HUDSON HIGHLANDS SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. LOCATION
The Hudson Highlands Scenic Area of Statewide Significance (SASS) encompasses a twenty mile stretch of the Hudson River and its shorelands and varies in width from approximately 1 to 6 miles. The SASS includes the Hudson River and its east and west shorelands. It extends from its northern boundary, which runs from the northern tip of Scofield Ridge, Denning Point and the base of Storm King Mountain to its southern boundary at Roa Hook and the southern limits of the Bear Mountain State Park. At the SASS's northern and southern extremes, the SASS extends across the Hudson River to the mean high tide line on the opposite shoreline.
The Hudson Highlands SASS is located within the City of Newburgh, the Town of New Windsor, the Town of Cornwall, the Town of Highlands, the Village of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson and the Village of Highland Falls, Orange County; the Town of Stony Point, Rockland County; the City of Peekskill, the Town of Cortlandt and the Village of Buchanan, Westchester County; the Town of Philipstown, the Village of Nelsonville and the Village of Cold Spring, Putnam County; and the Town of Fishkill and the City of Beacon, Dutchess County.
The Hudson Highlands SASS is comprised of 28 subunits:
HH-1 Cornwall Hillside Estates; HH-2 Storm King; HH-3 Contemporary West Point Military Academy; HH-4 West Point Military Academy; HH-5 Highlands; HH-6 Highland Falls; HH-7 Con Hook; HH-8 Fort Montgomery; HH-9 Brooks Lake; HH-10 Hessian Lake; HH-11 Bear Mountain State Park; HH-12 Iona Island Marsh; HH-13 Iona Island; HH-14 Jones Point; HH-15 Wallace Pond; HH-16 Anthony's Nose; HH-17 Manitou; HH-18 Manitou Marsh; HH-19 Garrison Landing; HH-20 Garrison Four Corners; HH-21 Fort Hill; HH-22 Nelson Corners; HH-23 Constitution Marsh; HH-24 Constitution Island; HH-25 Cold Spring; HH-26 Hudson Highlands State Park; HH-27 Dutchess Junction; HH-28 Pollepel Island.
Refer to the Hudson Highlands SASS Map for the SASS boundary.
II. DESCRIPTION
The Hudson Highlands SASS is a highly scenic and valued region of the Hudson River Valley, rich in natural beauty, cultural and historical features.
The Hudson Highlands are part of the Reading Prong of the New England Upland, a division of the Appalachian Highlands. This is composed almost entirely of Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks and forms a low, rugged mountain range, underlain by some of the oldest rocks in the eastern United States, over one billion years old. The area exhibits a very complex geological record, with several cycles of crustal movement, metamorphism, igneous intrusion, folding and faulting, sedimentation and erosion.
The highest elevation and the most spectacular relief in the SASS occurs at the northern gateway to the Hudson Highlands. This comprises Storm King and Crows Nest to the west and Breakneck Ridge, the Beacons and Bull Hill to the east. The southern gateway is formed by the peaks of the Bear Mountain State Park to the west, including Dunderberg and Bear Mountain, and Manitou Mountain and Anthony's Nose to the east.
The Hudson River has carved a spectacular gorge through the Hudson Highlands. The river seems to have followed three distinct fault lines, exploited structurally weak zones and the general north-east trend of the rock formations and has been modified by glacial action to arrive at its current course, one that shows a high degree of integration into the geological structure of the area.
Between Storm King and Breakneck Ridge, where the high peaks drop straight to the water, the Hudson River corridor is a fjord, deepened by glacial action and filled by the rising sea as the ice melted. This landscape feature is unique in New York State and very rare in the eastern United States. Off Gees Point at West Point, the Hudson River is 202 feet deep. This part of the Hudson is known as World's End and is the deepest point on the river.
The present shoreline configuration includes steep cliffs, bluffs, and gently sloping banks. Several promontories jut into the Hudson, forming bends in the river which mirror the underlying topography. The original channel of the Hudson River, following a fault zone, was established east of Constitution Island and west of Iona Island. Later, glacial ice, unable to follow the sharp turns, carved new channels, leaving the two islands as topographic features in the river. There are a number of coves and tributaries where streams such as Indian Brook, Doodletown Brook, Popolopen Brook and the Fishkill Creek converge with the Hudson River. At these locations the shoreline features an estuary rich in wetlands, tidal mudflats and shallows.
Variations in bedrock composition exist between the east and west shorelands of the SASS, resulting in differential erosion, varying weathering patterns and discoloration of the rock surface. The roundness of many of the Highland summits is due to erosion. The flanks of the mountains are buried beneath sedimentary deposits, while the clefts and valleys have been filled with glacial till. The rolling upland valleys contain numerous wetlands, mountain streams, ponds and lakes, such as Wallace Pond, Lake Alice, the Melzingah and Beacon Reservoirs and Gordons Brook.
An extensive vegetative cover of mature woodlands of mixed deciduous and coniferous trees dominates all but the steepest of mountain slopes. On the lower slopes and lowland plateaus the dense woodland coverage gives way to a combination of mixed woodlands and clearings comprised of farmsteads, open pasture and meadows and landscaped estates with formal gardens and sweeping lawns. Small hamlets and villages are situated in the lowland valleys and plateaus, nestling into the woodlands and featuring mature street landscaping. The shoreline vegetation includes wooded banks, bluffs and cliffs and the wetland vegetation of Constitution Marsh, Manitou Marsh and Iona Marsh.
The settlement and transportation patterns of the Highlands are heavily influenced by the area's topography, respecting the natural features in their layout and location. Settlements are limited to the lowland plateaus and lower hillsides and appear tightly clustered within the landscape. Large historic estates are located throughout the SASS, taking advantage of the spectacular views from the hillsides above the hamlets. More recent residential and commercial development shows less respect for the topography of the area. Subdivision of farmsteads and estates and commercial strip development along major highways has resulted in a dispersal of the settlement pattern, leading to an increasing suburbanization of the Hudson Highlands.
Railroads hug the shoreline of the Hudson River and roads follow the hillside contours and inland valleys. There are two military sites within the SASS, the undeveloped parts of the Camp Smith Military Reservation and the United States Military Academy at West Point, both with extensive areas of open space. The present-day land use pattern of the Hudson Highlands is dominated by State parkland, preserving much of the open space of the SASS for its aesthetic, recreational and natural resource values. This has resulted in a land use pattern of formal and informal recreational facilities, nature reserves and "wilderness".
The Hudson Highlands have long been significant in the culture and history of both the State of New York and the United States. The area came to prominence when Henry Hudson explored the region in 1609, and the ship's log describes the spectacular landscape. Since that time the area has been perceived as a unique environment with outstanding scenic, cultural and historic resources. The present day landscape of the Hudson Highlands SASS owes a great deal to its cultural and historical development since the 17th century. This is particularly evident in the land use and settlement pattern and in the development of the State park system in the area.
Early settlement and economic development of the Hudson Valley during the pre-Revolutionary War period bypassed the rugged mountainous landscape of the Hudson Highlands for the more attractive and easily developable fertile land located to the north and west. During this period the development of settlements in the Highlands was affected by the political and administrative system of Dutch and English colonial government, the series of manorial grants and patents, difficulties in transportation and the rugged, forested topography and narrow marsh-bounded shoreline. These factors combined to hold in check the spread of small settlements and occupation of land by all but a few lords of the manor and hardy yeoman farmers.
