A trip to Cold Spring, NY
On February 4, I decided to go to Cold Spring, NY. When we had a house in Putnam Valley we used to go there often. It’s a picturesque river town, which happened to be the closed metro north station to where we lived. Wikipedia describes it as follows:
Cold Spring is a village in the town of Philipstown in Putnam County, New York, United States. The population was 1,986 at the 2020 census. It borders the smaller village of Nelsonville and the hamlets of Garrison and North Highlands. The central area of the village is on the National Register of Historic Places as the Cold Spring Historic District due to its many well-preserved 19th-century buildings, constructed to accommodate workers at the nearby West Point Foundry (itself a Registered Historic Place today). The town is the birthplace of General Gouverneur K. Warren, who was an important figure in the Union Army during the Civil War. The village, located in the Hudson Highlands, sits at the deepest point of the Hudson River, directly across from West Point. Cold Spring serves as a weekend getaway for many residents of New York City.
The Village’s website provides this information.
The historic Village of Cold Spring, New York, was incorporated in 1846 and is a small community of approximately 2000 residents located on the scenic banks of the Hudson River just 50 miles north of New York City. Easily accessible from major highways and the Hudson Line of Metro-North Railroad, Cold Spring offers a wide range of recreational and cultural diversion, as well as fine culinary choices from pizza and baked goods to some of the finest restaurants in the Hudson Valley. Visitors can browse through our unique shops, take historic tours or simply enjoy the breathtaking surroundings. Residents and tourists alike take advantage of a variety of outdoor activities such as boating, hiking, cycling and kayaking. For those seeking leisure and relaxation, there is plenty of quiet space at our picturesque waterfront and in our well maintained parks. It is easy to envision why a village was established here on the banks of the Hudson River. The abundance of natural resources and the ingenuity of Cold Spring’s first settlers put it on the map nearly 200 years ago, and we are still thriving today.
As early as the 1600s, the Hudson River was used as a major watercourse by Native Americans and continued to be a main mode of travel and transport until the nineteenth century. In addition, Cold Spring’s proximity to what is now Fahnestock State Park provided a cheap source of lumber and iron ore. Margaret’s Brook, a small creek located to the west of Route 9D which runs into the Hudson River, supplied hydro-power to the West Point Foundry, which helped propel Cold Spring from a tiny hamlet into a bustling village. Even the name of Cold Spring is linked to a natural resource. Myth has it that George Washington drank from a local spring and declared it to be refreshingly cold.
The first settler of Cold Spring was Thomas Davenport in 1730. A small trading hamlet grew alongside the river by the early 1800s, and in 1818, Gouverneur Kemble and others established the West Point Foundry. It became one of the major industrial sites in the United States and provided munitions (including the famed Parrott gun) for the Union Army during the Civil War. With the influx of workers at the Foundry, local housing, businesses and churches increased, and Cold Spring was incorporated as a village in 1846. During the last half of the nineteenth century, Cold Spring was a magnet for artists, writers and prominent families, all attracted to the extraordinary beauty of the Highlands. Great mansions were built along Morris Avenue, including Undercliff, the home of George Pope Morris, and Craigside, the home of Julia and Daniel Butterfield. After the Foundry closed in 1911, Cold Spring’s prominence faded; however, following World II, a rebirth began with an influx of businesses into the Hudson River Valley and commuters to New York City. In 1973, the Village was designated a Federal Historic District, and tourists have been visiting Cold Spring’s historic sites, shops, restaurants and hiking trails ever since.
Through the changing times since 1973, the Village of Cold Spring has been unique among the Hudson River communities in retaining its fundamental character. This is largely due to the steadfast loyalty of Cold Spring residents and their ingenuity in adapting to the needs of the present while carefully preserving their heritage and way of life.
Apart from it being a nice place to visit, I had a particular reason for going. We used to frequent a restaurant in Cold Spring. It’s called Le Bouchon, and I felt like having it’s Cassoulet again.
