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STONY POINT, NY (April 1) The boom of muskets and cannon will be heard once again as Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site- the only Revolutionary War battlefield in Rockland County and the location of the oldest lighthouse on the Hudson River- opens for the 1999 season on Thursday April 15.
Every weekend the firing of reproduction muskets and a shipgun will be demonstrated by staff members attired in colorful uniforms of the Continental Army and the Royal Artillery, and an 18th century camp will be open to the public. In addition, a museum with exhibits, original weapons, and an audio visual presentation tells the story of the battle of Stony Point during which a midnight assault by the American Corps of Light Infantry, under the command of Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, succeeded in capturing British fortifications and defenders.
This year also marks the 220th Anniversary of the Battle of Stony Point, one of only two Revolutionary war battles in which three American officers were given medals for bravery from Congress. As part of the year-long observance, the site's 1909 Memorial Arch will be decorated with festive bunting, new outdoor interpretive signs with color images and updated historical information will be installed, and the original Marshall map - the only existing map of Stony Point drawn by a participant in the battle - will be displayed on loan from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
The Stony Point Lighthouse, the oldest on the Hudson, is also located on the battlefield grounds and will be open to the public as well. The lighthouse, built in 1826, was restored and relighted in the fall of 1995, and offers panoramic views of Haverstraw Bay and the Hudson River. Site hours are 10 am- 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. The battlefield is also open on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, and can be contacted on its Website at http://www2.lhric.org/spbattle/spbattle.htm or by e-mail at spbattle@lhric.org. There is no admission or parking fee except for special events.
Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site is part of the statewide system of parks, recreation areas, and historic sites operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic preservation, and is one of 24 facilities administered by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.