MID HUDSON

West Point Foundry

http://www.scenichudson.org/parks/westpointfoundrypreserve

68 Kemble Ave

Cold Spring, NY 10516

Hours: Free and open year-round, dawn to dusk.

 

Historical Description:

Located in Cold Spring, Putnam County, the ruins of the West Point Foundry are surrounded by serene wetlands along the eastern shore of the Hudson River. The Foundry was originally founded by President James Madison in 1812 as one of four weapons foundries. It served a huge historical significance by producing the Parrott gun during the Civil War which helped the Union reach victory over the Confederacy. Today, the grounds of the foundry are owned by Scenic Hudson. The 87 acres of land are adjacent to a 0.7-acre Foundry Dock Park, historic chapel of Our Lady, the Cold Spring Railroad Station, and the Foundry School Museum of the Putnam County Historical Society. The grounds can be explored through a two mile hike which will take lead past the foundry ruins including a boring mill, blast furnace, and the casting house.

 

The Site:

The first building that will be seen along the walk is the Carpenter Shop - only the walls are still standing. Just past the Carpenter Shop is the building dating back to 1865 in which The Office was located. This is a two-story brick building, the only structure along the hike that still has its roof intact. Reaching the top of a ravine you will come upon the Patterson house, a mansion built by Hudson River School artist Thomas Rossiter in the 1860's. Still a private residence, the house is located directly north of the Boscobel Restoration, which offers hikers a fabulous view of Constitution Marsh. In order to see all the foundry ruins and explore the wetlands, allow at least one to two hours. You may also view a video about the history of the West Point Foundry at Putnam History Museum. To learn more, visit the Putnam History Museum at: https://www.putnamhistorymuseum.org/