New Paltz in the War for Independence

Historic Huguenot Street will host a Revolutionary War reenactment on July 4, “New Paltz in the War for Independence.” Featuring members of the 5th New York Regiment, reenactors will camp on the DuBois Fort lawn (81 Huguenot Street) and perform a number of demonstrations throughout the day.

At the camp site, visitors will see wedge-style tents and a dining “fly” as they would have been used during the Revolution. Living historians will demonstrate marching and drilling, showing how arms at the time were handled and fired. An armament demonstration will display various types of muskets and weaponry while members of the regiment explain how they were used, fired, and maintained. Additional demonstrations and displays will reveal aspects of civilian life, including candlemaking, blacksmithing, woodworking, musket ball and cartridge manufacturing, and colonial cooking. Children can participate in reenactment military drills and various colonial games.

In addition to the reenactment, a new exhibit of Revolutionary War objects from the Historic Huguenot Street Archives and Permanent Collection will be on display in the DuBois Fort. The exhibit “’By the Grace of God, Free and Independent:’ The Revolutionary War in Ulster County” will be on display through Sunday, August 2. Both the reenactment activities and the exhibit are free and open to the public.