New York State-Wide Tours
The famous New York skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty.
New York State has many "faces" and is divided into 4 distinct regions.
New York City is known as "The Big Apple" and "The City That Never Sleeps."
It is the most populous metropolitan area in the world, the heartbeat of the nation and, some say, of the world,
welcoming immigrants and tourists from near and far, and is the starting point to the entire State of New York.
.............. .......................... Finger Lakes is distinctly wine country, beautiful rolling hills, and the Erie Canal. ...................... ................................It is also the home of American and Native American History, ......................... ............................................ Woman's Suffrage Movement and the Underground Railroad; .........................................movies were filmed her; industries opened up the West and Mid West, to name a few.
The Adirondacks are distinctly breathtaking high peak mountains, thousands of lakes including
the "Queen of American Lakes" - Lake George,
quaint villages including Olympic Lake Placid and Victorian Saratoga Springs,
and home to the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812,
Underground Railroad, and other historic events.
Hudson Valley is distinctly home of the original settlers, the beginnings of the State,
West Point and military activity, mansions of the rich and famous and Presidents too,
and leaders who opened up the north and west.
IDEA CENTER
for Tour Operators, Wholesalers, Group Leaders,
Clubs, Banks, Schools, and Meeting Planners
..whose groups consist of 30 or more persons.
Let Hayfield Tours prepare an exciting tour for your group
from the Idea Center or from an idea of your own.
........................................................NOTE: These tours are not for individual travelers. ..
If you you an individual,
contact your local Tour Operator, Bus Company, AAA Office
to buy a ticket on their pre-formed public tours.
................................. ............... .................................................
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INDEX OF NEW YORK STATE TOURS
Tour # NYS-1 - FABULOUS FACES OF NEW YORK STATE
Tour # NYS-2 - NEW YORK STATE ROAD TO FREEDOM
Tour # NYS-3 - NEW YORK STATE INDEPENDENCE TRAIL
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TOUR # NYS-1
FABULOUS FACES OF NEW YORK STATE
The most complete tour of New York State ever presented.
TRAVEL TO NEW YORK CITY
Air, Train, or Motorcoach
>>>>> NEW YORK CITY ........................................................................................................................................ Ellis Island State Park ........................................................................................................................................... Spend as many days in New York City as desired at end of State Tour. ............................................................... OTEL: Tarrytown
>>>>> HUDSON VALLEY SOUTH........................................................................................................................... Discovered by Henry Hudson in 1609, Hudson Valley played a major role in the formation of the United States. The East Side saw rise to mansions as summer get-aways for New York City rich and famous. Once a commercial center for whale blubber conversion to lantern oil. The West Side saw much military activity.
SLEEPY HOLLOW.................................................................................................................................................. Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate ............................................................................................................................... Phillipsburg Manor ............................................................................................................................................... Lyndhurst, the Jay Gould Estate ........................................................................................................................... Union Church of Pocantico Hills ........................................................................................................................... The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze - fall only ........................................................................................................... HOTEL: Tarrytown
WEST POINT..........................................................................................................................................................West Point Campus Tour ...................................................................................................................................... Hotel Thayer ......................................................................................................................................................... George Washington Headquarters Historic Site ................................................................................................... Purple Heart National Hall of Fame ...................................................................................................................... New Windsor Cantonment Historic Site ................................................................................................................ Brotherhood - first American winery ..................................................................................................................... HOTEL: Hotel Thayer at West Point .........................................................................................................................
>>>>> FINGER LAKES........................................................................................................................................... Known for over 200 wineries, Erie Canal, Women's Suffrage Movement, Underground Railroad, Salt. ............. ...............................D ................................................
FINGER LAKES - SOUTH........................................................................................................................................Corning Glass .......................................................................................................................................................
Rockwell Museum................................................................................................................................................. Capt. Bill's Seneca Lake Scenic Cruise.................................................................................................................Many Wineries .....................................................................................................................................................
