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Introduction
Mayor's Welcome
List of Sites
Dutch Colonization Essay
Revolution Essay
Transportation Essay
Kingston Urban Cultural Park Essay
Learn More
Credits

 

Travelers through the itinerary will learn about such fascinating places as the Stockade Historic District. Built under the orders of Dutch Director General Peter Stuyvesant in 1658 when tensions flared between Native Americans and Dutch settlers, the Stockade area exists as Kingston's original colonial core. The Senate House, a New York State historic site, hosted the first meeting of New York's State Senate, but was later burnt by the British during the Burning of Kingston. You will visit the Fred J. Johnston House; sometimes called "Winterthur-on-the-Hudson," this building houses the antique collection of preservationist Fred J. Johnston. Visitors to the Rondout II Lighthouse can take a boat ride out to the site and will learn about one of its keepers, Catherine Murdock, who tended the lighthouse for over 50 years. You can drop by the Community (Broadway) Theater to see an example of America's movie palaces, or call the Ulster Performing Arts Center to catch a live show in this historic theater.

Kingston: Discover 300 Years of New York History offers numerous ways to discover the historic properties that played important roles in both the birth and development of Kingston and what is now New York State. Each property features a brief description of the site's significance, color and historic photographs, and public accessibility information. At the bottom of each page, the visitor will also find a navigation bar containing links to three essays concerning Kingston's role in Dutch Colonization, the American Revolution, and Transportation, as well as an essay describing the history and successes of Kingston's Urban Cultural Park/ Heritage Area program. These essays provide historical background, or "contexts," for many of the sites included in the itinerary.

Created through a partnership between the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places, the Kingston Urban Cultural Park, the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO), and the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC), Kingston: Discover 300 Years of New York History is the first example of a new and exciting cooperative project. As part of the Department of the Interior's strategy to revitalize communities by promoting public awareness of history and encouraging tourists to visit historic places throughout the nation, the National Register of Historic Places is cooperating with communities, regions, and Heritage Areas throughout the United States to create online travel itineraries. Using places listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the itineraries help potential visitors plan their next trip by highlighting the amazing diversity of this country's historic places and supplying accessibility information for each featured site. In the Learn More section, the itineraries link to regional and local web sites that provide visitors with further information regarding cultural events, special activities, and lodging and dining possibilities.

Kingston is the first of more than 30 communities and regions working directly with the National Register of Historic Places to create travel itineraries. Additional itineraries will debut online in the future. The National Register of Historic Places and the Kingston Urban Cultural Park hope you enjoy this virtual travel itinerary of Kingston's historic resources. If you have any comments or questions, please just click on the provided e-mail address, "comments or questions" located at the bottom of each page.

Dear Internet visitor,

Steeped in heritage and surrounded by the natural beauty of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains, Kingston has much to offer the tourist, the vacationer and business people who seek to avoid the commercial atmosphere of our larger cities.

Located just off the New York Thruway, we bring the serenity of suburban living and the convenience of easy access by car, public transportation and water. We encourage you to visit us so you too can enjoy the unique experience of history melded with modern day accessibility.

As you browse this National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary of Kingston, please take note and consider it in your search for a rewarding vacation and business site.

From earliest colonial days, Kingston, the first capital of New York State, our stone houses, our magnificent waterfront, and our growing economic viability have attracted those interested in a leisurely visit or a long-term commitment the area. Some of the oldest buildings in the United States are located here. The original New York State Senate House, the Old Dutch Church, the Rondout II Lighthouse, the Fred J. Johnston House, and our stately Ulster Performing Arts Center (Community Theater) are but a few of Kingston's historic places ready to welcome you.

Our Stockade Historic District returns you to the 17th century and our country's infancy. Buildings have been restored and landmarks are clearly defined. Walking tours provide a firsthand look at the architecture and ambience of days long past. The Rondout Waterfront allows you to travel the river or simply sit in West Strand Park where you can be part of an atmosphere that cannot be equaled.

Kingston is proud that it has honed the ability to blend its development potential with its historic significance. High above our City, overlooking the Hudson River, stands our new Kingston Business Park, providing available industrial sites in an atmosphere that is bound to encourage commercial development. We consider it one the most attractive complexes of its kind, and invite prospective businesses to accept a guided tour through it with a representative of our Economic Development Office.

