As you may have heard, America’s celebrating a big birthday this year. And we, the people, are ready to party, semiquincentennial style.
While there are plenty of ways to salute the 250th anniversary of our country’s independence locally (including the Ben Franklin Was Here, 1776 exhibit at the Chapman Museum in Glens Falls, America’s 250th Birthday Celebration at Mabee Farm on July 3, and a whole slate of events put on by the Saratoga 250 campaign), a road trip south of Albany to a former New York State Capital may just be what the general ordered.
Set up your base camp in Dutchess County, as many significant members of the American Revolution did some 250 years ago. We’d recommend staying at The Heartwood at Vassar, a 50-room boutique hotel opened in July 2024 that has quickly become a cult favorite among visiting parents and tourists alike. It’s located right in Poughkeepsie, which served as the capital of New York from 1777–1783, following the British burning of Kingston. (The capital briefly moved to New York City in 1783 before it came to its final resting place of Albany in 1797.)
Just south of the city you’ll find all manner of National Heritage Sites with Revolutionary War connections. Start out in Fishkill, aka the Crossroads of the American Colonies, a Dutchess County town that served as a strategic hub for the Patriots’ cause during the War for Independence.
At the thoughtfully preserved Mount Gulian Historic Site, the colonial homestead of the Verplanck family, you can envision what life would have been like as a soldier on one of the site’s general or white-glove tours. During the Revolution, the home was turned over to the Continental Army, and was where General Friedrich “Drillmaster” Von Steuben turned local farmers into musket-wielding warriors.
The Van Wyck Homestead Museum is also a must-visit for Revolutionary War buffs. Built by Cornelius Van Wyck in 1732, the Dutch Colonial homestead became a military base for General Israel Putnam, and doubled as the Fishkill Supply Depot and Barracks from 1776–1783. (Remember—we declared ourselves independent in 1776, but didn’t win the War for Independence until years later.) Thousands of Continental Army soldiers slept and trained at the depot, which employed hundreds of skilled craftspeople responsible for keeping the Army humming.
And across the Hudson River in Newburgh is the house that General George Washington called headquarters for more than 16 months. It was there that he declared the cessation of hostilities and disbanded the army, rejected an American monarchy, and created the Badge of Military Merit, the precursor to the Purple Heart. At press time, the onsite Hasbrouck House was closed for restoration, but visitors were welcome to explore Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site’s museum, Tower of Victory, and scenic grounds.
Once you’ve met your history quota, head back to Poughkeepsie, where plenty of modern restaurants, art galleries, and neighborhoods will transport you back to the 21st century.
At Vassar itself, there’s plenty to explore. Make sure you grab at least one meal at the Salt Line at Vassar, a 50-seat restaurant inspired by the Hudson River’s northern salt line and fed by the surrounding farms. Menus change with the seasons, and farm-plucked seasonal specials won’t disappoint—but the trademark burger is on all of the regulars’ plates for a reason.
The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center is the first art museum ever to open at a college or university, and has become a tourist magnet in its own right. The permanent collection is outstanding, with works by O’Keeffe, Picasso, Pollock, and Matisse, alongside Middle Eastern and antique Asian treasures. PS: It’s free!
Go explore the greener side of Poughkeepsie, starting with a stroll over the 1.28-mile Walkway Over the Hudson pedestrian bridge, the longest of its kind in the world. The former railroad bridge serves up a bird’s-eye view of the Hudson River, and offers a connection to 27 miles of riverfront parks and rail trails on the other side.
After you’ve worked up an appetite, head back into town for pasta, mega-sandwiches, and banger salads from Alimentari Rossi & Sons; wood-fired pizza from Pizzeria Posto; or sushi or hibachi at Tomo Asian Fusion. Top off your meal with one of the best bean-to-bar chocolate bars in the country at Fruition Chocolate Works’ Eastdale outpost, or an esoteric natty wine from one of the boss babes behind La Caviste. It’s what our Founding Fathers would have wanted.
