Shop, dine, take in a show and visit museums
            in one of New York's most historic neighborhoods...

Kingston's Uptown Stockade District!

The third oldest city in New York State and its first capital, Kingston retains its Dutch roots in a remarkable collection of old stone houses, including the 1676 Senate House, in its uptown Stockade Area. Similar houses grace the landscape throughout the county and constitute the largest collection still standing in the U.S.

View our Calendar of Events for upcoming business, arts, and culture events in Uptown Kingston and click on the Member Businesses for links to wonderful shops, theatres, and restaurants in the area.

The Stockade District in Uptown Kingston blends a historic treasure of architecture with a dynamic multifaceted community. We encourage you to enjoy this unique atmosphere while you shop, dine, visit or transact business in the area, or visit frequently online as we update our info and post events and happenings in this picturesque and interesting part of the city.

In the 1650s, Colonial Governor Peter Stuyvesant feared for the safety of settlers scattered near the Esopus Creek. An area of high ground was buttressed by a wall of tree trunks -- a stockade -- erected by the settlers. This barricade was pierced by six gates through which the men of the village of Wiltwyck, as it was called, could tend to fields in the lowlands. Today, a replica of the tree-trunk wall stands at the entrance to the Stockade District at the corners of North Front and Green Streets.

Twenty-one pre-Revolutionary stone houses survive within the Stockade District. At the corner of John and Crown Streets, you will find the only intersection in the U.S. where you can find 18th century stone houses at all four corners. Kingston was burned by British troops in October 1777. As a result, no clapboard buildings which predate 1777. In October 2000, Kingston once again hosts a re-enactment of the local Revolutionary War events.

The stone houses from the 18th century, largely Dutch in style, are still in use as homes and offices. These historic buildings are complemented by fine 19th century examples of Italianate, Greek and Gothic Revivals, and Victorian architecture. A brochure on self guided walking tours is available at the Urban Cultural Parks Visitor Center and at many of the museums and stores in the District.

As you walk, bike or drive along North Front and Wall Streets, you'll notice the covered sidewalks of The Pike Plan. This 19th century precursor to today's malls unites store fronts and businesses in a charming, consumer friendly manner. The Pike Plan is also home to the Old Town Stockade Farmers' Market held each Saturday from the end of May through mid-November. The Festival of Lights makes the Pike Plan sparkle not only during the holiday season but year round.

Come meander through Uptown Kingston. You'll be glad you did.