There is much to do and see in Kingston. As its Mayor, I welcome you and offer you the hospitality of our City. We hope you enjoy your Internet tour, and soon make plans to visit our city in person!

T.R. Gallo
Mayor of Kingston

Hoffman House is located in the Stockade Historic District at 94 North Front Street, at the corner of Green Street. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. For more information call 845-338-2626.

The Senate House is located in the Stockade Historic District at the corner of North Front Street and Clinton Avenue. The building and grounds are open to the public. Senate House staff provides guided tours. For more information call 845-338-2786.

The Matthew Jansen House is located in the Stockade Historic District at the corner of John Street and Crown Streets. The property is a private residence and not open to the public.

The Franz P. Roggen House is located in the Stockade Historic District at the corner of John and Crown Streets. The property is not open to the public.

The Kingston Academy is located in the Stockade Historic District at 82 John Street, at the corner of Crown Street. The ground floor is currently occupied by a restaurant and is open to the public. For more information, call 845-340-9895.

The Matthew Person House is located in the Stockade Historic District at 74 John Street, at the corner of Crown Street. The Cornell Cooperative Extension occupies the building, which is open to the public.

The Ulster County Courthouse is located in the Stockade Historic District at 285 Wall Street. The building is open to the public with certain access restrictions.

The Henry Sleight House is located in the Stockade Historic District at 3 Crown Street, at the corner of Green Street. It is open to the public by appointment only.

The Fred J. Johnston House is located in the Stockade Historic District at 63 Main Street near the corner of Wall Street. It is located near the historic Old Dutch Church as well as the Ulster County Courthouse. The building is open to the public. For more information, call 845-339-0720.

Old Dutch Church is located in the Stockade Historic District at 272 Main Street, at the corner of Wall Street. Tours of the building are available by appointment. For more information, call 845-338-6759.

The Community Theater, now known as UPAC, is located at 601 Broadway. Call 845-339-6088 at the box office for entertainment information.

The Old City Hall is located at 408 Broadway, across from Kingston High School. The building is presently not open to the public.

The old Kingston City Library is located at 399 Broadway, next to the Kingston High School. The building is currently not open to the public.

The Chestnut Street Historic District runs along the 100 blocks of West and East Chestnut Streets, intersecting the 200 block of Broadway. The buildings of the district are private residences and not open to the public.

Cloverly is located at 70 West Chestnut Street, within the West Chestnut Street Historic District. The building is a private residence and not open to the public.

The Rondout-West Strand Historic District is roughly bounded by Broadway, Mcentee, Dock and West Strand Streets. Many of the buildings of the district are businesses and open to the public.

The Robert V. Dwyer House is located within the West Strand-Rondout Historic District at 6 Rogers Street. The property is a private residence and not open to the public.

Tubby Row is located within the Rondout/ West Strand Historic District at the corner of Hone and Spring Streets. The building contains seven private apartments and is not open to the public.

The Ponckhockie Union Congregational Church is located within the Kingston Urban Cultural Heritage Area at 91 Abruyn Street, near the corner of Delaware Avenue. The property is open to the public.

The Mansion House is located within the Rondout-West Strand Historic District at 11 Broadway. Shops and restaurants occupy the ground floors, and are open to the public.

The Sampson Opera House is located at 1 Broadway within the Rondout-West Strand Historic District. The ground-level currently houses restaurants and is open to the public for lunch and dinner.

The Kingston-Port Ewen Suspension Bridge crosses the Rondout Creek at the foot of Wurts Street, linking Kingston to the hamlet of Port Ewen.

One of the station's keepers, Catherine Murdock, served for half a century (1857-1907). She replaced her husband who drowned while bringing supplies to the station. In addition to keeping the light, Mrs. Murdock rescued several seamen and entertained 20 to 30 visitors who came daily to climb the tower during pleasant summer weather. Winters, however, were "cold and dreary," punctuated by "heavy and perilous storms." Her son James became her assistant keeper in 1880, succeeded her as official keeper in 1907, serving until 1915.

Keepers no longer tend the light at Rondout Creek; it was automated in 1954. The U.S. Coast Guard has replaced the sixth-order Fresnel lens with a modern optic and leases the structure to the Hudson River Maritime Museum which is renovating the property and providing public access through tours.

The Rondout II Lighthouse, located within the Kingston Urban Cultural Park Heritage Area, is only accessible by boat. Daily excursion boat tours are scheduled during the summer months by the Hudson River Maritime Museum located at 1 Rondout Landing in Kingston.