HOTEL: Corning ..............................................................................................................................................
FINGER LAKES - WEST .........................................................................................................................................
Letchworth State Park .........................................................................................................................................
Sonnenberg Mansion and Gardens ..................................................................................................................... Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum.........................................................................................................
Lazy Acres Alpaca Farm ......................................................................................................................................Ganondagan State Historic Seneca Nation Site.................................................................................................... Genesee Country Village and Museum................................................................................................................. J-E-L-L-O Museum ................................................................................................................................................. Belhurst Castle ..................................................................................................................................................... Many Wineries Am.............................................................................................................................................sh Amish Marketplace......................................................................................................................................HOTEL: Canandaigua ..............................................................................................................................................
NIAGARA FALLS - US............................................................................................................................................ Luna Island ..........................................................................................................................................................
Maid of the Mist Boat Tour ..................................................................................................................................
Cave of the Winds...............................................................................................................................................
Fort Niagara........................................................................................................................................................ Niagara Seneca Casino........................................................................................................................................ Lockport Erie Canal Cruise ................................................................................................................................. Niagara Power Vista Project Visitors CenterCenter.............................................................................................. HOTEL: Niagara Falls
FINGER LAKES - EAST
1849 Women's Suffrage Convention National Historic Park and Museum............................................................. It's a Wonderful World Museum............................................................................................................................
3 Women's Suffrage Ladies Statue......................................................................................................................
Most Photographed Church in Finger Lakes........................................................................................................
William Seward House ......................................................................................................................................
Tiffany Willard Chapel.......................................................................................................................................... Harriet Tubman Home .........................................................................................................................................Ward W. O'Hara Agriculture Museum .................................................................................................................. Fort Hill Cemetery ...............................................................................................................................................
HOTEL: Auburn area
>>>>> 1000 ISLANDS............................................................................................................................................ Breathtaking beauty, islands galore, castles ont he St. Lawrence River, and ambiance second to none.
ALEXANDRIA BAY Y..............................................................................................................................................2-Nation St. Lawrence River Cruise...................................................................................................................... Boldt Castle........................................................................................................................................................... Singer Castle ....................................................................................................................................................... 1000 Islands Winery...............................................................................................................................................Tibbetts Lighthouse............................................................................................................................................... Remington Home and Museum............................................................................................................................. Eisenhower Locks..................................................................................................................................................HOTEL: Alexandria Bay
>>>>> ADIRONDACKS
Iroquois hunted them - Colvin named them, Olympians challenged them - tourists love them,..............................
the Magnificent Adirondack Mountains, oldest mountains on earth - 1.3 billion years old.
LAKE PLACID
Adirondack Park Scenic Drive - 6,200,000 acres - largest park in US .....................................................................
Olympic Venues - Ski Jump Complex, 1932 & 1980 Arenas, Luge Run , Luge Run ..................................................
John Brown Farm & Burial Ground ......................................................................................................................
High Falls Gorge ..................................................................................................................................................
Little Whiteface Mt. Gondola ............................................................................................................................... The Wild Center.................................................................................................................................................... Large Village Shopping .......................................................................................................................................
HOTEL: Lake Placid
LAKE GEORGE
Lake George Region and Millionaire's Row .........................................................................................................
Prospect Mt. Scenic Highway & Overlooks ...........................................................................................................
Hyde Collection ....................................................................................................................................................
