My spouse and I visited Bannerman Island on a Saturday
morning in late September 2015. To visit Bannerman, you must purchase tickets
on-line ahead of time using Zerve (there is no ticket kiosk and no way to
reserve/pay at the dock). The complete tour, including the boat transport,
takes about 2.5 hours and costs about $35 per person. Tours take place on
Saturdays and Sundays rain or shine from May through October from both sides of
the Hudson River (from both Beacon and Newburgh).
The Estuary Stewart boat leaves from the Beacon Institute
Dock near the Beacon train station. If you drive around the train platform, you
can park closer to the water, although that lot may be full on weekdays with
commuters. (On weekends, the lot is fairly empty.) Note that there are no
restroom facilities at the Beacon station. We saw a portable restroom near the
boat club, but it was locked (perhaps it is open only during the summer
months). There were additional restrooms a short walk away where the kayakers
congregate. Although the directions on the Zerve website advised us to arrive
30 minutes prior to departure, which we and most other guests did; however, the
boat arrived quite late – in fact, it arrived five minutes after our scheduled
departure, claiming that they had to get fuel. The boat has a roof, but the
sides are open above the railings, so if it is raining or windy, you are
somewhat exposed to the elements. It is a single-story boat with no restroom
facilities, and bench seating for about 45 people. On our return trip to Beacon
from Bannerman, the two-man crew opened a small storage compartment from which
they sold drinks, snacks, and souvenirs.
When we arrived at Bannerman after a short (20-minute)
float on the river (which is actually called an estuary because it flows in
both directions), we were separated into three smaller groups for more
personalized tours. (FYI: On the Bannerman dock, two portable restrooms are
available.) Note that this tour requires a lot of walking and climbing; in
fact, you must climb 72 steps from the dock elevation to begin the tour;
however, there are places to rest along the way. (One of us was recovering from
major surgery, and yet was able to complete the tour without any problems.) The
walking tour of the island (which takes place on dedicated paths that change in
elevation) lasts about 1.5 hours, and the volunteers provide excellent
commentary along the way. Note that you view only the outside of the castle. (For
some reason, prior to our tour, we were under the impression that there was an
actual castle to enter, but only some of the exterior walls remain and they are
too unstable to get very close.) You also view the exterior of the home in
which the owners lived. (Our guide said that they hoped someday to be able to
take people inside.) The gardens are beautifully maintained, which is no small
feat on an isolated island.
Bannerman Island is also known as Pollepel Island. The name Pollepel originated with a
legend about a young girl named (Polly) Pell who was romantically rescued from
the breaking river ice and landed on the island shore, where she was promptly
married to her sweetheart, who rescued her. Francis Bannerman came to the
United States from Scotland in 1851 and settled in Brooklyn. His father sold
goods at Navy auction. Young Frank, while still in school, began to collect
scrap from the harbor, and developed a business. At the end of the Civil War,
he increased his wares by buying surplus stock at government auctions. He
married and had three sons, two of whom joined him in business. The business,
known everywhere as “Bannerman’s” was founded in 1865 in Brooklyn. As more and
more equipment and ammunition was acquired, particularly from the Spanish War,
the city forced them to look for storage outside the city limits. In 1900, the
family purchased the island as a safe storage site, and they began construction
on a simulated Scottish castle and simple summer residence, including paths and
terraces with wonderful flowers and shrubs.
While we would not advise skipping another attraction to
see Bannerman, we enjoyed our time there and thought that it was worthwhile to
see. (This was our third visit to the Hudson River Valley, so we have already seen
the larger sites like Kykuit, Vanderbilt, Springwood, Pocantico Church,
Culinary Institute), and we would recommend visiting those first, but Bannerman
is an interesting option afterward.
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