In 1609, two years after English settlers established the colony of Jamestown in Virginia, the Dutch East India Company hired English sailor Henry Hudson to find a northeast passage to India. After unsuccessfully searching for a route above Norway, Hudson turned his ship west and sailed across the Atlantic. Hudson hoped to discover a "northwest passage," that would allow a ship to cross the entirety of the North American continent and gain access to the Pacific Ocean, and from there, India. After arriving off the coast of Cape Cod, Hudson eventually sailed into the mouth of a large river, today called the Hudson River. Making his way as far as present-day Albany before the river became too shallow for his ship to continue north, Hudson returned to Europe and claimed the entire Hudson River Valley for his Dutch employers.

After unsuccessful efforts at colonization, the Dutch Parliament chartered the "West India Company," a national-joint stock company that would organize and oversee all Dutch ventures in the Western Hemisphere. Sponsored by the West India Company, 30 families arrived in North America in 1624, establishing a settlement on present-day Manhattan. Much like English colonists in Virginia, however, the Dutch settlers did not take much of an interest in agriculture, and focused on the more lucrative fur trade. In 1626, Director General Peter Minuit arrived in Manhattan, charged by the West India Company with the task of administering the struggling colony. Minuit "purchased" Manhattan Island from Native American Indians for the now legendary price of 60 guilders, formally established New Amsterdam, and consolidated and strengthened a fort located far up the Hudson River, named Fort Orange. The colony grew slowly, as settlers, responding to generous land-grant and trade policies, slowly spread north up the Hudson River.

The slow expansion of New Netherland, however, caused conflicts with both English colonists and Native Americans in the region. In the 1630s, the new Director General Wouter van Twiller sent an expedition out from New Amsterdam up to the Connecticut River into lands claimed by English settlers. Faced with the prospect of armed conflict, Twiller was forced to back down and recall the expedition, losing any claims to the Connecticut Valley. In the upper reaches of the Hudson Valley around Fort Orange, (present-day Albany) where the needs of the profitable fur trade required a careful policy of appeasement with the Iroquois Confederacy, the Dutch authorities maintained peace, but corruption and lax trading policies plagued the area. In the lower Hudson Valley, where more colonists were setting up small farms, Native Americans came to be viewed as obstacles to European settlement. In the 1630s and early 1640s, the Dutch Director Generals carried on a brutal series of campaigns against the area's Native Americans, largely succeeding in crushing the strength of the "River Indians," but also managing to create a bitter atmosphere of tension and suspicion between European settlers and Native Americans.

The year 1640 marked a turning point for the colony. The West India Company gave up its trade monopoly, enabling other businessmen to invest in New Netherland. Profits flowed to Amsterdam, encouraging new economic activity in the production of food, timber, tobacco, and eventually, slaves. In 1647, the most successful of the Dutch Director Generals arrived in New Amsterdam. Peter Stuyvesant found New Netherland in disarray. The previous Director General's preoccupation with the Native Americans and border conflicts with the English in Connecticut had greatly weakened other portions of colonial society. Stuyvesant became a whirlwind of activity, issuing edicts, regulating taverns, clamping down on smuggling, and attempted to wield the authority of his office upon a population accustomed to a long line of largely ineffective Director Generals.

Eventually, Stuyvesant cast his eyes upon the small settlements that had developed along the Hudson River Valley between Fort Orange and New Amsterdam. In 1652, 60-70 settlers had moved down from Fort Orange to an area where the Rondout Creek met the Hudson River, the site of present-day Kingston. The settlers farmed the fertile flood plains of the Esopus Creek side-by-side with the Esopus Indians, the original settlers of the area. Inevitably, land disputes brought the two sides to the brink of war, with both the Europeans and the Esopus Indians engaging in petty vandalism and kidnaping. In 1657, seeing the strategic practicality of a fort located halfway between New Amsterdam and Fort Orange, Director General Stuyvesant sent soldiers up from New Amsterdam to crush the Esopus Indians and help build a stockade with 40 houses for the settlers. Board by board, the settlers took their barns and houses down, and carted them uphill to a promontory bluff overlooking the Esopus Creek flood plain. They reconstructed their homes behind a 14-foot high wall made of tree trunks pounded into the ground that created a perimeter of about 1200 x 1300 feet. By day, the men left their walled village, which Director General Stuyvesant had named "Wiltwyck," to go out and farm their fields, leaving the women and children largely confined within the stockade. The villagers lived this way until 1664, when a peace treaty ended the conflict with the Esopus Indians.

