picnicking Photography
Cold Spring, Putnam County Hudson River Valley, New York State
From 1818 to 1911, the West Point Foundry was a technological powerhouse, manufacturing Parrott guns, the rifled cannon credited with winning the Civil War, and the steam engines, water wheels and mill equipment that sparked America’s burgeoning industrial economy.
Today, this 87-acre preserve is a peaceful park that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The preparation of a Public Access and Interpretation Plan for the West Point Foundry Preserve is supported in part by a Preserve America grant administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. Putnam County is the recipient of the grant. The study and stabilization of masonry ruins at the preserve is funded by the Environmental Protection Fund managed by NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Plans for park improvements are in progress. In the meantime, the property is open to the public with nearly a mile of footpaths that wind near ruins and along both banks of a stream. The adjacent Foundry Cove, once a U.S. EPA Superfund cleanup site, now boasts tidal wetlands that provide habitat for Hudson River bird and fish species.
Things To Do at West Point Foundry Preserve Birding | Bird Watching Footpaths winding near ruins Hiking Nature Study
Directions In Cold Spring, go west on Main Street, then left on Rock Street and right on Kemble Avenue Park entrance is at the end of Kemble Avenue
Press blue button for Scenic Hudson, hours of operation, maps, and more about West Point Foundry Preserve in Cold Spring, New York.
Important Note Scenic Hudson's West Point Foundry Preserve is a sensitive archaeological site. Please stay on marked trails and do not move, remove or destroy any historical archaeological elements. Please keep dogs on a leash and pick up after them. Bikes are not permitted.
After a day of nature study, birding, and hiking at West Point Foundry Preserve, dine out at one of many excellent Restaurants in Putnam County, New York offering natural food and healthy options.
Boscobel is located at 1601 Route 9D, Garrison NY10524, Putnam County in one of the Hudson Valley River Towns. Boscobel is a neoclassical style mansion (built 1804-1808) located on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River. This is where the river cuts through the Appalachian chain of mountains, creating the Hudson Highlands. The mountains on both sides rise up more than 1000 feet from the water's edge at what is the narrowest, deepest and most treacherous stretch of the river.
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.
Points of Interest There are many tourist attractions and things to do close to Boscobel. Visitors can explore the quaint nineteenth century village of Cold Spring with its antique and specialty shops, Historic West Point, Storm King Art Center, Theatre, and beautiful Parks including Bear Mountain State Park.
Did you know that the Hudson River was recently named one of ten "American Heritage Rivers."
Attractions Guided Tour of Boscobel mansion Self-Guided Tour of beautiful grounds Rose Garden, Orangery, Springhouse and Garden House Woodland Trail Panoramic Views of Hudson Highlands
Click to enlarge photo of Constitution Marsh sign.
Constitution Marsh Audubon Center & Sanctuary is located at 127 Warren Landing Road, Garrison NY 10524, Putnam County in the Hudson Valley. Constitution Marsh is located approximately 55 miles north of New York City. It is on the east side of the Hudson River, two miles south of the village of Cold Spring.
Constitution Marsh Trail, moderate hike, 2 miles. This out and back hike in the Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary has a short difficult section leading to a boardwalk into the marsh. For information about the hiking trail and more about Constitution Marsh, call the Center at 845-265-2601.
The sign reads: Constitution Marsh
"No habitat nurture more life than a tidal marsh. Marsh plants feed animals such as Muskrats and Snapping Turtles. Decomposed plants provide food for countless shrimp, crabs, and even tinier animals which in turn support many species of fish. Young fish feed in the rich marsh "nursery" and then ventue down the Hudson to the sea.
"Constitution Marsh teems with life at all times of the year and changes with each season. The summer begins with the annual ritual in June of female Snapping Turtles climbing the hill to lay their eggs on Boscobel's grounds. From June through September, the marsh below is green with cattails, Wild Rice, Pickerelweed, and Arrowhead. Marsh Wrens, Red-winged Blackbirds, Least Bitterns, Yellow Warblers, and colorful Wood Ducks nest in the marsh. White-tailed Deer visit the wetlands to escape from biting insects.
"The cattails turn from green to reddish brown in the fall, and migratory birds stop on their way south for the winter. Osprey, Marsh Hawks, Swallows, Black Ducks, Mallards, and Green winged Teal rest and feed amoung the cattails and bulrushed before continuing on the migrations. In winter, plans die back in preparation for a new round of growth, and the marsh turns a brownish straw color. Bald Eagles are often spotted at this time of year surveying the marsh from their perches in the trees at Constituion Island. Finally, with the coming of Spring, the cycle begins anew. Migrants reappers, plants sprout new leaves, and the marsh again teems with life.
"Contstitution Marsh was purchased in 1969 by Lila Wallace and Laurance Rockefeller. Now a part of Hudson Highlands State Park, it has been managed the the National Audubon Society since 1970.