So off I went.
Here Coffee + Beer. My first stop wasn't Cold Spring though. I'm compulsively punctual. I'll get to a particular location an hour early, rather than risk being 1 minute late. This means that, when I'm taking a train, I often get there very early. Luckily there's a small place next to the Ossining Metro North station where you can have coffee and/or snacks while you wait for your train. They also have a great selection of craft beers, which since it was fairly early in the morning I skipped, tempted though I was.
It’s called Here Coffee + Beer
While there I was particularly impressed by these large, metal, machines. I assume they are some kind of commercial coffee roaster. Very picturesque.
A photo exhibition. Here Coffee + Beer was holding a exhibition of photographs by Brian Avenius. It’s called Lost and Found and it’s running through February. Some very impressive, large format photographs here.
I’ve often thought about printing some of my photographs larger, but I always talk myself out of it. Since I don’t have a large format printer, it would cost me quite a bit to print them, and I’m not sure what I would do with them afterwards. I certainly don’t have any wall space in my house, and I don’t sell any of my photographs. I think I’ll stick to printing smaller format photobooks.
It might be nice to print a couple of them though…just to see how they look.
Strange Structure Seen from Ossining Metro North Station. At first, I thought it might be the structure mentioned by Caroline Curvan in a post (Ossining’s Revolutionary War Gun Emplacement? UPDATED) on her wonderful blog: Ossining History on the Run. But it clearly isn’t, so I have no idea what it is.
I’ll have to check out the structure that Caroline discovered.
Stairs at Ossining Metro North Station . I just thought they looked cool. Wouldn’t have been the same without the green sides though.
The Hudson House. I had a bit of time to kill before heading to Le Bouchon, so I took a few pictures along the waterfront, starting with the Hudson House, another wonderful place to eat. It’s located right next to the river in an historic building. It’s one of a number of historic houses west of the train tracks.
According to its website:
Hospitality has been the hallmark of the Hudson House for over 175 years. With an eye toward preserving its unique historic character, we are setting standards for comfort and convenience. The 2 large guest suites and 11 rooms — many with balconies and views of the Hudson River — features luxurious linens, period furnishings, private baths and modern amenities. Everything is designed to assure a tranquil, restful atmosphere.
Built in 1827 and operated as a hotel since 1832, the Hudson House River Inn is truly a part of Hudson River history.
Originally named the Pacific Hotel and later the Hudson View Inn, the building is located on the serene waterfront in the village of Cold Spring, where the famed Civil War Parrot guns were produced. One of the largest inns on the river, the Hudson House has undergone several transformations, though many original details remain.
The building in it current form was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It has the distinction of being the second-oldest continuously operated inn in the state of New York.
Our two main dining areas — the River Room and the Half Moon Tavern — redefine the term “inn.” Lunch or dinner in the River Room may include fresh seafood, New Zealand rack of lamb, veal and regional specialties, accompanied by our award winning wine list. The casual Half Moon Tavern, complete with fireplace and period dècor, serves cocktails and informal fare. Both dining rooms are open to the public year-round.
We welcome you to our quaint village of Cold Spring and hope you and your guests enjoy your visit.
I’ve eaten there many times over the 25 years I’ve been back in this area, and it’s always been excellent.
Some more pictures of houses west of the train tracks (there are a lot more east of the tracks, but I didn’t have the time to tackle those). They form part of the Cold Spring Historic District. Indeed, the plaque on the wall of the building in the first picture above reads:
This Property has been
placed on the
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
by the United States
Department of the Interior
Circa 1820
According to Living Places USA Neighborhoods & Towns
The Cold Spring Historic District is concentrated along the long east-west axis of Main Street, a commercial street with scattered municipal, ecclesiastical and residential structures. All of Main Street from the Hudson River east to the village limits is contained within the district. Portions of residential streets intersecting Main Street are also included in the district and include the distinctive examples of the full range of styles, buildings types and construction methods spanning over a century of growth in the community.
