10 Things to Know About
Orange County
You know that friend of yours, the one who moved away from the Northeast and now complains that they “can’t find any good pizza?” Ship ‘em one. Prima Pizza & Shipping of Cornwall will ship one of their fresh, brick oven pizzas overnight anywhere in the United States. It’s not exactly cheap—including shipping, it’ll set you back about $50—but since Prima has been churning out some of the Hudson Valley’s best pizza for 60 years now, it’s worth it. Meanwhile that other friend of yours, the one who complains that they can’t find any good Mexican and/or South American food in the Hudson Valley needs to set aside a day and get acquainted with the many outstanding Hispanic restaurants and markets of Broadway in Newburgh. Trying to pick the “best” one is a fool’s errand, but you could spend a very happy day at the corner of South Robinson and Broadway, bouncing back and forth between Los Portales and Machu Picchu before loading up on ingredients at Paulita’s Market and heading home. There’s no reason to grill out in your backyard this summer. Instead, head to the Kowawese Unique Area at Plum Point in New Windsor. This riverside park offers plenty of grills, picnic tables, great places to fish and crab, hiking, a small beach, a playground, and stunning views of the Hudson Highlands gorge.
Jayden Wendt, the catcher for the Orioles at Cornwall Little League.
Lucille Ball made her stage debut in 1941 at Newburgh’s Ritz Theater, headlining a new vaudeville act. Although Ball was already a veteran of radio and film, she was terrified about performing in front of a live audience. She needn’t have worried— the evening was a success and laid the groundwork for “I Love Lucy.” The theater itself is in the process of raising funds for a full restoration, and currently hosts concerts in the lobby. It’s fitting that one of television’s most beloved shows got its start in Newburgh: The city was an early test market for RCA when they first started selling TVs, making them one of the first cities in America to have access to television. The citizens of Newburgh were used to being trailblazers. The city was also home to the first of Thomas Edison’s power plants, making it the first fully electrified city in the world. New York City’s Central Park isn’t the only park designed by Olmsted and Vaux. At the end of the 19th Century, the two designed Downing Park in downtown Newburgh, named after their mentor Andrew Jackson Downing, a native of Newburgh. Visiting West Point is a bit tricky for obvious security reasons. The campus is only open to the public for events such as concerts, sporting events, and bus tours. But the West Point Museum is free and open to the general public. It houses one of the most impressive collections of military artifacts in the world. Anyone interested in purchasing and renovating a house in Newburgh should be familiar with the blog Newburgh Restoration, an invaluable source for finding out what historic buildings are on the market. More than a real estate blog, the site also covers new businesses, the burgeoning arts scene, community events, urban planning, and anything else positive going on in the city. Cornwall Landing is one of the best places to launch a kayak on the Hudson River. Don’t have your own kayak? Storm King Adventure Tours in Cornwall-on-Hudson not only rents them, but leads kayak tours of Bannerman’s Castle and the Moodna Creek Marsh as well.
Oscar Montoya tricks his opponant at a friendly soccer match in Newburgh.
42 ORANGE COUNTY RIVER TOWNS CHRONOGRAM 6/14
Those not interested in kayaking should still make visiting Cornwall Landing a priority, and Cornwall-on-Hudson’s annual Riverfest is a perfect time to do it. The festival takes place on the first Saturday of June every year (June 7 this year), with water sports, music, food, arts and crafts vendors, and activities for kids.