"Constitution Island was part of an original land grant made by the British crown to the Philipse family and remained in its possession until Henry Warner, a New York City lawyer, purchased the property and the adjacent marsh in 1836. His unsuccessful attempt to convert the marsh to a wild rice farm left the numerous tidal chaneels visible today. Warner's daughters Susan and Anna lived in the family home on Constitution Island until Anna died in 1915 at the age of eighty-seven. Due to financial losses suffered by their father in the 1840's, they both started writing to help support the family and became knows as the 'Bronte sisters of America.' Together, the sisters had over one hundred books published. Susan's first novel The Wide, Wide World (1850) sold more than a million copies in numerous editions. Anna Warner wrote the well know religious hymn Jesus Loves Me, which was published in 1860.
"Philanthropist Margaret Slocum [Mrs. Russell] Sage purchased the Island in 1908, and she and Anna Warner presented it to the United States governement as a joint gift with the stipulation that it be an addition to West Point. In 1917, West Point cadets created the Martlaer's Rock Association (now the Constitution Island Association), a not-for-profit organization which maintains the property for the enjoyment of the public."
Hudson Highlands State Park, 6,000-acres in size, is located on Route 9D Beacon NY 10512, Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley. A mostly undeveloped preserve, Hudson Highlands State Park consists of a series of separate parcels of land stretching from Annsville Creek in Peekskill, north to Dennings Point in Beacon. The spacious park is perfect for outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, hiking, and birding. The Hudson Highlands and Hudson River provide spectacular backdrops for the many activities that can be enjoyed here.
The park's extensive hiking trail network includes terrain that varies from easy to challenging. Trail maps can be obtained at the Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park office. The park’s most well known trail – Breakneck Ridge was rated by Newsweek as one of the top 10 day hikes in America. The 5.5 mile Breakneck Ridge trail rises 1,250 feet in only a ¾ mile stretch.
For visitors who wish to view the scenic park from the water, kayaks and canoes are available for rental at Annsville Creek Paddlesport Center in Cortlandt Manor. Rentals, as well as instruction, tours, and educational programs, are provided by Atlantic Kayak Tours. Visitors may also launch their own kayaks and canoes from the Annsville dock. Fishing from the dock is also permitted.
Points of Interest: One area of Hudson Highlands State Park, Bannerman Island, can only be accessed by water and explored via guided tour. Known originally as Pollepel Island, this island is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This majestic Hudson River landmark is home to Bannerman Castle, built by American entrepreneur Frank Bannerman VI between 1901 and 1918. For more information on visiting this unique site see Historic Sites in Putnam.
Things To Do Birding | Bird Watching Boat Rentals (including Kayaks & Canoes) Boating Fishing Hiking Trails Historic Places (Bannerman Island) Hunting
Manitoga, The Russel Wright Design Center, is located at 584 Route 9D, Garrison NY 10524, Putnam County in the Hudson Valley. Hike over 4 miles of paths through a 75-acre designed landscape with links to the Appalachian Trail.
"In the 1930s, 40s and 50s, the signature on a set of dinnerware or piece of furniture elicited instant response. At that time, Wright was one of the best known designers in the U.S. At the apex of his career, Wright left New York City and moved his base of operations to Garrison. It was here that he created a unique home and designed landscape. He named it Manitoga, meaning place of the great spirit in Algonquin. Wright shared the Native Americans' respect for the earth.
"When Wright first found this property in 1942, it had been damaged by a century of quarrying and lumbering. Over the next three decades, until his death in 1976, he carefully redesigned and re-sculpted Manitoga's 75 acres using native plants, his training as a theater designer and sculptor, and his innovative design ideas. Though the landscape appears natural, it is actually a careful composition of woodland trees, rocks, ferns, mosses, and wild flowers.
"Wright created over four miles of paths that wind over creeks, into woods, among boulders, and through ferns and mountain laurel to focus visitors' attention on the importance of living in harmony with nature.
"Manitoga is the only 20th century modern homesite open to the public in New York, and one of few on the east coast. Wright considered it his most important creative effort. In 2006, Manitoga was named a National Historic Landmark."
Things To Do Hiking Paths with links to the Appalachian Trail National Historic Landmark Tour of Wrights Home & Studio
Philipstown Depot Theatre is a community performing arts center for theatre, children’s' programs, poetry readings, chamber music, cabaret, film, and many other events which draw on the diverse talents and interests of this corner of the Hudson Valley. The theatre is located at Garrisons Landing, Garrison NY 10524, Putnam County in the Hudson River Valley.
