Fishkill Military Supply Depot
Booklet and Public Outreach Materials
Town of Fishkill, Dutchess County, New York
In 2015-16, Hunter Research, working for the Friends of the Fishkill Supply Depot (FOFSD) and with funding support from the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), completed a major synthesis of past historical and archaeological research relating to the Fishkill Supply Depot, a key facility in the Hudson Highlands that supported the operations of the Continental Army and the New York State militia throughout the Revolutionary War. The principal work tasks involved extensive archival and background research, landscape and military terrain analysis, several field visits, review of archaeological reports and data, creation of a series of four presentation maps and preparation of a technical report, a 12-page color booklet and public outreach materials.
Performance of this work entailed synthesis of more than 50 different archaeological investigations undertaken over the past half century and development of GIS mapping for a broad area covering roughly ten by five miles and extending east from the Hudson River. The mapping component of the project focused on establishing accurate locational information and developing archaeological sensitivity assessments for a range of military features including defensive structures (redoubts, entrenchments, beacons), encampments, barracks, a military cemetery, hospitals, shops, stores, stables and other supply-related facilities. The technical report offered recommendations for future archival and archaeological research, for local historic and archaeological resource management and for historic interpretive measures in support of heritage tourism development. A well-attended public presentation was organized following the completion of the project during which the research results and recommendations were shared with the local community.