Vanderbilt Mansion, Hyde Park, NY

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Yesterday we went to the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, NY. We were going to do the garden tour, but decided to take a look at the house first. Afterwards we were hot, tired and hungry so we just took a quick look at the garden – we’ll go back another day. For a Vanderbilt pile this one is quite modest. Afterwards we had a late lunch at Pho Max Vietnamese restaurant in Wappingers Falls. Recently opened. A good find.

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Staircase in the mansion.

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Statue in the entrance hall.

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In the gardens.

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View of the Hudson from the mansion.

Hubbard Lodge

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Going north on Route 9 from Peekskill towards Fishkill you pass the intersection with Route 301. A little further there’s a sign to “Hubbard Lodge”. I’ve often seen it and the other day decided to see what was there. Drive a short distance down the road and you come to a chalet style building. It was locked when I was there so I have no idea what’s inside. Behind the building is a fenced off area (which you can enter, but no dogs allowed) with a patio, picnic tables, a gazebo and lots of paths between flower beds. Bees and butterflies fly around all over the place. The garden looks a bit overgrown to me – but maybe it’s meant to be like that. A nice place to come and sit for a while.

Go on a little further and you come to some trails.

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Patio

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Gazebo

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Wooden bench

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Flowers with bees

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Echinacea (if I’m not mistaken – and I easily could be)

Skyline

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Another picture taken by my 13 year old granddaughter (with some post-processing and black and white conversion from me). I guess it’s New York since she only went to New York and Los Angeles – and it doesn’t look like LA to me. The date on the file indicates that it was taken on their return from LA – I’m guessing as they were landing at JFK. I love the overall moodiness combined with the depth that comes from the layers of darker buildings interspersed with brighter patches.

Fishkill Rural Cemetery

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According to its website:

Before the formation of community cemeteries, a country churchyard was the only public burial ground available. Sometimes an obscure corner of the family farm held the remains of family members. Gradually, the churchyards were being filled up. Public interest was aroused by a number of Fishkill citizens getting together to seek a suitable site for a cemetery. The Fishkill Rural Cemetery was organized on April 25, 1866, with Isaac Cotheal as chairman and Jas. E. Van Steenbeergh as secretary. A track of 27 acres was purchased from James Smith, a local farmer. On October 17, 1866 at a Dedication Ceremony with appropriate and solemn services, the Fishkill Rural Cemetery was established as a resting place for the dead. The Honorable Allard Anthony presented the opening address. Doctor Lewis H. White, the beloved physician who cared for the local residents served as first president.

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Detail from the Dubois Chapel (also seen in the first picture above).

The DuBois Chapel was built in a Gothic Revival Style Architecture in 1888. Doctor Abram DuBois and his wife Catharine provided initial funding of $2,000.00. The DuBois family donated several stained glass windows and the original bell donated by James E. Van Nostrand survive to this day. Restoration of the chapel began in 1996, restoring the windows, fireplace, and the entranceway. New stained glass windows were also donated to replace damaged windows. Funding of the chapel restoration was provided by plot owners and concerned citizens. The Chapel which was refurbished through donations included new memorialized benches.

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As the Inscription says: “1866. Receiving Vault”

A short walk around Fishkill

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The White House Restaurant/Bar (mostly Bar nowadays by the look of it) in Fishkill.

I’d been meaning to take a look around Fishkill for some time, but somehow hadn’t gotten around to it. We have two daughters, one son-in-law, and five grandchildren staying with us at the moment. They wanted to go to Splashdown Beach Water Park so I dropped them off and went for a walk. I didn’t really have enough time to explore it as I would have liked, but it’s an interesting town and I’ll probably go back.

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Presently Piano Piano Wine Bar, but a plaque on the wall proclaims: “Davies Building. Originally The National Bank of Fishkill. Built c. 1857. Has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior”.

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First Reformed Church of Fishkill. A historic marker sign outside says: “Dutch Church. Reformed Church of Fishkill. Organized 1716. Built 1725. Occupied 1776 by New York Provincial Congress. Also prison during Revolution.” The church consists of several buildings. This one is known as “The Sanctuary”. The church’s website describes it as follows: “Our sanctuary, one of the most historic buildings in all of Dutchess County, is the centerpiece of our property. Though it underwent several changes through its first 150 years or so, the focus now is on preserving this building and its many symbols as a house of worship and a prominent sign to the community of the love of God that is present here.”

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Another one of the church buildings: The DuBois House. According to the website: “Although this house bears the name of a founding elder of the church, it was never owned or occupied by him. Originally referred to as the Village Farm, this structure passed through many generations of church members before being sold as a commercial property. In 1991, the church acquired the building, which had been significantly modified inside. The building now houses our offices and a meeting room.”

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Fishkill United Methodist Church. Erected 1838.

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House on Broad Street.