PPA is proud of the remarkable variety of performances that have found a home at the Depot. This includes but is not limited to: plays new and old, musicals, poetry, Youth Theatre, Teen Open Mics, Silent Films, Music Tracks, and The Art Garden. PPA has been active and proactive in upgrading the interior of the Depot Theatre, in acquiring and installing high-quality equipment, in providing financial assistance to ensure the commitment of the Depot Theatre staff and volunteers and encouraging local participation at every level. Press blue button for theatre performance schedule and more about the Philipstown Depot Theatre.
Located in the Hudson Valley Village of Warwick, New York
Admission is FREE
Applefest began in 1989 as a simple harvest celebration to support the Warwick Valley Community Center. Named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the country, over 30,000 visitors now attend the one-day event, traveling from neighboring states to experience the extraordinary variety of Warwick’s apples, culture, and entertainment. The festival is produced by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center. Festival proceeds benefit these and other local non-profit organizations.
Things To Do and See at the Festival
Over 200 craft vendors
Dozens of food vendors
50 local non-profit exhibitors
Music & entertainment on several stages all day
Children’s Carnival
Farmers’ Market
Walk to Village shops, restaurants & businesses
2:09 AM 12/10/2012
Apple Pie Baking Contest (slices for sale)
Applefest Visitor's Guide An updated Applefest Visitors’ Guide will be posted on the website before Applefest next fall, and will also be available for free at the festival.
This 32-page booklet contains schedules of Applefest events, transportation information, directories for craft/food vendors, wineries, u-pick apples, a user-friendly map of the festival area, ads for local businesses and more.
Press Blue Button for more information about Applefest.
Battles of the American Revolution Battle of Bennington Date: August 16th, 1777 Between: British, including British marksmen, German (Hessian), Canadian, Indian and Loyalist (Tories) troops against American Continental Army (mostly New England militia). Location: Walloomsac, New York; just 10 miles from Bennington, Vermont
"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.
Located in the Hudson Valley Village of Warwick, New York
Admission is FREE
Applefest began in 1989 as a simple harvest celebration to support the Warwick Valley Community Center. Named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the country, over 30,000 visitors now attend the one-day event, traveling from neighboring states to experience the extraordinary variety of Warwick’s apples, culture, and entertainment. The festival is produced by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center. Festival proceeds benefit these and other local non-profit organizations.
Things To Do and See at the Festival
Over 200 craft vendors
Dozens of food vendors
50 local non-profit exhibitors
Music & entertainment on several stages all day
Children’s Carnival
Farmers’ Market
Walk to Village shops, restaurants & businesses
2:09 AM 12/10/2012
Apple Pie Baking Contest (slices for sale)
Applefest Visitor's Guide An updated Applefest Visitors’ Guide will be posted on the website before Applefest next fall, and will also be available for free at the festival.
This 32-page booklet contains schedules of Applefest events, transportation information, directories for craft/food vendors, wineries, u-pick apples, a user-friendly map of the festival area, ads for local businesses and more.
Press Blue Button for more information about Applefest.
Crailo State Historic Site is located at 9 1/2 Riverside Avenue, Rensselaer, NY 12144 in the upper-Hudson Valley.
"Crailo State Historic Site is the museum of Colonial New Netherland history in the upper Hudson Valley. Originally a part of the vast landholding called the Manor or Patroonship of Rensselaerswyck, the Crailo farm was named after the Van Rensselaer's estate in the Netherlands, variously spelled Crayloo or Cralo in the 17th century, and meaning 'crows wood' in Dutch.
"Crailo was built in the early 18th century by Hendrick Van Rensselaer, grandson of the First Patroon. 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. In the late 18th century, Crailo was remodeled in the Federal style. It served as a boys' boarding school in the 1840s and later as a church rectory. Each new venture brought more changes to the structure. In 1924 Crailo was donated to New York State for development as a museum.
"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 more about activities and attractions at Crailo State Historic Site.
Things To Do at Crailo State Historic Site Educational Services Group Tours Guided Tours Museum & Visitors Center
Popolopen Creek at Bear Mountain "Scenic Hudson Valley"
Click to enlarge photo of Popolopen Creek from Bear Mountain Bridge.
The Bear Mountain Bridge offers spectacular views of the Hudson River Valley. The bridge's roadway has eight-foot-wide shoulders for pedestrians and cyclists and incorporates the Maine-to-Georgia Appalachian Trail. Crossing the bridge on foot offers magnificent views, wonderful photo opportunities, and an invigorating walk.
On the walkway facing northeast, you can see 3 bridges from the Bear Mountain Bridge: the Popolopen Suspension Bridge, the Popolopen Creek Suspension Footbridge, and the train tracks. These bridges cross Popolopen Creek.
Popolopen Creek Popolopen Creek is a stream, that is mostly fed by Lake Popolopen, Stillwell Lake, and Weyant's Pond. Eventually, the creek drains into the Hudson River. In 2002, New York's Governor George Pataki, dedicated a long suspension foot bridge that spans Popolopen Creek. The footbridge connects the trail between the twin forts and carries the Appalachian Trail on the western side of the Bear Mountain Bridge.
