Newburgh in Orange County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Tower of Victory

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 29, 2024

1. Tower of Victory Marker

Inscription. Commissioned by United States Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln, the Tower of Victory was built to celebrate the centennial of the end of the War for Independence. The limestone tower serves as a memorial to both peace and George Washington, who was often held up as a symbol of unification in the troubled post-Civil War period in which the tower was constructed.

Visible from both land and river, the tower was designed by John Hemmenway Duncan to command the attention of attendees at the numerous events held here. The monument is dedicated to:

“The Disbandment Under proclamation of the Continental Congress of Oct 18, 1783 Of the Armies By whose Patriotic & Military Virtue Our National Independence & Sovereignty Were Established.”

[Captions]
• Top: The bronze statues and the ornate gates were designed and created by William Rudolph O'Donovan, a renowned sculptor in the late 1800s. The exterior soldiers represent the four pillars of the Continental Army: Artillery, Riflemen, Dragoons, and Line Officers. The statue of George Washington, seen far right, at the heart of the tower, is said to be a near-perfect likeness

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

of the General.
• Bottom: The belvedere, or observation level of the tower, was damaged by a storm and removed in the 1950s. For many years, the tower stood without its top, as seen here, before it was finally restored in 2018.

Erected by Palisades Interstate Park Commission • New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Arts, Letters, Music • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical year for this entry is 1783.

Location. 41° 29.886′ N, 74° 0.552′ W. Marker is in Newburgh, New York, in Orange County. It can be reached from Liberty Street north of Lafayette Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is in Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 84 Liberty St, Newburgh NY 12550, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York

and in the Hudson Valley.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 29, 2024

2. Tower of Victory Marker

Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: George Washington Statue (a few steps from this marker); The Disbandment of the Armies (within shouting distance of this marker); Liberty Tree (within shouting distance of this marker); Uzal Knapp Gravesite (within shouting distance of this marker); Uzal Knapp (within shouting distance of this marker); Washington’s Headquarters (within shouting distance of this marker); The Minuteman (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Path to Victory (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newburgh.

Also see . . . The Tower of Victory. In March of 1882 introduced in the House of Representatives was a joint resolution authorizing the Secretary of War to erect a Monument at Washington’s Headquarters along with aid in the expenses related to the 1883 Centennial Celebration. The purpose was defined as to commemorate the proclamation of peace, the disbandment

Paid Advertisement

of the army, and other notable Revolutionary events. Appropriated was $10,000 for the monument and $15000 for general purpose expenses for the Centennial. (Joe Santacroce, The Newburgh History Blog, March 9, 2023) (Submitted on October 26, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on October 26, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 26, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 250 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 26, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.