As an eighteenth century Hudson River landing, the village was initially focused around the shoreline. The area between the river and the railroad on Market, Main and West Streets represent the earliest configuration of the village. Today this area is distinguished by nineteenth century structures, however the character of the landing is maintained.In the early nineteenth century, with the completion of a turnpike travelling to the interior, a plan was established for the development of the village by Frederick Phillipse. The orderly arrangement of commercial structures on Main Street, the flanking residential streets, and large estate houses higher up on the hillside are indicative of this early building plan. The thorough mix of early, middle and late nineteenth century structures throughout the district document the phases of the village’s growth within the established pattern of streets. Many of the buildings have had alterations made to their storefronts, window sash or siding material yet to historic character, scale and setting of the district survives substantially intact.
The commercial district of Main Street is an eight block section that stretches from the river to New York Route 9D (Morris Avenue/Chestnut Street). The construction of the railroad in the 1850’s severed Main Street and traffic must detour to a bridge south of the commercial district to reach the landing. Two and three story buildings front on Main Street on narrow lots. Architecturally, it is an extremely eclectic streetscape with early nineteenth century frame buildings and later brick structures of various scales juxtaposed along its lengths. Details from the many building periods are intact: bracketed cornices, cast-iron window lintels, mansard roofs, storefronts, porches, etc.Morris Avenue and Chestnut Street (Route 9D) intersects Main Street about midway along its length. This major intersection is distinguished by Cold Spring’s most notable church, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, a hotel, and a modern gas station. Opposite the church on Chestnut Street, a group of substantial town houses suggest the prestige of the location. Impressive Second Empire homes face Morris Avenue north of the intersection. Capitalizing on the view of the river and the highlands available at higher elevations, the wealthier members of the community built on Paulding Avenue, named for one of Cold Spring’s prominent families. Below these estates on Chestnut Street, Academy Street and Cherry Street is more modest middle-class housing, and a small, yet distinguished, Presbyterian Church. This character of housing, though earlier, continues east on Main from Route 9D to the village limits. A brick Methodist Church and the Philipstown Town Hall are buildings of particular architectural interest in this section of the district.
Two other residential areas adjacent to Main Street are included in the historic district. Kemble Avenue, south of Main Street, contains a significant surviving row of duplex workers’ houses built for laborers at the West Point Foundry which was immediately to the south. The archeological remains of the foundry site were listed on the National Register, April 11, 1973.North of Main Street, adjacent to the railroad tacks is a residential neighborhood reflecting the railroad’s role in village life. The passenger station survives intact and re-used as a restaurant. Railroad Avenue and Stone Street contain small neat houses from the railroad era. Fair Street contains more substantial homes and a church and parsonage in exceptionally good condition. The streets not included in the district contain larger numbers of substantially altered buildings or were developed since the 1930’s.
The Cold Spring Historic District contains approximately 225 structures of varying types periods and methods of construction.Significance
The first mention of ‘Cold Spring’ appears in the minutes of a meeting in Philipse’s Precinct in April of 1772. Philipse Precinct later became the town of Philipstown, in which Cold Spring is a village. It had been patented by a grant, to Adolph Philipse, in June 1677. Frederick Philipse, a descendent, was the first male member of the family to reside in the precinct and he laid out most of the streets, sold lots and regulated the growth of the area until it was incorporated in 1846.
By the beginning of the nineteenth century, only a few houses formed a hamlet down by the shore of the Hudson. In 1815 the first road was built from Cold Spring to Patterson (Main Street – Route 301) on the east side of the county, with toll houses at various intervals. It was constructed by the Philipstown Turnpike Company. In 1816 it was rumored that a foundry was to open and the waterfront area became the nucleus of the later, important industrial community of Cold Spring which centered around the West Point Foundry. The foundry was chartered in 1818. Two years later the first gun contract was signed and great prosperity occurred in the village. Homes for foundry operators sprang up, built by the West Point Foundry on its own land.