By the time of the Revolutionary War there were some family farms in the uplands and small settlements based around sawmill operations at Highland Falls and Cornwall. Development of military facilities led to a clearing of the woodlands. The decision to fortify the Hudson Highlands, taken in 1775, resulted in the eventual construction of forts on Constitution Island, at Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton on either side of the Popolopen Creek and at Fort Putnam above West Point; numerous roundouts; chains and chevaux-de-frises across the Hudson River; and improved transportation and communication facilities.
The strategic value of the Hudson Highlands was the main reason for the development of the military facilities and its key role as a theater of battle during the Revolutionary War. The landscape offered natural opportunities for protection of the increasingly important commercial use of the Hudson River as a transportation corridor to the interior of the north- eastern United States. Two major campaigns for control of the Hudson River were centered on the Hudson Highlands during the war.
The American Revolution and the immediate succeeding years provided a stimulus to settlement and trade in the Highlands. Gradually a pattern of rural activity was established, based around the expansion of the United States Military Academy at West Point, quarrying, shipbuilding and iron manufacturing. The lowlands alongside the Hudson proved viable for farming, and clearing of the landscape continued. Growth concentrated on the lower plains, associated with road connections and ferry crossings, while the uplands remained free of settlement. Cold Spring grew around the West Point Foundry into a thriving industrial village.
By the mid-19th century transportation improvements opened up more of the Hudson Valley through steamboat, railroad and improved turnpikes. With increased accessibility the Highlands became attractive to the wealthy, and opulent estates and large hotels and resorts were developed on the hillsides overlooking the Hudson River. Agricultural land became more a part of a designed landscape than a working landscape as "gentlemen farmers" moved in, while the pastoral landscape provided a backdrop for recreation to both the rich and the urban masses. Recreational facilities varied from picnic grounds, public beaches and pleasure grounds for day-trippers to hotels and resorts for the wealthy. These trends capitalized on the taste for picturesque environments which ran through the 19th century.
As development pressure intensified at the turn of the 20th century, a preservation movement became established in the lower Hudson Valley. Starting with the concern over the impacts of quarrying on the Palisades, this movement culminated with the establishment of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) in 1900 and the designation and acquisition of much of the western shore of the lower Hudson for recreation.
In 1909 the Highlands west of the Hudson were brought into the jurisdiction of the PIPC. Their inclusion came about as a result of a move by the New York State Prison Authority to develop facilities near Bear Mountain and the accompanying public outcry at the inappropriateness of such a use in a scenic area with great recreational potential. At this time the State received a gift of 10,000 acres of land from the Harrimans, who owned the southwestern part of the Hudson Highlands, with the condition that the prison proposal be abandoned and that the area between the Harriman property and the Hudson River be secured for park land. In 1910 the prison proposal was abandoned, and over the next decades further acquisition by the State filled in the gaps of the Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks and moved northward to Storm King.
Further action by conservation groups, again opposed to the impact of quarrying, led to the protection of the eastern Highlands through the creation of the Hudson Highlands State Park. More recently the Hudson Highlands became a landmark of the environmental movement of the late 1960's when Storm King became the proposed site for a pump storage electric generation station. This was defeated after a long battle because of potential impacts on the scenic and ecological values of the area, resulting in the proposed 500 acre site being donated for park use as the Storm King State Park.
As the 20th century progressed, many of the farms, resorts and estates have succumbed to development pressure and have been abandoned to natural regeneration, replaced with institutional use or developed through subdivision. Much of the development pressure has been related to the proximity of the area to New York City, direct rail access and to the major improvements in road accessibility with the opening of the Bear Mountain Bridge, the Storm King Highway, the Bear Mountain-Beacon Highway, the Bear Mountain Bridge Road and the Palisades Interstate Parkway. These roads also increased the accessibility of the area for recreation visitors.
The physical character and cultural and historical development of the Hudson Highlands has resulted in the current settlement and land use patterns, and led to the present day landscape and architectural character. This includes historic settlements on the low coastal plain, dispersed estates and new development on the hillsides above the coastal plain, and a patchwork of public and private open spaces including agricultural land, forest and woodland, and formal and informal recreation areas at the Hudson Highlands, Bear Mountain, and Storm King State Parks. The New York State Military Reservation, known as Camp Smith, occupies most of the SASS located in Westchester County, generally preserving the wooded landscape character.
In the eastern Highlands the Town of Philipstown contains numerous historic estates, farmsteads, the hamlet of Garrison and the well-preserved historic waterfront of the Village of Cold Spring. On the western side two historic communities, Highland Falls and Fort Montgomery, have generally maintained their historic pattern of tightly clustered structures surrounded by dramatic wooded hillsides. The SASS also includes numerous historic structures including Castle Rock, Eagle's Rest, Dick's Castle, and Boscobel. The Bear Mountain Bridge, Popolopen Bridge, Palisades Parkway, and Storm King Highway are all examples of engineering design which complement the natural formation of the landscape.
At the United States Military Academy at West Point, the landform creates a natural strategic fortress for controlling passage and protecting commercial traffic on the Hudson River, a major water transportation corridor. The granite structures of the military academy appear to grow directly from and reflect the character of the rocky cliffs. The restored remains of the historic Fort Putnam overlook West Point.
The Hudson Highlands SASS is a landscape rich in symbolic value and meaning, resulting from historic events, folklore, art and literature, and influencing public perception of the area. The area was at the center of the romantic movement that began before the Civil War and became a pervasive movement that affected all aspects of art and society in the region, including architecture, literature, painting, recreation and tourism. This has led to a continuum of environmental and scenic appreciation concerned with the Hudson Highlands that runs through the last two centuries.
The history and nostalgia associated with the Revolutionary War and the role of the Hudson Highlands as a central theater of battle has given the area prominence, with many writers documenting the events of the war. Early writers described the development and landscape of the area through historical and geological association, with an overriding romantic and picturesque feel for the scenery of the Highlands. This often created an historical-romantic landscape, drawing on the folklore of the lower Hudson Valley and exaggerating the aesthetic drama of the natural landscape. This romanticism can be seen in the design of many of the remaining historic structures and the formal landscapes of the estates that dot the slopes of the eastern Highlands, taking advantage of views of the dramatic and wild western shore.
The ultimate expression of this romanticism over the Hudson Highlands came through the Hudson River School of landscape painters and the Knickerbocker writers. The area was interpreted for the nation with a sense of wildness balanced with a more subdued pastoral feel by the likes of artists Thomas Cole, Frederic Church, Asher B. Durand and David Johnson and writers Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper and N.P. Willis. Storm King Mountain was a favorite subject. The work of these painters and writers instilled a sense of pride and an understanding of the value of landscape aesthetics associated with the features of the entire Hudson Valley, including the Highlands. This appreciation for the scenic value of the Hudson Highlands continues to this day and can be seen in the continued presence of a conservation and recreation ethic in the Hudson Valley.
III. AESTHETIC SIGNIFICANCE
The Hudson Highlands SASS is of statewide aesthetic significance by virtue of the combined aesthetic values of landscape character, uniqueness, public accessibility and public recognition.
There exists in the SASS unusual variety as well as unity of major components and striking contrasts between scenic elements. The SASS is generally free of discordant features. The scenic quality of the Hudson Highlands SASS is significant based on the existence of the following physical and cultural characteristics.
