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The Town of Highlands, set
along the scenic western banks of the Hudson River and surrounded by
the lush parks and lakes of the State Park Authority, offers
countless outdoor and recreational activities. But its proximity to
New York City and the historic United States Military Academy at
West Point lends sophistication to the town, which you will see in
the many restaurants, antiques shops and craft shops on Main Street.
No wonder the Town of Highland is often referred to as “Home Town
U.S.A.”
Here are a few suggestions for your visit…
Places to Eat:
South Gate Tavern and Restaurant: This
friendly, family run Irish pub is right outside of the south gate to
West Point. Local memorabilia adorns the walls, good food is on the
menu and great beers on tap! 509 Main Street, 845-446-8747.
Richie’s Little Place: American cuisine,
renowned in the area for great buffalo wings and huge prime rib
steaks. Fort Montgomery, 845-446-7918
The Hacienda Restaurant: Authentic Mexican
food with large portions, served in a lovely restaurant with
colorful murals painted on the walls. 845-446-0406
Pineapple’s Steak House: Fine dining
specializing in hand cut steaks, seafood, and homemade pasta.
845-446-0912
Places to See:
West Point Military Academy: You can stroll
the Visitor’s Center and West Point Museum with it’s extensive
collection, or pick up a bus tour for a guided tour of historic West
Point with its striking architecture and views of the Hudson River.
845-446-4724
Bear Mountain State Park: Beautiful State Park
with a rustic inn and fine dining. The park boast numerous waking
trails, a zoo, an ice staking rink in winter and swimming and paddle
boats in the summer.
Fort Montgomery Battle Site: Newly excavated
remnants of Revolutionary War forts with breathtaking views of the
Bear Mountain Bridge and the Hudson River.
Places to Stay:
Victorian Riverview Bed & Breakfast:(Stunning
view of the Hudson!)
30 Scotts Circle
Fort Montgomery
845-446-5479
Thayer Hotel on West Point (where the
President stays when he’s in town!)
Holiday Inn Express 845-446-4277
Palisades Motel 845-446-9400
West Point Motel 845-446-4180
The earliest settlers in
these Hudson Highlands were Native Americans of the Algonquin
tribe, sometimes known as the Delaware, or the Leni Lenape. Henry Hudson is said to have explored the Hudson River in the
early 1600's in his ship the Half Moon and, like him, the earliest
European settlers in this area were Dutch. They named the area
Buttermilk Falls after the dashing brook that falls into the Hudson
River after winding through the village.
The history of the
American Revolution within the Town of Highlands pre-dates the
actual settlement of our town, so many of the names in the area come
from the Revolutionary War period. Small redoubts and several
forts were begun during that time along the Hudson River Valley, as
General George Washington and other military experts of the
time knew that the river needed to be fortified against British
ships.
Enormous chains were forged
from iron from local mines (since closed) and were then stretched
using huge logs as floats, across the Hudson River in two places
nearby. During the Battle of Fort Montgomery in 1777,
the British marched around the forts when they attacked, and did not
test the chain with an invasion by ship. They captured both
Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery, which were only partially
constructed and not yet completely manned, later destroying both
forts and dismantling the chain.
The second chain, which was
larger, was placed up closer to West Point over a year later, but
was never tested by an invasion. The remnants of Fort
Putnam, high on a hill in the center of West Point, still remain
today, and have been refurbished for historic and tourism purposes.
Pieces of the chain can be seen at various places in the Hudson
Valley, sucah as Bear Mountain Inn, and West Point's Trophy Point.
The first local land grants
were established as early as 1723, and the Town of Highlands was
originally part of the Town of Cornwall. The first local
meeting took place in the Town of Highlands in 1873 and, at that
time, the two towns agreed to become separate bodies. The
Village was known as Buttermilk Falls until the late 1800's, and was
incorporated officially as Highland Falls in 1906. At one
time, large and small boats brought tourists and commuters up the
river to local docks, and some long-time residents fondly remember
the days of the Dayliner, as it docked at Bear Mountain and West
Point, full of summer visitors. The Town of Highlands
presently consists of Fort Montgomery (pop. 1,450), Highland Falls
(pop. 3,937), and West Point (pop. 8,024).
The United States Government
purchased privately-owned land for its military post in 1790, based
on its valuable strategic location evidenced during the
Revolutionary War. This was only a portion of what is
today known as West Point, covering over 16,000 acres of
land.
At the dawn of the 19th
Century, The Congress of the United States saw the need for a
school for the training of artillerists and engineers, and in 1802
they decided upon the location of West Point as that school.
In 1812, Congress established the United States Military Academy
firmly, with rules and requirements for entry, and making it part of
the regular Army. Among the most famous of the graduates are Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Stonewall Jackson, John J. Pershing, Douglas Macarthur, Dwight D.
Eisenhower, and George S. Patton, Jr.
Mr. John Pierpont
Morgan began to visit Highland Falls in 1858, and by 1871, he had
purchased a home here known as Cragston. He and his family
lived here during the summer months and, with hired help, he farmed
and raised dairy cattle. He was vestryman and regular
communicant at the local Church of the Holy Innocents.
His wife, Frances Tracy Morgan, maintained a library for
local residents. She and a local minister combined their
collections, and in 1896, the local library was chartered as a
Village Library by the State of New York.
Other famous people who
lived and worked in the area include Molly Corbin, heroine of the
American Revolution, known as "Molly Pitcher." She resided in
Fort Montgomery for a short time and is buried in the West Point
Cemetery. The Hon. John Bigelow, writer and journalist,
became Minister to France during the Civil War.
His home was known as The Squirrels and h entertained many famous
people there. Two well-known naturalists, John Burroughs
and Alexander Mearns, resided in our village for a time. Edgar Allen Poe was a cadet at the Military Academy, although
he did not graduate. Robert W. Weir was a famous artist
who taught at West Point, and he was responsible for the design and
construction of the Church of the Holy Innocents, which includes a
beautiful Tiffany stained-glass window given by Mrs. J.P. Morgan.
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