Memory Lane: 7 Hudson Valley Historic Sites to Visit

You haven’t truly explored the Hudson Valley until you’ve explored its rich history, which is intertwined with that of America itself. Explore beautiful and vast properties that offer a glimpse into the Hudson Valley’s formative years. The Gomez Mill House may look modest, but it has a story as old as America. Its origins date back to 1714, when Luis Gomez, a Spanish Jew fleeing from the Spanish inquisition, purchased the land and built the house as a place to conduct trade. Its later ownership included a lieutenant in the Revolutionary War and a famous craftsman and historian. Historic Huguenot Street originated as a place for 17th-century American Huguenots to worship freely, and gradually evolved into a 10-acre home for diverse cultures, identities and architectural societies. Now a national historic landmark, Historic Huguenot Street features a replica Munsee wigwam, archeological sites and program spaces. Something of an architectural masterpiece overlooking the Hudson River, Locust Grove is a 200-acre estate featuring an Italianate villa designed for inventor Samuel Morse. It also features gorgeous garden landscapes and vistas dotted with cherry blossom trees. Speaking of architectural masterpieces, you can’t find much better than West Point, a prestigious military academy on the banks of the Hudson with awesomely scaled, fortress-like architecture in an immaculate woodland setting. The Van Wyck Homestead claims Revolutionary War fame, having served as an officer’s quarters for the Fishkill Supply Depot, a key strategic center for the patriots. It was established and frequently visited by George Washington. Located in Hyde Park, not far from the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, Val Kill was home to First Lady and human rights activist Eleanor Roosevelt. Val-Kill is a 181-acre property with several cottages set up by Roosevelt as a relaxing retreat that offered Roosevelt independence and comfort in an otherwise hectic life. Washington’s Headquarters at Newburgh is where many important decisions about the formation of the United States were made by the first Commander-in-Chief. It was there that Washington cast off the monarchy and set several precedents that still live on in American governance today.