A. Landscape Character
1. Variety
The Hudson Highlands SASS exhibits an unusual variety of major components. The main variety lies in the topography. The SASS is dominated by a low, rugged mountain range, split by the narrow and deep fjord-like passage of the Hudson River. Within the mountain range are numerous individual peaks of various heights, separated by rolling, upland valleys which feature mountain lakes, ponds, wetlands and streams. The shoreline configuration in the Highlands varies from steep cliffs and bluffs that plunge from peak to shore to gently sloping banks and low, narrow coastal plains. Coves, creeks, wetlands, tidal flats and shallows found where tributaries converge on the Hudson further shape the shoreline.
Variety also exists in vegetation coverage. Dense and mature mixed woodlands on the uplands give way to a combination of mixed woodlands, farmsteads, pastures and meadows and landscaped estates on the lower slopes and lowlands. A rich and varied wetland vegetation is found along the shoreline of the Hudson River and its coves and creeks.
The land use pattern varies considerably within the SASS. There are a number of compact historic settlements located on the lowland coastal plains, surrounded by a mix of woodlands, farmsteads, landscaped estates and more recent development on the lower slopes. A mixture of private estates, recreation facilities and State and federal military reservations are scattered through the wooded uplands. The architectural style of the many historic estates and buildings varies considerably throughout the scenic area. This reflects the tastes of individual landowners, the long history of development in the region and the longstanding picturesque movement in the Hudson Highlands.
2. Unity
The Hudson Highlands SASS is unified by its topography. While internally the individual landform components vary, the SASS is a coherent geological feature, part of the Reading Prong of the New England Upland, a division of the Appalachian Highlands. This upland landform creates a distinctive low mountain range running northeast-southwest across the coastal area of the Hudson River. The vegetation, dominated by mature, mixed woodland, unifies the various landforms from the mountain peaks, through the lower slopes and lowland plains to the shoreline. The presence of the Hudson River is a unifying theme, shaping the physical topography, influencing cultural patterns and constituting a common scenic element central to the Hudson Highlands.
3. Contrast
There are many striking contrasts among the basic scenic elements in the Hudson Highlands SASS. The contrasts in topography and landform consists mainly of contrast in line and form. The rolling peaks contrast with the steep rugged rock faces of the bluffs and cliffs. The shoreline configuration of these bluffs and cliffs contrasts with the gentle banks and lowland plains and with the creeks and coves. The Hudson River varies in width and depth, and its currents create varying patterns, contrasting with the surrounding uplands.
There are many textural and color contrasts within the SASS, mostly associated with vegetation and geology. The dense wooded areas contrast with the open meadows and the formal landscape estates which in turn contrast with the wetland vegetation of the coves and creeks. This provides contrasting textures in the landscape composition and rich color contrasts both between vegetation types and, over time, color changes within the seasons. The rock composition varies within the SASS, resulting in many contrasts in surface features, textures and colors, as the natural form is impacted by geomorphological processes such as metamorphism, erosion and weathering and deposition. The contrast between the colors and texture of the water surface of the Hudson River and the surrounding vegetation and rock composition creates many and varied effects.
Certain contrasts of a more ephemeral nature are to be found in the SASS. The dramatic effects of varying weather conditions enhance the aesthetic character of the landscape composition as storms, cloud formations, snow, mists, fog and the varying level and direction of sunlight all provide contrasts in line, shape, texture and color, enhancing the contrasts to be found in the area. The speed and pattern of flow of the Hudson contrast with the creeks and coves and vary with the seasons and weather conditions, providing contrasts in texture and color.
4. Freedom from Discordant Features
The Hudson Highlands SASS is generally well-preserved and free of discordant features. The settlement and transportation patterns are heavily influenced by and respect the topography of the Highlands. The settlements are limited to the lowland plateaus and lower hillsides and are tightly clustered within the landscape. More recent residential and commercial development has taken place through subdivision of farmsteads and estates and along major highways with less respect for the topography of the area, resulting in a dispersal of the settlement pattern and leading to an increasing suburbanization of the Highlands. Railroads hug the shoreline, and roads follow the contours of the Highlands. The Bear Mountain Bridge, Popolopen Bridge, Palisades Parkway, and Storm King Highway are examples of engineering design which complement the natural formation of the landscape, adding to the value of the landscape rather than being discordant features. The physical and cultural components of the SASS are generally well maintained.
B. Uniqueness
The Hudson Highlands SASS is unique in New York State. The Hudson Highlands are composed of some of the oldest rocks in New York State, dating from the Pre-Cambrian era. Between Storm King and Breakneck Ridge, where the high peaks drop straight to the water, the Hudson River corridor is a fjord, deepened by glacial action and filled by the sea as the ice melted. This low, rugged mountain range split by the Hudson River corridor is a landscape feature not found anywhere else in New York's coastal area and is very rare in the eastern United States. The significant strategic role of the area during the American Revolution gives the Hudson Highlands a unique place in the nation's history.
C. Public Accessibility
The Hudson Highlands SASS has a high degree of public access. Much of the riverside land on the western banks of the Hudson River is in public ownership and provides physical and visual access to the Hudson River, its shoreline and the inland mountain peaks. Public access areas include Storm King State Park, Harriman State Park and Bear Mountain State Park. Public access is available in limited areas of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Similarly there is a considerable amount of public access on the eastern shore in the Hudson Highlands State Park. This park is a combination of many separate parcels and includes riverfront land and dramatic and undeveloped mountain peaks reaching elevations of 1500 feet.
Three recent purchases in the Hudson Highlands SASS by two regional not-for-profit organizations concerned with open space preservation and the promotion of public access may increase public access in the near future. Scenic Hudson and the Open Space Institute combined to purchase Mystery Point, located in the viewshed of the Bear Mountain Bridge, while the Open Space Institute has purchased land at North Redout and Arden Point in Garrison. Part of the latter site has been acquired from the Open Space Institute by the State of New York and will be added to the Hudson Highlands State Park and opened for passive public recreation.
The land ownership pattern outside the public land is that of low density residential development. This results in few opportunities for public access. In these areas public access is limited to local roads and to views from the Hudson River and the passenger trains that run along the east shore of the Hudson River. Views within the Hudson Highlands SASS are extensive and significant. The many peaks and hillsides offer long and broad views of the Hudson River and its surrounding rugged landscape. Cross-river views include many dramatic peaks, hamlets, mansions and estates and the impressive structures and ramparts of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Viewed from the Hudson River, the wooded shorelands and cliffs of the SASS rise abruptly from the Hudson River to the mountain peaks and ridges. Views are confined in the narrow corridor, only to open at the bends in the Hudson and in views out of the SASS at the north and south gateways of the Hudson Highlands.
The composition of the SASS is well balanced with several positive focal points including the Bear Mountain Bridge, the mansions and hamlets. The steep wooded peaks of the Highlands provide a striking setting for the numerous historic structures. NY Route 9D provides views of the river and the western shore from northern Westchester to southern Dutchess counties. Striking views are available from the railroad, the Hudson River, and many local roads. The variety of length of views, composition, backgrounds and significant focal points combine to enhance the scenic quality of the views available in the Hudson Highlands
D. Public Recognition
The scenic and aesthetic quality of the Hudson Highlands has achieved a high degree of public recognition. Many writers and artists have focused on the area, culminating with the work of the Hudson River School of painters, whose work has brought national and international recognition to the area and its landscape components. The value of the area's scenic and recreational resources has been recognized through the development of the State Parks system and in the involvement of the environmental movement in major land use issues impacting on the Highlands for the purpose of protecting and preserving their scenic character. The successes of the environmental movement have had national significance.
Sections of the Old Storm King Highway, NY Route 9W, NY Route 202, the Bear Mountain Bridge, Bear Mountain Bridge Road, the Bear Mountain-Beacon Highway and local roads within the Bear Mountain State Park are all designated as Scenic Roads under Article 49 of the Environmental Conservation Law.