In 1837 the decision to consolidate some foundry departments of operation at New York in Cold Spring again increased the size of the population and community. Cold Spring became a commercial and manufacturing center in the Hudson Highlands. The Gouveneur family, owners of large tracts of land, began to sell small lots in 1839. More streets were built, churches established and stores multiplied.During the Civil War, the West Point Foundry reached its peak with the invention of the Parrott rifle gun and projectile by Robert Parker Parrott, a West Point graduate, former assistant professor of Mathematics at the Academy, and supervisor of the Foundry. Parrott used his fortune from the Parrott rifle to beautify the village and build homes for his employees. In 1868 he donated the property and contributed toward the building of the Church of St. Mary’s in the Highlands.
Many of the structures within the historic district survived the fires of 1862 and 1875. Several stores and buildings on the south side of Main Street were destroyed in 1862, though most were rebuilt. It was again the south side of Main street, but above the tracks, that suffered severe damage and loss in 1875. The railroad (N.Y.C. & Hudson River Railroad) had been built during the 1850’s dividing Main Street, east of Market Street. By 1868 it was determined that a town building was necessary for public meetings and the present Philipstown town hall was built at the district’s eastern-most boundary. A few random properties were built between the late 19th century to the turn of the 20th century, as the community attained its present size.
A Bandstand.
Bandstand down by the river. I’ve never actually seen a concert there, but I imagine they must have them. I’m sure it’s a pleasant place to sit and listen to music during warm weather.
I’ve included the plaque, partly because it says something about the history of the bandstand, but also because may name is Dale and, once upon a time in my youth I, too had a band connection.
Views of the Hudson Highlands. Cold Spring is at the southern end of the Hudson Highlands, mountains on both sides of the Hudson River in New York state lying primarily in Putnam County on its east bank and Orange County on its west. They continue somewhat to the south in Westchester County and Rockland County, respectively. The highlands are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains.
North to south they fall between Newburgh Bay and Haverstraw Bay, the latter forming the northern region of the New York – New Jersey Highlands.
The Hudson River enters this region in the south at Dunderberg Mountain near Stony Point, and from the north in the vicinity of Breakneck Ridge and Storm King Mountain near Cornwall, New York. These highlands have played a significant role in America’s environmental, cultural, and military history.
Prior to European exploration, the Hudson Highlands were inhabited by Native American Lenape people. Henry Hudson and his crew on the Half Moon were the first Europeans known to see the Highlands when they explored the river in 1609.
The mountains became strategically important during the American Revolutionary War, when it was important for the Continental Army to hold the river valley and prevent the British from cutting New England off from the rest of the colonies. During the Revolutionary War, to prevent British shipping from using the river, the Hudson River Chain was forged at the Sterling Iron Works in Warwick, New York, a town in Orange County. From 1778 to 1782, the chain was stretched across the river from the Fort Clinton at West Point. The site of the fort is today the easternmost point of the grounds of the United States Military Academy. The only surviving piece of the boom and chain is currently on display at Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site in Newburgh, New York.
Several decades after independence, Thomas Cole started an artistic movement by painting America’s wild and rugged landscapes— especially, at first, the Highlands— with the stark contrasts and shadows they offered, in a way that suggested raw nature, a world reborn. After the movement had faded, a critic derisively referred to the movement as the Hudson River School; the name stuck as the label for the new nation’s first homegrown artistic movement.
In the early 20th century, in response to damage caused by quarrymen and loggers in the Highlands, local conservationists began to press for public ownership of the area’s woods and mountains. Their efforts paid off in the first of several state parks that now blanket the chain.
Later that century, an ambitious power-generating plan that would have dug into Storm King Mountain led to a landmark lawsuit by environmental groups that made history when the judge ruled that aesthetic impacts of such large projects could be considered and that a coalition of citizen groups had legal standing. This landmark lawsuit formed the basis for a large body of case law concerning environmentalism. (Adapted from Wikipedia)
A Replica Parrott Rifle.
