Located in southeastern New York State, Orange County is directly north of the border with New Jersey, west of the Hudson River, east of the Delaware and northwest of New York City. Points of interest in Orange County include the US Military Academy at West Point, America’s oldest winery in Washingtonville, the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, the first cold press daily in the nation in Middletown.
Transportation the region is served by Stewart International, located west of Newburgh, and providing national and international flights. Ground transportation consists of bus service within Orange County and rail to New York City.
Newburgh is situated on land that rises sharply to a bluff; many historic homes are located here with sweeping views of the Hudson river and highlands to the south. Newburgh’s preservation history can be traced to 1850 when Washington’s Headquarters was designated a state historic site, the first in the country. The city’s modern preservation efforts led to the development of a historic district the second largest in New York State.
Port Jervis is at the confluence of the Neversink and Delaware Rivers in the western part of the county and north of the Delaware Water Gap. Port Jervis industrial history includes a role in shipping coal to major markets to the southeast by canal and later by railroads as well as long-distance rail passenger service until 1970. Today, tourists pass through Port Jervis on their way to enjoying rafting, kayaking, canoeing and other activities in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
The Story of Mobility in America
Maritime Museums in Historic Towns
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Kingston was New York’s first capital in 1777; in the 19th century, the city was a transport hub, with rail and canal connections. The city has three historic districts: Stockade, the Midtown Broadway Corridor, and Rondout West Strand downtown. Kingston Landing is a short navigable distance from the Hudson River and the point of reference for coal shipments and bluestone via the Delaware and Hudson Canal.
The Hudson River Maritime Museum is located at 50 Rondout Landing at the foot of Broadway along the old waterfront. Its collections are devoted to the history of shipping and industry on the Hudson. In the early 1800s, four sloops plied the river from Kingston to New York. By 1829, steamers made the trip to Manhattan in a little over twelve hours, usually travelling by night.
Rondout Walking Tours highlight the industrial history of the region
Lectures include but are not limited to:
Keepers of the Light: Women Lighthouse Keepers of the Hudson River
19th Century Hudson River Industries
The Hudson River and Its Canals: Building the Empire State
Hudson River Steamboats and Tugboats
Lighthouses of the Hudson River
The Changing Mouth of Rondout Creek: Lighthouses, Barges, and Jetties
Connect for Travel on the Hudson River