Though no longer needed, the stockade was left standing well into the late 17th century, and wooden remnants of the wall were actually rediscovered on Clinton Ave during an archaeological dig in 1971. The streets of the original village, however, remain laid out just as they were in 1658. Although the wooden houses of original settlers are long gone, the second generation of homes, built by men like Sergeant Matthew Person, still survive. These stone houses are fine examples of 17th-century Dutch stone buildings, and 21 still stand within the original layout of the stockade, listed in the National Register of Historic Places as contributing members of the Stockade Historic District. Many of these homes began as a single room with a loft above, and gradually expanded, but the simple limestone and mortar materials hauled directly from the fields outside the stockade are still quite visible. Direct links to the age of Dutch colonization, the sturdy construction of these houses have served generations of Kingston residents, and are still in use today.

Although Wiltwyck, the second large settlement established north of New Amsterdam, grew quickly, the very successes of the Stuyvesant administration put New Netherland in danger. The colony was proving quite profitable, New Amsterdam had developed into a port town of 1500 citizens, and the incredibly diverse population (only 50 percent were actually Dutch colonists) of the colony had grown from 2,000 in 1655 to almost 9,000 in 1664. "Problems" with Native Americans were mostly over, and stable families were slowly replacing single adventurers interested only in quick profits. New Netherland produced immense wealth for the Dutch, and other foreign nations began to envy the riches flowing out of the Hudson River Valley.

The Dutch lost New Netherland to the English during the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1664 only a few years after the establishment of Wiltwyck. Along the West Coast of Africa, British charter companies clashed with the forces of the Dutch West India Company over rights to slaves, ivory, and gold in 1663. Less about slaves or ivory, the Anglo-Dutch Wars were actually more about who would be the dominant European naval power. By 1664, both the Dutch and English were preparing for war, and King Charles of England granted his brother, James, Duke of York, vast American territories that included all of New Netherland. James immediately raised a small fleet and sent it to New Amsterdam. Director General Stuyvesant, without a fleet or any real army to defend the colony, was forced to surrender the colony to the English war fleet without a struggle. In September of 1664, New York was born, effectively ending the Netherlands' direct involvement in North America, although in places like Kingston, the influences of Dutch architecture, planning, and folklife can still be quite clearly seen.

The British viewed New York City and the Hudson River Valley as key strategic locations. After evacuating the patriot stronghold of Boston in March of 1776, the British concentrated on New York as a base of operations. In July of 1776, shortly after the signing of Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence, a huge British fleet of nearly 500 ships and 35,000 men--the largest single armed force in America until the Civil War--appeared off New York. Under the command of General William Howe, the vastly larger British forces began pushing back the smaller and less-organized American Army under the command of George Washington almost immediately. By August, Washington had withdrawn from Long Island, pulling back to Manhattan. In September of that same year, Washington and his generals, convinced of the weakness of their position in New York City, debated whether they should burn the city upon retreat, or simply leave it to the British. Under instructions from the Continental Congress to not torch the city, Washington withdrew into New Jersey, where he successfully harassed the British and their mercenary soldiers. Washington's withdrawal from Manhattan, however, had other, non-military consequences.

After the Declaration of Independence was signed, the 13 American colonies found themselves adrift without any governmental institutions. To remedy this situation in New York, New York patriots chose delegates to a Provincial Congress, which first met in New York City, the old colonial capitol. As the British drew their noose around Manhattan, the New York Congress decided to move north up to White Plains, where in July, John Jay was named chairman of a committee to draw up a State constitution. Calling itself the "Convention of the Representatives of the State of New York," the group was forced to move farther north to safety when Washington's army fully abandoned New York City. Stopping in Fishkill, New York, the delegates decided that the town's lodging's were inadequate--and too close to British forces--and moved even farther up the Hudson River Valley to Kingston in February of 1777.

