West Point Visit

[redbob]

There is a museum that is outside the gates. Last I went you could only access the site on a tour bus or with permission. I had an appointment at the library and was able to walk on but I evidently took a restricted path and got warned and re-routed! When I was a child it was all open and you could tour the buildings and see the cadets in their classes. It's sad that's no longer true.

The last time I was there, we were with a West Point graduate who could not get on Post without my wife using her military ID

 

[Stony]

Awesome place. My family visited during my fil's 40th reunion.

 

[Lubliner]

Looking forward to the photos, @SJU.
Lubliner.

 

[Gibbon]

Wonderful photos,

 

[lupaglupa]

five minutes with a conversation about how
beautiful West Point really is.

It's a truly beautiful place - the site above the Hudson River gives wonderful views and the campus is very pretty - not to mention the history there. Every time I take the train to the City I make sure to be watching out the window as we pass the Point - it's just lovely.

 

[SJU]

Here are some photos from the vicinity of Trophy Point.
These are cannon captured during the Civil War. It's an interesting mix. There is a breechloader and one gun captured unfinished. Very few of the guns have explanatory plaques. The Armstrong Gun captured at Fort Fisher is here.

 

[redbob]

Here are some photos from the vicinity of Trophy Point.
These are cannon captured during the Civil War. It's an interesting mix. There is a breechloader and one gun captured unfinished. Very few of the guns have explanatory plaques. The Armstrong Gun captured at Fort Fisher is here.

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A whole row of real beauties and there is one building at West Point that has captured cannon lining the walls and it's a large building.

 

[SJU]

The Battle Monument honors the dead of the Regular Army. It lists every Regular Army soldier who died in the war. It was financed through monthly contributions from soldier's pay. The site was dedicated by McClellan in 1864 and the monument completed in 1897.
The column lists commissioned officers with their regular army rank. The "cannon balls" around the column record enlisted men.

Across from the Battle Monument is the Sedgwick monument. There is a legend that spinning the rowels on his spurs will give a cadet good luck on exams. I gave them a whirl and bought a lottery ticket. A few yards away is the Grant monument.

Adjacent to Trophy Point is the old Civil War era Ordnance Compound.

 

[SJU]

Yesterday I walked around the site of the West Point Foundry which manufactured artillery during the war. It's located in the town of Cold Spring across the Hudson from West Point. There is a thread from Aug 20th by SandiD on the foundry with nice photos. https://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-west-point-foundry.188284/

The foundry covers a large area and you can see the foundations of several structures. The "1865 Office Building" is the only building still standing.

 

[Cavalier]

@SJU Cool story about the Sedgwick monument. Thanks for that and the photos.

John

 

[Lubliner]

Back in the early 1960's and late 1950's the Mariners' Museum in Va. had rows of these weapons outside the walls of their original building. I can't locate any pictures now; everything comes up as recent and indoors. Why the advanced search effort fails IDK?
Lubliner.

 

[RobertP]

My grandfather was in the class of 1903. He died when I was young so I didn't know him well at all but I do have his photo in uniform at an overlook at West Point. My mother said it was a well known location. Does anyone know the precise place, Trophy Point perhaps?

 

[SJU]

My grandfather was in the class of 1903. He died when I was young so I didn't know him well at all but I do have his photo in uniform at an overlook at West Point. My mother said it was a well known location. Does anyone know the precise place, Trophy Point perhaps?

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That's a fantastic photo! I'm pretty sure that was taken off Flirtation Walk either at Battery Cove or very near to it. Battery Cove is where the Great Chain was anchored on the west side of the Hudson during the Revolution. The Great Chain stretched across to Constitution Island blocking the river to the British.

Flirtation Walk runs along the banks of the Hudson below Trophy Point.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I LOVE that name, "Flirtation Walk." What's the story behind it?

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Back in the early 1960's and late 1950's the Mariners' Museum in Va. had rows of these weapons outside the walls of their original building. I can't locate any pictures now; everything comes up as recent and indoors. Why the advanced search effort fails IDK?
Lubliner.

The visitor center at Vicksburg NMP has an almost identical row of cannon in their parking lot.
Minus the massive Armstrong gun.

(At least they did the last time I was there)

 

[SJU]

I LOVE that name, "Flirtation Walk." What's the story behind it?

Hi Tina. Just looked it up and couldn't fine a definitive story. Just that it was a secluded trail where cadets could bring their dates and have some privacy.

 

[RobertP]

I LOVE that name, "Flirtation Walk." What's the story behind it?

Tina, I found that there was actually a 1934 movie named Flirtation Walk starring g Dock Powell and Ruby Keeler. Who knew!

 

[Cavalier]

Does any one know the location of Benny Havens? Sounds like a spot I would have visited if possible.

John

 

[JFW22]

Here are some photos from the vicinity of Trophy Point.
These are cannon captured during the Civil War. It's an interesting mix. There is a breechloader and one gun captured unfinished. Very few of the guns have explanatory plaques. The Armstrong Gun captured at Fort Fisher is here.

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VERY impressive collection of cannon. Thank you for taking the time to share Pat.

 

[Grant's Tomb]

I'm running around a bit and will post more photos/info tomorrow. Lupaglupa summed it up. Prior to 9/11 it was open to the public. There is a Visitor Center and an outstanding museum outside the gate open to the public. To enter the Academy grounds you have to stop at the Visitor Center and join a tour. I'd call the Visitor Center for more info if interested.
There is a big exception though. Army football games! I went Saturday for the Wake Forest game.

Seastreak Ferries has a complete package to take you on a boat cruise from the Battery to West Point and includes tickets to Army games on certain Saturdays when the team is playing at Michie Stadium. Is Fort Putnam open for tours as well?