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National Heritage Areas (Non-Units) - New York
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
6/22/2004 ... into downtown to the Erie Canal Museum (part of Erie Canalway NHC [and on the Erie Canal Heritage Trail NRT]). In an original weigh
lock building on Erie Blvd. (which was the canal), nice exhibits on the canal and use of the building where barges were
weighed. Replica of a barge and contents stood in the weighing area (with a model of a horse and guide across Erie on the sidewalk).
The museum (and a mule)
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The weigh lock area
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Ken at the controls ...
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... and me relaxing
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One of the museum exhibits
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4/7/2008 Hudon River Valley National Heritage Area
8/27/2009 … then headed off to Schenectady and the start of the Mohawk Towpath Byway [in the Erie Canalway NHC].
After a bit of travel in towns, we got alongside the Mohawk River and then the towpaths from the Erie Canal. We stopped at a Preserve
to walk across a small bridge over one of the canals and viewed the other (a larger one was built after the other was considered too
small). It was a nice place to walk around on a really beautiful day. We continued across the Northway, and after running right along
the Mohawk for a bit, bailed on the last little part of the Byway.
The Byway sign ...
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... and canal sign
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The old canal ...
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... and new
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Me from the bridge ...
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... and Ken on it
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8/18/2010 Fort Stanwix National Monument
11/29/2010 First stop, Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site aka Erie Canal NHL (in the Erie
Canalway NHC). This is where the old Canal crossed the Schoharie Creek in a calm pool created by a dam (we could see
the ruins of the dam). When the canal flooded the canal would shut down, so when the Canal was expanded, an aqueduct
was built downstream. We walked down for a view of those ruins and listened to history through cell phone. This area
handled up to 30,000 barges a year and up to 60 at a time could wait hours to lock through near the aqueduct.
Ken by the park sign
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A long look at the dam
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Me and the dam a little closer
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The ruins from across the river
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7/26/2011 Quit at 3:00, drove to near Rome and Oriskany Battlefield NHL [in the Erie Canalway NHC].
This site marks the 1777 Battle of Oriskany, where Militia General Herkimer, leading a relief column to the besieged Fort
Stanwix, was ambushed in a ravine by Iroquois chief Joseph Brant, leading a mixed group of Iroquois and Tories. We checked
out the obelisk monument and read the interpretive info outside and in the small VC.
The park sign
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Me taking ...
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... a nice shot of the monument
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Close-up of some detail
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5/14/2012 Women's Rights National Historical Park
7/25/2012 Hudon River Valley National Heritage Area
7/24/2019 then continued southwest to the Thruway, then west. Got off to go to Lock 8 on the Erie Canal, as part of the New York State
Barge Canal NHL. The Landmark includes the 1905-1918 Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca canals, direct successors of canals built during the 1820s.
The site is within the Erie Canalway NHC. I took a walk around the very clean and crisp-looking area, crossing over the canal and back on the lock gates.
Lock specs
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A look upstream
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The power house
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Looking downstream
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7/26/2019 From there continued east and stopped at Lock 8 in the Barge Canal NHL. These locks are really in very sharp, clean shape
- quite impressive given their age. I noted the lock guy playing with the controls and started chatting with him - he pointed out a nice Four Winns coming
downriver needing to lock through! The process didn’t take long and was fun and interesting to watch.
Lock area sign
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Nice panorama, upstream left
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Upstream gate
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The dam and canal
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Lock specs
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Looking upstream
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Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area
5/9/1997 Saratoga National Historical Park Down 32/787
to Albany and parked at Empire Plaza. Walked the underground concourse, up to Corning Tower observation deck for a nice view.
Walked around nice displays about NYC, Mohawk Iroquois and other NY subjects in the State Museum. Over to the Capitol -
beautiful, unique building. Walked around, saw Senate chambers. [Albany sites also in the Hudson River Valley NHA.]
Nice view from the tower
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Indian diorama in the museum
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The Capitol ...
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... and Maureen inside
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5/10/1997 Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
7/3/1998 Went to Tarrytown to see the Jay Gould Estate (Lyndhurst) NHL. This is a Gothic Revival
country house designed in 1838 by Alexander Jackson Davis, once the home of railroad tycoon Jay Gould. The site is in
the Hudson River Valley NHA.
