Hudson History

Zohra Kapoor

Hi, I'm Zohra! I grew up here in Cold Spring and I attend the University of Utah as a second year History and Early Childhood Education Major. I’m back here over the summer interning with Hudson River Expeditions. With their help, I get to investigate the history written into the place I call home. I am excited to learn more about Hudson, and even more excited to share it with all of you!​​

Foundry Dock Park

Foundry Dock Loading System, from the collection of the Putnam History Museum.

I grew up picnicking at Foundry Dock Park with my parents and friends. Although it’s a public destination which all of Cold Spring can enjoy, the shaded areas and river views provide you with a secluded getaway. Over the years, the Foundry Dock Park has remained central to my life here in Cold Spring. Working with Hudson River Expeditions, I spend my weekends sharing this spot with tourists. On weekdays working with Foundry Montessori, I share the park with Cold Spring littles. 

But the Foundry Dock Park is more than just a place to eat a sandwich or launch a kayak from. There is rich American history embedded into this tiny plot of land. After the War of 1812, there was a nationalistic surge across the country. This prompted the United States to advance their military. Congress authorized to increase the amount of active soldiers during peacetime, and advance the military’s machinery. The West Point Foundry is a direct result of these measures, and it served the Union well amidst the Civil War. The West Point Foundry is the center of Cold Spring, as the town was established to support the foundry workers. 

Around 200 years ago, the Foundry Dock Park was used to transport materials and weaponry in and out of the Foundry. Its location along the Hudson is sheltered yet accessible, and strategically relevant due to its proximity to West Point. In 1848, the New York Central Railroad blocked the other Foundry docks from the river, leaving the Foundry Dock Park as the main point of access. Especially during war time, the dock was filled with workers, busily transporting weaponry such as the Parrot Gun. While the Dock has since been removed, you can see replicas and restorations of the rail system that was utilized.

Adjacent to the Foundry Dock Park, you can see the Chapel Restoration, formerly known as the Chapel of Our Lady. The Roman Catholic church was built for the Foundry workers, and funded by the West Point Foundry’s owner, Gouverneur Kemble. In 1835, Captain Robert P. Parrot (like the gun) assumed responsibility for the Foundry. When a series of weaponry tests resulted in the destruction of the Chapel, Parrot ensured repairs were made. The Chapel was abandoned from 1906 to 1971, when it was restored. 

After all these years, the Foundry Dock Park’s importance to this town has never faltered. I am grateful to live and work in a place with such great historical importance. Launching paddlers in and out of the Hudson is quite reminiscent of those Dock workers who worked the Foundry all those years ago.

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The Hudson Near Coldspring: Chapel of Our Lady, hand-colored lithograph by Currier & Ives. Image courtesy of Chapel Restoration.