As America turns 250 years old and Americans discuss and debate the country’s history and heritage, its strengths and its challenges, here are 16 New York state Department of Parks sites where you and your family can learn more about life at the time of our country’s origins before and during the American Revolution.
These historic sites are listed alphabetically and include address and hours of operation.
Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site
Address: New York state Route 67, near Hoosick Falls
Hours: 8 am – Sunset, 7 days a week, May 1 to Veterans Day
What you’ll find: “Visitors to the battlefield will find a series of interpretive signs, 2.7 mile trail system, picnic area, and information building. Guided tours are offered frequently during the operating season and by appointment,” the state’s website states.
Note: The monument to this battle is located across the state border in Bennington, Vermont.
Crown Point State Historic Site
Address: New York state Route 185 near Vermont border
Hours: Grounds are open from sunrise to sunset, year-round, free of charge. The Crown Point State Historic Site Museum is opens at 9:30 a.m., with last entry at 4:30 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays between May 9 and Oct. 18.
What you’ll find: “…explore the earth and stone ruins of two 18th century forts and highlight the strategic importance of the Crown Point peninsula in the 18th century, all against the scenic backdrop of Lake Champlain and the eastern Adirondacks,” the state’s website states.
Fort Montgomery State Historic Site
Address: 690 U.S. Route 9W, Fort Montgomery
Hours: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through October.
Note: The main portion of Fort Montgomery’s ruins are closed for pathway and accessibility improvements.
What you’ll find: “Fort Montgomery was the scene of a fierce Revolutionary War battle [in 1777] for control of the Hudson River. Visitors today can tour the remains of the 14-acre fortification, perched on a cliff overlooking the Hudson River,” the state’s website states.
Fort Ontario State Historic Site
Address: 1 E. 4th St., Oswego
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 12
What you’ll find: “The fourth and current Fort Ontario is built on the ruins of three earlier fortifications, which were the site of three French and Indian War and two War of 1812 battles. It was occupied by the U.S. Army through World War II. From 1944 to 1946 the fort served as the only refugee camp in the United States for mostly Jewish victims of the Nazi Holocaust under an Executive Order from President Franklin D. Roosevelt,” the state’s website states.
Ganondagan State Historic Site
Address: 7000 Ontario County Road 41, Victor
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Closed mid-January through mid-February.
What you’ll find: “…the only New York State Historic Site dedicated to a Native American theme, and the only Seneca town developed and interpreted in the United States,” the state’s website states.
Herkimer Home State Historic Site
Address: 200 New York state Route 169, Little Falls (near Thruway Exit 29A)
Hours: Open Wednesday through Sunday, from Memorial Day through Columbus Day. Tours run every hour on the hour beginning at 10 a.m., with the last tour leaving the visitor center at 4 p.m.
What you’ll find: “Situated overlooking the Mohawk River, this Georgian-style mansion was constructed around 1764 for Nicholas Herkimer. Herkimer’s estate was home to many people over the years, including his family, enslaved people, soldiers encamped during the war, and neighbors seeking refuge from the fighting in the Mohawk Valley,” the state’s website states.
Jay Heritage Center
Address: 210 Boston Post Road, Rye
Hours: For hours of operation and other visiting information, visit jayheritagecenter.org
What you’ll find: “The 23-acre Jay Estate in Rye is one of two family homes of American founding father John Jay (1745-1829) located in Westchester. Jay was a noted jurist, peacemaker, governor and anti-slavery advocate,” the state’s website states.
Johnson Hall State Historic Site
Address: 139 Hall Ave., Johnstown
Hours: Guided tours given on the hour Wednesdays through Saturday between 10 a.m. and last tour at 3 p.m., and Sunday between 1 p.m. and last tour at 3 p.m., May 23 through Oct. 11
What you’ll find: “Johnson Hall was the 1763 Georgian-style estate of Anglo-Irish immigrant Sir William Johnson (1715 – 1774) and Molly Brant/ Konwatsi’tsiaienni of the Mohawks (1736-1796). They resided here with their eight children, numerous Native and European guests, and a large number of free, indentured, and enslaved servants. Their combined influence made them the most powerful family in the colonial Mohawk Valley, deeply impacting the diplomacy of the region and their wider worlds,” the state’s website states.
Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Site
Address: 289 Old Forge Hill Rd, Vails GateHours: House tours are at 10 and 11 a.m. and 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. through Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Wednesday to Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.
What you’ll find: “On several occasions during the Revolutionary War, Major General Henry Knox – Commander of the American artillery – established his military headquarters at John Ellison’s 1754 Georgian-style house in Vails Gate,” the state’s website states.
New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site
Address: 374 Temple Hill Road, New WindsorHours: Visitor center open year-round, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.What you’ll find: “New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site is where the Continental Army under General George Washington spent the last winter and spring of the Revolutionary War…. 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 state’s website states.
Old Fort Niagara State Historic Site
Address: 102 Morrow Plaza, Youngstown
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., in July and August; open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 1-Oct. 15.
What you’ll find: “The fort was occupied by three nations: France, Great Britain, and the United States. Old Fort Niagara, located at the mouth of the Niagara River, controlled access to the Great Lakes and the westward route to the heartland of the continent. Visitors to the fort today will see the oldest buildings in the Great Lakes region,” the state’s website states.
Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site
Address: New York state Route 69, Oriskany
Hours: Open year-round, dawn until dusk, with outdoor signage available
What you’ll find: “The Battle of Oriskany, fought on August 6, 1777, has been described as one of its bloodiest battles,” the state’s website states.
Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site
Address: 32 Catherine St., Albany
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, through Oct. 31
What you’ll find: “Mansion was home to Philip J. Schuyler, the Revolutionary War Major General, U.S. senator, agrarian, and businessman. He and his wife, Catharine Van Rensselaer, descended from affluent and powerful Dutch families,” the state’s website states.
Steuben Memorial State Historic Site
Address: 9941 Starr Hill Road, Remsen
Hours: Grounds open daily, dawn until dusk, through Oct. 12. Cabin visitors center open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
What you’ll find: “The Steuben Memorial honors the “Drillmaster of the American Revolution,” Baron von Steuben, whose valuable wartime services have been described as being second in importance only to those of George Washington,” the state’s website states.
Note: If you are in Utica and don’t have time to drive the 30 minutes north to the Steuben Memorial State Historic Site, check out a statue of Steuben (pictured) at the corner of Genesee Street and Memorial Parkway.
Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site
Address: 44 Battlefield Road, Stony Point
Hours: Grounds are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Note: Portions of the site are under construction and not open to the public.
What you’ll find: “Visit the site of the Battle of Stony Point, one of the last Revolutionary War battles in the Hudson Valley. By May 1779 the war was in its fourth year, and both sides were eager for a conclusion. Sir Henry Clinton, Commander-In-Chief of the British forces in America, attempted to coerce General George Washington into a decisive battle by seizing and fortifying Stony Point, thereby threatening West Point and the vital Hudson Highlands,” the state’s website states.
Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site
Address: 84 Liberty St., Newburgh
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 21
Note: Construction is occurring on the site, so some portions might not currently be open to the public.
What you’ll find: “The house that George Washington called headquarters for more than 16 months. In the critical period that General Washington spent at Newburgh, he made some of his most important contributions to shaping the American republic,” the state’s website states.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: These historic sites bring the American Revolution to life today | Exclusive
Reporting by USA TODAY Network-New York, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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By USA TODAY Network-New York, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
