Sands Ring Homestead Museum

Happy Fourth of July! We are sad to not be welcoming you into the homestead today, but hope to see you soon.

We are so thankful to the Cornwall NY Garden Club for all their continued hard work in keeping our garden looking beautiful.

Then/Now Sands Ring Homestead (Cornwall, NY) Built circa 1760, this house belonged to David Sands, a prominent Quaker minister who led Cornwall’s first Quaker m...eetings at the house. Being situated on what was then the Newburgh Turnpike, an important 18th century highway that led to West Point, the house saw a great deal of traffic during the American Revolution. Capitalizing on its location, Sands opened a mercantile in the house that served the many soldiers stationed in the area. It was during that time that seven local soldiers broke in one night and robbed him, stealing money and $500 worth of broadcloth. Sands successfully identified the men to their officers the following morning and was promptly returned his goods and money, but instead of pressing charges, he saw to it that they were spared from punishment. The perpetrators, who likely would have been hanged, were invited over and treated to a meal by Sands. This act of compassionate forgiveness brought the men to open tears. In 1818, David Sands died, but the house would stay with his family until 1912, when the then deteriorating building was purchased by the Village Improvement Society and Cornwall-on-Hudson. Under the Old Homestead Association, preservation efforts brought the house back to life and eventually led to the house being deeded to the town in 1950. Since then the town has turned the house into a museum where visitors can come and get a glimpse of 18th century life. See more

Sands Ring open for tours until 3pm today!!!