The Hudson Valley

Much of Sunday was spent in the valley of the Hudson River in Eastern New York. 


I visited the United States Military Academy at West Point, stopping at the West Point Museum and at the Battle Monument at Trophy Point on the Academy grounds.  The museum had exhibits about the history of warfare, American wars, the Academy itself, and ancient and modern weapons.  The Battle Monument, erected by Union Civil War veterans, overlooks the Hudson River.  All around it are collections of cannon from different wars in which the United States has been involved.

From there I traveled north to the Franklin D. Roosevelt historic site at Hyde Park.  In addition to the family home, Roosevelt's presidential library is also on the grounds.  Franklin and Eleanor are buried in the rose garden not far from the house.





About an hour north, near Kinderhook, was the home of the eighth president, Martin Van Buren.  The first president born as an American, van Buren was descended from the Dutch who settled the Hudson Valley as part of their colony of New Netherland (before the English changed the name to New York).  We had a great guide on the house tour, and he waited for me for just a few minutes as I arrived at the last minute and his was the last tour of the day.  I also visited van Buren's grave in the cemetery in Kinderhook.









Continuing north, I saw another president's grave in the Albany Rural Cemetery.  Chester Alan Arthur of New York succeeded James Garfield after the latter was assassinated in 1881.  I spent the night in the Albany area.