“Celebrate Washington’s Birthday at Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Site Sunday February 16, 2025” | Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area

Events

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Events must be related to the themes of the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area and be heritage, cultural, historical, and/or recreational/trail related.

“Celebrate Washington’s Birthday at Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Site Sunday February 16, 2025”

“Celebrate Washington’s Birthday at Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Site Sunday February 16, 2025” Feb 16, 2025 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Location: 289 Forge Hill Road Vails Gate, New York 12584 Website: www.facebook.com/newwindsorcantonment Email: michael.mcgurty@parks.ny.gov Phone: 8455627141

News Release: KHQ-25-1 Contact: Chad Johnson For Immediate Release Phone: (845) 562-7141 ext. 22 E-mail: Chad.Johnson@parks.ny.gov “Celebrate Washington’s Birthday at Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Site Sunday February 16, 2025” New Windsor, NY — Over the winter of 1780-81 at this headquarters, General Henry Knox organized the artillery for the projected attack on New York City. Soldiers, at the nearby encampment, repaired and trained on the guns, howitzers, and mortars. Tours of the house Sunday February 16 at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM & 3:00 PM. Musket firing and artillery demonstrations between tours. Free admission! Knox’s Headquarters is located at 289 Forge Hill Road, Vails Gate, (New Windsor) New York, just three miles south of the intersection of I-87 and I-84 and is 1 mile south, of the co-located National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and the New Windsor Cantonment. For more information please call (845) 562-7141 ext. 22. Under the direction of local stonemason William Bull, “Mount Ellison”, the genteel combination English and Dutch-style stone house was built for prominent local merchant Thomas Ellison by an unknown number of skilled artisans and laborers between April and September 1754. During the American Revolution, Continental Army generals Nathanael Greene, Henry Knox and Horatio Gates used this house as a military headquarters. Inside these walls, General Knox planned and directed the gathering of the artillery that was used to win the Battle of Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781. In 1783, Major John Armstrong, at the urging of nationalists in the Continental Congress, wrote the letters sparking the Newburgh Conspiracy, calling for the army to menace the government with military force. Nearby New Windsor Cantonment has an event from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday February 15 & Monday February 17. For more information please call (845) 562-7141 X 22. Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site, at 84 Liberty Street, in Newburgh, has a full schedule of activities for the Presidents’ weekend. For more information please call (845) 562-1195. Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Site is one of 35 historic sites within the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and one of 40 facilities administered by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission in New York and New Jersey. For further information please call (845) 562-7141, visit the New York State Parks website at: https://parks.ny.gov or find us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/newwindsorcantonment The Palisades Parks Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports the Palisades Interstate Parks and Historic Sites by raising funds, increasing public awareness, and supporting visitor education. Find us at: https://www.palisadesparks.org, or call us 1-845-630-8174. Palisades Parks Conservancy, P.O. Box 513, New York, NY 10018 -30-

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