Popolopen Creek Suspension Footbridge The Popolopen Creek Footbridge, a bridge for pedestrians only, was designed to create an economic and esthetically pleasing river crossing of 140m on the Appalachian Trail in Bear Mountain Park. The Popolopen Creek Suspension Footbridge is located in Fort Montgomery in Bear Mountain Park. You can access the bridge on a path near the Bear Mountain Bridge toll booths. Or, you can get to Popolopen Creek from Fort Montgomery. Parking is available at the Fort Montgomery Visitor Center off 9W, just north of the Bear Mountain Bridge, where you can hike down to the creek.
American Revolution Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton, forts on each side of Popolopen Creek, were the scenes of fierce American Revolutionary war battles for control of the Hudson River. On October 6, 1777, the British captured both forts; destroying Fort Montgomery in the days that followed.
Today, Fort Montgomery is an archeological site and a historic ruin. Fort Montgomery State 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 1/2 acre fortification, perched on a cliff overlooking the Hudson River.
Bear Mountain Park: Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center The study of native animals and their habitat at Bear Mountain has a long history. In 1921, the American Museum of Natural History installed a facility at the Boy Scouts headquarters on Lake Kanawauke. Four years later, the same Museum began a program for the study of insects in Harriman State Park. The Commission added a bear den in 1926, which became a small zoo, as the facility took in more injured animals in need of shelter.
Today's Trailside Museums and Zoo occupy 40-acres on a bluff 250 feet over the Hudson River. The trails, including the first section of the Appalachian Trail, are among the oldest in the country; they link the various homes of Samantha, the eagle, and other birds of prey, the bear den, as well as habitats for beavers, a river otter, foxes, coyotes, and more.
Children enjoy the various presentations of indigenous wildlife, geology and herpetology. On display are Native American artifacts, models of Revolutionary War battles fought on-site, and an exhibit of the origins of the Boy Scouts, and four Museum buildings. See the bald eagle, black bear, owl, river otter and more animals local to Bear Mountain.
The Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center also highlight the history of the area. Learn about the importance of Bear Mountain in the American Revolutionary War. Visit historic 1777 & 1779 Trails that retrace the routes taken by the British army during the American War of Independence. Visit Fort Montgomery, a Revolutionary War fort built to defend the Hudson Highlands and protect American control of the Hudson River and learn about the Battle of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton.
Young children, older children, and adults all enjoy visiting each of the Museum buildings that house different exhibits. Visit the Local Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish Museum, the Geology Museum, History Museum and Nature Study Museum.
Appalachian Trail in Bear Mountain - Rockland County
The Appalachian Trail The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, designated a linear National Park by the 1968 National Trails System Act, is a continuous, marked public footpath extending approximately 2,144 miles from Mount Katahdin, Maine to Springer Mountain, Georgia along the Appalachian Mountain range.
Click to enlarge photo of Appalachian Trail Sign.
The sign reads: "APPALACHIAN TRAIL Footpath for Hikers 2100 Miles Georgia-Maine Maintained by Volunteers NY - NJ Trail Conference"
Note: Look for this sign on the Rockland side of the Bear Mountain Bridge tollbooths.
"The [Appalachian] trail maintains a wilderness character by following the scenic ridges of the Appalachian Mountain ranges of the White, Green, Berkshire, Ramapo, Kittatinny, Blue Ridge, Great Smoky, and Nantahala Mountains. The Appalachian Trail is protected along most of its course by federal or state ownership of the land. The entire trail environment is maintained as a place for everyone to hike and enjoy the Appalachian Mountains, while at the same time conserving the natural, scenic, historical and cultural resources of this one-of-a-kind, linear park." Source: Signage at the Visitor Center on the Palisades Interstate Parkway.
A Bit of History In 1921, the idea for the Appalachian Trail originated with a volunteer forester Benton MacKaye. He conceived "The Trail" as a refuge from modern stresses, stretching along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains, where hikers could re-connect with the natural world. Once MacKaye's idea was published, over the years, volunteers from hiking groups in the Northeast made that dream a reality - a 2,144-mile-long hiking trail that became our nation's first National Scenic Trail.
Through a network of 32 hiking and trail clubs from Maine to Georgia, volunteers form the basis of a unique, volunteer-based, cooperative management system for this national parkland. Volunteers take an active role in safeguarding the quality of the Trail both for the hiking public and local communities. The private Appalachian Trail Conference oversees the volunteer effort along the Trail's length.
Click to enlarge photo of the Bear Mountain Bridge.
The roadway of the Bear Mountain Bridge carries the Maine-to-Georgia Appalachian Trail. The Bear Mountain Bridge has eight-foot-wide shoulders for pedestrians and cyclists to comfortably walk on both sides of the bridge.
