Historic sites in Hudson Highlands State Park

Historic Sites & Ruins

The Hudson Highlands contain a dense concentration of military and industrial history overlooking the Hudson River. This collection features the Revolutionary War fortifications of Fort Montgomery and the 19th-century rifled Parrott Gun, a staple of Civil War artillery. Architectural ruins include the Scottish-style Bannerman Castle, once used for surplus ammunition storage, and the Northgate estate of Edward Cornish. For panoramic views of the valley, the Mt. Beacon Fire Observation Tower provides a restored vantage point atop South Beacon Mountain.

PhreddyCox / CC BY-SA 4.0

Bannerman Castle

This majestic structure was used to hold ammunition. Nowadays, it is mostly in decay - but makes for an adventurous visit.

Mt. Beacon Fire Observation Tower

The Mt. Beacon Fire Observation Tower is located on the summit of South Beacon Mountain in Beacon, New York, United States.It was added to…

Pi3.124 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Fort Montgomery State Historic Site

Fort Montgomery was a fortification built on the west bank of the Hudson River in Highlands, New York by the Continental Army during the…

Charles Edward / CC BY-SA 3.0

Parrott rifle

The Parrott rifle was a type of muzzle-loading rifled artillery weapon used extensively in the American Civil War.

Cornish Estate Ruins (Northgate)

These stone remains belong to the early 20th-century Northgate estate, once the residence of Edward Cornish. A 1958 fire destroyed most of the mansion, leaving behind granite walls, chimneys, and the skeletal structure of a greenhouse within Hudson Highlands State Park.