early 1900's -- the Hudson River Stone Company begins filling in the water at the base of Bull Hill with silt, rubble and stone.
They wanted to use the beach area known as Little Stony Point for their mining operations. The Hudson River Conservation Society wanted to stop the blasting of Bull Hill. In researching the subject, they found that the mining company had never obtained permits to fill the river. by 1940 -- a court decision ordered the company to remove the fill by this date.
1944 -- the company ceased mining.
1967 -- the Georgia Pacific Company purchased Little Stony Point with the intention of building a wallboard factory. Governor Nelson Rockefeller appointed a group known as the Hudson River Valley Commission. The group made plans for a park on the eastern side of the river which would have included Little Stoney Point. They convinced Governor Rockefeller to intervene and help relocate the wallboard factory to Verplanck.
From the northwestern tip of Little Stony Point barges took on cargoes of crushed rock. The industrial activity here did not end until 1966. Nearby are dregs of an old dock along with rusted mooring rings. In 1967, aided by a grant from the Jackson Hole Preserve, the New York State acquired the area. (p. 63)
(Source: Clyne, Patricia Edwards. 1997. Hudson Valley Tales and Trails. Woodstock, NY: The Overlook Press.)
1994 -- the park is closed because of an unsafe bridge over the railroad tracks.
1996 (July 27) -- the park was officially reopened. The group gathered for the reopening sang "This Land is Your Land" with Pete Seeger, Vic Schwarz, and about 125 others. Geology and Trail:
By John Moran, 12/27/98. A former rock quarry, the area was originally an island, but the channel near shore was filled in by quarry operations. Centerpiece is a massive rock formation, 50 to 60 feet high. From the bridge, a footpath goes straight west, uphill to the top of the formation, with a spectacular viewpoint looking west across the Hudson River to Storm King Mountain, Crow's Nest, and the West Point area. There are also good views north along the east side of the river to nearby Mount Taurus and Breakneck Mountain. Return to the base and follow the flat dirt road counterclockwise around the perimeter of the formation. Various short spurs branch off of the perimeter road:
1. branch leads northeast, back to RR tracks, probable grade crossing before bridge went in.
2. branch north of rock leads to dump area with tree stumps and displaced boulders.
3. branch leads northwest to Hudson River shore, with nice sandy beach in sheltered cove area. Swimming here may be permitted again in near future. Found some neat Skate egg cases, black with sharp horns.
4. branch through flat quarry floor area below west face of rock.
5. path along south side of rock completes circle around formation. Note an accessible tunnel in rock at base of formation, which can be entered directly from path. References: http://nynjctbotany.org/lgtofc/littlest.html