Chapman Museum................................................................................................................................................ Fort William Henry Museum................................................................................................................................. Painted Pony Rodeo............................................................................................................................................. Dino Roar Park..................................................................................................................................................... Six Flags Great Escape Fun Park and Splashwater Kingdom.............................................................................. 125 Store Factory Outlet Center ........................................................................................................................... Aviation Mall ........................................................................................................................................................ HOTEL: Lake George
SARATOGA SPRINGS ........................................................................................................................................... Saratoga Springs City Tour .................................................................................................................................. Saratoga Race Track (thoroughbred), 1864 - oldest in country ............................................................................ Saratoga Race Course (harness)........................................................................................................................... Old Friends at Cabin Creek Thoroughbred Retirement Farm............................................................................... National Museum of Thoroughbred Racing.......................................................................................................... SPAC Saratoga Performing Arts Centerr............................................................................................................... New York State Military Museum.......................................................................................................................... Saratoga National Historic Battlefield Park and Museum..................................................................................... Saratoga Casino................................................................................................................................................... Canfield Casino Historical Museum ....................................................................................................................Lincoln and Roosevelt Bath Spas......................................................................................................................... 125 Mineral Tasting Springs.................................................................................................................................
ALBANY................................................................................................................................................................. Albany City - Tour ................................................................................................................................................. The Capitol - Tour ................................................................................................................................................. St. Paul's Episcopal Tiffany Church ...................................................................................................................... Washington Park and Moses................................................................................................................................. Quackenbush Square Information Center and Theatre......................................................................................... Albany Institute of History and Art - second oldest in America.............................................................................. New York State Museum with 9/11 permanent exhibition..................................................................................... Palace, Proctors, The Egg, Capital Repertory - theatres....................................................................................... Rivers Casino ....................................................................................................................................................... Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site B................................................................................................................. Ten Broeck Historic Mansion Bro........................................................................................................................... Cherry Hill Historic Mansion.................................................................................................................................. Schenectady Stockade.......................................................................................................................................... Empire State Plaza and Underground City
>>>>> HUDSON RIVER VALLEY - NORTH
Thanks to Henry Hudson in 1609 who sailed north from New York City to Albany on the “Half Moon”,.................
his discovery led to innumerable escape routes on and off the water heading north to Canada and to............ create what we know today as the beginnings of America.
HYDE PARK
Vanderbilt Mansion ..............................................................................................................................................
CIA Culinary Institute of America..........................................................................................................................
FDR Roosevelt Home, Library, & Burial Ground ...................................................................................................
Eleanor Roosevelt ValKill Home........................................................................................................................... Locust Grove, Home of Samuel Morse.................................................................................................................. Vassar College Cultural Art Center ...................................................................................................................... The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze (fall only) .........................................................................................................
HOTEL: Poughkeepsie
>>>>> NEW YORK CITY
The grandest city in the world.
NEW YORK CITY
New York City Tourr............................................................................................................................................... 9/11 Museum......................................................................................................................................................... Cruises around Manhattan Island ........................................................................................................................ Rockefeller Center ...............................................................................................................................................
St. Patricks Cathedral ..........................................................................................................................................
Broadway Theatre District ..................................................................................................................... Whatever You Want.
HOTEL: New York City
TRAVEL HOME
.................Check out and depart for home - airports and train stations nearby, major highways everywhere. ...............Trip is altered to align with available touring time of group.
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TOUR # NYS-2
NEW YORK STATE’S CRITICAL ROLE IN THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
The most complete tour of New York State Black History ever presented.
DAY 1 - TRAVEL
Fly or drive into:
Newark International Airport in Newark NJ
Stewart International Airport in Newburgh NY
JFK International Airport outside New York City
LaGuardia International Airport outside New York City.................................................................................. Dinner at hotel or downtown..........................................................................................................................
HOTEL Auburn
>>>>> FINGER LAKES - Western Escape Route
From New York City, the Underground Railroad Route splits into three: East to Hartford CT and north through Vermont to Montreal; North to Albany, Saratoga, Glens Falls and Montreal; West to Auburn, Rochester and Niagara Falls, all with the destination of Canada and freedom.
DAY 2 - AUBURN
Harriet Tubman Home & Museum.
Known as “Moses” of her time, Tubman was an extraordinary, petite woman who defied the laws of insanity and single-handedly saved over 300 fleeing slaves, passing through Auburn.
Seward House Museum.
