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East End Historic District (Newburgh, New York)
Encyclopedia
The East End Historic District in Newburgh
, New York
, USA is the lower portion of what the state and city recognize as a single historic district
along with the Montgomery-Grand-Liberty Streets Historic District
. Its 445 acres (2 km²) contain 2,217 buildings, including Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site
, a National Historic Landmark
.
This area includes much of the southeastern quarter of the city. Most of the buildings were constructed during the city's height of industrial development in the later 19th century, as opposed to the villas and mansions in the Montgomery-Grand-Liberty district. They housed many of the city's working-class population at the time, and the small businesses that served them. First recognized by the city in 1973, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1985.
Today, it is a mix of extremes. Some of its neighborhoods are among the city's most desirable, offering panoramic views of the Hudson River
's Newburgh Bay
and the Hudson Highlands
to the south. It is also home to some of the city's poorest neighborhoods, and historic preservation
groups have expressed concern about many important properties being lost to urban blight and neglect.
) to the west, Water Street and Bay View Terrace on the east, Monument and Renwick streets to the south and LeRoy Place and Broadway to the north. This area of Newburgh, combined with the other district, represents the core of the settled city by the end of the 19th century. It rises up gently from the riverside area to mildly rolling higher ground.
Industrial properties, both vacant and in use, are concentrated closer to the river, while the higher neighborhoods are mostly residential, with some institutional buildings such as schools and churches scattered throughout. There are a few commercial areas, most notably along Liberty Street opposite Washington's Headquarters, taking advantage of tourist
business at the historic site during the summer months; along Broadway near City Hall and also along a short block of William Street further south.
Combined and treated as one district, the 4,000 contributing properties
are the most of any historic district in New York. The 2,239 resources in the East End alone are the most of any federally-recognized district in the state.
s in the Italianate
style popular in the late 19th century for urban buildings. In Washington Heights, the blocks near the southeastern corner of the district, where views of the river open up, there are houses in many Victorian
styles reflecting the rapid subdivision
and development of that area between 1886 and 1900.
The houses on and near Parmenter Street, one block west of Washington's Headquarters, are the only part of Newburgh that still reflects the village character of the settlement from the turn of the 19th century. Houses here are gable
d two-story structures in the Federal style, not found much elsewhere in the city.
, recognizing the general's residence here during the years between British surrender at Yorktown
and final withdrawal from the American colonies in 1783. In the 1850s, it acquired additional historical significance when it became the first state-recognized historic site
in the country. Today it is one of Newburgh's two National Historic Landmark
s, under the management of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission
.
Another contributing property
within the district has been separately listed in the National Register. The New York State Armory
on Broadway had been vacant for decades after the New York National Guard unit stationed there moved to a newer building several blocks away in the 1930s. A fire in the 1970s had left it a blackened shell. It seemed likely to be torn down
until it was sold to Orange County
, which brought in a private developer to rebuild it with help from the state's Office of Historic Preservation
. It now houses the county's Social Services operations in the city.
listed the district as one of America's Most Endangered Places
. As of 2007 it saw the district's outlook as favorable after the River City Development Corporation, a Community Development Corporation
, obtained federal grants
to rehabilitate some of the old row houses into affordable housing
. In 1999 the Preservation League of New York State added a portion of the district to its "Seven to Save" list, since freed slaves congregated and lived around a nearby African Methodist Episcopal Zion
church and the neighborhood in question, along Parmenter Street in the "village" portion of Newburgh, is one of the oldest African-American neighborhoods in the state.
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA is the lower portion of what the state and city recognize as a single historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
along with the Montgomery-Grand-Liberty Streets Historic District
Montgomery-Grand-Liberty Streets Historic District
The Montgomery-Grand-Liberty Streets Historic District was the first of two to be designated in the city of Newburgh, New York, USA. It runs along the three named north-south streets in the northeast quadrant of the city and includes 250 buildings in its ....
. Its 445 acres (2 km²) contain 2,217 buildings, including Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site is a historic site in Newburgh, New York, USA. It consists of the Hasbrouck House, the longest-serving headquarters of George Washington during the American Revolutionary War, and three other structures....
, a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
This area includes much of the southeastern quarter of the city. Most of the buildings were constructed during the city's height of industrial development in the later 19th century, as opposed to the villas and mansions in the Montgomery-Grand-Liberty district. They housed many of the city's working-class population at the time, and the small businesses that served them. First recognized by the city in 1973, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1985.
Today, it is a mix of extremes. Some of its neighborhoods are among the city's most desirable, offering panoramic views of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
's Newburgh Bay
Newburgh Bay
Newburgh Bay is in the Hudson River approximately 60 miles north of New York City, just upriver from the Hudson Highlands. It takes its name from Newburgh, for many years the major port on this section of the river....
and the Hudson Highlands
Hudson Highlands
The Hudson Highlands are mountains on both sides of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York, between Newburgh Bay and Haverstraw Bay, which form the northern region of the New York - New Jersey Highlands....
to the south. It is also home to some of the city's poorest neighborhoods, and historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
groups have expressed concern about many important properties being lost to urban blight and neglect.
