Jones Point, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jones Point
hamlet
Jones Point Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Rockland

Jones Point is a small, quiet area in Stony Point, Rockland County, New York. It's located north of Tomkins Cove and south of Iona Island. To its east is the Hudson River, and to its west is Bear Mountain State Park.

Jones Point sits right across the Hudson River from Peekskill. It is also at the base of Dunderberg Mountain. Even though it's in Rockland County, which has many towns, Jones Point feels more like a countryside area. Most of Jones Point, over 85%, is actually part of Bear Mountain State Park.

During World War I, Jones Point was home to a special research lab. This lab worked on different compounds for military use. Later, from 1946 to 1971, the Hudson River Reserve Fleet was located here. This fleet was a collection of ships kept ready for emergencies.

Jones Point's Secret Lab

A Research Center During World War I

During the First World War, the United States needed to develop new technologies for defense. The United States Bureau of Mines was in charge of researching special compounds for military use. They needed a very secret place for this work. This place had to be far from big cities, where spies might be.

They chose the American Potash Corp Plant at Jones Point, New York. This became the site of a hidden research laboratory. It was located on the western side of the Hudson River. It was also close to Iona Island, which had a U.S. Navy weapons storage area.

Scientists and Their Work

One important scientist at the Jones Point lab was Walter T. Scheele. He was a chemist who had previously been involved in developing explosive devices. As part of an agreement, Scheele agreed to help the United States with its defense research. He was brought to the Jones Point facility to work on these projects.

Another famous person connected to the lab was Bruce Silver. He was a chemist who worked for the famous inventor Thomas Edison. Bruce Silver visited Jones Point to work directly with Walter Scheele.

Experiments and Discoveries

The Jones Point Lab worked on two main projects. One was developing liquid oxygen for use as an explosive. The other was creating a special incendiary compound called Helline. This compound was designed to start fires.

Scientists at Jones Point got permission to test Helline. They used a nearby abandoned quarry and other old buildings for their experiments. They tested projectiles and rockets that launched fire and debris. People in the surrounding areas could sometimes see these experiments. They also conducted tests on and under the Hudson River.

The facility also researched other compounds for military use. This included agents like phosgene and mustard gas.

The "Mothball Fleet"

The Hudson River Reserve Fleet in the 1950s

After World War II, in 1946, a large group of ships was moved to Jones Point. This was the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, often called the "Mothball Fleet." These ships were kept ready in case they were needed again. They had been off Tarrytown in the Hudson River before moving here.

At its busiest in July 1965, the fleet had 189 ships. They were anchored in ten long rows. The fleet stretched for several miles, from the Jones Point dock south to Tomkins Cove. Many people would stop along Route 9W to watch the ships.

Over time, many ships were sold or moved to another fleet in Virginia. The last two ships left Jones Point in 1971.