Brief info on West Point Academy

The site was selected for the construction of a fort byWest Point began collegiate tradition of the class ring,
George Washington, and the fortifications werebeginning with the class of 1835, and continuing ever
designed in 1778 by Tadeusz Kościuszko. Insince. The lone exception is the class of 1837, which
addition to various forts surrounding the area, a greathad class cuff links.
chain was strung across the Hudson River in order toIn recent decades, the Academy's curricular structure
obstruct British ships attempting to navigate the river.has been markedly changed to permit cadets to major
Though never tested, the chain performed its purposein any one of more than a dozen fields, including a
by preventing British movement up and down the river.wide range of subjects from the sciences to the
General Washington considered West Point one ofhumanities.
the most important positions on the continent. The highOutside the secured area of the academy, there are
ground above a narrow "S" curve in the Hudson Rivertwo public buildings: the visitors center and the West
enabled the Continental Army to control the vital riverPoint Museum.
traffic. He felt that the British Army could have split theThe visitor's center offers historical and informational
colonies in two if they gained control of this land. It wasvideos, parking, rest rooms, a gift shop, maps,
as commander of the fortifications at West Point thatpamphlets, a full-scale cadet barracks room, and a
Benedict Arnold committed his famous treason whenmovie theater; arrangements for guided tours can also
he attempted to sell the fort to the British.be made. These tours, which are the only way the
George Washington quickly realized the need for apublic can go on the grounds, are operated by a
national military academy, but his Secretary of Statelicensed contractor, West Point Tours, Inc., and leave
Thomas Jefferson argued that there was no provisionthe visitor's center several times during the day. The
in the Constitution which allowed for the creation of atours will stop and allow tourists to tour the Cadet
military academy. However, when Jefferson becameChapel (if not in use at the time), the parade grounds
president, he signed legislation establishing the Unitedand Trophy Point. For the rest of the tour, the tourists
States Military Academy on March 16, 1802; the schoolremain on the bus and as the tour guide narrates the
opened on July 4 of the same year.tour of the rest of the campus.
The Superintendent from 1817 to 1833 was ColonelThe West Point Museum is located directly behind the
Sylvanus Thayer. He is known as the "father of thevisitor's center. The museum is in the renovated
Military Academy." He upgraded academic standards,Olmsted Hall at Pershing Center on the grounds of the
instilled military discipline and emphasized honorableformer Ladycliff College. The grounds were purchased
conduct. Inspired by the Frenchby West Point after the college closed in the early
École1980s. The building is named after the museum's
Polytechnique, Thayer made civil engineering theprimary donor, Major General George H.
foundation of the curriculum. For the first half century,Olmsted, Class of 1922.
USMA graduates were largely responsible for theThe museum's collections represent all major
construction of the bulk of the nation's initial railwaycategories of military study from arms, cannon and
lines, bridges, harbors and roads. (The traditionartillery to uniforms, military art and objects reflecting
continues in the hands of the U.S. Army Corps ofWest Point's history. Originally opened in 1854, the
Engineers.) The development of other technicalWest Point Museum is the oldest and largest military
schools in the United States during the post-Civil Warmuseum in the country. It contains some of America's
period allowed West Point to broaden its curriculummost interesting national military treasures and one of
beyond a strict civil engineering focus.the finest collections of military small arms available for
After World War I, Superintendent Douglas MacArthurpublic viewing. Every American armed conflict is
sought to further diversify the academic curriculum. Inrepresented in the 135 exhibits. An additional gallery
recognition of the physical demands of modernportrays the history of the United States Army during
warfare, MacArthur pushed for major changes in thepeacetime and its role as a formative nation builder of
physical fitness and athletic programs. "Every cadet anour country.
athlete" became an important goal. At the same time,West Point's history during and after the Revolutionary
the cadet management of the Honor System, long anWar, as well as the institutional history of the Military
unofficial tradition, was formalized with the creation ofAcademy, are traced in the West Point gallery
the Cadet Honor Committee.devoted to the school, the cadet and the officer. The
In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed legislationmuseum also provides exhibits in Thayer Hall to
increasing the strength of the Corps of Cadets fromsupport the Department of History cadet curriculum
2,529 to 4,417 (more recently reduced to 4,000 butwith exhibit themes which range from ancient to
soon to return to 4,400).modern civilizations.
Women were first admitted in 1976.West Point is often the first place for automobile
No classes graduated in 1810 or 1816 and there weretourists to stop and view on the New York City to
two graduating classes each in 1861, 1917, 1918, 1922Albany scenic Hudson River route.
and 1943.