About Uptown Kingston, NY
Ulster County Courthouse, Kingston NYKingston, NY is a small, vibrant city located in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Situated on the banks of the Hudson River, exactly 90 miles north of New York City, it is close enough, yet far enough away from it all.
Kingston is rich in history as it played an important role in the Revolutionary War – so important that the British decided to burn it to the ground in 1777. But the history starts well before the war.
Established in 1652 by early Dutch colonists, it soon became necessary to build a huge wooden stockade to protect the settlers from the from the Esopus tribe. The area which covered what is now approximately 8 city blocks, is still called The Stockade District. In 1664, the town that was originally called Wiltwyck (Dutch for “wild woods”) was renamed Kingston as it became part of the English colony.
In 1777, Kingston became the first capital of New York. During the summer of 1777, when the New York State constitution was written, New York City was occupied by British troops and Albany was under threat of attack by the British. To escape attack, the seat of government was moved downstream to Kingston.
Senate House, Kingston NYThe British never reached Albany, being stopped at Saratoga, but they did reach Kingston. On Oct. 16, 1777, shortly after the Battle of Saratoga, Kingston was burned by British troops moving up the Hudson River from New York City. All granaries and every building in the city except one was burned to the ground.
After the war, Kingston rebuilt, and in the 1800′s became an important transportation hub for coal, bluestone, cement, ice, bricks and other goods.
Today Kingston’s history is celebrated, and much of it is a short walk from Suite Dreams’ luxury suites. While staying with us, ask about the walking tour of the Stockade District, starting at the Cafe downstairs and covering such sites as The Senate House, The Old Dutch Church, The Person House, and the Fred J. Johnston Museum.
Credits: Some information was gathered from the City of Kingston’s Website and Wikipedia.
Photo Credits: Peter Perry/Peake Photography Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.