New York State is commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War this year. With more than 40 state historic sites and parks that have relevance to the eight-year-long conflict, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is gearing up to welcome visitors from around the country well beyond 2026! Whether you’re a history buff or just getting familiar with this period of the nation’s history, we invite you to join us in exploring the people, places and pivotal moments that connect New York to the American Revolution.

In 1850, New York State acquired the nation’s first state historic site: Washington’s Headquarters in Newburgh, New York, where Washington spent a critical period towards the end of the Revolutionary War. Now, 175 years later, New York manages dozens of state historic sites and parks – plus thousands of historic objects and archival materials connected to the American Revolution.

“You can’t think of a more important state,” said Ken Burns recently of New York on a visit in support of the new documentary series “The American Revolution,” now available on PBS. “There’s skirmishes all over the place that are part of the story of this Revolution.” New York played a major role in the conflict for its entire duration. Here, battles were fought, strategy was developed, and resources and goods deployed to support the war effort.

From Old Fort Niagara in Western New York and Johnson Hall in the Capital District to Ganondagan State Historic Site in the Finger Lakes and Fort Montgomery State Historic Site in the Hudson Valley, our historic site and park system contains a breadth of Revolutionary War history. There’s just one catch: you’re going to get the whole story from us, not just what you were taught in school.

Our agency is committed to revealing and sharing stories of ordinary and extraordinary people across New York State that have been left out of the traditional historical narrative. To do so, we ask: what were the experiences of Loyalists, Indigenous communities, new-to-battle soldiers, women, and free and enslaved Black militiamen and spies? The American Revolution is often told as a story of freedom, but for many, it was also a story of loss of land, sovereignty, and unity. By investigating multiple perspectives, we get an understanding of the realities and complexities of life during the American Revolution — its true human story.

Revisit the Revolution

Revisit the Revolution, an initiative of the New York State Division for Historic Preservation and supported in part by the New York State 250^th Commemoration Commission, explores New York’s influential role in the American Revolution and its lasting impact for the state and the nation.

In recognition of the 250^th anniversary of the American Revolution, the agency is hosting special exhibits and dynamic interactive programs, tackling critical preservation projects, and sharing digital resources for New York residents and tourists to discover. Bookmark our Revisit the Revolution events page and check it routinely throughout the year to see what’s happening in your community or to plan a Revolutionary road trip!

Introducing the New York State Parks Online Database

Our agency manages a vast collection with more than one million historic objects and three million archaeological artifacts. These collections tell the story of New York’s rich cultural heritage, shared through exhibitions, furnished spaces and interpretive programs at more than 30 historic sites and at some parks.

You can now find historic objects from New York state historic sites and state parks online — and more are being added every day! Collections include numerous materials connected to the Revolution in New York State.

Discovering the Revolution at New York State Historic Sites and Parks is an online collection of some of the Revolutionary War period materials in OPRHP’s collection. From locks of George Washington’s hair to cufflinks and a rare linen knapsack, these objects come from across the state and illustrate the revolutionary stories of Continental soldiers, an enslaved spy, British generals, enlisted men, and Indigenous allies. Though the American Revolution may be familiar, new research has uncovered lesser-known aspects of the war and of New York residents who experienced it.

Ships, Cannon, and Chain: The Secret Committee’s Defense of the Hudson During the American Revolution is a remarkable online collection that features the “Secret Committee papers” – a group of more than 100 documents which were donated to Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site in 1855 and have never been published. The papers include correspondence and receipts among members of the “Secret Committee” as they work to control and protect the Hudson River – an essential strategic resource.  

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New York State Parks Acting Commissioner Kathy Moser recently welcomed New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang to the Peebles Island Resource Center to reflect on the history of New York’s first Inspector General, Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. A critical member of George Washington’s Continental Army during the American Revolution, Steuben trained and guided the revolutionary forces to be more capable and resilient, contributing greatly to victories that led to the nation’s independence.

Steuben Memorial State Historic Site is one of the 44 state historic sites and parks that have relevance to the American Revolution, preserving the home and final resting place of Baron von Steuben. Learn more about his story and legacy in the video below.

There’s much more revolutionary history to discover at New York State historic sites and parks. Throughout 2026, you’ll have many opportunities to join us in exploring New York’s influential role in the Revolutionary War and its lasting impact for the state and the nation. We’ll see you out there!

— Written by Lacey Seidman, Deputy Public Information Officer