Geography
The district is roughly bounded by Robinson Avenue (US 9WU.S. Route 9W
U.S. Route 9W is a north–south U.S. Highway in the states of New Jersey and New York. It begins on Fletcher Avenue in Fort Lee, New Jersey as it crosses the US 1 & 9, US 46, and the Interstate 95 approaches to the George Washington Bridge, where it heads north up the west...
) to the west, Water Street and Bay View Terrace on the east, Monument and Renwick streets to the south and LeRoy Place and Broadway to the north. This area of Newburgh, combined with the other district, represents the core of the settled city by the end of the 19th century. It rises up gently from the riverside area to mildly rolling higher ground.
Industrial properties, both vacant and in use, are concentrated closer to the river, while the higher neighborhoods are mostly residential, with some institutional buildings such as schools and churches scattered throughout. There are a few commercial areas, most notably along Liberty Street opposite Washington's Headquarters, taking advantage of tourist
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
business at the historic site during the summer months; along Broadway near City Hall and also along a short block of William Street further south.
Combined and treated as one district, the 4,000 contributing properties
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
are the most of any historic district in New York. The 2,239 resources in the East End alone are the most of any federally-recognized district in the state.
Architecture
Much of the district is characterized by two- or three-story brick townhouseTownhouse
A townhouse is the term historically used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries to describe a residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city. Most such figures owned one or more country houses in which they lived for much of the year...
s in the Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
style popular in the late 19th century for urban buildings. In Washington Heights, the blocks near the southeastern corner of the district, where views of the river open up, there are houses in many Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
styles reflecting the rapid subdivision
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
and development of that area between 1886 and 1900.
The houses on and near Parmenter Street, one block west of Washington's Headquarters, are the only part of Newburgh that still reflects the village character of the settlement from the turn of the 19th century. Houses here are gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d two-story structures in the Federal style, not found much elsewhere in the city.
Significant contributing properties
The oldest property in the district and the city, Jonathan Hasbrouck's 1750 stone house, is today the center of Washington's Headquarters State Historic SiteWashington's Headquarters State Historic Site
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site is a historic site in Newburgh, New York, USA. It consists of the Hasbrouck House, the longest-serving headquarters of George Washington during the American Revolutionary War, and three other structures....
, recognizing the general's residence here during the years between British surrender at Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
and final withdrawal from the American colonies in 1783. In the 1850s, it acquired additional historical significance when it became the first state-recognized historic site
Historic site
A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have recognized with the official national historic site status...
in the country. Today it is one of Newburgh's two National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
s, under the management of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission
Palisades Interstate Park Commission
Palisades Interstate Park and its creator, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, was formed in 1900 by governors Theodore Roosevelt of New York and Foster M. Voorhees of New Jersey in response to the destruction of the Palisades by quarry operators in the late 19th century...
.
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
within the district has been separately listed in the National Register. The New York State Armory
New York State Armory (Newburgh)
The New York State Armory on Broadway in Newburgh, New York, USA once housed a local unit of the New York National Guard. In the 1930s the Guard moved to a newer armory on South William Street and the old building, designed by John A. Wood, fell vacant and became the property of the city...
on Broadway had been vacant for decades after the New York National Guard unit stationed there moved to a newer building several blocks away in the 1930s. A fire in the 1970s had left it a blackened shell. It seemed likely to be torn down
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
until it was sold to Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, which brought in a private developer to rebuild it with help from the state's Office of Historic Preservation
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation operates :*168 state parks*35 state historic sites*76 developed beaches*53 water recreational facilities*27 golf courses*39 full service cottages*818 cabins...
. It now houses the county's Social Services operations in the city.
Preservation issues
The city has recognized the historic district in its zoning, required architectural review of any significant construction within it, and initiated and encouraged many efforts to redevelop portions of it. Many properties remain abandoned and neglected, and in 1996 the National Trust for Historic PreservationNational Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
listed the district as one of America's Most Endangered Places
America's Most Endangered Places
Each year since 1987, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has released a list of places they consider the most endangered in America. The number of sites included on the list has varied, with the most recent lists settling on 11...
. As of 2007 it saw the district's outlook as favorable after the River City Development Corporation, a Community Development Corporation
Community Development Corporation
Community Development Corporation is a broad term referring to not-for-profit organizations incorporated to provide programs, offer services and engage in other activities that promote and support community development. CDCs usually serve a geographic location such as a neighborhood or a town....
, obtained federal grants
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
to rehabilitate some of the old row houses into affordable housing
Affordable housing
Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed "affordable" to those that have a median income. Although the term is often applied to rental housing that is within the financial means of those in the lower income ranges of a geographical area, the...
. In 1999 the Preservation League of New York State added a portion of the district to its "Seven to Save" list, since freed slaves congregated and lived around a nearby African Methodist Episcopal Zion
African Methodist Episcopal Church
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the A.M.E. Church, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination based in the United States. It was founded by the Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1816 from several black Methodist congregations in the...
church and the neighborhood in question, along Parmenter Street in the "village" portion of Newburgh, is one of the oldest African-American neighborhoods in the state.