This Scenic Hudson Valley Park Was Once a Jack in the Box

A beautiful public park in the middle of one of the Hudson Valley's busiest cities has a surprisingly strange history.

Today, the property at 490 Broadway in Kingston is a public greenspace known as Post Office Park. But longtime residents may remember stopping at that very same spot for a Jumbo Jack and some tacos.

That's because before it was a park, the property was home to a Jack in the Box. And that's not even the strangest part of the story.

City of Kingston

Jack in the Box Once Operated in Kingston, NY

Jack in the Box may seem like a West Coast fast-food chain to younger Hudson Valley residents, but during the 1970s it actually had several restaurants throughout the region.

One of them was located right on Broadway in Kingston.

After a huge national expansion during the 1970s, Jack in the Box eventually decided to retreat from the East and Midwest. In 1979, the company announced plans to sell or close 232 restaurants and concentrate on its stronger markets in the West and Southwest.

Jack in the Box soon disappeared from the Hudson Valley, and the Kingston location would eventually become a Planet Wings. But the history of this property actually goes back much further.

Google Maps

Jack in the Box Replaced Historic Kingston Post Office

Before anyone was ordering hamburgers and tacos at 490 Broadway, the property was home to one of Kingston's most impressive buildings.

An ornate post office was constructed on the site in 1908. The limestone building featured marble interiors, brass fixtures and an imposing entrance facing Broadway.

Despite its architectural significance, the post office was demolished in 1969 to make way for Jack in the Box. The destruction of the building became a notorious chapter in Kingston history and helped inspire stronger efforts to preserve the city's historic architecture.

City of Kingston

Kingston Property Eventually Comes Full Circle

After Jack in the Box left the Hudson Valley, the building went through other uses, eventually becoming Planet Wings before sitting vacant. The City of Kingston purchased the property and demolished the old restaurant building in 2022, clearing the way for public greenspace.

Today, it's known as Post Office Park, paying tribute to the historic building that originally stood there. The space is a green oasis in the middle of the city. Aside from manicured landscaping, the park includes recreational attractions, including a ping-pong table and chessboard.

So, the next time you're in Kingston, make sure to visit Post Office Park for a little taste of history, but sadly no taste of Jack in the Box.