The delegates found Kingston to their liking. A "government on the run" for many months, the city welcomed the delegates, opening several public buildings for the Convention's use. For two months, the delegates met in the Ulster County Courthouse, working deliberately on a State constitution. On April 22, 1777, the bells of Kingston's churches announced approval of the State's first constitution. Largely the work of chairman John Jay, the new constitution provided for the election of a Governor, a Lieutenant Governor, and members of a Senate and Assembly. In June of 1777, the State held its first elections, and George Clinton, a well-known brigadier general of the militia was sworn in in Kingston as the State's first Governor on July 30.

In September of 1777, the new State government convened, still using Kingston as the State Capitol. The Ulster County Courthouse was once again put to use, this time for the first session of the New York Supreme Court. John Jay sat as the State's first chief justice, a position he would reprise later as first Chief Justice of the United States in 1789. The Supreme Court's use of the building, of course, forced the Legislature to find other meeting places. A local resident, Abraham VanGaasbeck, offered a room in his old stone house for use by the Senate, while the larger Assembly met in a local tavern. Known today as the Senate House, the building that held the initial meeting of the New York State Senate is administered as a State Historic Site.

The Supreme Court and the Legislature stayed in Kingston until October, when Kingston found itself a small player in much larger military events. Once again forced to flee, the new government hastily adjourned at word that a British force was slowly moving north, plundering the Hudson Valley.

After George Washington had evacuated New York City almost a year earlier, General Howe had remained comfortable in the city, choosing not to campaign during the winter. In May of 1777, General Howe detached an army from Boston under the command of General John Burgoyne up to Canada. Burgoyne was to bring his troops, approximately 7,000 men, from Montreal down to Lake Champlain, capture the city of Saratoga, and then proceed from there down the Hudson River, meeting Howe's force of some 30,000 men, which was to come north up the Hudson River from New York City. In this manner, the British would secure the Hudson River Valley, which was serving a vital roll as a transportation and supply route for the American armies.

Unfortunately, Howe changed his plans after Burgoyne left for Canada. Trying to force Washington's army out into the open, the bulk of the British army marched on Philadelphia, leaving only a small force in New York City under the command of Brigadier General James Clinton. Howe would not be able to provide any support to Burgoyne's invasion, but instead vaguely instructed Clinton to "act offensively" and "if you can, make any diversion in favor of General Burgoyne's approaching Albany."

Burgoyne, however, needed far more help than Clinton could provide, for British plans vastly underestimated the difficulty of the terrain in Canada, as well as the ability of the Americans to gather dispersed armies together. Burgoyne captured Fort Ticonderoga on July 5, 1777, but when the army began chopping its way south through the thick forests, Burgoyne's progress slowed considerably. Troops throughout New England and New York, sensing blood, gathered around Saratoga, picking at Burgoyne's army throughout September and October.

In October, seeking to relieve some of the stress American armies were placing on Burgoyne's invasion force, General Clinton sent out an expedition force north up the Hudson from New York City. It is news of this force moving up the Hudson that forced the New York State Government to flee Kingston. On October 16, 1777, the British arrived in Kingston. Looking upon Kingston as a "hotbed of perfidy and sedulous disloyalty to King George the Third and His Majesty's Parliament," the British punished Kingston for hosting the revolutionary State government, and for generously providing Washington's army with wheat and other food supplies. Under the command of Major General John Vaughan, the British troops moved into Kingston's Stockade area and set fire to every building, largely succeeding in burning the city to the ground. After burning Kingston, Vaughan continued up the Hudson, coming with 45 miles of Albany before encountering an American army of around 5,000 men and returning to New York City.

Simultaneously, Burgoyne's position in northern New York was deteriorating rapidly. With reinforcements from all over New England and New York, an American army under the command of General Horatio Gates--led brilliantly on the field by General Benedict Arnold--managed to surround Burgoyne's army. On October 17, just a day after Vaughan's troops torched Kingston, British General Burgoyne surrendered his entire army to Gates at the Battle of Saratoga, easily one of the American army's greatest victories during the American Revolution.

Saratoga, and the events flowing around it, became a turning point in the American Revolution. Although Washington's army, which had been drawn to Philadelphia by British General Howe, would suffer numerous defeats in the following years, the American victory at Saratoga established the reputation of the American army. Benjamin Franklin, serving as the diplomat to France, convinced the French to form an alliance with the fledgling republic against France's enemy, Britain. With Britain fighting on two sides of the Atlantic, the country's resources were stretched to the limits. From 1778 to 1783, France provided the Americans with large sums of money, immense amounts of equipment, about one-half of America's armed forces, and a powerful navy. With newfound resources, the Americans carried on the revolution until the British were forced to simply give up. In essence, the Battle of Saratoga helped America become an independent country.

