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The Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909
From September 25th to October 2nd, towns along the Hudson River celebrated both a tercentenary and a centenary. The "tercentenary," meaning three-hundredth anniversary, was the discovery of the Hudson River itself. The "centenary," meaning one-hundredth anniversary, was Robert Fulton's invention of the steamship. These photographs capture the pomp-and-circumstance in the town of Newburgh. Each day of the ceremonious week was marked by an event, closing with the lighting of the Beacon Fires.
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8 stops•7.2km•1h 26min
40 Front Street
This photograph, taken from a rooftop or second-floor window on Front Street, shows the decorated skyline of Newburgh. Sunday, the first day of the week, was reserved for religious services
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100 Grand Street
Staff of the Newburgh Free Library at 100 Grand Street pose for a photograph. They didn't skimp on decorations at all!
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14 West Street
Monday and Tuesday were devoted to family gatherings. This group is dressed as royalty of varying levels, soldiers, Theodore Roosevelt. Some wear Dutch attire of the 17th century to commemorate the area's Dutch heritage.
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Tower of Victory
On Wednesday, a Statue of Anthony Wayne was dedicated at Washington's Headquarters. The statue is nearby the Tower of Victory which shelters a statue of George Washington.
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Clinton Square
The shadows of the flags above dance on the street, eagerly awaiting the parades of the week. Thursday was Firemen's Day, where a parade led to the unveiling of a statue of a volunteer fireman at Concord and Broadway.
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86 Broadway
On Friday, replicas of Hudson's "Half Moon" (the ship which charted the river), Fulton's "Clermont" (the first steamship) and the icebreaker "Norwich" sailed up and down the Hudson River.
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123 Grand Street
No patch of the city was left unadorned. Here, the portico of the Thorton Niven Courthouse is draped in flags. Banners on telephone poles cross-cross the street in web-like patterns.
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Newburgh Ferry Terminal
Finale was Aquatic Day, where sailboats and yachts raced. Finally, the Hudson-Fulton celebration ended with the lighting of the Beacon Fires.
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