Click to enlarge photo of View of the Hudson River.
The photo of the Hudson Valley is taken from the northwest side of the bridge. Experience wonderful views of the majestic Hudson River when walking the Appalachian Trail on the Bear Mountain Bridge.
The Appalachian Trail enters New Jersey at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and runs northward along the ridgeline of the Kittatinny Mountains to High Point State Park. There it strikes east along the NJ/NY state line, crosses the Wawayanda plateau, and enters New York state on the ridge overlooking Greenwood Lake. It traverses Harriman-Bear Mountain State Park (where the Appalachian trail was first conceived), crosses the Hudson River on the Bear Mountain Bridge, heading northeasterly towards and through Fahnestock State Park. Continuing northeast, it crosses into Connecticut near Kent, CT.
Click to enlarge photo of Popolopen Creek from the Bear Mountain Bridge.
The Popolopen Creek Footbridge, a bridge for pedestrians only, connects the trail between the twin forts, Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton, and carries the Appalachian Trail on the western side of the Bear Mountain Bridge.
Popolopen Creek Popolopen Creek is a stream that is mostly fed by Lake Popolopen, Stillwell Lake, and Weyant's Pond. Eventually, the creek drains into the Hudson River. In 2002, New York's Governor George Pataki, dedicated a long suspension foot bridge that spans Popolopen Creek.
Located in the Hudson Valley Village of Warwick, New York
Admission is FREE
Applefest began in 1989 as a simple harvest celebration to support the Warwick Valley Community Center. Named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the country, over 30,000 visitors now attend the one-day event, traveling from neighboring states to experience the extraordinary variety of Warwick’s apples, culture, and entertainment. The festival is produced by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center. Festival proceeds benefit these and other local non-profit organizations.
Things To Do and See at the Festival
Over 200 craft vendors
Dozens of food vendors
50 local non-profit exhibitors
Music & entertainment on several stages all day
Children’s Carnival
Farmers’ Market
Walk to Village shops, restaurants & businesses
2:09 AM 12/10/2012
Apple Pie Baking Contest (slices for sale)
Applefest Visitor's Guide An updated Applefest Visitors’ Guide will be posted on the website before Applefest next fall, and will also be available for free at the festival.
This 32-page booklet contains schedules of Applefest events, transportation information, directories for craft/food vendors, wineries, u-pick apples, a user-friendly map of the festival area, ads for local businesses and more.
Press Blue Button for more information about Applefest.
Dater Mountain Nature Park, a 350.5-acre park, is located off Johnsontown Road in Sloatsburg, NY 10974 in Rockland County. "The Park, which is located in the New York/New Jersey Highlands, is heavily wooded with steep inclines and rocky slopes and consists of a number of mountaintops and valleys, crossed by several small streams. Orange and Rockland transmission line traverses the Park. A view of the Village of Tuxedo, The New York State Thruway, and Orange County may be seen from the high elevations, some rising 940 feet above sea level. The Park contains eight federally designated wetlands and provides habitat for two NYS endangered species (the Northern Cricket Frog and the Allegheny Woodrat) and one threatened species (the Timber Rattlesnake)."
A Bit of History "Dater Mountain Nature Park has many local family histories. The Munsee Indians once inhabited the property. It is the westerly part of the Spence Patent. Dater crossing brought the locality into contact with Route 17 and Tuxedo. The area was extensively logged in the later 1700's and into the 1800’s; trees were burned in pits to produce charcoal for the smelting of iron ore. Many of these pits can be found throughout the property. The land was acquired in two phases. In 1981, 150 acres was obtained through tax delinquency. Phase 2 included the acquisition 235.5 acres of land in 2004 as part of Rockland County’s Open Space Acquisition Program."
Press blue button for wildlife information and more about Dater Mountain Nature Park, including parking, directions, future plans and wildlife on record. Click the map for hiking trails.
Things To Do at Dater Mountain Nature Park Birding Hiking / Walking Nature Study Scenic Views
Battles of the American Revolution Battle of Stony Point Date: July 16th, 1779 Between: British against the American Continental Army Location: Stony Point, New York
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 at Stony Point Battlefield Children's Activities Costumed Interpreters Demonstrations Educational Services Group Tours Museum and Visitors Center Picnic Area
History of the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse is located in Esopus, NY 12429 in Ulster County. The lighthouse, fondly nicknamed "The Maid of the Meadows", was completed in 1871. It replaced an earlier structure built in 1839 on land ceded to the United States Government from the state of New York. The lighthouse was needed on the Hudson River to warn mariners of the mud flats known as the Esopus Meadows located off the western shore of the river.