Kingston, however, paid a large price for its role in the American Revolution. With many of Kingston's Dutch buildings made of stone, numerous buildings were simply gutted and not completely destroyed by the fire, but reconstruction was slow and painful. As the years passed Kingston slowly rebuilt, and by the beginning of the 19th century was once again the largest, most dominant town in the Hudson River Valley area. It would not relinquish its dominance until the 1850s, when the Hudson River once again played a major role in the area's development.

The original Dutch settlers immediately recognized the value of the land between the convergence of Rondout Creek and the Hudson River, and established a small Indian trading post there in the 17th century. The village of Kingston, located a few miles away on a hill overlooking the Hudson, dominated the area during the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries. While Kingston played a prominent role in the American Revolution, Rondout remained completely obscure (and avoided the wrath of the British). A small unincorporated hamlet in 1776, a resident recalled Rondout as "scarcely more than six or seven dwelling houses, a mere dependency of the village of Kingston. One or two storehouses were erected on the banks of the creek, and from there grain and the various products of local farms were shipped to market."

Area businessmen were acutely aware of the Rondout's strategic location as a mid-point on the Hudson River, and even attempted in the early 1800s to build a road to transport more goods from the inland mountains to their "port." Drastic changes were not far off, however, when Robert Fulton first installed a steam engine in a boat in 1807. As a test run, Fulton piloted the ship north up the Hudson River from New York City to Albany, making the run of 150 miles against the current in a then-stunning 32 hours. With the power to go up and downstream, the steamboat transformed American rivers into highways.

Paralleling the increase in steamboat traffic, State governments and independent companies (receiving almost no aid from the Federal government) began building canals. One of the most ambitious programs proved to be New York's Erie Canal, constructed under the aggressive leadership of Governor DeWitt Clinton. Known derisively as "Clinton's Big Ditch" or the "Governor's Gutter," the Erie Canal was begun in 1817 and finished in 1825. The Erie Canal proved to be an economic giant; linking the emerging economies and material resources of the Great Lakes with the Hudson River, New York experienced huge benefits from the canal. Realizing the fortunes to be made from bringing the raw materials from the West (grain, timber, coal, iron, etc.,) to the huge cities of the American Northeast, Americans embarked upon a canal-building craze that would not end until the introduction of the railroads.

In the early 1820s, William and Maurice Wurts found themselves the owners of a series of anthracite coal mines in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Seeking buyers for their coal, they found the nearby market of Philadelphia saturated with coal provided by the Lehigh and Delaware Canal. Searching for a new market, the Wurts looked for a cheap transportation route from their mines to New York City. Taking the lead from the new Erie Canal, they settled on the idea of a canal linking their mines to the Hudson River, and decided upon Rondout, New York for the terminus for their project, which they called the Delaware and Hudson Canal. Construction began the same year the Erie Canal was completed, in 1825, and Rondout began to feel the effects of the canal immediately.

Laborers and businessmen poured into town as soon as digging began. Irish laborers arrived to dig the canal, and many stayed to work the canal after its completion. Businessmen first established retail ventures to serve the workers in Rondout, and upon the canal's completion wholesale companies were created when coal and other raw materials came up the canal from Pennsylvania. The Delaware and Hudson opened its full 108-mile length in 1828. The canal as completed was four feet deep, 32 feet wide, contained 108 locks, 137 bridges, 26 basins, dams, and reservoirs, and cost an estimated 1.2 million dollars. Originally accommodating boats that weighed 10-35 tons, the canal was continuously enlarged over the next 15 years, finally offering service to boats of 136 tons, which were heavy enough to travel on the Hudson River. As the terminus for the Delaware and Hudson, all goods flowed through Rondout, and as steamboat traffic increased in the 1820s and 1830s, Rondout emerged as the primary Hudson River port between New York City and Albany. Rondout would never again be dominated by Kingston.

From a tiny hamlet in the early 19th-century, Rondout grew quickly with the Delaware and Hudson Canal's help; by 1840, the village had a population of 1500, 200 houses, two churches, six hotels and taverns, 25 stores, three freighting companies, a tobacco factory, a gristmill, four boatyards, two dry docks, and the main offices of the Delaware and Hudson lined the banks of the Rondout Creek--Rondout was a bustling, booming river town. The growth continued and by 1855 the town had 6,000 residents, finally surpassing the village of nearby Kingston.

