The Newburgh Preservation Association (N.P.A.) is offering free guided walking tours of the “Historic Landmarks of Newburgh, NY: Birthplace of the American Republic,” as part of New York Heritage Weekend, May 19 and 20, 2012. New York Heritage Weekend showcases the Empire State to residents and visitors alike and will help kick off the summer tourism season. With the cooperation of federal, state and private organizations, and in celebration of National Preservation Month, New York Heritage Weekend will highlight special events at heritage and cultural destinations throughout New York State.
The Newburgh Preservation Association tours will include the City of Newburgh’s most important landmark buildings, including Andrew Jackson Davis’ American Reformed Church (known to many as the Newburgh Lyceum at the Dutch Reformed Church), the City Club, St. George’s Church, the Masonic Temple, City Hall, Karpeles Museum and Washington’s Headquarters. Tours will be led by Newburgh City historian and N.P.A. board member Mary McTamaney beginning at 1pm on Saturday, May 19, and by N.P.A. Vice President and local architect Giovanni Palladino beginning at 1pm on Sunday, May 20. Each tour, lasting approximately two hours, will kick off on the steps of the Old City Courthouse at 123 Grand Street in Newburgh, and culminate at Washington’s Headquarters, 84 Liberty Street. Walkers are encouraged to bring water and wear comfortable shoes. The tours are free but donations to NPA are encouraged.
Last year Heritage Weekend featured 166 events hosted by 143 organizations throughout New York. Heritage Weekend generated an estimated $1.6 million last year. Studies have shown that the majority of tourists seek out activities that connect with the culture, arts and historic resources of the places they visit and Heritage Weekend demonstrates the great value of investing in our State’s heritage resources. New York’s history is a profound competitive advantage for the state, and Heritage Weekend demonstrates the great value of investing in historical and cultural resources.
The Newburgh Preservation Association (N.P.A.), an all-volunteer organization founded in 1978, is the only local nonprofit exclusively committed to rebuilding, preserving and promoting the architectural heritage and historic viewsheds of the City of Newburgh. In 2010, N.P.A. helped facilitate the sale of the 1914 West Shore Train Station to Ray Yannone of Storm King Builders, and earlier this year, N.P.A. announced its plans to re-launch Alexander Jackson Davis’s historic 1835 American Reformed Church as The Newburgh Lyceum at the Dutch Reformed Church, part of a broader effort by the group to stabilize, restore and rededicate the landmark building as the heart of Newburgh’s public square.
For more information, contact info@preservenewburgh.org or call (845) 562-8076. To support N.P.A.’s mission, including contributing to The Newburgh Lyceum at the Dutch Reformed Church, visit http://www.preservenewburgh.org/.
Celebrate New York’s history by participating in exclusive events, taking advantage of special discounts and experiencing a unique behind the scenes tours of many of our historic and cultural treasures. For more information, email us at hrvg@hudsongreenway.ny.gov. For a complete listing of events, visit www.HeritageWeekend.org.