In 1850s, U.S. Senator William H. Seward and his wife Frances sheltered fugitive slaves in their family home in Auburn, and in 1859 provided land for Harriet Tubman’s home down the street. William H. Seward was
one of most influential men of his time - N.Y. State Governor, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State to Presi-dents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. He also was instrumental in purchasing Alaska, affectionately called “Seward’s Folly”, defender of freedom and good friend of Harriet Tubman. A staunch abolitionist, Frances Miller Seward, although disliking politics, played an important role as her husband’s advisor. A free-thinker, she was known as Woman of Principle and supported the Women’s Rights movement and hid run- away slaves in her basement.
Fort Hill Cemetery.
Grave sites of William Seward, Harriet Tubman, suffragette Martha Coffin Wright, and Myles Keogh, who
fought with General Custer at Battle of Little Big Horn.
HOTEL: Auburn
DAY 3 - ROCHESTER
Frederick Douglass.
Fiery orator of the Underground Railroad Movement, publisher of “The North Star” newspaper, his home was a “station”, later fire burned it to the ground, a marker depicting its location. TOUR other “stations” in the
Rochester area.
Susan B. Anthony Home.
Co-author of the Women’s Emancipation Proclamation and staunch abolitionist. Visit home and see some of fascinating memoirs regarding her work with women’s rights and freedom for slaves.
Mount Hope Cemetery.
Burial site of Frederick Douglass, which sits atop 1100 A.D. Indian Mound and other historical monuments.
New Hope Free Methodist Church.
Formed and operated by abolitionists. Visit church and learn about its most interesting black history.
HOTEL: Auburn
>>>>> ADIRONDACKS
Iroquois hunted them, Colvin named them, Olympians challenged them, Tourists love them - the Magnificent Adirondack Mountains, the oldest mountains on earth - 1/3 billion years old !.
DAY 4 - LAKE PLACID
Gerrit Smith, Peterboro.
Lifelong philanthropist, abolitionist, social reformer. With father’s inherited wealth, Smith extended philan- thropy and commitment to both abolition and temperance movements, leading to Peterboro.becoming an important stop on the Underground Railroad. He funded John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry. Village is site of Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark, site of inaugural meeting of NYS 1835 Anti-slavery Society, was major Underground Railroad destination, site of National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum, home to suffragette and dress reform advocate Elizabeth Smith Miller. Spend time in this quaint 1795 village and walk on historic land.
John Brown, Lake Placid.
Visit actual John Brown Farm and Gravesite, home and final resting place of this famous abolitionist. Brown moved to Lake Placid 1849 to lead freed slaves in farming. 1855, he moved to Kansas to support his sons' efforts to keep Kansas a free-state under popular sovereignty laws, leaving his wife and several of his child-ren behind, returning to visit his family at Lake Placid several times. 1859, Brown attempted to start libera-tion movement among enslaved African Americans by seizing arsenal at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. For this, he was tried for treason against the state of Virginia and was hanged.
HOTEL: Lake George
DAY 5 - LAKE GEORGE
10 Talking Quilts Program.
Silent message givers used in Underground Railroad, plus colors and designs of clothes, hairdos, special verbiage, music, and other sound and sight signals including message of the trees, cooking pots, and more.
Free Copy of book considered one of most definitive works on Black History and the Underground Rail- road.
Solomon Northup, Fort Edward.
Free black man secretively captured by bounty hunters 1841 and sold INTO slavery for 12 years, his subse- quent rescue from a southern plantation 1853, his 1854 authored account of time in captivity Twelve Years A Slave, which book became rallying point for the Civil War, and then his mysterious disappearance forever.
Mintus Northup, Fort Edward.
Father of Solomon Northup buried here, an interesting story onto its own.
Fort House Museum, Fort Edward.
Upper floor devoted to Solomon Northup who lived here with his new bride before his capture a few years later.
1841 Underground Railroad Stone Chair Direction Marker
Carved escape route symbols, also a wilderness road sign. Kodak Moment!
Parks Bentley House, South Glens Falls.
