Mount Gulian Historic Site
145 Sterling St., Beacon, New York
Overlooking the Hudson River in Beacon, New York, Mount Gulian Historic Estate once served as the Revolutionary War headquarters of General Friedrich von Steuben. It was also home to generations of the Verplanck family, who built the house in the 1730s; the original house burned down in 1931 and was reconstructed in 1975.
Explore the reconstructed historic home, Dutch barn, and heritage garden on a general tour, offered several times daily when tours are available. Hear stories about General von Steuben, different members of the Verplanck family, and first-hand accounts of James F. Brown, a former enslaved person hired to work on the estate’s gardens in the mid-1800s. Groups can also opt for a white glove tour, where visitors are allowed to hold and examine artifacts on-site.
There is an admission fee to access the site. Children under the age of 6 enjoy free entry.
Reservations are preferred for tours; walk-ins are accepted, depending on space.
Plan to spend around an hour for the regular tour and 1.5 hours for the white glove tour.
Mount Gulian also hosts weddings and other private events.
Mount Gulian Historic Site is located at 145 Sterling Street in Beacon, New York. By train, take Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line from Grand Central Terminal to Beacon; from there, it's a 1.8-mile (2.9-kilometer) taxi ride to the estate. By car, take the New York State Thruway to I-84 East to Exit 41 (Wappingers Falls/Beacon), and turn left on Hudson View Drive. Take a left on Lamplight Street and continue past the condo complex. Parking is available in the circular driveway.
Mount Gulian Historic Site is open for tours on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays between late April and the end of October. Holiday tours, when the house is decorated for the holiday season, are available on select days in December. The tour schedule does change from time to time, so it’s best to check ahead to avoid disappointment. The site also holds special public events, in addition to weddings and private events.
History buffs should also visit the Madam Brett Homestead, an 18th-century Dutch-style house in Beacon on the National Register of Historic Places, or the ruins of Bannerman Castle on Bannerman Island, just south of Beacon. Or head north to Poughkeepsie for the Locust Grove Estate, the summer home of artist and inventor Samuel Morse.
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