Although the area relied heavily on the Delaware and Hudson Canal and the Hudson River, Rondout did manage to somewhat diversify its economy in the 1840s and 1850s. Cement deposits were found throughout the valley, and in 1844 quarrying began in the "Ponchockie" section of Rondout. The Newark Lime and Cement Company shipped cement throughout the United States, a thriving business until the invention of the cheaper, quicker drying Portland Cement. The "bluestone" business also emerged in Rondout--used for sidewalks and curbing, and cut into tiles for flooring and architectural details, this regional stone was processed in Rondout, fulfilling demand in cities throughout the country. Shipyards capable of building vessels ranging from coal and ice barges to sloops, schooners, and steamboats lined the shores of the Rondout Creek. Other industries included brickmaking, ice-cutting, and even the manufacture of patent-medicines.

Kingston and Rondout, although distinct communities, were quite dependent upon each other. Kingston, the more established, though static, community possessed more of the banks and professional services, but Rondout, with its vigorous economy, had the industrial facilities and port connections to keep the area growing and competitive in the coming years. In the early 1870s, each town unsuccessfully tried to incorporate as an individual "city." In 1872, the two towns merged into one governmental unit. Rondout, the larger of the two, kept the balance of power by controlling five of the nine wards of the city, but Kingston retained its name.

With business brought by industry and transportation, the Kingston area, incorporating both Rondout and old-Kingston, profited enormously throughout the 19th century. In 1899, however, growth came to an abrubt halt when the Delaware and Hudson Canal closed. Finding it more economical for the company to ship its coal by rail, and as the demand for dependable, year-round supplies increased, the seasonal nature of canals became obsolete, and the Delaware and Hudson Canal became the Delaware and Hudson Railroad. Progress also dealt a blow to other industries--demand for local cement decreased as the faster drying Portland came into use, and so did the demand for the region's "bluestone." Shipping decreased with the decline of local industries, removing the need for shipbuilding and ship-repair industries. By 1932, only 30 years after Rondout was the primary port of the Mid-Hudson River Valley, only a few small industrial companies still operated in the river town. Transportation technologies helped Kingston prosper and made America's amazing Industrial Revolution possible. It is somewhat ironic that an early transportation technology of the Industrial Revolution, the railroad, brought about Rondout's decline.

More than mere collections of restored buildings and green spaces, each UCP/HA follows a central theme, such as "Natural Environment," "Labor History" or "Transportation," through which its special attributes are interpreted and promoted. As a result, the community itself is the park, dedicated to the preservation of its unique cultural heritage through programs such as ethnic festivals, waterfront walks, lively theater, provocative exhibits, and neighborhood walking tours.

Kingston's designation as one of New York State's 16 Urban Cultural Park/ Heritage Areas has yielded innumerable benefits to the city. Once designation took place, the UCP's economic development and revitalization programs have resulted in an improved economic base and significantly increased levels of tourism. With more activity in the area, people soon began expressing interest in Kingston as a place to live and do business. Movement back into Kingston's formerly deserted urban areas resulted in the occupancy of formerly vacant units, the rehabilitation and restoration of existing historic buildings, and even new residential construction. The gradual re-emergence of Kingston's urban core as a viable place to visit, live and do business soon increased property values, which has in turn created even greater interest in Kingston.

The Urban Cultural Park has delivered more than just economic benefits, however. Culturally, the community has also benefitted from the Kingston UCP/HA. Using the area's local history as a framework, the Kingston UCP/HA has created a series of outreach history and educational programs. Kingston UCP/HA staffers have collaborated with elementary, high school, and college students to create local history exhibits. Many of the towns most successful celebrations and festivals were established by the Kingston UCP/HA. Occurring throughout the year, the Kingston UCP/HA helps organize Stockade Day, Artober--A Celebration of Art, and World War II Commemorative Weekend. The well-known "Reenactment of the Burning of Kingston," the Tall Tales Festivals, and holiday tree-lighting celebrations, are all annual events developed through the program, as are Band Concerts on the Waterfront, the city's trolley and walking tours of historic districts.

