Tucked away in the Village of Cold Spring is one of the Hudson Valley’s hidden gems —The West Point Foundry Preserve.

This week’s Road Trip: Close to Home takes a walk through the 19th century along former rail lines that brought in raw materials to help shape an important part of the industrial revolution.

“It’s a 90-acre park that tells the story of the industrial revolution through the remains of the West Point Foundry’s historic ironworks that are located here. And it’s also a great place to explore the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley,” says historian Reed Sparling.

For most of the 1800s, the foundry manufactured some of the country’s first locomotives and cannons that were used during the Civil War. “They were the prime cannons used by the Union army and were involved in just about every battle in that war,” says Sparling.

Everything here is self-guided, and each tour stop is numbered so that you can also hear about the history on your phone through an online audio guide.

This outdoor museum is free and open from dawn to dusk, but you can also book a private tour with Scenic Hudson and see the inside of what used to be an office. “We have a small museum inside where we have artifacts that have been uncovered by archaeologists,” says Sparling.

Before heading home, make a stop on Main Street and browse local shops, food and drinks that are inherent to this quaint village.