According to Civilwaracademy.com
The Civil War Parrott Rifle was a groundbreaking artillery innovation that significantly influenced the tactics and outcomes of the American Civil War. Renowned for its enhanced accuracy and extended range, this rifled cannon transformed battlefield engagements and siege warfare.
The Inception of the Parrott Rifle
The Civil War Parrott Rifle emerged from the innovative mind of Robert Parker Parrott, a West Point graduate and former U.S. Army officer. After resigning from the military, Parrott became the superintendent of the West Point Foundry in 1836. His exposure to artillery manufacturing and engineering expertise led him to address the limitations of existing cannon designs.
In 1860, Parrott patented his rifled cannon design, which ingeniously combined affordability with advanced technology. His invention arrived at a crucial moment, just before the outbreak of the Civil War, positioning the Parrott Rifle as a significant asset in the impending conflict.
Design and Technological Advancements
The Parrott Rifle was distinguished by several key innovations that set it apart from traditional Civil War artillery.
Rifled Barrel Innovation
The introduction of rifling—a series of spiral grooves inside the barrel—allowed the Parrott Rifle to impart a stabilizing spin to its projectiles. This spin greatly enhanced accuracy and range compared to smoothbore cannons, enabling gunners to hit targets with unprecedented precision.
Reinforced Breech Mechanism
Parrott addressed the issue of barrel strength by reinforcing the breech—the rear part of the cannon where the explosion occurs—with a wrought iron band. This reinforcement allowed the cannon to withstand higher internal pressures, reducing the risk of catastrophic failures that were common with cast iron cannons of the era.
Specialized Projectiles
Parrott designed projectiles specifically for his rifle. These shells featured expanding brass rings or sabots that engaged the rifling grooves upon firing. This engagement ensured a tight seal (known as obturation), maximizing the propellant’s force and improving both range and accuracy.
Many Parrott rifles were made at the West Point Armory in Cold Spring, the ruins of which can still be seen (See: West Point Foundry).
For more information see the Wikipedia article on the Parrott Rifle.
By this time, I was getting rather hungry, so I finally went to my ultimate destination: Brasserie Le Bouchon
In an earlier post I mentioned that I went to this restaurant because I wanted to have their cassoulet. However, when I got to the restaurant, I realized that I would still be walking around for a while. I’d had their cassoulet before and its quite substantial. It occurred to me that if I had that I’d probably be semi-comatose afterwards and wouldn’t want to walk any more. So, reluctantly I ordered something lighter: a Frisée Salad (with croutons, lardons and an egg) and a cream of cauliflower soup. I also had a Crème Brûlée for dessert. Everything tasted great and didn’t feel particularly full.
Seeing a camera around my neck, the guy in the fourth picture started talking to me. It turns out that he also has the same camera I was using, and we chatted for a while about cameras and photography while he waited for his lunch partner to arrive.
Chapel of our Lady Restoration
Situated on a rise right next to the Cold Spring Metro North Station and the Hudson, this picturesque chapel has an amazing view across the river.
According to the restoration website (which also has some interesting old pictures).
Like most American stories, ours begins with immigration. Of the multitudes who came to our shores between 1820 and1860, a third were from Ireland. For those who gained employment at the West Point Foundry in Cold Spring, a chapel was established to serve them and their families. Foundry owner Gouverneur Kemble donated land and funds for what would be the first Catholic church north of Manhattan.
On the banks of the Hudson River, in the heart of the Highlands opposite West Point, The Chapel Restoration is a national historic landmark, built in 1833 in the Greek Revival style.
Fifty miles north of New York City, across from Metro North Railroad Station and within walking distance of the charming 19th century village of Cold Spring, the chapel, which has no religious affiliation, hosts the renowned Sunday Music Series and Sunset Reading Series.
