Stony Point Battlefield is a historic site in
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is about from the Bronx at their closest points. The county's population, as of t ...
; the location of the 1779
Battle of Stony Point
The Battle of Stony Point took place on July 16, 1779, during the American Revolutionary War. In a well-planned and -executed nighttime attack, a highly trained select group of George Washington's Continental Army troops under the command of Bri ...
during the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
. It is a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
and has a museum.
History
The site was purchased and preserved in the late 1890s, and opened to the public in 1902.
A flying stunt was flown during the July 16, 1929 sesquicentennial of the Stony Point Battlefield, in front of a crowd of over 8,000 dignitaries. A number of traditional military units were on display, including the US Horse Artillery, the
First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry
The First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, also known as the First City Troop, is a unit of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. It is one of the oldest military units in the United States still in active service and is among the most decorat ...
and various infantry army and National Guard units. In comparison to these 18th and 19th century horse and foot-transportation methods, "A modern feature was the flying over the battlefield during the exercises, of an airplane piloted by Mrs.
Opal Kunz
Opal Kunz (November 6, 1894 – May 15, 1967) was an early American aviator, the chief organizer of the Betsy Ross Air Corps, and a charter member of the Ninety-Nines organization of women pilots. In 1930, she became the first woman pilot to r ...
, who dropped an American flag." "During the ceremonies, Mrs. Kunz flew alone from the Newark, NJ Airport, in her airplane, the '
Betsy Ross
Elizabeth Griscom Ross (née Griscom;Addie Guthrie Weaver, ''"The Story of Our Flag..."'', 2nd Edition, A. G. Weaver, publ., 1898, p. 73 January 1, 1752 – January 30, 1836), also known by her second and third married names, Ashburn an ...
' over Stony Point, and from an altitude of 1,000 feet dropped several hundred small American flags, and also a larger one, weighted, which fell upon the battlefield."
A museum was built on the site in 1936, and in the 1940s the
Palisades Interstate Park Commission
The Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) was formed in 1900 by Governors Theodore Roosevelt of New York and Foster Voorhees of New Jersey in response to the quarrying operations along the Palisades Cliffs of New Jersey. The Palisades, a Na ...
took over administration of the battlefield and began to acquire more of the surrounding area.
It was declared a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1961.
[ and ]
The Stony Point Battlefield along with
DeWint House
The DeWint House, in Tappan, New York, is one of the oldest surviving structures in Rockland County and is an outstanding example of Hudson Valley Dutch Colonial Revival architecture, Dutch Colonial architecture. It was built using brick and indi ...
in
Tappan and
Blauvelt House in
New City are the only places in
Rockland County
Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is about from the Bronx at their closest points. The county's population, as of th ...
designated as New York State
Paths through History sites.
By the 1980s, the park encompassed all public land on the peninsula, including the historic
Stony Point Lighthouse, built in 1826.
The site is now operated as Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site, and includes the museum with exhibits about the battle and the lighthouse. The park offers interpretive programs including 18th century military life, cannon and musket firings, cooking demonstrations, nature walks, guided tours of the battlefield, and children's activities.
Artist
Lee Woodward Zeigler
Lee Woodward Zeigler, also known as Albert Lee Zeigler, (May 7, 1868—June 16, 1952) was an American artist who began his career as an illustrator and later worked as a muralist.
Early life and education
Born Albert Lee Zeigler, on May 7, 1 ...
worked for the
Federal Emergency Relief Administration
The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) was a program established by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1933, building on the Hoover administration's Emergency Relief and Construction Act. It was replaced in 1935 by the Works Progress Adm ...
(FERA) and painted two murals c.1936 at the Stony Point Battlefield museum in
Stony Point, New York, one of which features
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
and
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 – December 15, 1796) was an American soldier, officer, statesman, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his mil ...
planning their attack from nearby
Buckberg Mountain.
The park is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is accessible from
U.S. Route 9W
U.S. Route 9W (US 9W) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the states of New Jersey and New York. It begins in Fort Lee, New Jersey, as Fletcher Avenue crosses the US 1–9, US 46, and the Interstate 95 (I-95) approache ...
just north of the Village of
Stony Point.
See also
*
List of National Historic Landmarks in New York
This is a list of National Historic Landmarks and comparable other historic sites designated by the U.S. government in the U.S. state of New York. The United States National Historic Landmark (NHL) program operates under the auspices of the Nat ...
*
List of New York State Historic Sites
This is a list of New York (state) historic sites. It includes 40 state-designated historic sites and parks managed by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Twenty-two sites also are National Historic Landmarks ...
References
External links
Point Battlefield State Historic Site, at NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic PreservationNew York State Paths through History designation
{{Protected areas of New York
American Revolutionary War sites
New York (state) in the American Revolution
National Historic Landmarks in New York (state)
New York (state) historic sites
Museums in Rockland County, New York
American Revolutionary War museums in New York (state)
Military and war museums in New York (state)
National Register of Historic Places in Rockland County, New York