A Little NY History

Columbus Day. Say what you will about Columbus Day. Whether or not this dude should get a holiday is a question for debate. Personally, I appreciate any reason to have the day off. And though he may not be the greatest of history’s explorers, I take this holiday opportunity to venture out for a little exploration myself. So I headed upstate past Bear Mountain to see some homes and ruins from the Revolutionary War. Twas a beautiful day for a ride.
My first stop was Edmonston House in New Windsor, NY.

Edmonston House is open from July to September so I could only peek through the windows. During the Revolutionary War this house served as headquarters for both General Horatio Gates and General Arthur St. Clair. It was also headquarters for medical staff servicing the Continental Army.

I wanted to see where Washington’s Continental Army spent their last year of the war. The visitor’s center was closed today, but part of the former encampment is located about a 1/4 mile down the road. At first I passed it and traveled into the woods. There I found an old road which dates back to the revolution.

This road connected the 1st and 3rd Massachusetts Regiments to those of NY, NJ, and NH across the wetlands. And the wetlands still exist today.

Then I turned about to check out the site of the last encampment of the Continental Army. The footprints of the cabins can still be seen today.

There are a couple of recreations of the cabins that once stood here.

From there I was off to see the Headquarters of General George Washington in Newburgh, NY. Unfortunately it is closed on Mondays.

The headquarters is atop a hill that overlooks the Hudson River. I headed down to the river to have a look.

Strangely enough as I turned away from the river to get back to the bike, there stood a statue of the man responsible for today’s holiday. Cristoban himself stands along the Hudson River in Newburgh, NY. Thanks for the day off Bub.

I rode past the murals that line the river. I was southbound toward the big city.