The lighthouse was built on a new foundation, located to the south of the former location, traces of which are still visible on the adjoining small island. Two hundred and fifty piles, each 40 feet long, were driven into the river bottom. They were cut off three feet below the mean water mark, capped with 12 inch square timers and topped with a deck of three-inch pine. Granite blocks were stacked 16 feet high producing a pier with a diameter 49 feet at the base and 46 feet at the top. On top of this pier was built a wooden keeper's dwelling with a mansard roof and clapboard exterior. Inside the house is a kitchen, sitting room and equipment room on the first floor and three bedrooms and a bath on the second.
The light tower extends above the living quarters with an octagonal deck housing the light. Situated 53 feet above the mean water line, the lantern room previously contained an optic fifth-order Fresnel lens providing a 270 degree arc of light that was visible for 12 nautical miles.
The lighthouse was tended by resident keeper until 1965 when it was converted to an automatic solar powered system. Although only accessible by boat, without the care of on-site keepers, the lighthouse fell into the ruinous hands of vandals and Mother Nature.
In 1979, the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The road to restoration didn’t really begin until 1990 when the Save Esopus Lighthouse Commission was formed. The concerned volunteers, under the direction of Arline Fitzpatrick, leased the site from the Coast Guard and began extensive restoration efforts. SELC raised funds from various sources to cover emergency repairs, extensive carpentry, painting and shingling of the mansard roof.
By 1997, a reorganization of SELC, as well as new volunteers from the Aids to Navigation Coast Guard Station in Saugerties, continued to bring the lighthouse back to life.
The fall of 2000 brought an impressive milestone in restoration efforts – stabilization and leveling of the house was completed.
July 2001 brought another milestone for the lighthouse. The restoration was reorganized as a museum under the New York State Regents providing a provisional charter as the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse which allows the pursuit of additional funding and ownership of the house.
In September 2002, the lighthouse stewardship was formally granted by the General Services Administration to the newly-chartered Esopus Meadows Lighthouse.
Perhaps the most rewarding achievement to date happened on May 31, 2003. After 38 years of darkness, a new light was installed in the tower, thereby deeming the house “a working navigational aid.”
Press blue button for photos, history, restoration photos, and more about the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse.
Things To Do at The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Historic Site Museum Tour the Lighthouse
The D&H (Delaware & Hudson) Canal Historical Society & Museum is located at Mohonk Road, High Falls NY 12440, Ulster County in the Hudson Valley. Established in 1966, the mission of the D&H Canal Historical Society is to preserve, protect and perpetuate the unique history of the Delaware & Hudson Canal, particularly in Ulster County. As part of fulfilling its mission, the Society operates a museum and maintains the Five Locks Walk, a National Historic Landmark.
Museum exhibits convey an appreciation for the history of the canal, including its initial financing, development of the technological innovations with which it is associated, and the nature of life on a canal boat. Numerous tools and artifacts from the canal era are on display, along with the work of famous local artists. The working model of a lock is a highlight of the visit, as it demonstrates how canal boats dealt with differences in elevation over the route.
Brief History "The D&H Canal was conceived by the Wurts brothers as a means to transport anthracite coal from their Pennsylvania mines to the Hudson River at Kingston, New York, from where it was shipped downriver to New York City. This 108-mile, 108-lock waterway operated from 1828 until 1898, and its construction is associated with such new technologies and feats of civil engineering as the gravity railroad and the cable suspension bridge.
"The canal was constructed along a previously unsettled route in less than three years using only picks, shovels, draft animals and blasting powder. Towns and villages sprang up along its route, and industries developed to exploit local resources such as lumber, agricultural products, and bluestone. Natural (hydraulic) cement was discovered near High Falls in 1825, and was used in constructing the canal and in building structures such as the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty. The availability of anthracite coal was a boon to the Hudson Valley brick industry, which supplied the building needs of metropolitan New York."
Press blue button for more about the history of the D & H (Delaware & Hudson) Canal.
Things To Do at the Museum Canal Museum store and bookshop Tools and artifacts from the canal era
D&H Canal Heritage Corridor Alliance is a a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the Delaware & Hudson Canal tow paths and the Ontario & Western Railway for recreation.
Thirty-five miles of Historic Adventure This route traces the Delaware & Hudson Canal, the New York Ontario & Western Railroad, and the scenic Rondout Creek. Spanning the width of a rural valley in central Ulster County, this trail provides access to many outstanding natural and historic resources.
Experience the D&H Canal towpaths and locks, historic hamlets, monumental cement caves and kilns, the forested and pastoral route of the abandoned O&W Railroad, scenic woodlands and stream valleys, wetlands, and other natural resources along the way.
History of the D & H Canal Heritage Corridor In the early 1800's, a period of immense growth in the United States, a means of cheap mass transportation was needed for transporting goods. Canals were the answer. The first million dollar private enterprise in the U.S. was the Delaware and Hudson Canal, from Honesdale, PA to Kingston, NY. Its primary purpose was to transport coal from the mines of Pennsylvania to New York City, without going through the port of Philadelphia. The most economical transport route was to use existing waterways north of Port Jervis to Kingston, the Rondout Creek.
