The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is America's oldest military school and the nation's oldest continuously occupied military post. In 1778, engineers for the Continental Army designed fortifications here to stop British ships attempting to sail upriver, including an iron chain that was stretched across the water.
In 1802, President Thomas Jefferson signed an Act of Congress establishing a military academy here. Among the school's alumni are Ulysses Grant, Robert E Lee, Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, and H. Norman Schwarzkopf.
A photo ID is required for entry (yes....we were checked) and we signed up for the 2-hour tour. The academy runs guided bus tours daily, except on football Saturdays, holidays and during graduation week. All tours start at the visitor center.
Visitors Center
Air Conditioned bus which was good as it was WARM
Water source for West Point
Cadet Barracks
Old Cadet Chapel
Built in 1836, one of the oldest buildings still used
Absolutely Beautiful
Organ Pipes
The organ
200 feet for the Bride to walk
Old Cadet Chapel
Impressive
You can see the Hudson River
The 2-hour tour includes the West Point Cemetery, which holds graves that date back to 1782 and represent casualties of almost every war the academy's graduates have fought.
The latest conflict
Fountain at entrance
This tree was something
Officers decided to limit the size of personal monuments
Now personal monuments are much smaller
Great picture of Old Cadet Chapel
The academy's first curriculum produced civil engineers, who went on to build much of the nation's transportation infrastructure. West Point established its reputation for military excellence during the Civil War, when graduates including Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant fought against each other during almost every battle.
Superintendents during the 20th century broadened the program to include academic, physical, and military education, and the first woman graduated from the academy in 1980.
More to come....after all....this is a 2-hour tour.
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