The Estate sign
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On the approach
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Lyndhurst
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6/5/1999 Headed back to Philipsburg Manor [NHL]. Got tickets for 11:15 Kykuit tour, then walked
around the Manor. This is a restoration/reconstruction of a Dutch farm and mill from the Philipse family, who owned
52,000 acres along the Hudson. Back to the visitor center for early lunch. Got on the tour bus up to the Kykuit Mansion
[John D. Rockefeller Estate NHL] (this and Philipsburg in the Hudson River Valley NHA). Built by J. D. Rockefeller and
JDR Jr., this is a beautiful mansion and gardens with a magnificent view of the Hudson. Great tour guide. Saw much of
the home, decorated with modern art from Nelson R. Particularly liked the large tapestries made from Picasso paintings.
Entering the Manor
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The farm area
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By the mill
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Facade of Kykuit
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Great views to the Hudson
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One of the many sculptures
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Another angle on the mansion
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8/21/2006 On the Thruway down to Sleepy Hollow and Philipsburg Manor. Got tickets for 1:00
Kykuit tour then had café lunch. Walked into Philipsburg Manor [NHL] and saw excellent demo of grain mill, including
actually starting up the wheel and grinding stones. Had to head back and catch the Kykuit [John D. Rockefeller
Estate NHL] tour. Really great – excellent guide, and gorgeous cool, sunny, breezy day to walk around the house
and especially gardens and sculpture areas. 50 mile views from the house over the Hudson. Back to the Manor to see
the rest of the area, including the barn, animals, house and garden, boat building area. [Both sites are in the
Hudson River Valley NHA.]
The mill in the Manor
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The mill wheel ...
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... and product
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The manor house
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The bridge back to ...
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... Kykuit Mansion
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Fountain in front of the Hudson
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Mom, Kim and me looking in
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The back of the mansion
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Cool sculpture
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Beautiful area to relax
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11/5/2007 Chester A. Arthur Additional photos:
The Cemetery sign
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Arthur's grave
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Interpretive signage
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Me by the grave
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4/7/2008 Parked at Empire Plaza and went to the NYS Museum. Very nice exhibits on the Adirondacks,
Indians and NY City including artifacts from the WTC attack. Could have spent much more time but walked across the plaza
[noting the Empire Plaza Art Collection] to (and through) the Capitol [New York State Capitol NHL]. [These sites are in
the Hudson River Valley NHA, and Museum/Capitol in the Erie Canalway NHC.] Beautiful day with highs near 60.
The NHA sign
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The State Museum sign
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Ken in a mining vignette ...
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... and me in an Indian lodge
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Fire truck from 9/11
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A piece of the WTC
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The plaza ...
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... with one of the art works
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Ken on the plaza ...
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... and me too
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The NYS Capitol
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4/10/2008 Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site
9/27/2010 Next stop a short way to the Watervliet Arsenal [in the Hudson River Valley NHA]. We had to
sign in and get badges at the guard booth, then drove to the Iron Building. The arsenal is from 1813, and in the Iron
Building (built as a kit and shipped from Brooklyn) we saw a collection of various-sized guns, howitzers, cannon barrels and the like.
The Arsenal
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Arsenal sign inside
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An old cannon ...
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... and a new, bigger one!
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10/25/2010 Off the Thruway, across the river into Rensselaer and stopped at Fort Crailo (NHL). This
is a fortified manor house built in 1712 and later added to. It is known as the place where “Yankee Doodle” was written.
[The site is in the Hudson River Valley NHA]. Took some photos in cool, overcast weather, then headed back into Albany.
The park sign
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The manor house
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Ken out back ...
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... and me in the front
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7/11/2011 Up the Thruway, then east and south to Poughkeepsie and Locust Grove (Samuel F. B.
Morse House NHL). We looked around a small museum at the VC, including art masterpieces by Morse (quite a surprise)
and the more expected displays on the telegraph. We then walked to and around the house, designed for Morse by
Alexander Jackson Davis in an Italianate style and completed in 1851. The house has nice views of the Hudson and
attractive landscaping.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Locust Grove sign
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The house from the front ...