The historical and architectural significance of the Hudson Highlands is recognized by the large number of structures listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The Hudson Highlands Multiple Resource Area, with boundaries similar to the Hudson Highlands SASS, includes 56 individual properties and three historic districts, at Cold Spring, Garrison Landing and the Bear Mountain State Park. In addition, there are three other listed properties in the Town of Philipstown -- Boscobel, Castle Rock and the deRham Farm. There are also two National Historic Landmarks in the SASS -- Fort Montgomery and the United States Military Academy at West Point.
The scenic and aesthetic quality of the SASS has received long-standing public recognition through the actions of the State and environmental not-for-profit organizations who have sought to protect individual parcels of land from development. This has resulted in the extensive areas of State parkland in the SASS.
IV. IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Whether within or outside a designated SASS all proposed actions subject to review under federal and State coastal acts or a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program must be assessed to determine whether the action could affect a scenic resource and whether the action would be likely to impair the scenic beauty of the scenic resource.
Policy 24 provides that when considering a proposed action, agencies shall first determine whether the action could affect a scenic resource of statewide significance. The determination would involve:
(1) a review of the coastal area map to ascertain if it shows an identified scenic resource which could be affected by the proposed action, and
(2) a review of the types of activities proposed to determine if they would be likely to impair the scenic beauty of an identified resource.
Impairment includes:
(i) the irreversible modification of geologic forms; the destruction or removal of vegetation; the modification, destruction, or removal of structures, whenever the geologic forms, vegetation or structures are significant to the scenic quality of an identified resource; and
(ii) the addition of structures which because of siting or scale will reduce identified views or which because of scale, form, or materials will diminish the scenic quality of an identified resource.
Policy 24 sets forth certain siting and facility-related guidelines to be used to achieve the policy, recognizing that each development situation is unique and that the guidelines will have to be applied accordingly. The guidelines are set forth below, together with comments regarding their particular applicability to this Scenic Area of Statewide Significance. In applying these guidelines to agricultural land it must be recognized that the overall scenic quality of the landscape is reliant on an active and viable agricultural industry. This requires that farmers be allowed the flexibility to farm the land in an economically viable fashion, incorporating modern techniques, changes in farm operation and resultant changes in farm structures. Policy 24 guidelines include:
SITING STRUCTURES AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT SUCH AS HIGHWAYS, POWER LINES, AND SIGNS, BACK FROM SHORELINES OR IN OTHER INCONSPICUOUS LOCATIONS TO MAINTAIN THE ATTRACTIVE QUALITY OF THE SHORELINE AND TO RETAIN VIEWS TO AND FROM THE SHORE;
COMMENT: For much of the length of the Hudson Highlands SASS, the Hudson River is bounded by steep, undeveloped wooded bluffs that figure prominently in views within the SASS, notably from and across the Hudson River. Siting of structures on the slopes or crests of these bluffs, on the immediate shoreline of the Hudson River or over the water surface of the Hudson River would introduce discordant elements into the landscape and impair the scenic quality of the SASS.
The siting of new residential development has the potential to threaten the future visual quality of the SASS. Areas which afford views, such as ridgelines, hilltops, and hillsides overlooking the Hudson River, are most attractive to new development, but also the most vulnerable to impairment from inappropriate development. The siting of residential development, structures and other discordant features such as large buildings, highways, power lines and signs on ridgelines, hilltops and exposed hillsides and in the direct viewshed of the Hudson River would introduce discordant elements into the landscape and impair the scenic quality of the SASS.
Iona Island Marsh, Manitou Marsh and Constitution Marsh are particularly critical scenic components in the SASS. Activities that would subdivide the large undisturbed appearance of these areas into smaller fragments, introduce structures into the low-lying landscape and eliminate wetland or shallow areas through dredging, filling or bulkheading would result in a direct impact on the shoreline, changing the character of the relationship between the Hudson River and its shorelands, and impairing the scenic quality of the SASS.
CLUSTERING OR ORIENTING STRUCTURES TO RETAIN VIEWS, SAVE OPEN SPACE AND PROVIDE VISUAL ORGANIZATION TO A DEVELOPMENT;
COMMENT: The Hudson Highlands SASS features a low intensity pattern of development that includes a large amount of functional open space. Historic estate houses punctuate the landscape of rolling upland pastures, landscaped estates and woodland. Recent poorly sited residential development has not respected the traditional patterns of development within the SASS and has disturbed the visual organization established through this traditional development pattern. Further expansion of new development into the open areas of the SASS would replace the varied vegetation types. The textures, colors, contrast and expansiveness of the natural landscape character and their interrelationship would be lost, impairing the scenic quality of the SASS. Failure to use topography, existing vegetation and the clustering of new development to blend new development into the landscape would impair the scenic quality of this SASS. Failure to continue the current pattern of preserved open space through the State Park network and respect the balance between formal recreation areas and wilderness would also impair the scenic quality of the SASS.
INCORPORATING SOUND, EXISTING STRUCTURES (ESPECIALLY HISTORIC BUILDINGS) INTO THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME;
COMMENT: The Hudson Highlands SASS is a unique natural and cultural landscape. The loss of historic structures would alter the cultural character of the landscape, remove focal points from views and diminish the level of contrast between the natural landscape and the cultural landscape, thus impairing the scenic quality of the SASS.
REMOVING DETERIORATED AND/OR DEGRADING ELEMENTS;
COMMENT: The Hudson Highlands SASS is generally free of discordant features, and structures are generally well maintained.
MAINTAINING OR RESTORING THE ORIGINAL LAND FORM, EXCEPT WHEN CHANGES SCREEN UNATTRACTIVE ELEMENTS AND/OR ADD APPROPRIATE INTEREST;
COMMENT: The landform of the Hudson Highlands SASS is primarily in an undisturbed state and is the unifying factor in the SASS. The contrast in elevation and the juxtaposition of water and land contributes to the scenic quality of the SASS. The failure to maintain existing landforms and their interrelationships would reduce the unity and contrast of the SASS and impair its scenic quality.
MAINTAINING OR ADDING VEGETATION TO PROVIDE INTEREST, ENCOURAGE THE PRESENCE OF WILDLIFE, BLEND STRUCTURES INTO THE SITE, AND OBSCURE UNATTRACTIVE ELEMENTS, EXCEPT WHEN SELECTIVE CLEARING REMOVES UNSIGHTLY, DISEASED OR HAZARDOUS VEGETATION AND WHEN SELECTIVE CLEARING CREATES VIEWS OF COASTAL WATERS;
COMMENT: The variety of vegetation and the unifying continuous vegetative cover of the Hudson Highlands SASS make a significant contribution to the scenic quality of the SASS. The tidal marshes of Iona Island Marsh, Manitou Marsh and Constitution Marsh, and pastures, woodlands, and landscaped estates provide variety, unity and contrast to the landscape. The wildlife supported by this vegetation adds ephemeral effects and increases the scenic quality of the SASS. Vegetation helps structures blend into the predominantly natural landscape and plays a critical role in screening facilities and sites which would otherwise be discordant elements and impair the scenic quality of the SASS.
Clearcutting or removal of vegetation on the wooded bluffs along the Hudson River and in the upland areas would change the character of the river corridor and impair its scenic quality. Iona Island Marsh, Manitou Marsh and Constitution Marsh are particularly critical scenic components in the SASS. Activities that would subdivide the large undisturbed appearance of these areas into smaller fragments, the introduction of structures into the low-lying landscape and the elimination of wetland or shallow areas through dredging, filling or bulkheading would result in a direct impact on the shoreline, changing the character of the relationship between the Hudson River and its shorelands and impairing the scenic quality of the SASS.
