August 2002

Kingston Heats Up In August!



...On Sunday, August 11, the historic fireboat John J. Harvey, will arrive in Kingston as part of her annual cruise along the Hudson River, between New York City and Albany. The vessel will be open to the public, FREE of charge, for rides, tours and demonstrations. The John J. Harvey was built as America’s first large modern fireboat in 1931 for the New York Fire Department. The vessel was retired in 1994, declared scrap and auctioned in 1999. It was purchased and restored to raise awareness of historic vessels to the history of the City, Hudson River and nation. On Sept. 11th, the John J. Harvey was pressed into active service again, evacuating people from a seawall near Battery. She then joined other fireboats to provide pumping capacity to fight the fires at the World Trade Center site. Remarkably, the 70 year old vessel played a vital role during the Sept. 11th crisis. As a result, she received several awards, among them one from The Steamship Historical Society of America, and another from The National Trust for Historic Preservation. This is a unique opportunity for Kingston to experience some rich maritime history first hand. Mark your calendars today and come visit the John J. Harvey, while it’s in port at Kingston on August 11th!...

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