Stockade District, Kingston, Ulster County

The Stockade District of Kingston derives its name from a 1658 order by Director General (i.e. Governor) Peter Stuyvesant to have the homes of all settlers in the Dutch colony moved within a defensive fortification. The stockade area was chosen because of steep banks on three sides forming the perimeter. The actual stockade enhanced the natural hillside and consisted of 14-foot high walls made of tree trunks. Villagers would leave the compound during the day to work their farms and return to the compound in the evening. During his 1782 visit to Kingston General George Washington commended Stuyvesant for his military sagacity in planning the stockade.

Today, the Stockade District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The eight-block area is bounded by North Front Street to the north, Main Street to the south, Green Street to the west and Clinton Avenue to the east. The streets are laid out today just as they were in 1658. There are eight 17th century stone houses, another dozen buildings from the 18th and early 19th centuries, plus many other architecturally appealing buildings.

Since its earliest days, due to its centralized location, the Stockade District has always played in important role in the development of the city of Kingston. And, in turn, Wall Street is located in the heart of district, complete with three or four-story commercial buildings, many built in the mid-19th century. After years of urban decline, the redevelopment of Wall Street and its environs was key to the revitalization of the uptown area. In the 1970s, the Pike Plan, named after Woodstock artist John Pike, as part of larger efforts to revitalize uptown Kingston, was instituted. The Pike Plan resulted in the sidewalk arcade roofs along North Front and Wall Streets, complete with white porticos and façade restoration meant to create an aesthetic feel and encourage foot traffic. Today, the Pike Plan is not with controversy, with some feeling that it adds to the city’s charm and others feeling that it has outlived its usefulness and should be removed.

Regardless of your view on the Pike Plan though, Kingston is doing something right. It seems to me that the often-discussed but long-time-in-the-making revitalization efforts for the uptown area have finally taken firm root. The neighborhood feels more welcoming. New restaurants, boutiques, galleries and trendy wares can be found at every turn. There is an overall positive vibe, and a friendlier welcome, that has not been there in previous years. This remarkable revitalization has been critical to the city’s resurgence, creating a charming mix of the old with the new and attracting an increasing number of visitors. The American Planning Association (APA) included Wall Street on its 2012 “Great Places in America: Streets” list.