Educational Programs
Hop on the Bus!
Hop on the Bus! Let’s Explore Beacon is a 32-page guidebook for young and adult readers alike. Take a ride from Mt. Beacon to the Hudson River with over 50 stops, at historic buildings and markers, statues and parks. Delightful illustrations and historic images capture the heart of Beacon, blending the past with the present. Engaging activities help children to understand the world around them and spark curiosity and exploration. Ages 7+
A Beacon History Sampler
Explore Beacon’s history with this page-by-page guide,featuring ten of Beacon’s favorite landmarks and historic sites, along with links to further research, articles, and recommended books.
Just some of the featured locations and backstory:
Madam Brett Homestead
Joseph & Eliza Howland
The School Bell
The Roundhouse
Beacon’s Fire Houses (shown here)
Mt. Beacon’s DAR Monument
Find out how Beacon played a role in the Revolutionary War.
Grades: Upper elementary (3rd-6th)
Overview:The American Revolution was a time when colonists fought for independence from Great Britain and established the United States of America. Britain was demanding money from the colonies to help pay for a recent war against France. The colonists did not want to be taxed as they had no say in government affairs. At first, the colonists protested peacefully, but eventually thirteen colonies united and a war against Great Britain broke out. The Revolutionary War lasted from 1775 until 1783. Mt. Beacon played a role in the fight for freedom against the British. But how?
In 1779, General George Washington order a system of log and brush pyramids or “beacons” to be built in order to warn the local militia of invasion by the British. Beacons were placed in a line along the highlands (small mountains) of the New Jersey coast and New York including up on Mt. Beacon.