New Hamilton Photo Station Unveiled in Beacon

BEACON – Did you know that Alexander and Elizabeth Hamilton lived in what is today’s Beacon from April until August 1781? It’s true – they honeymooned here after their December 1780 wedding in Albany, while Hamilton was serving as an aide to General Washington (who was stationed across the river in Newburgh). The Hamiltons stayed in the 1743 home of Abraham DePeyster, a nephew of Madam Brett, which was located on the Fishkill Creek near today’s Madam Brett Park on South Avenue.

Now you can put yourself into the picture where this amazing history happened! To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Beacon Historical Society has created a photo station at the Main Street Visitor Center where you can pose as the Hamiltons! The life-size artwork was painted by BHS Trustees Anne Forman and Elizabeth Foster, and the display was designed by the City of Beacon’s Highway and Recreation departments. Appreciation is extended to Mayor Lee Kyriacou and all involved in the effort.

“It’s a fun way to remind locals and visitors alike of the significant Revolutionary War history that happened right here in Beacon,” said Denise Doring VanBuren, President of the Beacon Historical Society. To learn more about Beacon’s role in the war, visit the Historical Society’s exhibit “Mt. Beacon to the Hudson River: Beacon During the American Revolution,” which continues on Thursdays 10-noon and Saturdays 1-3 p.m. It describes the importance of Beacon’s riverport, the Revolutionary War figures who visited/stayed here, events that transpired and even some of the folklore that has been carried through the generations. The exhibit is a companion to the Society’s Revolutionary War in Beacon map (www.BeaconHistorical.org/Rev-250). Both are free of charge.