A beautiful and serene setting for weddings and other private gatherings, such as christenings, commitment ceremonies, renewal of vows and memorials, it is also a place of repose and contemplation for visitors to its grounds offering spectacular views.
Originally known as Chapel of Our Lady, The Chapel Restoration, Cold Spring, New York, was built in 1833, in the Greek Revival style.
Abandoned in 1906, it was a charred, weather-ravaged ruin until its restoration in the 1970s.
It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1996, with funds from the estate of Hugh Holt, a balcony based on the original was built and a tracker action pipe organ custom-built by George Bozeman was installed.
The chapel also has a Steinway Grand Piano, once owned by the Livingston family.
…
Its designer was another immigrant, a 19-year-old from England, Thomas Kelah Wharton. Built in 1833 of locally made red brick covered with stucco, the chapel was in the Greek Revival style, then in vogue. Its columns were of the Tuscan order, a simple, unfluted version of the Doric, whose supreme expression is the Parthenon in Athens.
Contemporary press describes a festive dedication, September 21, 1834, with people arriving by boat. A large choir performed, along with a band from West Point, “whose notes might be heard in the recesses of the mountains,” for dignitaries of church and state.
The foundry went on to become a major producer of Civil War armaments. Test firing greatly damaged chapel walls, and Captain Robert P. Parrott, then in charge, paid for repairs. Victorian additions altered the building’s integrity, and the coming of the railroad cut it off from the life of the town. Abandoned in 1906, it fell victim to the forces of nature and time. Ravaged by fire in 1927, it was a ruin until 1971, when, in the words of The New York Sunday News, “A Methodist, a Lutheran, a Jew, a Presbyterian or two, a scattering of Episcopalians and a handful of Catholics,” including actress Helen Hayes, came together, to buy it from the Archdiocese and undertake its restoration.
The work was overseen by architect Walter Knight Sturges, and the chapel was dedicated as an ecumenical site in 1977.
The Depot.
We used to go to The Depot often, largely because they allow dogs in the outside area.
The Depot was a Hudson River line station from 1893 to 1954. After spending 18 years as a car dealership, the Restaurant opened in 1972 and has been there ever since. Nowadays The old train station at the bottom of Main Street has two fireplaces for cozy indoor dining, a large outdoor garden area for drinks, dinner, or parties. It also has a large, inviting bar. Oh, and it’s also haunted:
According to legend, on Wednesday nights, the main dining room has one extra guest, who did not make a reservation. In 1898, a local woman learned that her husband planned to kill her. The unfortunate lady rushed to the train depot to catch the 10:15 train to Poughkeepsie, but was apprehended by her husband, who stabbed her on a bench in the waiting room two minutes before the train’s arrival. Today, the former waiting room serves as the restaurant’s main dining room and locals claim that at 10:13 on Wednesday nights, a cold draft wafts through the section of the room where she was killed. (USA Today)
A small park adjoining The Depot.
This small park is right next to The Depot. I’ve never been entirely sure whether it’s part of the restaurant or not.
It can be a pleasant place to sit in warm weather, but its main claim to fame is probably the plaque seen in the last two pictures. In case you can’t see it well it reads:
GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON
In frequent visits to the American
Troops encamped nearby during the
WAR OF THE REVOLUTION
Drank at this spring and gave it its name
COLD SPRING
I wonder if this claim is verifiable, or if it’s just a variation on the “George Washington, slept here” theme.
Inside an "antiques" store. Cold Spring has a number of interesting shops. Some might call them “Antique” Stores, but I fear that if you’re looking for valuable, high quality, vintage wares you might (with a few exceptions) be disappointed.
Rather than call them “Antique” stores, it might be more accurate to call them “Bric-à-brac” stores, i.e. small decorative objects of various types and of no great value. You typically find old books, records, cds, videos, photographs, old equipment (e.g. cameras) and dolls etc.
Still, some of these pieces have a certain charm of their own.