USING APPROPRIATE MATERIALS, IN ADDITION TO VEGETATION, TO SCREEN UNATTRACTIVE ELEMENTS;
COMMENT: The Hudson Highlands SASS is generally free of discordant elements. The failure to blend new structures into the natural setting, both within the SASS boundaries and in the viewshed of the SASS, would impair the scenic quality of the SASS.
USING APPROPRIATE SCALES, FORMS AND MATERIALS TO ENSURE THAT BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES ARE COMPATIBLE WITH AND ADD INTEREST TO THE LANDSCAPE.
COMMENT: The existing structures located within the Hudson Highlands SASS generally are compatible with and add interest to the landscape because they are of a scale, design and materials that are compatible with the predominantly natural landscape. New development or alterations to existing structures can also be designed to complement the scenic quality of the SASS through use of a scale, form, color and materials which are compatible with the existing land use and architectural styles of the area and can be absorbed into the landscape composition. Failure to construct new buildings which are compatible with the cultural fabric of the SASS as represented in these historic structures would impair the scenic quality of the SASS.
Failure to use appropriate scale, form, and materials to ensure that new development is compatible with the surrounding landscape and does not distract from the landscape composition of a designated area would impair the scenic quality of the SASS. In addition, failure to mitigate the effects associated with development such as lighting, horizontal or vertical interruption of form, incongruous colors, or plume discharge would impair the quality of the landscape and the scenic quality of the SASS.
Hudson Highlands Scenic Area of Statewide Significance
Index to Hudson Highlands Subunits
HH-1 Cornwall Hillside Estates Subunit
HH-3 Contemporary West Point Military Academy Subunit
HH-4 West Point Military Academy Subunit
HH-11 Bear Mountain State Park Subunit
HH-12 Iona Island Marsh Subunit
HH-19 Garrison Landing Subunit
HH-20 Garrison Four Corners Subunit
HH-23 Constitution Marsh Subunit
HH-24 Constitution Island Subunit
HH-26 Hudson Highlands State Park Subunit
HH-27 Dutchess Junction Subunit
HUDSON HIGHLANDS SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
HH-1 Cornwall Hillside Estates Subunit
I. Location
The Cornwall Hillside Estates subunit is located on the western slopes of Storm King Mountain, south of the Village of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson. It extends south from the northern boundary of the Hudson Highlands SASS, which runs northeast from the junction of NY Route 9W and Continental Road, following Continental Road to its junction with The Boulevard, along The Boulevard to its junction with Hasbrouck Avenue. It then runs along Hasbrouck Avenue to its junction with Ridge Road, where it follows Ridge Road and Duncan Avenue to the Catskill Aqueduct, which it follows to its junction with Mountain Road. Mountain Road is the subunit's eastern boundary and it forms a common boundary with the HH-2 Storm King subunit. The westerly boundary of the subunit is the coastal boundary, following NY Route 9W southwest to the junction of Mountain Road. The subunit is approximately 1 mile long and 1.5 miles wide. It is located in the Town of Cornwall and the Village of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, Orange County. Consult the Hudson Highlands SASS map sheet number 2 for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The subunit exhibits high topographic variety. It is composed of the gently rolling lower slopes and steep hillsides which form the northeastern flank of Storm King Mountain. The subunit forms part of the northern gateway to the Hudson Highlands. The vegetation is a diverse mix of mature woodlands, open pastures, the formal recreational landscaping of a golf course and the landscaped lawns of estates and residential development. Breeds Pond and several streams are located in the subunit, although their impact is limited, as these features are generally hidden from view.
B. Cultural Character
The subunit features a cohesive and historic settlement pattern with many old homes located in a well-designed and maintained landscape. Most of the roads and houses have been built on the hillside overlooking the Town of Cornwall and the Village of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson to the north. The houses are set in a well-maintained landscaped setting of lawns and formal gardens among woodland and pasture. Boundary features including stone walls and gatehouses are significant, although some of the stone walls are in need of repair. Recent residential development is mixed into the historic settlement pattern. The formal open landscape of the historic Storm King School and the Storm King Golf Club contrast with the surrounding woodland coverage.
The significance of several old homes, all visible from public roads, has been recognized by listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The Amelia Barr House on Mountain Road is a two story rambling clapboard residence dating from 1881, a distinctive example of the type of residence that was built on the mountainside in Cornwall. The house is associated with one of its earlier owners, Amelia Barr, an important literary figure of the American Romantic period. Deer Hill on Deerhill Road, built in 1875, is in excellent condition and has retained most of its intricate detailing. It is one of the most significant Italianate and Italian Villa styled residences in the Hudson Highlands. The gatehouse on Deerhill Road is a rare and distinctive example of a castellated gatehouse. Built in the mid 1880's, the one and a half story Norman style stucco residence has a three story cylindrical tower and forms an impressive gatehouse to a mansion that was never built. The LeDoux/Healey House on Deerhill Road, built in 1890, is one of the best shingle style cottages in the Hudson Highlands. The two story building has a broad overhanging roof and retains all of its period detailing. The residence, originally a summer home, overlooks the Hudson River. It is a distinctive example of the style of cottage built by Mead and Taft. Far less pretentious is a "Dwelling on Mountain Road." This simple clapboard building is a rare surviving vernacular late 19th century estate worker dwelling.
Certain contrasts of a more ephemeral nature are to be found in the subunit. The dramatic effects of varying weather conditions enhance the aesthetic character of the landscape composition as storms, cloud formations, snow, mists, fog and the varying level and direction of sunlight all provide contrasts in line, shape, texture and color, enhancing the contrasts to be found in the area. There are no discordant features within the subunit, although distant views include the urban development at Newburgh.
C. Views
Views from the subunit are extensive and varied. The views to the north and northwest are long and extensive and extend over the Village of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson to the Hudson River, the urban clusters of New Windsor and Newburgh and to the Beacon-Newburgh Bridge, although in places this view is narrowed by trees and mountainsides. Views from the Storm King Golf Club are extensive. Views to the west include the summit of Black Rock and the interior peaks and valleys of the Hudson Highlands. The backdrop to the northwest consists of the distant Catskill Mountains and to the east and south are the nearby and dominating Storm King and Whitehorse Mountains. There are no main focal points within the subunit, although the dynamic composition of woodlands, meadows and clusters of landscaped residences provides interest within the subunit.
III. Uniqueness
The subunit is not unique. The blend of landscape components is a good example of the scenic quality of the Hudson Highlands SASS.
IV. Public Accessibility
The land ownership pattern related to the low density development scattered throughout the subunit has resulted in few opportunities for public access in the Cornwall Hillside Estates subunit. Public accessibility is mostly limited to the extensive network of public roads within the subunit. These are generally lightly travelled and offer some spectacular vistas of the Hudson Valley. The Museum of the Hudson Highlands, a regional, non-profit natural history museum, is located on The Boulevard and is open to the public throughout the year. The museum offers exhibits on the natural history of the Hudson Highlands and has a self-guided nature trail through its 40 acre property covering a stream, gorge, mature woodland and pasture. The upland section of the subunit is visible from the Hudson River and its eastern shorelands, from NY Route 9W on the southern boundary of the subunit and from NY Route 32 and the New York State Thruway to the west of the subunit. The subunit forms the foreground of distant views of the Hudson Highlands from areas north of the SASS, including New Windsor, Newburgh and Beacon.
