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New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site

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New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site

The Official Page for New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site. Grounds are open 7 days a week, sunrise to sunset.

Please check our information section for additional details regarding our hours. New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site is where the Continental Army under General George Washington spent the last winter and spring of the Revolutionary War. In October 1782, General Washington moved his northern army to New Windsor to establish winter quarters. Some 7,500 soldiers and 500 women and children civ

ilian refugees encamped here. By late December 1782, they had erected nearly 600 log huts into a "cantonment," a military enclave. It was at the New Windsor Cantonment that the cease fire orders were issued by Washington ending the eight-year War of Independence on April 19, 1783. New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site is also home to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor. To honor the service of his troops, General Washington chose a select few to receive a small purple cloth Badge of Merit, inspiring creation of the present day Purple Heart medal. In 1932, the new Purple Heart medal was presented to nearly 138 veterans of World War I on these same historic grounds. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is dedicated to preserving the stories of Purple Heart recipients from all branches of service and across generations.

06/10/2026

Children's Day at the New Windsor Cantonment: Father’s Day: Sunday June 21, from 1 – 4 PM:

A fun-filled day of family entertainment on Father’s Day Sunday June 21, from 1 – 4 PM, with the Two by Two Animal Sanctuary, Punch & Judy shows, and, 18th century games. The always delightful menagerie of the Two by Two Animal Sanctuary will set up for the day. Pet the gentle and friendly animals lovingly cared for by the Iannucci Family. Punch and Judy shows originated in Italy and entertained audiences for hundreds of years, including George Washington. No field day would be complete without games like blindman's bluff, field hockey and military drill with wooden muskets.

Admission is free! For more information please call (845) 562-7141 ext. 22.

05/24/2026

Memorial Day, Monday, May 25th: Honor our Nation's Fallen Soldiers at the New Windsor Cantonment:

New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site invites the public to join in honoring our nation’s veterans with special Memorial Day programs, including a 18th century military funeral procession to the site’s Revolutionary War Veteran's cemetery, on Monday, May 25, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Throughout the day, historic interpreters in 18th century dress will be conducting blacksmithing demonstrations, musket drills, 18th century medical and surgical demonstrations, and more, performed at the original encampment. At 1:30 p.m. in the Temple Building, join staff for a talk on death and mourning in the 18th century, with special focus on the American Revolution and funeral practices in the Continental Army. This program will include display of a reproduction 18th century coffin laid out in state for a fallen officer.

At 2:00 p.m., join an 18th century military funeral parade and graveside service at the site’s Revolutionary War cemetery. The ceremony will be followed by a talk on the U.S. Civil War origins of Memorial Day. At 2:30 p.m., an 18th century military drill and artillery demonstration will take place. The soldiers will fire their muskets and a cannon on the "Grand Parade," the very field where George Washington's announcement of impending peace was first read to the Army over 200 years ago.

05/10/2026

Honor our Nation's Fallen Soldiers at the New Windsor Cantonment on Memorial Day:

New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site invites the public to join in honoring our nation’s veterans with special Memorial Day programs, including a 18th century military funeral procession to the site’s Revolutionary War Veteran's cemetery, on Monday, May 25, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Throughout the day, historic interpreters in 18th century dress will be conducting blacksmithing demonstrations, musket drills, 18th century medical and surgical demonstrations, and more, performed at the original encampment. At 1:30 p.m. in the Temple Building, join staff for a talk on death and mourning in the 18th century, with special focus on the American Revolution and funeral practices in the Continental Army. This program will include display of a reproduction 18th century coffin laid out in state for a fallen officer.

At 2:00 p.m., join an 18th century military funeral parade and graveside service at the site’s Revolutionary War cemetery. The ceremony will be followed by a talk on the U.S. Civil War origins of Memorial Day. At 2:30 p.m., an 18th century military drill and artillery demonstration will take place. The soldiers will fire their muskets and a cannon on the "Grand Parade," the very field where George Washington's announcement of impending peace was first read to the Army over 200 years ago.