Kingston, a busy port on the Hudson River and only 90 miles from NYC, was a deep water port where the coal could then be transferred to large ships. Completed in 1828, there were 108 locks on the canals' 108 mile length. Most of the canal was eventually abandoned in 1898 in favor of the more modern steam locomotive.
As a testimony to the clever engineering of its day, the use of simple natural materials, and the untold thousands of man hours of construction, much of the canal remains today. Built "by hand" - the ribbon remains between the communities - a bucolic reminder of days past. The New York Ontario and Western Railway was one of the first of the long distance railroads in New York State . . . more about the history of the D&H Canal.
Press blue button for Trail Status and more about the history of the D & H Heritage Corridor.
Senate House State Historic Site is located at 296 Fair Street, Kingston, NY 12401 in Ulster County in the Hudson River Valley. Amidst the turmoil of a British military invasion in the fall of 1777, the elected representatives of rebellious New Yorkers met in Kingston to form a new state government. While convened in Kingston in September and October, New York's first Senate met in the simple stone house of merchant Abraham Van Gaasbeek.
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.
Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC) is located at 601 Broadway, Kingston NY 12401, Ulster County in the Hudson River Valley. The Hudson Valley Philharmonic features among the finest classically trained musicians in the area. This regional orchestra has set the standard for classical music in the Greater Hudson Valley for over forty years.
On June 3, 1999 the Hudson Valley Philharmonic officially became a Bardavon subsidiary. The Bardavon's main challenge for the Hudson Valley Philharmonic is developing new audiences for classical music. Toward meeting this challenge, and equally important in its own right, is the continuing evolution of the HVP Young People's Concerts/Classroom to Concert program, which was redesigned by a Juilliard/NY Philharmonic teaching artist in 1999. Each year, this program provides thousands of regional school children with thoroughly enjoyable hands-on experiences with superb music while also building symphony audiences of tomorrow.
Today, a full season of HVP Symphony Concerts Series performances can be enjoyed in an elegant setting with superb acoustics at the Bardavon and our “second stage”, the Ulster Performing Arts Center/Broadway Theater. The orchestra also makes regular guest appearances at festival venues, including: SUNY/New Paltz PianoSummer, the Bowdoin Park pavilion of Dutchess County , and Bethel Woods Center for the Performing Arts. Press blue button for Tickets, and more about Bardavon and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic.
Historic Huguenot Street is located in New Paltz, New York. Set in the picturesque Hudson Valley, New Paltz is at the heart of a region rich in history, art and recreational activities. Whether you live in the area, are planning a day trip or vacationing in the valley, Historic Huguenot Street is a place to relax and experience a unique American story.
The Story of Huguenot Street After decades of sojourn and relocation, a group of twelve Huguenot refugees from what is today northern France and southern Belgium and linked by family, religion, and friendship purchased nearly 40,000-acres along the Wallkill River in the Hudson Valley. They purchased this land from the native Esopus Indians, thus establishing a permanent home where they could pursue their Protestant faith free from religious and political persecution. They named the new town after die Pfalz, the region along the Rhine River where they had found temporary refuge before journeying to the new world.
The families began replacing their temporary homes in the early 1700s with stone houses along what is now known as Huguenot Street, seven of which survive today. The houses were added to over the first century or so of their existence to provide more comfortable living arrangements, and today the domestic environments of the colonial period and the early years of the Republic are preserved to inspire and to educate. While four of the houses are similar to their early appearance, the National Historic Landmark district also includes three original stone houses that were altered in the 1830s, the 1890s, and the 1940s, enabling three hundred years of history to be told on the street, displaying both continuity and change in American history.
Press blue button for more about Huguenot Street and the Huguenot Historical Society.
Located in the Hudson Valley Village of Warwick, New York
Admission is FREE
Applefest began in 1989 as a simple harvest celebration to support the Warwick Valley Community Center. Named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the country, over 30,000 visitors now attend the one-day event, traveling from neighboring states to experience the extraordinary variety of Warwick’s apples, culture, and entertainment. The festival is produced by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center. Festival proceeds benefit these and other local non-profit organizations.
Things To Do and See at the Festival
Over 200 craft vendors
Dozens of food vendors
50 local non-profit exhibitors
Music & entertainment on several stages all day
Children’s Carnival
Farmers’ Market
Walk to Village shops, restaurants & businesses
2:09 AM 12/10/2012
Apple Pie Baking Contest (slices for sale)
Applefest Visitor's Guide An updated Applefest Visitors’ Guide will be posted on the website before Applefest next fall, and will also be available for free at the festival.