V. Public Recognition
Public recognition of the subunit is limited to the local population and travelers on the New York State Thruway and NY Route 32. The subunit receives wider recognition as part of the northern gateway to the Hudson Highlands. NY Route 9W is a designated Scenic Road under Article 49 of the Environmental Conservation Law. The historical and architectural significance of five residences within the subunit has been recognized by their inclusion on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The Cornwall Hillsides Estates subunit is included in the Hudson Highlands SASS because it is a noteworthy landscape which forms part of the northern gateway to the Hudson Highlands and figures prominently in the views from the distinctive HH-26 Hudson Highlands State Park subunit on the eastern shore of the Hudson river. It exhibits a high topographic variety, with rolling slopes and steep uplands covered with a diverse vegetation of mature woodland, open pastures, and formal landscaped areas. There is a moderate contrast in form, texture and color between rolling meadows and steep woodland, all within a cohesive historic settlement pattern which unifies the composition. The subunit is accessible from local roads and is recognized as part of the northern gateway to the Hudson Highlands, through a Scenic Road designation and by the listing of properties on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The subunit is free from discordant features.
HUDSON HIGHLANDS SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. Location
The Storm King subunit is comprised of the Storm King and Crows Nest Mountains, located south of the Village of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson. It extends south from the northern boundary of the Hudson Highlands SASS, which runs east along the Catskill Aqueduct, from the boundary's junction with Mountain Road to the Hudson River. Mountain Road is the subunit's western boundary, and it forms a common boundary with the HH-1 Cornwall Hillsides Estates subunit. The westerly boundary continues south along the coastal boundary, following NY Route 9W south to its junction with Route 218, which forms the southern boundary of the subunit, a common boundary with the HH-3 Contemporary West Point Military Academy and HH-5 Highlands subunits. The subunit extends across the Hudson River and shares a common boundary with the HH-25 Cold Spring and the HH-26 Hudson Highlands State Park subunits on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River. The subunit extends approximately 3 miles from north to south and is about 1.75 miles wide. It is located in the Towns of Cornwall and Highlands and the Village of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, Orange County. Consult the Hudson Highlands SASS map sheet number 2 for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The subunit is composed entirely of steep wooded bluffs, sheer cliffs and mountains. The subunit forms part of the glacially formed fjord. The peak of Storm King Mountain reaches an elevation of 1340 feet and, with Butter Hill, forms a dramatic semi-circular crest. These two peaks are separated from the summit of Crows Nest, at over 1400 feet the highest point in the subunit, by The Clove, a mountain stream in a deep wooded valley. This is one of many permanent and seasonal mountain streams and waterfalls within the subunit. Dense mature woodlands dominate the landscape. This mature woodland coverage hides the scars of quarrying, although early records and accounts of the area show that this was not always the case, as the woodland timber was used for boat building and in local foundries, leaving the rock faces of Storm King Mountain open to view. The shoreline is relatively smooth with a few gently rounded points and a lagoon of tidal flats and marshlands enclosed by the railroad tracks.
B. Cultural Character
The subunit is mostly wilderness composed of the Storm King State Park and part of the landholding of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The subunit has a rich cultural history. It has been the subject of many legends and provided the inspiration for many Hudson River School artists during the 19th century Romantic Movement. The natural beauty of Storm King is enhanced by the ephemeral effects of clouds, mists and sunlight, all of which produce dramatic changes to the landscape. The mountain was originally known as "Butter Hill", named by the early Dutch settlers after its distinctive shape. The Knickerbocker writer N. P. Willis renamed the mountain Storm King.
The most significant built structure in the subunit has become a significant scenic component. The Old Storm King Highway, NY Route 218, is a winding two lane highway that wraps around Storm King Mountain and Crows Nest from West Point to Cornwall Landing. Literally carved into the rock face of the mountains, the highway is protected on the river side by a stone wall. It is 21,000 feet long with a maximum height above the Hudson River of about 420 feet and at no point is the grade over 7%.
The highway was built to overcome the serious transportation difficulties between communities in this part of the Hudson Highlands and resulted from local pressure on the State in the early 1900's. After a special appropriation from the Legislature and consideration of complicated survey, design and construction issues, the work started in 1916 and was completed in 1922. The highway shortened the trip between Newburgh and West Point by 22 miles.
The Old Storm King Highway is one of the most picturesque roads in the Hudson Valley, and pulloffs at various locations provide motorists with the opportunity to enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the Hudson Highlands. The roadway and its supporting scenic details, such as the stone walls, are maintained in their original condition and have not been significantly altered since their original construction. In addition to its scenic value, the highway is significant for its engineering achievement and its contribution to the history of transportation in the Hudson Highlands.
The area has wildlife interest and benefits from management as a protected wilderness area. The presence of wildlife provides ephemeral characteristics. Contrasts of an ephemeral nature are to be found in the subunit. The dramatic effects of varying weather conditions enhance the aesthetic character of the landscape composition as storms, cloud formations, snow, mists, fog and the varying level and direction of sunlight all provide contrasts in line, shape, texture and color, enhancing the contrasts to be found in the area.
There are few structures within the subunit. They limited to a scattering of residential development on the western flanks of Storm King Mountain along Mountain Road, a television relay tower, NY Route 9W and NY Route 218, the dramatic Old Storm King Highway, NY Route 9W and the railroad which hugs the shoreline. Although these are discordant features, they do not impair the scenic value of the subunit as they respect the topography and are generally not visible.
C. Views
Views from the uplands of the subunit are directed to the river and the opposite bank. While views within the uplands of the subunit are often limited and constrained by the woodland coverage and steep slopes, there are points from which extensive vistas unfold. From the pulloff along NY Route 9W, the pulloffs on NY Route 218, and from the summit of Storm King Mountain, there are extensive views of the Hudson Highlands, the Hudson River and West Point. Longer views from the peaks afford many vistas of the Hudson Valley, while more extensive panoramas include the range of mountains from Schunemunk to the Shawangunks standing out in front of the distant Catskill Mountains. Pollepel Island, Denning Point, the urban clusters of New Windsor and Newburgh and the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge are focal points to the north; Breakneck Ridge, Sugarloaf Mountain and Bull Hill stand out to the east; while Little Stony Point, Cold Spring, West Point, Constitution Island and Marsh and the estates and mansions of the Garrison area are focal points to the south. Views from the Hudson River are dominated by the steep cliffs and towering and rounded wooded peaks of Storm King and Crows Nest Mountains. These combine with the peaks on the eastern shorelands of the river to form a narrow corridor which opens out into the broad vistas of Newburgh Bay north of Storm King.
III. Uniqueness
Storm King Mountain, the dominant landform of this subunit, is unique in the coastal area of the State and is one of the State's natural treasures. The Old Storm King Highway, cut into the mountainside, is a unique scenic resource unequalled in the State.
IV. Public Accessibility
The Storm King subunit has a high degree of visual accessibility. The height of Storm King Mountain, Butter Hill and Crows Nest makes them highly visible. The subunit can be seen from the Hudson River and from the Village of Cold Spring, NY Route 9D, the Bear Mountain-Beacon Highway and the passenger trains on the east bank of the river. It is also visible from West Point, the Village of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, New Windsor, Newburgh, the New York State Thruway, NY Routes 9W and 218, and the Old Storm King Highway. Scenic overlooks on these last two roads offer dramatic views of the Hudson Valley and the Hudson Highlands. The subunit includes the Storm King State Park, where trail networks offer public access to the summits. The Stillman Trail, just north of the scenic overlook on NY Route 9W, is a well known and scenic route to the summits of Butter Hill and Storm King Mountain.
V. Public Recognition
The Storm King subunit is a well-recognized landmark and scenic focal point. The subunit receives very positive public recognition as part of the northern gateway to the Hudson Highlands and is often used as a symbol for the entire Hudson River Valley. The protection of land and the development of the State Park system in the Storm King Mountain area has historical and symbolic significance as an early recognition of the scenic value of the Hudson Highlands.
The importance of Storm King Mountain as an inspiration to, and subject of, the Hudson River School of landscape painters is well recognized. The area has become a landmark of the environmental movement, when in the late 1960's a proposed pump storage electric generation station was defeated because of the potential impacts on the scenic and ecological values of the area.
NY Route 218, The Old Storm King Highway, and NY Route 9W are designated Scenic Roads under Article 49 of the Environmental Conservation Law. The historic and engineering significance of the Old Storm King Highway is recognized by its inclusion in the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The Storm King subunit is included in the Hudson Highlands SASS because it is an extraordinarily dramatic landform and has high scenic quality. The subunit exhibits a high topographic variety, with steep cliffs and rolling uplands. There is a moderate contrast in form, texture and color between woodland and bare rock faces. The subunit is unified as a landform through the mature woodland coverage and a common wilderness theme. The subunit is unique in the State. It has a high degree of public accessibility from local roads and the Storm King State Park and receives public recognition as a landmark in the Hudson Valley, as part of the northern gateway to the Hudson Highlands, and through Scenic Road designations and the listing of the Old Storm King Highway on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The subunit is free from discordant feature.
HUDSON HIGHLANDS SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
HH-3 Contemporary West Point Military Academy Subunit
I. Location
The Contemporary West Point Military Academy subunit is composed of two sections to the north and south of the historic HH-4 West Point Military Academy subunit and includes all of the remaining development of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The subunit shares a common boundary with the HH-2 Storm King, HH-4 West Point Military Academy, HH-5 Highlands, HH-6 Highland Falls and HH-9 Con Hook subunits. The subunit extends across the Hudson River and shares a common boundary with the HH-24 Constitution Island, Constitution Marsh, and HH-25 Cold Spring subunits on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River. The northern section of the subunit is approximately 1.5 miles long by 0.75 miles wide, extending up Washington Valley along NY Route 218. The southern section is approximately one mile long by 0.75 miles wide and reaches up the hillside above the Hudson River. The subunit is located in the Town of Highlands, Orange County. Consult the Hudson Highlands SASS map sheets, numbers 2 and 4, for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The subunit is composed of shoreline, valley, hillside and plateau above the Hudson River. The vegetation in the subunit is a mix of street trees, formal landscaping and dense woodland. Lusk Reservoir and Crows Nest Brook are the main water features present. The Hudson River is deep, narrow and fast flowing adjacent to the northern portion of the subunit, and the shoreline is gently curving.
B. Cultural Character
Located in the subunit are the extensive contemporary living quarters and support structures of the West Point Military Academy. The subunit exhibits a consistent institutional quality. Many of the structures in this well-maintained subunit are well designed and well-sited on tree-lined streets. The layout of the residential areas is particularly attractive with a formal landscape setting of lawns and garden plantings. Athletic fields are located down by the Hudson River. The Cadet Cemetery is an area of considerable historic and architectural significance. Michie Stadium, home of the Army football team, is a dominant and impressive feature located high above historic West Point, and brings visual interest to the subunit on game days when up to 26,000 people attend the games. The day to day activities of the military academy provide many ephemeral characteristics which enhance the scenic qualities of the subunit.
Some contemporary academy structures in this subunit are massive with little articulation or are sprawling with little visual relevance to the military complex and its historic structures in the adjacent HH-4 West Point Military Academy subunit. These structures are discordant features in this subunit and detract from the scenic quality of the adjacent historic subunit. The mature street trees and varied topography help to absorb some of the distracting features.
C. Views
Views of the Hudson River are partial to full, depending on the location within the subunit. Most vistas are internal and linear, following and confined by the street patterns, with occasional views down street corridors to the Hudson River and its east bank. The subunit is framed by the dramatic background of the mountains of the Hudson Highlands. The major structures form focal points within the subunit. Views from the Hudson River are of the wooded uplands and the dominant bulky support buildings and structures.
III. Uniqueness
The settlement pattern and setting of the living quarters for the United States Military Academy at West Point is well planned and forms a pattern unique to the Hudson Highlands SASS and the State.
IV. Public Accessibility
The Contemporary West Point Military Academy subunit has relatively high visual accessibility as part of the tourist route through West Point and on to Storm King and Bear Mountain State Parks. The football games at Michie Stadium attract large numbers of the general public to the subunit on game days. Many of the residential areas are not publicly accessible. The subunit is visible from the Hudson River, surrounding subunits and from the east shore, including Garrison hamlet, the Village of Cold Spring, the estates of Philipstown and the passenger railroad on the eastern banks of the Hudson River.
V. Public Recognition
The Contemporary West Point Military Academy subunit is recognized by the public as part of the United States Military Academy. West Point is a landmark for Hudson River Valley travelers. The architectural and historical significance of the United States Military Academy was recognized in 1960 when it was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service. The designation covers an area of approximately 2,500 acres in both the HH-4 West Point Military Academy and HH-3 Contemporary West Point Military Academy subunits. Located within this area are 227 buildings of historic and architectural importance.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The Contemporary West Point Military Academy subunit is included in the Hudson Highlands SASS because it is surrounded by subunits rated distinctive and has a significant place in the context of the Hudson Highlands SASS, linking the Storm King and West Point. Although the subunit is set within the mountains of the Hudson Highlands, which offer a dramatic background in all directions, it is not distinctive, due to its limited variety of features, common style of buildings and repetitive, ordered landscape. However, the residential layout and setting is unique in the State. The subunit is accessible to the public and receives public recognition as part of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The architectural and historical significance of the United States Military Academy has been recognized by its designation as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service.
HUDSON HIGHLANDS SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
HH-4 West Point Military Academy Subunit
I. Location
The West Point Military Academy subunit is centered on the historic core of the United States Military Academy, located on the west bank of the Hudson River. The subunit shares a common boundary with the HH-3 Contemporary West Point Military Academy, HH-5 Highlands, HH-6 Highland Falls and HH-7 Con Hook subunits. The subunit extends across the Hudson River and shares a common boundary with the HH-24 Constitution Island, HH-23 Constitution Marsh, HH-20 Garrison Four Corners and HH-19 Garrison Landing subunits on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River. The subunit extends approximately 1.5 miles along the coast and is 1 mile wide. It is located in the Town of Highlands, Orange County. Consult the Hudson Highlands SASS map sheets, numbers 3 and 4, for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The subunit is a peninsula jutting out into a narrow section of the Hudson River. Its varied shoreline form, steep banks and bluffs, sharp bends in the river, relatively level plateau and surrounding hills form a natural fortress site of strategic importance. The vegetation in the subunit is a mix of mature street trees, formal landscaping of floral plantings, lawns and parade grounds and dense tree planting. Lusk Reservoir and a number of small ponds are located within the subunit. Off Gees Point is Worlds End, a particularly narrow and fast flowing section of the Hudson River where, at 202 feet, the river is at its deepest. The narrowness and depth of the Hudson as it proceeds through the constricted channel off West Point leads to a very turbid flow.
