November 2010

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.

Revolutionary War stories, famous residences, scenic parks and gardens, and landscape interpretations all contribute to the Hudson Valley's beauty and wealth of resources. The area, stretching from New York City to Albany, encompasses the different aspects of various important histories in the state of New York. The organization categorizes each site by particular themes, such as Freedom and Dignity.

Adjacent to the Hearthside House property and Chase Farm Park on Great Road is the 1870’s Hannaway Blacksmith Shop. Visitors can now experience the ring of the anvil and the odor of coal and hot steel as blacksmiths forge pieces of the metal into hinges, nails, and other household items. Blacksmithing displays and demonstrations are offered during special events at Hearthside. Rangers from the National Park Service also provide interpretive talks about the history of Great Road and the Blackstone Valley at the Blacksmith Shop.

The Quakers can boast of a long and rich historical legacy in America. The Lincoln, Rhode Island Quakers have used this meeting house since its construction in 1704 to the present day.

Though over restored, the Arnold House is still the best of the "stone-enders" remaining in Rhode Island. Now owned by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA) and operated as a house museum, the Arnold House has been recorded by the Historic American Building Survey, declared a National Historic Landmark, and described in the major books in Rhode Island's-and the nation's-architectural history. The house was built by Eleazer Arnold, son of Thomas Arnold who had purchased the large tract of land surrounding the area (sometimes known as "World's End") in 1661. In 1710, Eleazer Arnold was licensed as a tavern keeper and entertained travelers in this house on the Great Road. After Arnold's death in 1722, the house passed to successive generations of his family through the 19^th century, giving rise to the saying that "only Indians and Arnolds" had ever owned this land. In 1918, several descendants who owned the house made a gift of it to SPNEA. Two stories high and set under a gable roof, the most prominent feature of the Arnold House is the great widened stone-end chimney built of local stone with a plastered top.

Originally the site of an Indian observation point used during the late-seventeenth-century King Phillip's War, this small, 4-acre park was the gift of Alvin Jenks to the city in which his progenitors had pioneered the manufacture of textile machinery. The designer of the park is unknown. Despite the loss of many of the park’s elements (its fish ponds for example), it retains the Fales and Jenks’ iron umbrellas, the the tall clock tower and its rambling, picturesque walkways. The tower, a gift of Caroline Cogswell and designed by Albert Humes, has been the symbol of the city since its construction in 1904. Cogswell Tower is eighteen feet square and nearly seventy feet tall, with a clock face on each of its four sides. Observation balconies with iron rails under each of the clocks provide an unparalleled view of the city. The tower is supported by a brick barrel vault resting atop the historic Dexter’s Ledge, from which, it is said, Pierce’s progress was observed by his Indian enemies before they met in battle at the river’s edge. The tower’s lower level is surrounded by a pergola of delicate iron work.

Built in 1878, Providence City Hall remains one of Providence’s most significant and celebrated historical buildings. Following a narrow escape from the wrecking ball in 1975, City Hall underwent extensive restoration, resulting in its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Some of the most important and memorable moments in the history of the city have occurred at City Hall. It was on the previous building's very steps that Abraham Lincoln delivered a stirring speech on February 28, 1860. It was at City Hall that President Teddy Roosevelt spoke on August 23, 1902, and it was here that then-Senator John F. Kennedy delivered a speech on November 7, 1960, just days away from his presidential election victory.

Rhode Island has a number of historical landmarks that date back to the 1700's. Among them is Brown & Hopkins Country Store. It has been reported by the Bond Map Company of New York to be the oldest country store in continuous operation in the United States.

The building was erected in 1799 by Timothy Wilmarth. In 1809 the building was purchased by Ira Evans who started the business as a general store. After several changes in ownership it was then purchased in 1921 by James L. Brown and William W. Hopkins. Brown and Hopkins operated the store until 1964, when it was purchased by Roscoe and Lillian Steere. In the late 1900's Brown & Hopkins experienced a few more changes in ownership.

Today, the store now specializes in primitive and country home accessories, reproduction furniture, and period lighting. Browse the two floors and discover candles, quilts, Old World Christmas ornaments, framed prints, old fashioned candy (still some for just a penny), gourmet specialties from Stonewall Kitchen, Vermont cheddar cheese, yard goods and an assortment of antiques.

This museum presents one of the largest collections of early aeroplanes in the world, many of which partake in the weekend airshows. It also features aeroplanes, automobiles, motorcycles, early engines and memorabilia from 1900-1935. In addition to the airshows, there are four museum buildings displaying aircraft from the golden years of aviation: the Pioneer Era, World War I and the Lindbergh/Barnstorming era. The weekend airshows chronicle different eras of flight, and visitors are invited to parktake in some of these activities for an additional fee.

Staatsburgh, is a New York State Historic Site located within the boundaries of Mills-Norrie State Park. It is an elegant example of the great estates built by America's financial and industrial leaders during the Gilded Age. A 25-room Greek Revival structure was built on the site in 1832 by Morgan Lewis and his wife, Gertrude Livingston, replacing an earlier house that had burned down. This second house was inherited by Ruth Livingston Mills, wife of noted financier and philanthropist Ogden Mills.