This 32-page booklet contains schedules of Applefest events, transportation information, directories for craft/food vendors, wineries, u-pick apples, a user-friendly map of the festival area, ads for local businesses and more.
Press Blue Button for more information about Applefest.
Kids - Educational Activities & Websites guides you and your child through hours of enjoyment. Each of our educational websites have a description to help you decide which children's website(s) is appropriate for your child. A few websites with product advertising have been included because of their general appeal, such as Disney's website. However, we alert you if the selected website has product advertising.
Kids - Educational Activities & Websites offers a wide selection of websites for young children, older children, and teens. These websites are easy to navigate, fun to use, and are filled with exciting and useful information. Our selection of kids sites include government approved and educationally rich sites. Your children can enjoy many hours of quality time while learning. Visit Kids - Educational Activities & Websites at Hudson-River-Valley.com and prepare to learn, to be challenged, and to have a great time!
Find websites for children that are suitable for kids with many different interests. Find excellent educational websites such as science websites for children, math websites for very young children and math for older kids, reading websites for K1-8 children and their teachers. You'll be surprised at the things Mom, Dad, or an older sibling may learn. Although you can safely select one or more of our selected websites for your child without having to individually search and validate thousands of websites on the Internet, we recommend that you review the content of each website to be sure it is age appropriate and suitable for "your child".
Our selection of Kids - Educational Activities & Websites covers sites that are fun, interactive, informative and educational. Your child can enjoy hours of interactive play on children's websites. Topics include the abc's, art, archeology, computers, environment, geography, government, history, music, science & math, and reading. Also available are activities such as coloring, crafts, online games, storybooks, sports and much more. These activities should engage and challenge both young and older children.
A few of the websites available for children, parents, and teachers are:
www.pbskids.org
Young children love PBSKids. PBSKids.org includes the following well known and loved characters: Arthur, Barney & Friends, Berenstain Bears, Between the Lions, Boohbah, Caillou, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George, Cyberchase, Dragon Tales, ending with Sesame Street, Share a Story, Teletubbies, Zoboomafoo and ZOOM. Within each of these sections you and your child can explore Games, Stories, Coloring and Music.
FirstGov for Kids
FirstGov for Kids is for children of all ages and includes a wide variety of topics. Following is just a brief sample of the hundreds of site topics included in "FirstGov for Kids"
Arts which offers sections in which you can draw, paint, play music, read, sing, and act in plays. Or, would you rather watch and listen to others? Either way, select great art sites and get some project ideas for a rainy day.
Careers lets you imagine what life would be like as a veterinarian? What about joining the Air Force? Also available are sections on dozens of different career paths.
Additional topics include: Computers, Fighting Crime, Fun Stuff, Geography, Global Village, Government, Health, History, Homework, Money, Music, Plants & Animals, Recreation, Safety, Science & Math, Space, State Sites, Transportation and more.
OLogy
OLogy is the Museum of Natural History's website for children. OLogy is based on the idea that "everyone wants to know something". This children's website is a place where you can explore, ask questions and get answers. OLogy has age-appropriate content in topics such as: archaeology, astronomy, biodiversity, genetics, marine biology, paleontology, and physical science.
New York Philharmonic KidZone
This website offers many exciting sections that will teach, entertain, and engage you in the art of Music. Learn about famous composers at "The Composer's Gallery". Meet the musicians in the Musicians' Lounge. Learn about different instruments or even learn how to make your own instruments. Or, create your own music at the "Composition Workshop". New York Philharmonic KidZone is a must website for children interested in music.
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has been included in its own category although it is part of PBSKids.org. Over many years, Sesame Street has become a beloved institution for parents and now for their children. If you have not seen Sesame Street for a while, revisit with your child and watch their joy as they learn about many of your childhood favorites. Sing along with Ernie and Bert, Big Bird, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch and have a wonderful time.
abcteach
abcteach is an educational site that provides quality printable materials for immediate use by teachers, education majors, and parents.
abcteach Audience
abcteach features material for preschool through 8th grade, and teachers of these grades rely on abcteach to provide a range of quality material in all subjects, for all students.
High school educators also love abcteach materials, which they use with their students who are not yet learning at grade level.
School libraries and public libraries use abcteach for their after-school programs and summer library programs.
Adult education teachers use abcteach to help their adult students learn to read.
ESL teachers of adults and children use abcteach to help bridge the gap in learning English.
Language teachers use abcteach to teach basic Spanish, French, and German to students of all ages.
Schools for the deaf appreciate the versatility of abcteach.
Senior citizen centers use abcteach to retrain stroke victims.
Homeschool parents trust abcteach to enhance their homeschool curriculum.
Parents and grandparents reinforce homework with abcteach.
Businesses find abcteach perfect to “entertain and educate” children while they are working with their parents.
Advertise Your Business Here
