Bannerman’s Island, Hudson River, Upstate NY

by Joe Mack

Approximately 50 miles north of New York City, there is a locale called the Hudson Valley. Some of us are lucky enough to live here. Others come for a visit. A day trip, a weekend, some stay for a week. There is long list of things to do and see up here. 

Probably the most unique spot in the Valley is Bannerman’s Island. I have to drive over Storm King Mountain everyday to get to work in West Point. It is a very scenic drive along the Hudson and, for years, I have seen Bannerman’s Island along that drive and always wanted to get out there and explore. There are myriad stories of people trying to get out there by canoe, or row boat, and getting in trouble, even losing their life, doing it. So that was not an option.
    
Then I heard about the Constellation Project. You can find out more about this and the history of the island by visiting HERE.

Melissa McGill is an artist. She had the idea to install long poles of various lengths around the “castle” with lights on the top of each pole. Each night as the sun goes down and the stars come out, Bannerman’s Island has its own “constellation” right over the island. 

They have set up a boat tour to take you out to the island, let you walk around the island, and then you get back on the boat at dusk, and, when the time is right, the sun is down, and the sky darkens, the lights begin to twinkle over the Castle. Visit Melissa’s web site for more info on how you can book a spot on her tour (and for a nice panoramic aerial video of the island).

For now, this is about my experience taking the tour. It's really quite easy. You get on the boat in Beacon NY; a very picturesque location across the river from Newburgh NY. You get there, find plenty of parking, and wait for the skipper and crew to show up. It is usually a full boat.

Once the boat is loaded, you head down the river, still with enough daylight to enjoy the sights on, and along, the river. As you get closer, you begin to see Bannerman’s Island.

Bannerman's once held one of the largest collections of historical munitions in the USA

When you get close enough you see the enormity of the structure. Such a shame most of it has collapsed over the years from not enough being done to preserve it. Not too long ago, though, a group set up to save the structure has installed bracing on the building to save what is left of it

​What I didn’t know before hand was that when you get off the boat, you have a series of steps to climb to get up to various strategic viewing locations for the island. When you get to the top of the steps the tour begins. This Architectural detail welcomes you to the property.

​As you walk along the pathway thru the woods you see the building from different angles, all special. This one is my favorite. It shows the Castle, its supports, some foliage in the foreground and a little bit of the river behind it.

As you continue to make your way to the high point on the island, you pass some gardens that were planted years ago and are still maintained by the group preserving the island.

When you get to the top there is a building built by the original owner, used to house the folks...

who worked for him in the warehouses on the island. What were stored here were arms and munitions. This too has gardens around it. These buildings are NOT what you usually see in the Hudson Valley. Kinds of reminds me of being on the Rhine or Danube.

As the day ends, we get back on the boat and begin to pull away from the island. The sights of the island change as the sun goes down; giving it an eerie and ghost like feeling.

​Once the sun sets, the moon starts to rise, and the stars come out. So do the "stars" suspended over the island by the “Constellation Project”

From every angle on the island the
​views are amazing and magical.

If you ever get the chance to come up to our area, this is a "must see" for history or architecture buffs or even just for those of you curious about "that island" that lies at the base of Storm King Mountain... the one you see everyday on the way to work. 

... by Joe Mack
Keep checking back to this site (or sign up for the NEWSLETTER reminders) because, in the coming weeks, I will be writing about other beautiful areas here in the Hudson Valley.

Joe Mack is a Photographer, Writer, Craftsman, Musician and Engineer Tech. He, and his wife Jaci live in upstate New York and love to travel.

​Look for more of their adventures here, or on his Facebook pages at:
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Vacation Photography
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