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... and the back
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A look inside
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The Roosevelt park sign
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Me hangin' with the Roosevelts
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The library under renovation!
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Roosevelt's oval office
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Ready for a chat
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7/14/2011 Off at Harriman and east to the Hudson River, stopping first at Fort Montgomery NHL.
This is a fortification built on the Hudson during the Revolution. In October 1777 this fort and Fort Clinton across
the river were lost to the British, but the battle was key in slowing them down, leading them to the loss at
Saratoga. We checked out the VC, then walked around the rocky area where the fort was. There wasn’t much left here
but some stone foundations, but there is interesting interpretive signage and it was enjoyable walking around the
woods with views of the river and the Bear Mountain Bridge. From there we drove over the bridge and parked a short
distance north where the Appalachian Trail drops out of the woods on a steep hillside. We walked a tiny bit on the
trail there, then parked at the east end of the bridge and walked the AT towards the center of the river, with
excellent views on a clear day. Continuing south we arrived at the Stony Point Battlefield NHL, the location of the
1779 Battle of Stony Point during the Revolutionary War. Note: this location as well as Fort Montgomery, Locust
Grove and the FDR Museum/Library are in the Hudson River Valley NHA. Stony Point is the site of one of the last battles
in the northeastern colonies, General Anthony Wayne led the infantry in a July 1779 midnight attack on the British,
seizing the site's fortifications and taking the soldiers prisoner. Walking up a hill we first checked out a mock
British encampment, all set for anniversary reenactment stuff in a couple days. We also walked up further to a little
lighthouse sitting high on a promontory bluff with nice views of the river on three sides.
For Montgomery sign
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Structure foundations
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Ken and me by the cannons
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Protecting the river approach
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Stony Point sign
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Recreated camp area ...
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... with me by a tent
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The pretty lighthouse
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8/8/2011 First stop, Slabsides NHL in West Park. I had the waypoint on the right road;
unfortunately the road over the mountain didn’t continue through over the top. A little cell phone Googling and
GPS updates brought us to John Burroughs Sanctuary. We walked a short distance along a trail through the woods
to Slabsides. The simple one-story log cabin built by naturalist John Burroughs and his son is named for the
rough bark-covered lumber strips covering its outer walls. The cabin is in a pretty location (albeit a bit buggy
on this day) and the cabin construction is quite rustic and interesting. Continuing north we headed to Coxsackie
and the Bronck House NHL, a Dutch homestead with a stone house built by Pieter Bronck in 1663, and a brick section
added in 1738. We walked around the grounds and checked out the house on a warm, muggy day. Both parts of the
house, the stone and the brick, are quite interesting and in good shape.
Slabsides sign
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Me on the porch from the front ...
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... and Ken from the side
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Rustic porch
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Detail of the foundation
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Bronck House sign
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The front of the house
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Some of the construction details
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A look inside
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Ken around back
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8/11/2011 Breakfast at hotel, on the Thruway at 7:30. A beautiful day for a drive and
seeing NHLs. Into Newburgh and stopped at the Dutch Reformed Church NHL. Designed by Alexander Jackson Davis
in 1835 in the Greek Revival style, it faces down the Hudson at arriving ships, and was meant to echo the
similar marine outreach of the Parthenon. This once fine building is in sad shape, surrounded by chain link
fence. All we could do was take a few photos and move on. A short distance away is a very pretty park area
overlooking the Hudson around Washington’s Headquarters NHL/State Historic Site. This site consists of the
Hasbrouck House, the longest-serving headquarters of George Washington during the Revolutionary War, and
three other structures, including a monument named the "Tower of Victory". We checked out the attractive
stone house, as well as the monument commemorating Washington’s stay, and enjoyed the nice surroundings
with views of the Hudson on a beautiful day. From Newburgh we drove a little more to New Windsor and Knox
Headquarters NHL/State Historic Site. On the property is the Georgian house of the Ellison family, built
in 1754, used as a general's headquarters throughout most of the Revolutionary War by Henry Knox, Nathanael
Greene and Horatio Gates. Not much to do here but a photo-op and a short walk on a trail crossing a little
stream which used to be the King’s Highway passing in front of the house. [Note: all five sites we visited
on this trip are in the Hudson River Valley NHA.]
