Day 222 - June 4, 2013: Garrison, Cold Spring, and West Point

This day's adventure began by driving up along the east side of the Hudson River where the narrow road alternately follows the water's edge and then climbs up over hills where you can see for miles. We crossed the Appalachian Trial which traverses the river bridge at Bear Mountain State Park and saw some hikers as evidenced by their large backpacks. This is a stunningly beautiful area filled with dense trees and historic homes.

Garrison is a very small town that is famous because it was the site of the filming of "Hello, Dolly!" starring Barbara Streisand in 1969. It is directly east across from West Point at the narrowest point of the river. Today we saw quaint old homes, the gazebo used in the movie, and the original railroad station, which is now used as a playhouse, squeezed between the busy, newer commuter station and the river.

West Point across the Hudson from Garrison

Gazebo used in filming "Hello, Dolly!"

Further up we stopped at Cold Spring which some say earned that name because George Washington liked drinking the cold water there. We took pictures from the waterfront and walked the small town's shops. The city has many restored 19th century buildings and homes constructed for the workers in the West Point Foundry. This foundry produced the Parrot Rifles that were significantly more accurate than anything before, and thus instrumental in helping the North during the Civil War.

The Parrot Rifle produced in the Cold Spring's West Point Foundry

Shops along Main St. in Cold Spring

Our third stop and our main objective for the day was to tour West Point which required crossing to the west side of the river. West Point is the U.S. Military Academy which was established by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 at the sight of then Fort Clinton. West Point produced 2/3 of the officers who later fought against each other during the Civil War and has a rich history of graduates including two U.S. presidents, numerous multi-star generals, astronauts, three Heisman Trophy winners, and many leading corporate CEOs. The Point's grounds, dorms and classrooms are high up on cliffs overlooking the river, and today the college provides choices of 43 degrees to about 4,500 cadets.

George Washington dorm and chapel above

Cadet Chapel 

West Point Cemetery

View out over the Hudson

Tonight we ate dinner at the Ocean House Oyster Bar & Grill in Croton-on-Hudson. This has been argued by the writer of a Hudson River guide to be the best seafood restaurant on all of the Hudson and perhaps the NY area as well. The food was very good.