Historian to discuss Great Chain

The Great Chain stretched across the Hudson River from West Point to Constitution Island during the Revolutionary War, preventing the British ships from controlling the river. But the forge, which created the chain, has been “lost” for 200 years.

great chain 1780
A 1780 map showing the great chain.

On Saturday, April 16, at the Putnam History Museum, Doc Bayne, a retired forest ranger who is an expert on the iron history of New York, will discuss how he discovered the Great Chain Forge in the Sterling Forest. He will share the history of the forge and how it ties to a map drawn by George Washington’s cartographer, Robert Erskine.

Admission is $5 or free for members. The program begins at 5 p.m. To reserve a seat, call 845-265-4010 or email [email protected].

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