The Church sign
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Nice church, sad shape
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Classic front
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The Washington's Headquarters sign
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The house and grounds
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Ken and me in the window
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A view from the back
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Me and the monument
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The Knox's Headquarters sign
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The headquarters home
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Detail of the structure
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2/23/2012 ... then down to New Paltz as the day turned dry and warm. Parked short of my
destination (not realizing it), then lost the car for a while, but finally realized my error and moved down to
Huguenot Street for the Jean Hasbrouck House NHL and Huguenot Street Historic District [in the Hudson River Valley
NHA]. The Hudson Valley Dutch architecture Jean Hasbrouck House was built in 1721 by Huguenot Jean Hasbrouck's son
Jacob. The seven stone houses and several accompanying structures in the district were built in the early 18th
century by Huguenot settlers fleeing discrimination and religious persecution in France and Belgium.
Hasbrouck House sign ...
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... and the house
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Another historic house ...
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... and another ...
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... and another ...
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... and another
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7/25/2012 … then headed down to Albany and the Philip Schuyler Mansion NHL. The house was constructed in
1761 for the general in the Continental Army and early U.S. Senator, who resided there from 1763 until his death in 1804. More
photos here, then over to the river and parked at the USS Slater (DE-766) NHL. This is a Cannon-class destroyer escort,
launched in February 1944, that served in the United States Navy in WWII and later in the Greek Navy, and was named for Frank
O. Slater, a sailor killed during the Battle of Guadalcanal. I just caught up to a tour and spent over an hour and a half on a
great tour. We went throughout the ship with very interesting stories and descriptions of life on a DE. [The Mansion and Slater
are in the Hudson River Valley NHA, and the Mansion in the Erie Canalway NHC.]
Schuyler Mansion sign
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The Mansion
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A front view
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USS Slater
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Nice rope work
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Big deck gun
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Sailors' quarters
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The bridge
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Depth charges
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A view from the deck
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7/25/2015 The last stop of the day was back in Katonah at the John Jay Homestead NHL/State Historic Site, one of the
sites in the Hudson River Valley National Historic Area. Also known as Bedford House, it was the home of the statesman and first Chief Justice
of the U.S. There were tours offered, but we preferred to just walk around the outside of the house and gardens. We also saw a brief but informative
film in the visitor center.
The park sign
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The home and front grounds
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Some historic info
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The house close up
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John Jay
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7/2/2016 Went a short way to Hudson to visit Olana, the Frederick E. Church House NHL. (Note: all of the NHLs are also
in the Hudson River Valley NHA) One of the few intact artists' home-, studio- and estate-complexes in the U.S., the eclectic villa was the 1860s
home of one of the major figures in the Hudson River School of landscape painting. We took a stroll around the grounds, seeing fantastic views
of the river and the Catskills. We then went inside on our timed self-guided tour. This was really enjoyable - docents in each room provided
all the info we needed as we viewed the artwork and furnishings, including Church's paintings supplies. After the tour we walked through the
gardens, then got back on the road north to Kinderhook for the Van Alen House NHL. This is an historic Dutch brick farmhouse built in about
1737 and believed to have served as the inspiration for the Van Tassel homestead in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Very pretty grounds here,
which we enjoyed while checking out the house and Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse.
7/3/2016 Drove down the Thruway then over the river to Montgomery Place NHL. This is an early 19th-century estate
with a Federal-style house, and the only Hudson Valley house from this era that survives intact. We walked along paths on another beautiful
day to the mansion for our photos. The original Federal mansion had been expanded, and we really liked the side porch with comfy furniture
overlooking the Hudson. We continued our walk by going through the woods heading down to the Sawkill Creek for a view of the falls (actually
a cascade). Back to the car and drove a little north to Clermont NHL. Established by Robert Livingston in 1728, this is the former estate
of the Livingston family, seven generations of whom lived on the site during more than two centuries. We checked out the mansion, then walked
around the gardens (not too impressive) and enjoyed the views of the Catskills over the river (very impressive). Driving further south to
Rhinebeck to stopped at Wilderstein, a beautiful 19th-century Queen-Anne-style country house on Hudson. This is a representative site in
the Hudson River Historic District, the largest such district on the mainland of the U.S. extending inland roughly a mile from the east bank
of the Hudson River between Staatsburg and Germantown. The detail and quality on the house is impressive, with great color and use of materials.
