WEST POINT, N.Y. (October 2, 2015) -- U.S. Army Garrison at West Point is pleased to announce that the Federal Government has funded the design and construction of an Education Center on Constitution Island.

The project was awarded Sept. 30, and represents the initial phase of a holistic upgrade of facilities on Constitution Island which has been in planning for several years by the U.S. Army Garrison at West Point Directorate of Public Works, Constitution Island Association, West Point Association of Graduates and West Point Museum. The project encompasses the design and construction of an education center, preservation of the existing carriage house and associated site work.

Constitution Island is part of the U.S. Military Academy Reservation at West Point, and is set aside primarily for educational use by Cadets, Soldiers and staff. The island is open to the general public seasonally, May to October, with tours of the historic site provided by the Constitution Island Association.

This initial phase of work is the precursor to future phases which will support work on the Warner House, the home to Susan and Anna Warner who resided on the island during the nineteenth century. The sisters became known as the Bronte sisters of America, Susan's first book, published in 1850, "The Wide, Wide World," sold more than a million copies in more than sixty editions. Together the sisters published over one hundred and five books. For forty years Susan and Anna Warner tended to their first love, teaching bible classes for U.S. Military Academy at West Point Cadets. Anna Warner's hymn "Jesus Loves Me," was published in 1860 and is perhaps among the best known religious hymns. It starts: "Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong."