ULSTER NORTH SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. LOCATION
The Ulster North SASS encompasses a ten mile stretch of the Hudson River and its western shorelands and varies from 1.25 miles to 2.5 miles in width. The SASS extends from its northern boundary at the Ulster/Greene County line to its southern boundary at Ulster Landing Park. The SASS includes the Hudson River from the mean high tide line on the eastern shore for all of its length, sharing a common boundary with the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River, and land to the west of the Hudson River.
The western boundary of the Ulster North SASS follows the coastal area boundary south from the Ulster/Greene County line, following the Conrail railroad line to NY Route 9W and south along NY Route 9W through the Village of Saugerties to Barclay Street, where it leaves the coastal area boundary to run along Barclay Street, Simmons Street and to the end of Spaulding Lane. The SASS boundary then runs southwest along the western limit of existing farmland to rejoin the coastal area boundary at the cross-roads on NY Route 32 in Glasco. It then runs south along Route 32 to the junction with Ulster Landing Road, where it runs along Ulster Landing Road to the southern boundary of the Ulster Landing Park which it follows to the Hudson River.
The SASS is located within the Town and Village of Saugerties and the Town of Ulster, Ulster County; the Towns of Germantown and Clermont, Columbia County and the Town of Red Hook and the Village of Tivoli, Dutchess County.
The SASS is comprised of 10 subunits:
UN-1 Eavesport; UN-2 Bristol Beach; UN-3 Malden-on-Hudson; UN-4 Saugerties Bluffs; UN-5 Esopus Creek; UN-6 Glasco Bluffs; UN-7 Glasco Uplands; UN-8 Glasco; UN-9 Glasco Farmlands; UN-10 Turkey Point.
Consult the Ulster North SASS Map for the SASS boundary.
II. DESCRIPTION
The Ulster North SASS is a highly scenic and valued portion of the Hudson River Valley, rich in natural beauty, cultural and historical features.
It is characterized by a gently rolling upland landscape set above a steep bluff reaching elevations of 150 feet. The bluffs are higher and steeper in the southern sections of the SASS, and here the boundary extends inland to include more of the gently rolling uplands. The Esopus Creek is the most dramatic landform within the SASS, featuring steep banks giving way to extensive tidal flats. The creek flows over a dam and through a sinuous horseshoe curve, constrained by its steep banks, before entering the Hudson River.
The coastline is comprised of long stretches of relatively smooth shoreline with some small projections, coves, and tidal flats. These include the open, grassy Eves Point and the curving bluffs of Turkey Point. The most dramatic projection is at the confluence of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River, in the Village of Saugerties. This is a significant shoreline protrusion, extending more than halfway across the Hudson River. The Saugerties Lighthouse graces the north point, signifying the entrance to the creek and stands at the end of a dike built by the federal government a century ago to maintain the channel of the Esopus Creek. A filled wetland and rich tidal habitat spreads to the north and south of the dike which extends a half mile from the western shoreline into the center of the Hudson River.
On the rolling upland above the Hudson River the vegetation is a combination of mixed woodlands and clearings comprised of farms, open pasture and meadows, and landscaped estates with formal gardens and sweeping lawns. Urban planting is important in the built up areas of the SASS in the Village of Saugerties and the hamlets of Malden-on-Hudson and Glasco. The shoreline vegetation includes wooded bluffs and the relatively large, undisturbed area of shallow, tidal flats and associated vegetation at the confluence of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River.
The region at the confluence of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River is known to be an important archaeological area. A designated archeological site on the Esopus Creek in the Village of Saugerties contains evidence of prehistoric remains. The area has been inhabited at least since the Woodland Period (100 B.C. - 1600 A.D.) and probably since Paleo-Indian times (c. 10,000 B.C.). Indians settled along the Hudson River long before the European discovery of the New World. The name Esopus is a Dutch word with origins in the Indian language. It means "land of flowing waters and high banks" and is an appropriate description of the Esopus Creek.
The Hudson River came to prominence when Henry Hudson explored the region in 1609, and his ship's log describes the spectacular landscape. Hudson spent a total of five days of September 1609, anchored off Turkey Point, visiting the native Indians that lived in the area. Recent settlement of the Ulster North area began in the early seventeenth century, based upon industrial and commercial exploitation of the area's natural resources, and established a close relationship with the Hudson River.
From the time of earliest European settlement by the Dutch around 1710, development focused on the Esopus Creek at what is now the Village of Saugerties. Later the Palatines also settled in the area. Initial growth was limited and occurred around the Dutch saw and grist mills along the creek in the early 17th century. As late as 1811 the hamlet contained only 21 houses.
In the 1820's Henry Barclay sparked the expansion of the community when he established the Ulster Iron Works and the Barclay Fiber Company. The area around the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River developed an extensive variety of industrial and commercial activity including lumbering, white lead, gunpowder, ice and paper industries along with an active port which shipped bluestone from the local quarries and other local products. Later the port became an important transfer for people on their way to the resorts of the Catskill Mountains. All that remains of the thriving 19th century creek-side industrial activity is the dam and abandoned raceway, some industrial ruins and one vacant building, "the Bindery" on East Bridge Street.
The village was laid out as a model village by Henry Barclay in 1827. By 1840 it had become the industrial and population center of Ulster County. The Village was originally incorporated in 1832 as the Village of Ulster, but on Barclay's death in 1855 it was renamed Saugerties. Many of the neighborhoods developed in association with the waterfront industry of the 19th century and include a mix of housing types ranging from modest workers' dwellings on small lots to large mansions, with many buildings of historic and architectural interest.
Saugerties Lighthouse, dating from 1867, is an important cultural feature in the subunit. Built on massive stone foundations to the west of an earlier stone lighthouse constructed in 1838, the lighthouse directed traffic when Saugerties was a major port on the Hudson River. Originally placed at the confluence of the broad delta of the Esopus Creek with the Hudson River, the structure now stands at the end of a dike built by the federal government a century ago in order to maintain the channel of the Esopus Creek. Saugerties Lighthouse, the oldest remaining lighthouse on the Hudson River, is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places and has been restored to operation by the Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy.
Development spread throughout the SASS with residential and commercial growth moving inland along the main highways, accompanied by industrial development based around landings at Glasco and Malden-on-Hudson. The development of commercial activity in the area was influenced by the ease of transportation offered by the Hudson River and the close proximity to local resources. Away from the commercial settlements, wealthy families built spacious homes set in landscaped estates of lawns, farmland and woodland, contributing much to the history of the area.
The hamlet of Glasco developed as an active company shipping port for a glass company, located inland above Woodstock, during the early 19th century. The hamlet takes its name, "Glasco", from a large sign painted on one of the warehouses. The hamlet has retained a tight village pattern with many older residential structures intact, although some modern structures and adaptations of older buildings are of inconsistent quality and are distracting elements within the built fabric of the subunit. Malden-on-Hudson was founded as Bristol in 1812 by Asa Bigelow, a merchant and the first postmaster at Saugerties. The settlement provided a deepwater port for his merchant fleet. The port became the center of the bluestone trade in Saugerties, a major industry in this part of the Hudson Valley from the mid-1800's until 1917. Much of the curbstone in New York City came from quarries in the Saugerties area, while stone from local quarries was shipped all over the world from Malden-on Hudson.
The Ulster North SASS still reflects the historic settlement pattern based around large estates and early industrial and commercial uses that developed along the Hudson River and the Esopus Creek. The most intensive commercial, industrial and associated residential development has taken place around the Village of Saugerties, located in the center of the SASS at the confluence of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River. Two other clusters of settlement are found at Malden-on-Hudson and Glasco.
In the rest of the SASS a more rural pattern of development prevails with a mixture of woodland, farmland, estates and religious institutions occupying large parcels of land on the rolling upland beyond the steep rugged bluffs, occasionally stretching down to the shoreline of the Hudson River where the relief allows. South of the Village of Saugerties the steep bluffs have precluded any major shoreline development, apart from at the hamlet of Glasco.
The lack of 20th century growth in the Village of Saugerties, notably that part in the SASS, has meant that there are few modern developments, and many buildings of historic interest remain intact. Consequently the Village of Saugerties has scenic and historical value as an excellent example of a 19th century settlement on the Hudson River, reflecting many aspects of the broader social and commercial changes that affected the upper Hudson Valley during this period. It offers a wealth of historic associations and an architectural record of a variety of 19th century residential building styles.
The architectural and historical importance of the Saugerties Lighthouse has been recognized by its inclusion on the State and National Register of Historic Places. Many other structures in the SASS are considered eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places for their historical and architectural significance.
The early days of the American Industrial Revolution saw many milestones take place throughout north eastern America. The Village of Saugerties and Henry Barclay's factories were part of this period of industrial progress. These were the site of the manufacture of the first machine-made paper in America (1826) and the first application of the process of manufacturing purified, high strength iron in America (1828). Much of the bluestone used in New York City was shipped from the landings located throughout the SASS. Malden-on-Hudson, known for it's bluestone, was the birthplace of John Bigelow, Minister to France under Abraham Lincoln.
The survival of active farmland in the presence of urban development pressure has a significant symbolic value as a historical and traditional regional land use and the continuance of a once significant landscape component.
III. AESTHETIC SIGNIFICANCE
The Ulster North 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, striking contrasts between scenic elements and a general lack of discordant features. The SASS is accessible to the general public and well recognized by the public for its scenic quality. The scenic quality of the Ulster North SASS is significant based on the existence of the following physical and cultural characteristics.
A. Landscape Character
1. Variety
The Ulster North SASS exhibits an unusual variety of major components. The main variety lies in the topography. The SASS is dominated by a long stretch of bluffs along the Hudson River shorelands. While this is by far the most striking of topographical features, there are also extensive areas of rolling upland behind the bluffs, exposed rock faces along the bluffs, small coves and promontories, and tidal flats and shallows along the base of the bluffs and at the mouth of the Esopus Creek.
Variety also exists in vegetation coverage. Dense and mature, mixed woodlands on the rolling uplands are broken up by a combination of farmsteads, pastures and meadows, landscaped estates and residential development. The bluffs are heavily wooded. A rich and varied wetland vegetation is found along the shoreline of the Hudson River and its coves and creeks, notably at the confluence of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River. This is a relatively large, undisturbed area of shallow, freshwater tidal flats. The diversity and abundance of wildlife and the changing patterns, colors and textures associated with the woodlands, farmlands and tidal flats provide a variety of ephemeral characteristics which enhance the scenic qualities of the SASS.
The land use pattern varies considerably within the SASS. There are a number of dispersed historic estates located on the bluffs above the Hudson River, surrounded by a mix of woodlands, farms, and more recent development. The architectural style of the historic estates varies considerably throughout the SASS. This reflects the tastes of individual landowners, the long history and evolution of estates and the longstanding picturesque movement throughout the Hudson Valley. There is a large variety of traditional 19th century residential development in the built areas of the SASS.
2. Unity
The Ulster North SASS is unified by its topography, most notably by the rolling agricultural uplands and the wooded bluffs that front the Hudson River. The vegetation, dominated by mature, mixed woodland, unifies the various landforms. The presence of the Hudson River is a unifying theme, a common scenic element central to the SASS which shapes the physical topography and influences cultural patterns.
3. Contrast
There are many striking contrasts between the basic scenic elements in the Ulster North SASS. The contrasts in topography and landform are mainly one of contrast in line and form. The open pastures of the upland farmland provides a textural contrast with the woodlands while the small clustered farmsteads contrast with the larger settlements within the SASS. This is particularly noticeable in the form of a sharp edge between the settled areas and the open spaces. The rolling upland contrasts with the steep bluffs. The shoreline configuration of the steep bluffs contrasts with the low-lying banks and flats associated with the mouth of the Esopus Creek and the small coves along the shoreline. The Hudson River varies in width and depth, and its currents create differing patterns, contrasting with the surrounding uplands.
There are many textural and color contrasts within the SASS, mostly associated with vegetation and geology. The wooded areas contrast with the open meadows of the agricultural landscape and the formal landscape estates and open residential spaces. This provides contrasting textures in the landscape composition and rich color contrasts between vegetation types, changing with the season. As the natural form is impacted by geomorphological processes, such as erosion, weathering and deposition, the rock composition varies within the SASS, resulting in many contrasts in surface features, textures and colors. 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 contrasting effects.
Certain contrasts of a more ephemeral nature are to be found in the SASS. The dramatic effects of varying weather conditions influences 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 River varies with the season and weather conditions, providing contrasts in texture and color. In particular, the diversity and abundance of wildlife and the changing patterns, colors and textures associated with the tidal flats at the confluence of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River provide ephemeral characteristics which enhance the scenic qualities of the subunit.
4. Freedom from Discordant Features
The Ulster North SASS is generally well-preserved with a few discordant features. The settlement and transportation patterns are heavily influenced by and respect the topography of the area. The three areas of development at the Village of Saugerties and the hamlets of Glasco and Malden-on-Hudson are tightly clustered within the landscape. In the hamlet of Glasco the blocky structures of the sewage plant, several large parking areas along the river bank, and the waterside storage of construction vehicles and materials are discordant features and detract from the visual quality of the hamlet. The physical and cultural components of the SASS are generally well maintained.
B. Uniqueness
The winding course and steep banks of the Esopus Creek and the marshlands and tidal flats at the confluence with the Hudson River, which has created a point of land protruding into the Hudson River with an historic lighthouse at the end, is a unique feature in the Hudson River. The Saugerties Lighthouse is the oldest standing residential lighthouse on the Hudson River and is a unique maritime feature on the river. Its presence contributes to the scenic value of the subunit.
C. Public Accessibility
The land ownership pattern related to the low density development and large estates scattered throughout the SASS has resulted in few opportunities for public access. Physical access to the shoreline of the Hudson River and the Esopus Creek is limited. Five public parks offer direct physical and visual access to the Hudson River. These are the county park at Ulster Landing, the Town of Saugerties' mini-parks at Glasco and Malden-on-Hudson, and State properties at Eves Point and Turkey Point. These parks offer long and broad views of the river and its surrounding landscape. Limited public access is available to the Saugerties Lighthouse, with the consent of the Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy.
Seamon Park, operated by the Village of Saugerties, offers spectacular views to the Catskill Mountains. Local roads, the Hudson River and the Esopus Creek provide the opportunity for visual access within the SASS.
Views from within the Ulster North SASS are extensive and significant. From much of the area, long and broad views of the river and its surrounding landscape are available. These views are often full and unobstructed. The Hudson River creates the foreground and middle ground for many of the views east to the Estate District SASS. To the west, the dramatic Catskill Mountains provide a constant backdrop to the changing views of farmland and towns. Views within the SASS are often short and narrow, contained by the extensive woodland coverage and the street and building patterns of the settlements.
Public access to the Hudson River within the SASS will improve when recent purchases by the State and two regional not-for-profit organizations concerned with open space preservation and the promotion of public access are opened to the public. In the northern portion of the SASS, property at Eves Point has recently been purchased by Scenic Hudson and the Open Space Institute. This site includes riverfront access to Eves Point. Management plans include developing public access and linking the property with the adjacent undeveloped Bristol Beach State Park. In the southern portion of the SASS, the State has recently acquired 90 acres of property at Turkey Point for development of public access and a link between the point and Ulster Landing Park has been made possible by a recent land purchase by Scenic Hudson. Park and trail development at these properties would provide physical and visual access to the Hudson River shoreline.
The Ulster North SASS figures prominently in the middle ground of views from the Estate District SASS and the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge. Indeed, many of the finest scenic features of the Ulster North SASS are best viewed from the river or the opposite shore. The bluffs of the western shore, with occasional glimpses of waterfront settlement, bluff-top estates and agricultural activity, dominate in views from the Hudson River, the estates, state properties, town parks, and from local roads. The Ulster North SASS is clearly visible to passengers in the trains on the east bank of the Hudson River.
The Catskill Mountains to the west of the SASS provide a dramatic backdrop for the areas's numerous landscape features set among the steep wooded bluffs above the Hudson River and the rolling upland. The composition of the SASS is unified and well balanced with few incongruous features and many positive focal points including the Saugerties Lighthouse, Magdalen and Cruger Island; the architecture of historic structures, farmsteads, and the shoreline settlements; the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge; and the estates on the eastern shore. The variety in length of views, composition, background and significant focal points combine to enhance the scenic quality of the views available in the Ulster North SASS.
D. Public Recognition
The scenic and aesthetic quality of the Ulster North SASS has achieved a moderate degree of public recognition. Many of the individual subunits receive moderate, public recognition from local residents. They are recognized as the middleground in views from Montgomery Place, Clermont State Historic Site, the Village of Tivoli, Tivoli Bay State Nature Preserve, the hamlet of Barrytown and Bard College on the eastern shore of the Hudson River. The uplands above the bluffs receive recognition as active farmland located close to the urban area of the City of Kingston and the Village of Saugerties.
The architectural and historic importance of Saugerties Lighthouse has been recognized by inclusion on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
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 Ulster North SASS, the Hudson River is bounded by steep, undeveloped wooded bluffs that figure prominently in views within the SASS, notably from the Hudson River, and in views of the SASS from the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River, part of the Estates District Scenic Area of Statewide Significance. Siting of structures on the slopes or crests of these bluffs would introduce discordant elements into the landscape and impair the scenic quality of the SASS.
Esopus Creek is a particularly critical scenic component in the northern portion of the SASS. Elimination of the shallow, freshwater tidal flats and the marshy areas around the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River shoreline through dredging, filling or bulkheading would result in a direct impact on the shoreline, changing the character of the relationship between the Hudson River, Esopus Creek 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 SASS features a low intensity pattern of development that includes a large amount of functional open space. Historic farmsteads and estate houses punctuate, but do not dominate 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 that has been established through this traditional development pattern. Further expansion of new development into the open areas of the SASS would replace the varied vegetation types. Consequently, 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 the topography and existing vegetation to screen new development and failure to cluster new development would impair the scenic quality of the SASS.
INCORPORATING SOUND, EXISTING STRUCTURES (ESPECIALLY HISTORIC BUILDINGS) INTO THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME;
COMMENT: The SASS is a significant 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 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 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 in the SASS makes a significant contribution to the scenic quality of the SASS. The tidal flats at the confluence of the Hudson River and the Esopus Creek, open farm fields, 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 would change the character of the river corridor and impair its scenic quality. The confluence of the Hudson River and the Esopus Creek is a particularly critical scenic component in the central portion of the SASS. Elimination of the shallow, freshwater tidal flats and the associated vegetation around the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River shoreline 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, that would impair the scenic quality of the SASS.
USING APPROPRIATE MATERIALS, IN ADDITION TO VEGETATION, TO SCREEN UNATTRACTIVE ELEMENTS;
COMMENT: The 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 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.
Ulster North Scenic Area of Statewide Significance
Index to Ulster North Subunits
UN-4 Saugerties Bluffs Subunit
ULSTER NORTH SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. Location
The Eavesport subunit extends south from the northern boundary of the Ulster North SASS at the Ulster/Greene County line for approximately 1.25 miles to Eves Point, and varies in width from one to two miles. The subunit includes the Hudson River from the mean high tide line on the eastern shore, sharing a common boundary with the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River, and land to the west of the Hudson River, with its western boundary being the coastal area boundary, following the Conrail railroad line. The subunit is located in the Town of Saugerties, Ulster County and the Towns of Germantown and Clermont, Columbia County. Consult the Ulster North SASS map sheet number 1 for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The subunit features a gently rolling upland landscape of woodland and meadows set above a low wooded bluff. Mixed woodlands dominate the subunit. The shoreline of the Hudson River is relatively smooth with several small promontories, including the open, grassy Eves Point at the southern boundary of the subunit.
B. Cultural Character
The subunit exhibits a pastoral character with vernacular residences and farmsteads set in a well maintained landscape of woodlands and meadows. Scattered houses and farmsteads are located along the few local roads in the subunit, sited in most cases to overlook the Hudson River. The ephemeral effects of wildlife enhance the scenic quality of the subunit. There are no visible discordant features.
C. Views
The subunit provides partial views of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains. Eves Point offers full views up and down the Hudson River, approximately 8 miles in length, and across the Hudson to the Estates District SASS. Views within the subunit are short and narrow, across small meadows contained by woodlands. Views from the Hudson River and the eastern shorelands are of the low wooded bluff and feature a relatively undisturbed landscape, with glimpses of scattered residential development. The overall composition is unified with no incongruous features, while the mix of meadows and woodlands provide variety and contrast set against the background of the Catskill Mountains. There are no focal points within the subunit, although the numerous estate structures on the opposite shore and the distant Saugerties Lighthouse provide focal points in views from Eves Point.
III. Uniqueness
The Eavesport subunit is not unique. It contains a common mix of woodlands and meadows with scattered residential development set on a low bluff above the Hudson River.
IV. Public Accessibility
The subunit has moderate public visual access. Local roads provide visual access within the subunit. The subunit can be viewed from the opposite shoreline, part of the Estate District SASS, notably from the Town of Germantown park at Cheviot Landing and in distant views from the Clermont Estate, a State historic site. The subunit is highly visible from the passenger trains on the east bank of the Hudson River.
Public access within the subunit will improve when property at Eves Point, recently purchased by Scenic Hudson and the Open Space Institute, two regional not-for-profit organizations concerned with open space preservation and the promotion of public access, is opened to the public. The property includes riverfront access to Eves Point, and management plans include developing public access and linking the property with the undeveloped Bristol Beach State Park in the adjacent Bristol Beach subunit.
V. Public Recognition
Public recognition of the Eavesport subunit is limited to the local population. The subunit is also recognized as the middleground in views to the west from the Clermont Estate on the eastern shore of the Hudson River. The scenic quality of the subunit has been recognized by the recent purchase of Eves Point by Scenic Hudson and the Open Space Institute.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The Eavesport subunit has high scenic quality. The unifying woodlands dominate among a variety of more open landscape features which include meadows and scattered residential development. These open features provide a moderate contrast of form, texture and color with the woodland cover. The subunit has moderate public visual accessibility and moderate local recognition. It is very important as the middleground of views to the Catskill Mountains from the Estates District SASS. The subunit is free from discordant features.
ULSTER NORTH SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. Location
The Bristol Beach Subunit extends about 0.75 miles south from Eves Point to the hamlet of Malden-on-Hudson and is about 1.25 miles wide. The subunit includes the Hudson River from the mean high tide line on the eastern shore, sharing a common boundary with the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River, and land to the west of the Hudson River, with its western boundary being the coastal area boundary, following the Conrail railroad line and NY Route 9W. The subunit is located in the Town of Saugerties, Ulster County and the Town of Clermont, Columbia County. Consult the Ulster North SASS map sheet number 1 for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The Bristol Beach subunit is a gently rolling landscape dominated by woodlands, their coverage occasionally broken by scattered meadows. The Hudson River shoreline is relatively smooth and includes a wooded marsh, the cove, and tidal flats enclosed by Eves Point.
B. Cultural Character
The subunit exhibits a pastoral landscape of woodlands, meadows and flats. Within the subunit are a few scattered houses and farmsteads located along NY Route 9W and local roads. There is an abandoned brickworks and clay pit located in the interior of the subunit which was acquired by the State and now forms an undeveloped park known as the Bristol Beach State Park. The cove has local historical significance and value as the site of an early landing. A sunken barge is visible in the cove, and one large derelict industrial structure remains on the waterfront. This structure introduces an element of discordance into an otherwise undisturbed landscape, but this does not impair the overall scenic quality of the subunit, which is relatively well maintained. The ephemeral effects of wildlife enhance the scenic qualities of the subunit.
C. Views
Views from the Bristol Beach subunit include the Catskill Mountains to the west and the Estates District SASS across the Hudson River to the east. The extensive woodlands restrict full views of the Hudson River except from the shoreline. Views within the subunit are short and narrow, across small meadows contained by woodlands. Views from the Hudson River and the eastern shorelands are of the rolling wooded uplands. The overall composition is unified with no incongruous features, while the mix of meadows and woodlands provide a pleasing variety and contrast set against the background of the Catskill Mountains. There are no positive focal points within the subunit, although the estate structures on the opposite shore and the distant Saugerties Lighthouse provide focal points in views from the shoreline.
III. Uniqueness
The Bristol Beach subunit is not unique. It is a common mix of woodlands and meadows.
IV. Public Accessibility
The subunit has moderate public visual access. Local roads provide visual access within the subunit. The subunit can be viewed from the Hudson River and its eastern shorelands which are part of the Estate District SASS, notably in distant views from Cheviot Landing and the Clermont Estate, a State historic site. The subunit is highly visually accessible from the passenger trains on the east bank of the Hudson River. Public access could be improved within the subunit if the undeveloped Bristol Beach State Park is linked with Eves Point in the adjacent Eavesport subunit, where property has recently been purchased by Scenic Hudson and the Open Space Institute, two regional not-for-profit organizations concerned with open space preservation and the promotion of public access. Park development at these properties would provide physical and visual access to the Hudson River shoreline.
V. Public Recognition
The Bristol Beach subunit is recognized by the State ownership of Bristol Beach State Park and the purchase by regional not-for-profit organizations of Eve's Point for public use. The subunit is also known as the middleground of views from Clermont, a State historic site, and from other locations on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River. Public recognition is otherwise limited to the local population.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The Bristol Beach subunit has high scenic quality and features a rolling wooded landscape. The unifying woodlands dominate among a variety of more open landscape features which include meadows, tidal flats, a cove and wooded marshlands. These open features provide a moderate contrast of form, texture and color with the woodland cover. The subunit has moderate public visual accessibility and moderate local recognition. It is very important as the middleground of views to the Catskill Mountains from the Estates District SASS, notably the Clermont State Historic Site. It is free from discordant features.
ULSTER NORTH SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. Location
The Malden-on-Hudson subunit is centered around the hamlet of Malden-on-Hudson. It is approximately one mile long on the north-south axis and 1.25 miles in width. The subunit includes the Hudson River from the mean high tide line on the eastern shore, sharing a common boundary with the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River, and land to the west of the Hudson River, with its western boundary being the coastal area boundary, following NY Route 9W. The subunit is located in the Town of Saugerties, Ulster County and the Town of Clermont, Columbia County. Consult the Ulster North SASS map sheet number 1 for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The Malden-on-Hudson subunit features a tightly-knit historic hamlet located on the gently rising banks of the Hudson River. Vegetation consists of plantings, lawns and street trees which are important features in the composition of the hamlet. Surrounding Malden-on-Hudson is a rural landscape of meadows and woodlands. The shoreline is fairly straight with a few small points and coves. The natural shoreline has been modified in places by bulkheads associated with the residences located along the river.
B. Cultural Character
The subunit contains the tightly knit historic hamlet of Malden-on-Hudson, which features a residential waterfront, with several large historic homes nestled in the woods at the river's edge. A scattering of more recent residential development exists along local roads leading into the hamlet center. Malden-on-Hudson was founded as Bristol in 1812 by Asa Bigelow, a merchant and the first postmaster at Saugerties. The settlement provided a deepwater port for his merchant fleet. The port became the center of the bluestone trade in Saugerties, a major industry in this part of the Hudson Valley from the mid 1800's until 1917. Much of the curbstone in New York City came from quarries in the Saugerties area while stone from local quarries was shipped all over the world from Malden-on Hudson. The site of the Bigelow bluestone shipping yard is now the Malden-on-Hudson Water Control Plant and waterfront Malden Mini-Park. The hamlet was the birthplace of John Bigelow, Minister to France under Abraham Lincoln. The well-designed and laid out historic hamlet is well maintained and features many intact historic structures. There are no significant discordant features present.
C. Views
Views from the Malden-on-Hudson subunit include the Catskill Mountains to the west and the Estates District SASS across the Hudson River to the east. From many locations in the subunit, views of the river are full and unobstructed. Views within the subunit include the many historic features of the hamlet and the pleasing contrast of the hamlet, woods, farms and the Hudson River. Views from the Hudson River and the eastern shorelands are of the hamlet located on the rising shorelands of the Hudson River. The hamlet center, with a white steepled church, is a prominent focal point in the subunit. The estate structures on the opposite shore and the Saugerties Lighthouse to the south provide focal points in views from the shoreline of the subunit.
III. Uniqueness
The hamlet of Malden-on-Hudson is not unique. However, it exhibits a close relationship between settlement and river that is uncommon in the region.
IV. Public Accessibility
The subunit is accessible from local roads and the Hudson River. Good views of the Hudson River and the Estates District SASS are available from the mini-park located on the Hudson River adjacent to the sewage treatment plant. The subunit can be viewed from the river and its eastern shorelands, part of the Estate District SASS, notably in views from the Clermont Estate, a State historic site, and in distant views from Cheviot Landing. The subunit is also highly visually accessible from the passenger trains on the east bank of the Hudson River.
V. Public Recognition
The Malden-on-Hudson subunit receives moderate public recognition as a historic hamlet on the banks of the Hudson River and as the middleground in views from Clermont, a State historic site.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The Malden-on-Hudson subunit has high scenic quality and features a tightly-knit historic settlement on the banks of the Hudson River. The subunit features a good variety of scenic components including woodland, meadows, hamlet and river all in an harmonious relationship. The tight street pattern and clustering of the historic settlement provides unity to the development within the subunit, maintaining the contrast of form, texture and color between the built and natural environments. It is physically accessible via local roads and the Hudson River, and is visually accessible from trains on the east shore of the Hudson. The subunit is very important as the middleground of views to the Catskill Mountains from the Estates District SASS, notably the Clermont State Historic Site. There are no significant discordant features.
ULSTER NORTH SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
UN-4 Saugerties Bluffs Subunit
I. Location
The Saugerties Bluffs subunit extends approximately 1.25 miles south from Malden-on-Hudson to the base of the bluffs adjacent to the tidal flats at the confluence of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River. The subunit is approximately 1.25 miles wide. It includes the Hudson River from the mean high tide line on the eastern shore, sharing a common boundary with the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River, and land to the west of the Hudson River, with its western boundary being the coastal area boundary, following NY Route 9W. The subunit is located in the Town of Saugerties, Ulster County; the Town of Clermont, Columbia County and the Town of Red Hook, Dutchess County. Consult the Ulster North SASS map sheet number 1 for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The Saugerties Bluffs subunit is a mix of steep bluffs and rolling upland that rises to over 150 feet above the Hudson River. Mature woodlands dominate the steep bluffs, while the landscaped lawns of several historic estates run down to the Hudson River where the bluffs have less relief. The shoreline of the Hudson River is relatively smooth. The Sawyer Kill flows through the subunit at Seamon Park.
B. Cultural Character
The Saugerties Bluffs subunit features several well-sited, historic landscaped estates situated on the Hudson River. The estates are well maintained and retain their historic integrity. The white painted residential structures contrast with the landscaped open spaces and the surrounding woodland. Mynderse House, located off Mynderse Street, is reputed to be the earliest home in the Saugerties area. The well preserved fieldstone house dates from the 1690's. Inland and adjacent to NY Route 9W is Seamon Park, a gift to the Village of Saugerties from George Seamon in 1925. The landscaped park sits above the road and offers spectacular views over Winston Farm toward the Catskill Mountains. Terwilligers Grist Mill, an historic saw mill on the Sawyer Kill adjacent to Seamon Park, dates from 1752 and is currently being restored. No discordant features are visible in the subunit.
C. Views
Views from the Saugerties Bluff subunit include an impressive panorama of the Catskill Mountains, full and partial views of the Hudson River and views of the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands. Within the subunit, views are largely contained by woodlands, although the open landscaped estates provide more expansive views. Views from the Hudson River and the eastern shorelands are of the steep wooded bluffs and the landscaped estates. The overall composition of views is unified with no incongruous features, while the mix of meadows and woodlands provide a pleasing variety and contrast set against the background of the Catskill Mountains. The estate structures and the landscaped lawns provide some focal points in the subunit.
III. Uniqueness
The Saugerties Bluffs subunit is not unique. Its mix of intact estates set among wooded bluffs is a frequently occurring feature in this region of the Hudson River, but is less common in the State.
IV. Public Accessibility
The Saugerties Bluffs subunit is accessible via the Hudson River, NY Route 9W and Seamon Park. There is no public access to the Hudson River. The subunit can be viewed from the opposite shoreline, part of the Estate District SASS, notably in views from the Clermont Estate, a State historic site. The subunit is highly visually accessible from the passenger trains on the east bank of the Hudson River.
V. Public Recognition
The Saugerties Bluffs subunit receives moderate public recognition, notably for the locally known Seamon Park and for its role as the middleground of views from the estates of the Estates District SASS on the eastern shore of the Hudson River.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The Saugerties Bluffs subunit has high scenic quality and features a variety of scenic components, including steep wooded bluffs with historic landscaped estates set on the rolling upland overlooking the Hudson River. The open landscaped estates provide a contrast of form, texture and color with the unifying mature woodlands. The subunit is very important as the middleground of views to the Catskill Mountains from the Estates District SASS, notably the Clermont State Historic Site. The subunit is accessible via NY Route 9W and Seamon Park and is visible from the Hudson River and trains on the eastern shore. It is generally free of discordant features.
ULSTER NORTH SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. Location
The Esopus Creek subunit is located southeast of the Village of Saugerties. It is based around the confluence of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River and extends upstream from the mouth of the Creek for approximately one mile. It is about 0.75 miles long and just under 2 miles wide. The subunit includes the Hudson River from the mean high tide line on the eastern shore, sharing a common boundary with the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River, and land to the west of the Hudson River, with its western boundary being the coastal area boundary, following NY Route 9W. The subunit is located in the Town of Saugerties, Ulster County, and the Town of Red Hook and Village of Tivoli, Dutchess County. Consult the Ulster North SASS map sheets, numbers 1 and 2, for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The Esopus Creek subunit is a dramatic landform of steep creek banks giving way to a delta of extensive tidal flats. The Esopus Creek flows over a dam and through a sinuous horseshoe curve, constrained by steep rocky cliffs, before entering the Hudson River. The Saugerties Lighthouse signifies the entrance to the creek and stands at the end of a dike built by the federal government a century ago to maintain the channel of the Esopus Creek. As a result of deposition, a filled wetland and rich tidal habitat spreads to the north and south of the dike, which extends a half mile from the west shoreline into the center of the Hudson River. The tidal wetlands and flats contain a variety of wetland vegetation including wet meadows, flooded dead trees, flooded shrubs and emergents. In addition to the extensive wetland vegetation the subunit contains a mix of wooded areas, scrubby vacant land, and landscaped lawns.
B. Cultural Character
The subunit exhibits a predominantly urbanized land use and is a mix of residential and waterfront commercial development, interspersed with the ruins and vestiges of a rich industrial heritage.
The subunit has a long history of industrial and commercial activity and a close relationship with the Hudson River both in prehistoric times and the colonial period dating from the early Dutch saw and grist mills along the Esopus Creek in the early Seventeenth Century. Settled by the Dutch around 1710 and later by the Palatines, Saugerties initially experienced limited growth. As late as 1811 the hamlet contained only 21 houses.
In the 1820's Henry Barclay sparked the expansion of the community when he established the Ulster Iron Works and the Barclay Fiber Company. He was responsible for much of the present structure of the subunit. The area around the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River developed an extensive variety of industry and commercial activity including lumbering, white lead, gunpowder, ice and paper industries along with an active port which shipped bluestone from the local quarries.
At the western edge of the subunit is Barclays Dam, constructed in 1825 over the first falls on the Esopus Creek. It rises fifty feet above the tide water of the Hudson River and creates an extensive mill pond behind it. A raceway canal, cut through to solid rock to the east of the dam, diverted water to power the factories below the dam on the banks of the Esopus Creek. These included Barclays Mills, constructed in the early 19th century, the site of the manufacture of the first machine-made paper in America (1826) and the first application of the process of manufacturing purified, high strength iron in America (1828).
The dam and the abandoned raceway still exist along with industrial ruins and one vacant building, "the Bindery" on East Bridge Street. This is all that remains of the once thriving creek-side industrial activity. Two designated archaeological sites are located in the subunit. On the north side of Esopus Creek, close to the sewage treatment plant is a site which contains evidence of prehistoric and 19th century occupation and to the south of the creek are remains of an industrial complex including foundations, a stone tramway and parts of a former iron works.Parts of Saugerties Village are included within the Esopus Creek subunit. The village was laid out as a model village by Henry Barclay in 1827. By 1840 it had become the industrial and population center of Ulster County. The village was originally incorporated in 1832 as the Village of Ulster, but on Barclay's death in 1855 it was renamed Saugerties. The lack of twentieth century growth in the Village has meant that there are few modern developments, and many buildings of historic interest remain intact. As such the Village of Saugerties has scenic and historical value as an excellent example of a 19th century settlement on the Hudson River which reflects many aspects of the broader social and commercial changes that affected the upper Hudson Valley during this period. It offers a wealth of historic associations and an architectural record of a variety of 19th century residential building styles.
The subunit contains the Southside neighborhood, a large residential neighborhood that extends up the slope from the Esopus Creek to the ridge line traversed by NY Route 9W. The neighborhood developed in association with the waterfront industry of the 19th century and includes a mix of housing types ranging from modest vernacular dwellings on small lots, some of which have been converted to multi-family use, to large mansions along Barclay Street and one remaining vacant industrial structure, the "Bindery". The neighborhood contains many buildings of historic and architectural interest. Along the south banks of the Esopus Creek is located Lynch's Marina, the winter home of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, and a boat club. Relatively new residential development, including some subdivisions, has occurred to the north of Esopus Creek around Lighthouse Drive.
The present Saugerties Lighthouse, dating from 1867, is an important cultural feature in the subunit. Built on massive stone foundations to the west of an earlier stone lighthouse constructed in 1838, the lighthouse directed river traffic when Saugerties was a major port on the Hudson River. Originally placed at the confluence of the broad delta of the Esopus Creek with the Hudson River, the structure now stands at the end of a dike built by the federal government a century ago to maintain the channel of the Esopus Creek. Saugerties Lighthouse, the oldest remaining lighthouse on the Hudson River, is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. It has been restored to operation by the Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy. Limited public access is available to the lighthouse, which now contains a museum displaying artifacts of the lighthouse and the thriving period of early commercial activity on the Saugerties waterfront.
The sewage treatment plant on Dock Street and boat storage at the end of Ferry Street provide an element of discordance, but do not detract from the scenic quality of the subunit.
Boating activity on the Esopus Creek, the diversity and abundance of wildlife and the changing patterns, colors and textures associated with the tidal flats provide ephemeral characteristics which enhance the scenic qualities of the Esopus Creek subunit.
C. Views
Views from the Esopus Creek subunit are varied. Full and partial views of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River and views of the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands are available from Rt. 9W and local streets, while to the west are seen the looming and ever present Catskill Mountains. Often views are contained and focused to the banks and curves of the Esopus Creek. From the points at the confluence there are extremely long views up and down the Hudson River. Views from the Hudson River and the eastern shorelands are of the mouth of the Esopus Creek and the Village of Saugerties. The many historic structures, boat traffic, and the landforms provide an unusual contrast and diversity, set against the background of the Catskill Mountains. Focal points include the lighthouse and several historic structures.
III. Uniqueness
The subunit is unique. The winding course and steep banks of the Esopus Creek, the human modification of its confluence with the Hudson River, and the resulting point of land protruding into the Hudson River with an historic lighthouse at the end are unique features in the Hudson River.
IV. Public Accessibility
The Esopus Creek subunit is publicly accessible via local roads, the Esopus Creek, the Hudson River and the Saugerties Lighthouse. There is no publicly-owned land on the waterfront within the subunit, although limited public access is available to the lighthouse with the consent of the Lighthouse Conservancy. The Lighthouse Conservancy has applied for permits to build a walkway across the wetland to the lighthouse which will significantly increase access to the shore. The wetlands at the mouth of the Esopus Creek are owned by New York State, but access to this fragile resource is only available by water. The creek is viewed most often by the large numbers of local boaters. The subunit is highly visually accessible from the passenger trains on the east bank of the Hudson River, which offers views of the tidal flats and confluence. It is visible from the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River, and part of the Estates District SASS, notably in the middle distance in views from the Clermont State Historic Site, Tivoli Landing, Tivoli Bays State Nature Preserve and Cruger Island.
V. Public Recognition
The Esopus Creek subunit receives favorable public recognition, notably from the local population, boaters and as the middleground in views from the estates on the eastern shore of the Hudson River. The architectural and historic importance of Saugerties Lighthouse has been recognized by its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The Esopus Creek subunit has high scenic quality and features a positive variety of scenic components. The landform is a dramatic mix of steep slopes, tidal wetlands and flats providing both variety and contrast, unified by the water features of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River. The low density estate development on the edges of the subunit provide a contrasting built form and pattern of development to the more dense urban character of the surrounding areas. The built development of the subunit features a variety of contrasting designs. The subunit is very important as the middleground of views to the Catskill Mountains from the Estates District SASS, notably the Clermont State Historic Site. The subunit is accessible via local roads and the Esopus Creek and is visible from the Hudson River and trains on the eastern shore. The subunit is well recognized. It is generally free of discordant features.
ULSTER NORTH SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. Location
The Glasco Bluffs subunit begins just south of the tidal flats at the confluence of the Esopus Creek and Hudson River and extends approximately 1.25 miles south to the hamlet of Glasco. The subunit is between 1 and 1.5 miles wide and includes both the Hudson River up to the mean high tide line on the eastern shore, sharing a common boundary with the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River and land to the west of the Hudson River, with its western boundary running from the junction of Route 32 along Barclay Street, Simmons Street and to the end of Spaulding Lane where it follows the viewshed of the Hudson River south to the hamlet of Glasco. It is located in the Town and Village of Saugerties, Ulster County, and the Town of Red Hook and Village of Tivoli, Dutchess County. Consult the Ulster North SASS map sheet number 2 for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The Glasco Bluffs subunit features 150 foot high wooded bluffs. Mature woodlands dominate the steep bluffs, broken only by the landscaped lawns and pastures of several historic estates perched on the tops of the bluffs. Tidal flats are located along the shoreline in the north of the subunit. The wooded Magdalen Island is a feature in the Hudson River close to the eastern shoreline. For more information regarding Magdalen Island, consult the ED-5 Tivoli Bays subunit in the Estates District SASS.
B. Cultural Character
The Glasco Bluffs subunit features several historical landscaped estates, situated above the Hudson River on the top of the bluffs. The estates, now religious properties, are well maintained and retain their historical integrity. The white painted residential structures contrast with the landscaped open spaces and the surrounding woodland. There are no discordant features in the subunit.
C. Views
Some views within the Glasco Bluffs subunit are oriented to the Hudson River and provide full and partial views of the Hudson and of the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands. Other views inland are largely contained by woodlands, although the open landscaped estates provide more expansive views. Views from the Hudson River and the eastern shorelands are of the steep wooded bluffs and the landscaped estates. The overall composition of views is unified with no incongruous features, while the mix of meadows and woodlands provide a pleasing variety and contrast set against the background of the Catskill Mountains. The estates provide some focal points in the subunit.
III. Uniqueness
The Glasco Bluffs subunit is not unique. Its mix of intact estates set among wooded bluffs is a frequently occurring feature in this region of the Hudson River, but is less common in the State.
IV. Public Accessibility
The Glasco Bluffs subunit has limited public accessibility. It has moderate visual accessibility from the eastern shorelands, part of the Estate District SASS, notably from Tivoli Landing. The subunit is highly visually accessible from the Hudson River and passenger trains on its east bank, from the Tivoli Bay State Nature Preserve, Bard College and Montgomery Place.
V. Public Recognition
Public recognition of the Glasco Bluffs subunit is limited to local residents. The subunit is also known as the middleground of views from the Estates District SASS on the eastern shore of the Hudson River.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The Glasco Bluffs subunit has high scenic quality and features a variety of scenic components, including wooded bluffs with historical landscaped estates overlooking the Hudson River. The open estate landscapes provide a contrast of form, texture and color with the mature woodlands. The subunit is physically accessible via local roads, the Hudson River and trains on the east shore of the Hudson. The subunit is very important as the middleground of views to the Catskill Mountains from the Estates District SASS. There are no discordant features in the subunit.
ULSTER NORTH SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. Location
The Glasco Uplands subunit is located to the north of the hamlet of Glasco. The viewshed of the Hudson River at the top of the bluffs constitutes the eastern subunit boundary, while the western boundary runs from the end of Spaulding Lane southwest along the western limit of existing farmland to rejoin the coastal area boundary at the cross-roads on Route 32 in Glasco. The subunit is approximately one mile long and one mile wide. The Glasco Uplands subunit is located in the Town of Saugerties, Ulster County. Consult the Ulster North SASS map sheet number 2 for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The Glasco Uplands subunit is composed of a mix of farmland and mature and emergent woodland located on the gently undulating uplands adjacent to the bluffs of the Hudson River.
B. Cultural Character
The landscape pattern is a mix of pastures and woodlands. The appearance is of a healthy, thriving farmland on the edge of an urban area. A collection of farm buildings is located on the top of the bluffs, surrounded by open meadows. The farmland is well maintained and is an example of an historical land use in the region. There has been some intrusion of modern single family residential and commercial strip development into the woodland along NY Routes 9W and 32, adjacent to the subunit. This development dominates the western edge of the subunit and adds a discordant element but does not diminish from the overall scenic quality of the subunit.
C. Views
Views from the Glasco Uplands are of moderate length and width. There are partial views of the Hudson River from the open farmland on the eastern edge of the subunit. The Catskill Mountains are featured in views to the west and provide a consistent dramatic background to the subunit. Within the subunit some views are open across large fields, but most are contained by surrounding woodlands. The mix of woodlands, farmland and the collection of farm buildings forms a pleasing composition of scenic components. The farm buildings provide a focal point within the subunit and in glimpses of the subunit from Crugers Island and the Hudson River.
III. Uniqueness
The Glasco Uplands subunit is not unique. However, the existence of an active agricultural landscape on the edge of a built up area is an uncommon landscape feature in the Hudson Valley.
IV. Public Accessibility
The Glasco Uplands subunit is moderately visually accessible from local roads and from upland areas on the eastern shore of the Hudson River, part of the Estates District SASS, most notably Montgomery Place and the Tivoli Bays State Nature Preserve.
V. Public Recognition
Public recognition of the Glasco Uplands subunit is limited to local residents. It is known as the active farmland on the edge of the Village of Saugerties.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
The Glasco Uplands subunit has high scenic quality and features a variety of farmland, woodland and residential development. The survival of active farmland in the presence of urban development pressure has a significant symbolic value as a historical and traditional regional land use and as a significant landscape component. There are no discordant features in the subunit.
ULSTER NORTH SCENIC AREAS OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. Location
The Glasco subunit is located along the western banks of the Hudson River and includes the hamlet of Glasco. It is approximately 0.75 miles long by 0.75 miles wide. The subunit includes the Hudson River from the mean high tide line on the eastern shore, sharing a common boundary with the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands of the Hudson River, and land to the west of the Hudson River, with its western boundary being the coastal area boundary along NY Route 32. The subunit is located in the Town of Saugerties, Ulster County, and the Town of Red Hook, Dutchess County. Consult the Ulster North SASS map sheet number 2 for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character
The Glasco subunit consists of a flat area alongside the Hudson River and a bluff rising to a flat upland beyond the ridgeline. The developed sections of the bluff feature a series of created terraces which are occupied by residential development. The vegetation is a mix of open recreation fields, landscaping associated with residential development and woodland. The Hudson River is the dominant water feature and exhibits a relatively smooth bulkheaded shoreline. Magdalen and Cruger Islands are features in the Hudson River close to the eastern shoreline. For more information concerning the islands, consult the ED-5 Tivoli Bays subunit in the Estates District SASS.
B. Cultural Character
Land use in the subunit is dominated by urban uses and features a compact hamlet with residential development, active and derelict waterside industry and a sewage treatment plant. The hamlet of Glasco, an historical industrial settlement, was an active company shipping port for a glass company, located inland above Woodstock, during the early 19th century. The hamlet takes it's name, "Glasco", from a large sign painted on one of the warehouses. The hamlet has retained a tight village pattern with many older residential structures intact, and the urban landscape is generally well maintained. Some modern structures and adaptations of older buildings are of inconsistent quality and are discordant elements within the built fabric of the subunit. A derelict industrial property on the waterfront adjacent to the Glasco Mini-Park, the blocky structures of the sewage plant, several large parking areas along the river bank, the waterside storage of construction vehicles and materials are discordant features and detract from the visual quality of the Hudson.
C. Views
Views from the Glasco subunit include an impressive panorama of the Catskill Mountains, full and partial views of the Hudson River and views of the Estates District SASS on the eastern shorelands. Within the subunit, views are largely contained by the urban settlement pattern and the ridgeline of the bluff. Views from the Hudson River are of the developed waterfront. The mix of river, hamlet, woodlands and open space provides a pleasing variety and contrast set against the background of the Catskill Mountains. Magdalen and Cruger Islands are dominant focal points in views of the Hudson.
III. Uniqueness
The Glasco subunit is not unique. However, the historic industrial hamlet and its close relationship with the Hudson River is uncommon in the region.
IV. Public Accessibility
The Glasco subunit is accessible via local roads and the Hudson River. The Glasco Mini-Park, adjacent to the sewage treatment plant, provides access to the shoreline and views of the Hudson River and the Estates District SASS . The subunit can be viewed from the Hudson River and the opposite shorelands, part of the Estates District SASS, especially the Tivoli Bays State Nature Preserve and Montgomery Place. The subunit is highly visually accessible from the passenger trains on the east bank of the Hudson River.
V. Public Recognition
Public recognition of the Glasco subunit is generally limited to local residents. The subunit is also known as the middleground of views from the estates on the eastern shore of the Hudson River.
VI. Reason for Inclusion
Although the Glasco subunit has limited variety, unity, and contrast of scenic components, and discordant features are found along the waterfront, the subunit forms an integral part of the bluffs that unify the Ulster North SASS, and it is bounded to the north and south by the distinctive Glasco Bluffs, Glasco Uplands, Glasco Farmlands and Turkey Point subunits.
ULSTER NORTH SCENIC AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE
I. Location
The Glasco Farmlands subunit is located south of the hamlet of Glasco and extends approximately 3 miles south to Ulster Landing Road, the southern boundary of the Ulster North SASS. The top of the bluffs creates the eastern boundary and the coastal area boundary along NY Route 32 forms the western boundary. The subunit is between 1.5 and 2.75 miles wide. The Glasco Farmlands subunit is located in the Towns of Saugerties and Ulster, Ulster County. Consult the Ulster North SASS map sheet number 2 for subunit boundaries.
II. Scenic Components
A. Physical Character