B. Cultural Character
Taking advantage of the natural strategic advantages of the subunit is the United States Military Academy at West Point, a highly unified institutional complex of dramatic scale and siting. The subunit has historical significance dating back to the American Revolutionary War. In 1775 George Washington and military advisers recommended that the Hudson River be blocked to prevent the British from using the river to strike into the interior of New York. The area around West Point and Constitution Island was identified for fortification. In 1776 Constitution Fort was completed on Constitution Island. After early British successes in the Hudson Highlands, which saw the removal of the chain at Anthony's Nose and the capture and destruction of Fort Constitution, it was decided to fortify West Point. In 1778 Fort Clinton, originally known as Fort Arnold, was completed.
In the same year a large iron chain was stretched across the river from Fort Clinton to Marine Battery and the rebuilt defenses on Constitution Island, successfully halting the British advance inland. The preliminary fortifications were strengthened in 1779 by construction of Fort Putnam on Mount Independence, a rocky crag 451 feet above the Hudson River inland of the early fortifications and designed to provide covering protection to Fort Clinton. Several smaller batteries and redoubts were constructed as part of the group of fortifications designed by the Polish engineer Colonel Thaddeus Kosciusko on this reach of the Hudson River. After these fortifications were complete, it was clear to the British forces that they could not take West Point by force, and only Benedict Arnold's famous plot with Major Andre to pass on plans of the fortifications to the British threatened the defenses in 1780. The American flag has flown over the United States Army at West Point since January 20, 1778, making it the country's oldest continually occupied military post. In 1802 Congress authorized the founding of a military academy at West Point and this use continues today, standing as an icon of traditional American values.
The central academy buildings, mostly constructed around the turn of the century, are a striking arrangement of monolithic Gothic and Neoclassic structures, expressing the military education function. Prior to their construction, West Point was smaller in scale and featured monuments, military buildings, parade grounds and a hotel, all set in a park-like setting. This was developed in its early stages by Sylvanus Thayer, Superintendent of West Point from 1817 to 1833, who is widely credited with establishing the credibility of the military academy. The physical development of West Point continued with additional funding from Congress. This enabled Superintendent Major Delafield to start the process of altering the appearance of the site through the adoption of Tudor and Gothic styles during his periods as Superintendent of West Point between 1838 and 1864. After a period of architectural experimentation, during which time many different styles and designs were tried, the major period of development at West Point during the early 20th century, saw a return to a consistent Gothic style within a comprehensive plan for the growth of the academy designed by Cram, Goodhue and Ferguson. This reaffirmed the successful style of the mid-19th century development of West Point.
The many structures of the academy are largely well designed and sited to create different functional areas with distinct character in terms of style, scale and massing. The collection of buildings has been constantly changing, as historic structures have in the past been demolished and replaced in order to meet the growing requirements of the modern day military academy. The vast parade ground, the Plain, remains an important historic and scenic feature in the subunit. Its openness contrasts with the surrounding ensemble of the massive granite buildings of the academy. The Battle Monument at Trophy Point, erected in 1894, once the site of Roe's West Point Hotel in the 19th century, commemorates soldiers killed in the Civil War. It consists of a 46 foot high Roman doric column standing atop a circular stairway surrounded by eight pedestals; each supports a sphere flanked by two cannons. Parts of the West Point chain which once stretched across the Hudson River are on display at Trophy Point. The Kosciusko Monument on Cullum Road, erected in 1828 and modified in 1913, is located on the site of the old Fort Clinton. These monuments are landmarks within the military academy.
The day-to-day activities of the military academy provide many ephemeral characteristics which enhance the scenic qualities of the subunit. The maintenance and upkeep of the subunit is impeccable. There are no discordant features within the subunit, although some post World War II construction in the adjacent HH-3 Contemporary West Point Military Academy subunit does not keep with the style or materials of the historic structures of the West Point Military Academy subunit and detracts from its scenic quality.
C. Views
Views from the West Point Military Academy subunit are long and wide, over 5 miles up and down the Hudson River with the Hudson Highlands as a backdrop. The bends in the river, the steep valley sides and mountain peaks frame the many and varied views, creating dramatic compositions. There are numerous focal points both within the subunit and in the surrounding area, including the many historic buildings, Constitution Island, Pollepel Island and the surrounding Highland peaks. The subunit is particularly important in views from the Hudson River and the eastern shorelands of the SASS. The ensemble of granite buildings in the Gothic style combines to resemble a fortress rising from the cliffs above the Hudson River.
III. Uniqueness
The United States Military Academy at West Point is unique to the State and the Nation. It is the country's oldest continuously-occupied military post and is steeped in history.
IV. Public Accessibility
The West Point Military Academy subunit has a moderate degree of visual accessibility, since much of the complex is open to the public. The historic Thayer Hotel, built in 1924 and recently renovated, is located on the grounds of the military academy. It is open to the public. A visitors center, located just south of Thayer Gate in the Highlands Falls subunit, provides bus tours of the academy grounds, and visitors can walk along the academy roads and on some of the many trails around the military academy to obtain views of the river and eastern shorelands, including Garrison hamlet, the Village of Cold Spring, and the estates of Philipstown. The subunit is visible from these settlements, the Hudson River, local roads and the railroad on the eastern bank.
Fort Putnam, originally built in 1778, was partially restored in the early part of this century and is open to the public, offering spectacular views of the Hudson River. Battle Monument and Kosciusko Monument are accessible to the public and provide interpretative plaques and classic views of the Hudson River and Hudson Highland peaks. Below Trophy Point is a bandshell used for popular outside concerts. Flirtation Walk, presently not accessible to the public, is an historic trail which winds down to the shore of the Hudson River from Cullum Road just north of the Bachelors building around Gees Point and the sharp bend in the Hudson River and back up to Battle Monument. The trail passes several sites of historic interest including the sites of the western end of the chain, the chain battery, the Sheridan Monument and the earthworks of Fort Clinton.
There are two dock areas at West Point. The South Dock is the more developed and provides access for day trip cruises, transient boaters and boat trips to Constitution Island. To the north of the dock area are a series of athletic fields and picnic areas sited on the flat, filled shoreline below the steep bluffs and the impressive buildings of the military academy. The North Dock is reserved for military academy use, and public access is limited. Both dock areas provide water level access to spectacular views of the Hudson River and the surrounding Hudson Highlands.
V. Public Recognition
The West Point Military Academy subunit is known world-wide and has significant symbolic value as an historic fortress and training ground of the United States Army. West Point is a landmark for Hudson River Valley travelers. The architectural and historical significance of the United States Military Academy was recognized in 1960 when it was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service. The designation covers an area of approximately 2,500 acres in both the West Point Military Academy and HH-3 Contemporary West Point Military Academy subunits. Located within this area are 227 buildings of historic and architectural importance.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The West Point Military Academy subunit is included in the Hudson Highlands SASS because it has very high scenic quality. It is a highly ordered landscape of great historic importance, composed of a highly unified and ordered institutional complex of dramatic scale and siting. There is a large variety of scenic components, including the varied topography and shoreline form and many architectural styles. Much contrast exists between scenic components including the openness of the parade grounds and the enclosure of the built areas. The subunit is unified by the massing of granite buildings in the Gothic style which combine to resemble a fortress rising from the cliffs above the Hudson River. The United States Military Academy at West Point is unique to the State and the nation. The subunit is highly accessible from local roads, trails and the Hudson River within the subunit and from subunits on the eastern shoreline. The West Point Mil