We strolled around here a little, then hit the road home.
Olana
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Lykas Van Alen House
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Montgomery Place
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Clermont
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Wilderstein
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5/28/2017 ... then drove a short way to Sunnyside NHL, in the Hudson River Valley NHA. This cottage-like estate
was home of author Washington Irving and shows Dutch Colonial Revival, Scottish Gothic and Tudor Revival influences. We got the
first tour at 10:00 by a very informative guide in periods dress. She took us down to the home right on the river, and we toured
each of the rooms, learning a lot about Irving.
The site sign
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Me photoing ...
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... the NHL plaque
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The cottage front ...
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... and rear
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Me and Mom out back
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One more view
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8/26/2017 ... then drove a short distance to Van Cortlandt Manor NHL, in the Hudson River Valley NHA.
The stone and brick Manor house was built before 1732 on a 1000 acre tract of the original 86,000 acre Van Cortlandt holding.
We walked around a little, the property being decorated by a gazillion fake carved pumpkins in all sort of arrangements,
then headed to the house for the 10:30 tour. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about the house or tour, but it was
interesting nevertheless. The tour also included the little ferry house for crossing the Croton River, which also had a tavern/inn.
The site sign
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The Manor from the front
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Mom and me
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Porch detail
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Me photoing ...
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... the NHL plaque
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9/9/2017 Continued up a little more to Philipstown and Manitoga, the Russel Wright House and Studio NHL, and in
the Hudson River Valley NHA. This synthesis of architecture and nature was the estate and modernist home of the industrial
designer. We signed in at the small VC, and after another 13 people showed up we watched a short video about the life of Russel
Wright and Manitoga. We then started on a hike, circling around the Quarry Pond and up the steep hill on paths and stone steps.
We got some nice views of the studio/home nestled into the landscape, then continued to circle around to tour the buildings.
There are are lot of unique and very interesting ideas implemented in both, on a multi-level layout with fantastic views of
the pond and forest.
The site sign
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The view from the pond
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On the nature path
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The house from the nature path
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Natural covered roof
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Me at the Studio
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Studio and Quarry Pond
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Wright Studio
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What a view from the bath!
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A view down to the dining area
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More beautiful views from inside
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View from the lower patio
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10/17/2020 Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site
Niagara Falls National Heritage Area
7/20/2020 First stop, the exciting ... Adams Power Plant NHL, in the Niagara Falls NHA. This is the only remaining structure that was
part of the 1895 Edward Dean Adams Power Plant, the first large-scale, alternating current electric generating plant in the world. All we could do here was
take photos through a chain link fence. I walked along the fence, and as Ken was moving the car he was getting stern looks from a security guard, so after
a few more photos away from his security booth we moved on ...
Whirlpool State Park ... For more sites in the NHA, we drove into Lewiston and stopped at
two nice bronze statue memorial areas. Both in the NHA, and the first on the Great Lakes Seaway Trail NSB. Tuscarora Heroes Monument is a testament of
thanksgiving from the people of Lewiston to the Tuscarora Nation for saving the lives of dozens of local residents during the War of 1812 British attack
on December 19, 1813. Freedom Crossing Monument honors the courage of fugitive slaves who sought a new life of freedom in Canada, and to the local volunteers
who protected and helped them on their journey across the Niagara River.
A couple of long views ...
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... of the Adams Power Plant
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A side view ...
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... and one nicely cleaned up
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Tuscarora Heroes Monument
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Ken having fun ...
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... and me too
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Interpretive sign for ...
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Freedom Crossing Monument
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Another view of the monument
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A close up of all the detail
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