Our Goals, Objectives and Future Plans
Probably the most important reason for the formation of a “Friends” group is to have a group of private citizens become an advocate for the further development of the park. The Copake Falls District of Taconic State Park has many remarkable historical features in addition to its superb recreational attractions. The preservation and development of these features could help the park to become a significant tourist destination.
The historic features in the park itself center around the iron works furnace, the machine shop, the iron works business office, the workers’ cottages, and the iron master’s home. The hamlet of Copake Falls (formerly Copake Iron Works) has many old homes dating from the heyday of the iron works industry, as well as buildings like the Taconic Wayside Inn, the general store (now the post office), Church of St. John in the Wilderness, and the old Methodist Church, (now the home of the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society’s museum). Models for this type of park include Allaire State Park in Monmouth County, NJ which has been developed around a 19th century iron-making community, and, of course, Hopewell Village in Lancaster County, Pa. developed under the aegis of the National Park Service.
The first step in the realization of our vision was to list the Iron Works District of the Park on the National and State Registers of Historic Sites. The roadside marker pictured here commemorates the National and State recognition of our historic resources.
Our next major goal is to erect a cover for the iron furnace itself, which is rapidly deteriorating because of exposure to the elements. Archeological work will have to be done first before any structure can be erected. A local resident has already offered to provide the labor and the machinery needed for the construction of the cover. The Friends will try to get the materials donated, so that once the necessary archeological work is done, the building of the cover can get underway.
Other longer range goals include improving the museum in the machine shop, and refurbishing the worker’s cottage on the site. This cottage is the only one remaining in the entire Taconic Region that has not been “modernized” in any way, and as such is an invaluable piece of local history.
Of course, the recreational features of the park are also included in our vision. There are many excellent hiking trails with connections to trails in Mount Washington State Forest and Bash Bish Falls State Park in Massachusetts. The park’s camping facilities are outstanding, and the summer recreational program already attracts many visitors to the area.
The historic features in the park itself center around the iron works furnace, the machine shop, the iron works business office, the workers’ cottages, and the iron master’s home. The hamlet of Copake Falls (formerly Copake Iron Works) has many old homes dating from the heyday of the iron works industry, as well as buildings like the Taconic Wayside Inn, the general store (now the post office), Church of St. John in the Wilderness, and the old Methodist Church, (now the home of the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society’s museum). Models for this type of park include Allaire State Park in Monmouth County, NJ which has been developed around a 19th century iron-making community, and, of course, Hopewell Village in Lancaster County, Pa. developed under the aegis of the National Park Service.
The first step in the realization of our vision was to list the Iron Works District of the Park on the National and State Registers of Historic Sites. The roadside marker pictured here commemorates the National and State recognition of our historic resources.
Our next major goal is to erect a cover for the iron furnace itself, which is rapidly deteriorating because of exposure to the elements. Archeological work will have to be done first before any structure can be erected. A local resident has already offered to provide the labor and the machinery needed for the construction of the cover. The Friends will try to get the materials donated, so that once the necessary archeological work is done, the building of the cover can get underway.
Other longer range goals include improving the museum in the machine shop, and refurbishing the worker’s cottage on the site. This cottage is the only one remaining in the entire Taconic Region that has not been “modernized” in any way, and as such is an invaluable piece of local history.
Of course, the recreational features of the park are also included in our vision. There are many excellent hiking trails with connections to trails in Mount Washington State Forest and Bash Bish Falls State Park in Massachusetts. The park’s camping facilities are outstanding, and the summer recreational program already attracts many visitors to the area.