A Tour of Newburgh by Candlelight

For years, we’ve been dying to go to the house tour in Newburgh, N.Y., called the Candlelight Tour, and this year we finally did. A few years ago, we’d heard of Newburgh because we read the blog Door Sixteen, but we didn’t know anything about it. One day we were tagging along with a friend who had business in town, and were simply agog when we stepped out of the car. The streets are like an outdoor house museum, with picture postcard examples of different architectural styles spanning the 18th through the early 20th century.

Newburgh’s perch overlooking the Hudson makes it extremely scenic as well as important militarily. It was a key spot during the Revolutionary War (George Washington’s house there is now a museum) and it became a fancy resort town in the late 19th century. It fell on hard times about 90 years later. Its history has been well documented here and here by the blog Big Old Houses.

The house tour, which took place Sunday, was brimming with friendly folks, above, all of whom seemed to know each other and have interesting stories to tell about their houses. We wish we could have stayed for hours more. We highly recommend the tour — and lunch at the always delicious Mexican restaurant the Maya Cafe in nearby Fishkill. Has anyone else attended the tour? Click through to the jump for tons of pictures.

The view overlooking the Hudson.

The Warren House, a perfect example of the style known as Hudson River Bracketed, promoted and made famous by Andrew Jackson Downing. Designed by Calvert Vaux and Frederick Clarke Withers in 1857 and built in 1875, according to the Newburgh Historical Society.

The Captain David Crawford House, now the home of the Historical Society. Built in 1830.

Above and below, some more houses overlooking the Hudson near the Captain David Crawford House.

Looks like the ruins of a stable.

Inside the Captain David Crawford House, above and below. The house has none of its original furnishings but it does have an enchanting collection of Hudson River School paintings and antiques. Every year volunteers decorate the house for the Candlelight Tour in period fashion, with pineapples and other fruits and greenery. The dining room is set up on the parlor floor.

There are lots of antique clocks of all sorts in the house. This one is decorated with reverse glass painting and gilding, or verre eglomise.

Looking from the front entrance into the back hallway, above.

The front and back hallway is covered in a floor cloth with a painted pattern of marble tiles.

Above, the hallway on the bedroom floor.

Above and below, the front entrance.