04/04/2026

Join us on Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 1:00 PM at New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site (374 Temple Hill Rd. New Windsor, NY) for a special program on the anniversary of the cessation of hostilities and its impact on New Windsor Cantonment and the Continental Army. The program will include a reading of the preliminary Proclamation of Peace, as the soldiers received on April 19, 1783, followed by a special talk and discussion of the impacts of impending peace on the camp and the army. The program will include a short walking tour around the site as historians outline how the army was ultimately discharged, the camp disbanded, and how the local civilian community dealt with the major changes to New Windsor at the end of the war. Registration is not required for this free public program.

03/17/2026

Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations on March 17th, 1783 caused enough tumult in the camp to draw comment from Private Thomas Foster in his diary.

Diary of Thomas Foster: March 18th, 1783:
“This Morning we have the News of 2 Men being Killed in the Jarsey Line; They being St. Patricks Men and In a high frollick So they Sheared their fate; Several more Badly Wounded and All Ware Drunk…” Despite the commotion in the encampment Foster ends his diary entry for that day with “The News of Peace Still is prevalent in the Camp.”

Interestingly Washington still navigating the impact of the Newburgh conspiracy will make no note of the Saint Patrick’s Day violence and deaths in his writings.

02/14/2026

New Windsor Cantonment and Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Sites invite the public to two events on President’s Day weekend celebrating the birthday of General George Washington.

On Sunday, February 15, 2026, at Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Site (289 Forge Hill Road, Vails Gate, NY) special historic house tours and musket demonstrations will be available. Tours of the house are available on the hour starting at 10:00 a.m. with the last tour at 3:00 p.m. Musket demonstrations will be available between tours. Registration is not required for these free public programs.

On Monday February 16, 2026, at New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site (374 Temple Hill Rd. New Windsor, NY) programs about military life at the winter camp will be available between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Special demonstrations of military drill and musket firings will occur at 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. After the demonstrations, the public will be invited to enlist in the Continental Army, drill with wooden muskets, and get paid for your service in Continental currency. Demonstrations of historic blacksmithing, medicine, and open-hearth cooking will also be available. This event is free and open to the public, no registration required.

02/12/2026

As we experience our current winter weather we can look back on the winter of 1782-83:

Writings of Washington: General Orders February 12, 1783
“ The General applauds the provident care shewn by the regiments which have laid up Magazines of wood while the snow gave such facility to the transporation; should so favorable an opportunity again happen, he wishes a sufficient stock of fuel might... be provided to serve until the first of April, or even first of May if practicable.”

We also know from the diary of Thomas Foster that the soldiers were using sleds to gather wood. Foster in his diary gives a hint how mild the weather turned a week later.

Diary of Private Thomas Foster February 18th, 1783:
“it is Remarkably Warm and the frogs Are heard this Eving to Sing Merriyly”

02/05/2026

Writings of Washington: General Orders for February 5th, 1783:

“The principal objects of the Commander in chief for collecting the Army together in this Cantonment of repose for the winter, were to keep alive the spirit of emulation amongst the different corps, to confirming the habits of Decipline which had been acquired last Campagin; and improving the internal police of each to the highest degree of perfection. Altho the serverity of the season may not for some time admit of the troops being drawn out for exercise and Manoevring yet the gratest attention might, and should be in the mean time be paid to the establishment of perfect regularity, economy, and good order, throughout the line of the whole army.”

General Washington explains to the Army the importance of winter encampments like the New Windsor Cantonment.

02/03/2026

Diary of Private Thomas Foster:
February “3d & 4th all a fixing for I Know Not What But Great preparations a Making for the Dedication of the Temple of Virtue and Libberty”.

The Temple of Virtue, also known as the New Building, Temple, or Publick Building, served as the church, meeting hall, and courthouse for the Army at New Windsor Cantonment. The Temple served a prominent role on two occasions when Washington delivered his famous Newburgh Address and the celebration of the cessation of hostilities. Private William Tarbell featured the Temple Building at the center of his drawing of the Massachusetts Brigades at the Cantonment

Address

374 Temple Hill Road
New Windsor, NY
12553

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+18455627141

Website

https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/22/details.aspx

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