1820 home built of bricks made on site, fascinating house and history, crawl down into cellar Hiding Hole which once was connected to Hudson River via escape tunnel.
HOTEL: Lake George
DAY 6 - VERGENNES
Travel north into nearby Vermont on historic Underground Railroad wagon route.
Rokeby Farm House & Museum
Home of Rowland T. Robinson. House and farm nurtured and survived growing up and growing old of four generations of Robinsons, a remarkable family of Rhode Island Quaker farmers, abolitionists, authors, and artists. It was here that one of the generations, Rowland Thomas Robinson, provided fugitive slaves with paid employment, housing, and education needed to start new lives. National Historic Landmark Under-ground Railroad stop and one of best documented sites in nation.
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
See actual skeleton of original ferry that transported slaves across Lake Champlain. On life-size replica, “walk on water” as the horses did, powering the ferry that transported fleeing people.
1859 Ferry.
Ride same ferry slaves used, historic scenic shortcut on one of oldest ferry crossings in North America. Original 1759 ferry was propelled by horses who "walked on water" and carried fugitives across Lake Champlain into New York for journey to Lake Placid and Canada as seen in the Maritime Museum.
HOTEL: Lake George
>>>>> HUDSON RIVER VALLEY
Thanks to Henry Hudson in 1609 who sailed north from New York City to Albany on the “Half Moon”, this magnificent waterway helped fleeing slaves make their incredible journey north.
DAY 7 - KINGSTON - PEEKSKILL - SLEEPY HOLLOW
Sojourner Truth, Swartekill, Town of Esopus, Kingston
Known as “Slave, Prophet, Legend”. Born into slavery, auctioned off innumerable times including once with some sheep, became abolitionist and activist preacher on rights of slaves, friend of President Abraham Lincoln.
Peekskill.
New York City and Hudson River Valley formed natural combination of resources and geographic advan- tages to create major routes for Underground Railroad. Many well-established connections to historical Underground Railroad remain in area. Visit some of them, including “Tunnel” on Henry Ward Beecher property (cousin to Harriet Beecher Stowe), Episcopal Zion Church with hiding rooms, MacGregory Brook, . a Safe House, and more.
Phillipsburg Manor, Sleepy Hollow.
Late 17th, early 18th-century milling, farming, and trading complex, interprets daily life and true culture of enslaved Africans who lived and worked on site. “Station” on Underground Railroad.
HOTEL: Tarrytown
DAY 8 - TRAVEL
Depart for journey home.
NOTE: ADD a day or two to visit NIAGARA FALLS, both US and Canadian Side for sites on the Under- ground Railroad as this area was one of several ultimate destinations to freedom.
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TOUR # NYS-3 - NEW YORK STATE INDEPENDENCE TRAIL - BIRTH OF AMERICA
Tour some of most important sites of French and Indian War and Revolutionary War - from authen- tically restored forts and historic battlefields to grand government buildings and period homes.
DAY 1 - TRAVEL
Arrive Fly or drive into:
Newark International Airport in Newark NJ or
Stewart International Airport in Newburgh NY or
Albany International Airport in Albany, NY or
Lake George by motorcoach.
HOTEL: Lake George
INTRO TOUR OF LAKE GEORGE
In-depth look at Lake George - “Queen of American Lakes”, so named by Thomas Jefferson, with its extra-ordinary history on the beginnings of America.
PROSPECT MT. SCENIC HIGHWAY & OVERVIEWS, Lake George.
5-1/2 mile drive to 2021’ summit of this French and Indian War Redoubt overlooking entire South Basin of Lake George plus views of 100 miles and 4 states. Breathtaking.
DAY 2 - LAKE CHAMPLAIN
>>>>> THE FRENCH & INDIAN WAR - 1754-1763
Story of New York’s Independence Trail begins 1754 at start of French and Indian War with fierce contest to gain control of New World. The French, allied with Algonquins and Hurons, tried to wrest control from British and American colonists who, along with their allies the Iroquois, Mohawks and Mahicans, headed north thru Champlain Valley. New York State’s strategic waterways - Lake George, Lake Champlain, and Hudson, Mohawk and St. Lawrence Rivers - made New York focal point of the war that changed course of history. War ends with France passing French Canada to British.
