With July 4th just around the corner, we donned our tri-corner caps to list the finest local Revolutionary War sites you still can visit today.
Elijah Miller House
North White Plains
(914) 949.1236
westchestergov.com/history/wash.htm
Pentagon, Shmentagon. Though only four-sided, the Miller House was George Washington’s quaint command post during the Battle of White Plains in 1776. The Daughters of the American Revolution refurbished the Rhode Island-style farmhouse, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places, as a public museum. (You can sit at the table where the Commander-in-Chief plotted his every move—for free.)
John Jay Homestead State Historic Site
Katonah
(914) 232.5651
johnjayhomestead.org
After serving as a diplomat, governor, and chief justice, patriot John Jay retired to this now renowned national gem in Katonah. The main house, 62-acre estate, and five gardens have returned to early 19th-century splendor down to the last pot and pan. Don’t miss frequent festivals, museum exhibitions, co-ops, farmers’ market, kids’ summer camp, and scholar’s lecture series. House tours are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and free for children up to age 12 and for Friends’ members.
Patriots Park
Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow
On the border of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, a bronze statue overlooks pick-up games, leisurely walks, and weekend farmers’ markets. The monument commemorates John Spaulding, who captured British spy John André as he couriered Benedict Arnold’s sketches of West Point just 200 yards east of the site. The four-acre, beaux-arts park is now on the National Register of Historic Places and hosts an eco-fair each September.
Saint Paul’s Church
Mount Vernon
(914) 667.4116
nps.gov/sapa
Move over, Westchester Medical Center. This 18th-century Mount Vernon church was one of the country’s most active hospitals and cemeteries during the war. The 225-year-old tower bell was even cast in 1758 at the same foundry as the Liberty Bell. Now a National Historic Site, the church hosts free guided tours, costumed demonstrations, museum exhibitions, and day camps.
