Fishkill Historical Society Presents "An American Tapestry" Patriotic Performance by the Putnam Chorale

Get into the patriotic spirit with a performance by the Putnam Chorale to honor the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Jason Tramm will conduct a performance of the works of great American composers, including Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, William Billings, Irving Berlin, and more!

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The First Reformed Church of Fishkill is over 300 years old and served important roles during the Revolution. The Van Wyck House stood in the center of the Fishkill supply depot, which occupied a crucial pass on the road between New England and the other colonies. The Fourth New York Provincial Congress, driven from White Plains in 1776, met first in nearby Trinity Episcopal Church. When the delegates complained of birds flying in and out of the glass-less windows, and of the lack of pews and other comforts, they moved to the Fishkill Reformed Church. Part of the New York Constitution was written here, though some suggest that it may have actually been written across the street in Connors Tavern (where In The Cut Barber is now located), which offered tables, heat, and tankards of inspiration.

Among the delegates were John Jay and Robert Livingston, who helped draft the Declaration of Independence. The Convention moved to Kingston in 1777, and Fishkill’s brief role as the state capital ended. The church was later used as a prison by the Continental Army. Enoch Crosby, an American spy, was allowed to escape by orders of the Committee of Safety and General Washington.