The first of the 16 designated Urban Cultural Parks to open a visitor center, Kingston's Urban Cultural Park/ Heritage Area works closely with local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce to ensure Kingston's continued successful efforts in combining economic development with good preservation practices. With its use of the visitor center, interpretive signage, exhibits, attractive traditional green spaces and ambitious events aimed at educating the general public about Kingston's history, the Kingston Urban Cultural Park Program is a truly successful project--delivering both cultural and economic benefits to the city.

For more information about the Kingston Urban Cultural Park/ Heritage Area, please call 1-800-331-1518. For more information about the New York State Urban Cultural Park Program, call 1-518-474-0456.

Dutch Colonization

Kenny, Alice, Stubborn for Liberty, Syracuse University Press, 1989.

Goodwin, Maude W., Dutch and English on the Hudson: A Chronicle of Colonial New York, United States Publishers Association, 1977.

Rink, Oliver A., Holland on the Hudson: An Economic and Social History of Dutch New York, Cornell University Press, 1986.

Elting, Irving, Dutch Village Communities on the Hudson, Johnson Reprinting Corp., 1973.

New York and the American Revolution

Abbot, W.C., New York in the American Revolution, Haskell House Publishing, 1973.

Tiederman, Joseph S., Reluctant Revolutionaries: New York City and the Road to Independence, 1763-1776, Cornell University Press, 1997.

Diamant, Lincoln, Chaining the Hudson: The Fight for the River in the American Revolution, Citadel Press, 1994.

Kingston and Transportation

Larkin, F. Daniel, New York State Canals: A Short History, Purple Mountain Press, 1998

Steuding, Bob, Rondout: A Hudson River Port, Purple Mountain Press, 1995.

Shaughnessy, Jim, Delaware and Hudson: The History of an Important Railroad Whose Antecedent was a Canal Network to Transport Coal, Syracuse University Press, 1997.

Lowenthal, Larry, From the Coalfields to the Hudson: A History of the Delaware and Hudson Canal, Purple Mountain Press, 1997.

Wakefield, Manville B., Coal Boats to Tidewater: The Story of the Delaware and Hudson Canal, Purple Mountain Press, 1992.

Kingston Related Resources on the Web

City of Kingston Internet Site
Explore the City of Kingston's Official Internet site, and learn more about visiting Kingston in person.

Ulster County Information Pages
Kingston is located in Ulster County, New York; use this site to explore the historic and recreational resources of the entire county.

Hudson River Maritime Museum
Located in Kingston, the Hudson River Maritime Museum chronicles the history and influences of the Hudson River upon New York.

New York State Historic Preservation Office
Learn more about historic preseravation in New York State at the web site of the New York State Historic Preservation Office.

New York Travel and Tourism
Home page of the "I Love New York" tourism program, this site includes various resources for travel in New York, and history themed tours and trips in the "I Love Historic New York" pages.

National Trust for Historic Preservation
Learn about the programs of and membership in the oldest national non-profit preservation organization.

National Park Service Office of Tourism
National parks have been interwoven with tourism from their earliest days. This website highlights the ways in which the NPS promotes and supports sustainable, responsible, informed, and managed visitor use through cooperation and coordination with the tourism industry.

National Scenic Byways Program
This website, maintained by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, includes information on state and nationally designated byway routes throughout America based on their archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic qualities. Visit the America’s Byways Shawangunk Mountains Scenic Byway website for more ideas.

Under the direction of Kingston Mayor T.R. Gallo, Christine Howard, former Director of the Kingston Urban Cultural Park/ Heritage Area, conceptualized, compiled and oversaw project production. Property descriptions and contextual essays were written by Kingston City Historian Edwin Ford and Nathan Poe (NCSHPO). The travel itinerary was designed by Nathan Poe (NCSHPO).

Deputy Fire Chief Wayne D. Platte, Jr., the Senate House State Historic Site, Mary Alice Cahill, the Kingston Historic Landmarks Commission, the Friends of Historic Kingston, and NETSTEP Access Services furnished invaluable research materials, supplemental information, and technical support. National Council of Preservation Education intern Frederick MacVaugh provided research assistance and editorial support. Additional property information was provided by the State Historic Preservation Office of New York. Sara Dillard Pope (NCSHPO) provided design and editorial support. John Matthews, John E. Reinhardt, and Bud Walker provided historic and contemporary photographs.

Thank you to all of the individuals, organizations and institutions who worked so diligently on this project.