Crowne Point, Lake Champlain 1734-1759
Visitor Center includes exhibits interpreting French, British, and American chapters of Crown Point's history. Impressive ruins, including Fort St. Frederick (fortress within a fort) was vital and well-known in long struggle between France and Great Britain for North American empire. Lake Champlain, major highway for com-merce and military supplies, was target for control by both nations. 1759 Fort was taken by combined force of British regulars and provincial troops numbering 12,000 men. British immediately began construction of "His Majesty's Fort of Crown Point,"
Fort Ticonderoga 1755-59
Guided Tour of fort and grounds. Large gift shop, extensive History Book Store, cafe. Originally called Fort Carillon and built by French, is where American Liberty begins! Remote post on Lake Champlain guarded narrow water highway connecting New France with Britain's American colonies. Whichever nation controlled Ticonderoga controlled America. Struggle to keep or capture Ticonderoga resulted in one of bloodiest battles in American history. The following year however, British defeated the French and as troops evacuated, they blew up the powder magazine and warehouse. 1763 Formal end of French & Indian War, control of French Canada passed to Britain. Britain maintained small garrison at the Fort. 1775 Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys caught British soldiers sleeping at Fort Ticonderoga, and captured the fort on behalf of the Continental Army. Discoveries yielded 114 pieces of cannon and heavy ordnance sorely needed by the Americans. Colonel Henry Knox transported 29 of these to Boston, passing through Lake George where markers are found. During 1776-77, it was staging area for British under Burgoyne until end of war. 1783 Crown Point returned to American control under the Peace Treaty of 1783.
Rogers Rock 1757-58
Area where Native Americans and French soldiers chased Major Robert Rogers to rock’s precipice over-looking Lake George during winter. Rogers eluded pursuers by reversing his snowshoes and retracing his steps through the wilderness, fooling pursuers into thinking he had fallen over the precipice into the Lake and died.
HOTEL: Lake George
DAY 3 - LAKE GEORGE
Fort William Henry 1755-1757
Visit Fort, see movie of its history, hear presentations of musket and cannon firings, large gift shop, large History Book Store. Fall of Fort William Henry and ensuing "massacre" of surrendered English 1757 is one of most famous incidents in American history. As dramatized by James Fenimore Cooper in "Last of the Mohicans", fall of Fort was incredible tragedy of epic proportions, illustration of nobility of the British and savagery of both the French and Indians, and example of brutal primal rage.
Fort George and Battlefield Park
Site echoes history of three wars, French and Indian, American Revolution, War of 1812-1815. Remainders of entrenchments, buildings, redoubts, and citadel can be seen. See monument of Gen. William Johnson and Mohawk King Hendrick discussing strategy before their victory over the French in 1755.
Fort Edward on Rogers Island
Visit Museum, see movie, and walk the grounds. Called “The Great Carrying Place”, was the portage site
between Hudson River and Lake Champlain. First recorded military expedition 1690 by Major Gen. Fitz-John Winthrop, and Peter Schuyler 1691 leading expedition against Canada. Fort Nicholson, first built garrison 1709 during “Queen Anne’s War”, followed by stockade and trading post 1731 to protect the fort, store houses and log huts. Sawmill built 1745 and saw many raids during French and Indian War. Provincial troops arrived 1755, among them celebrated Rogers’ Rangers. Rogers Island became base camp for the Rangers during the 2-1/2 year War in the area. Many Ranger huts, a blockhouse, large barracks complex, and a large smallpox hospital were constructed 1756-59. Many Revolutionary War men such as Philip Schuyler, Israel Putnam, and Paul Revere were stationed here. 1766 the garrison was ordered evacuated, with Benedict Arnold, Gen. Knox, Gen. Howe, and Gen. Burgoyne all using the Island during their pass-thrus.
