Cold Spring’s West Point Foundry gets new recognition, tourism dollars | LoHud.com
An old foundry that forged big guns for the Civil War is moving closer to becoming a major tourist attraction after receiving an enhanced designation from the federal government and $600,000 in state money.
The West Point Foundry Preserve in Cold Spring will be improved with new entrances, trails and informational displays that will tell the story of the early Industrial Revolution in the Hudson Valley.
Preservation officials announced at a news conference that the Department of the Interior has deemed the foundry a “nationally significant” site on the National Register of Historical Places by — fixing an administrative oversight from an earlier designation in the 1970s that hindered fundraising.
The entire complex on the 87-acre campus, including an old school and church, has also been included on the National Register.
A $600,000 outlay from the state’s Environmental Protection Fund for access improvements was also announced.
“The new designation indicates that all these places tell important stories for future generations about our nation’s history,” said Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson, the preservation group that owns the site.