Skenesborough Navy Museum 1775
New York State Heritage Center and tour area where, under command of Benedict Arnold, colonists built and sailed this country’s first warships, earning Whitehall designation “Birthplace of U.S. Navy” as ordered by Congress to construct fleet of 13 ships to counter expected British invasion.
HOTEL: Lake George
>>>>> THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR 1775-1777
Nearly one-third of battles of American Revolution took place in New York State. Turning point of Revolutionary War was played out at Battle of Saratoga, where three British units planned to con- verge in southward assault on New York City. Patriots thwarted British and their victory set stage for the Birth of Our Great Nation.
DAY 4 - SARATOGA
Battle of Saratoga 1777
British Gen. Burgoyne, in quest to secure eastern waterways of Champlain, George and Hudson, ran into innumerable obstacles, not least of which were untamed terrain, loss at Lake George, Native Americans allies leaving, losing 1000 men and supplies from Vermont, and American controlled of Fort Stanwix to the west, encamped in Saratoga as last-ditch effort to rid the Americans on his path to New York City. For Americans, British delays and defeats brought time to re-organize and reinforce. Gen. Horatio Gates found . a way, revealed on this tour, and established defensive position at Bemis Heights. First encounter 9/19/77 saw defeat for the British, on 10/17/77 saw their capitulation. The Battle of Saratoga marked the turning point of the Revolutionary War.
Tour of Historic Saratoga Springs
Historic homes districts, Saratoga Spa State Park, taste of the magic mineral waters (become 10 years younger when you get back on bus!!!), race tracks, history galore.
New York State Military Museum
In 1899 Armory, museum houses over 10,000 artifacts dating from Revolutionary War to Desert Storm relating to contributions of New York veterans.
City Tour of Kingston
Founded 1652, farmers near Kingston provided Washington's troops with wheat and other food supplies (Kingston would become known later as "the breadbasket of the Revolution"). 1777 John Jay and other leading patriots met in stone house in Kingston to declare province a sovereign state and established first New York State Senate. In nearby building, first State Assembly met. Kingston became New York State's first capital. In October, General William Clinton brought British forces up Hudson on way to meet Burgoyne coming down from Canada - an opportunity to punish Kingston for their disloyalty to the crown. They put the torch to every house in the village but one. Residents fled to Hurley, a smaller village several miles away but returned to rebuild their city stone by stone.
HOTEL: Newburgh
DAY 5 - NEWBURGH and WEST POINT
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor
The Purple Heart is oldest military decoration still in use and was first to honor the common soldier. Initially created as Badge of Military Merit (good behavior) by commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, Gen. George Washington - a leader who understood importance of the individual soldier. Visit Museum, see movie, search out friends from computerized exhibit, help someone you know register in Hall of Honor.
New Windsor Cantonment - Apr. 19, 1783 - END OF WAR
On Purple Heart Museum grounds, New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site, where Continental Army under Gen. George Washington spent last winter and spring of Revolutionary War. October 1782, Gen. Washington moved his northern army to New Windsor to establish winter quarters. 7,500 soldiers and 500 women and children civilian refugees encamped here. By late December 1782, they had erected nearly 600 log huts into a "cantonment," a military enclave. It was here that the cease fire orders were issued by Washington ending the eight-year War of Independence on April 19, 1783.
West Point 1802
President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation establishing West Point, ensuring those attending Academy would be representative of a democratic society. USMA is oldest of the nation's five service academies. The military garrison at West Point was occupied in 1778 and played key role in the Revolutionary War. Tour campus - security check required.
Lunch at Hotel Thayer on West Point Campus
A final tribute to America from the most prestigious institution in the world.
TRAVEL HOME.
NOTE: Many historic Revolutionary war sites exist in and around New York City. 1-2-3 days can be added to this tour to include those sites.
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