Washington’s Headquarters 2020 Women in History!
Every year by January 10th, the Newburgh located State Historic Site accepts nominations for the 2020 Martha Washington Woman of History Award.
Washington’s Headquarters selects a recipient for this award and is given to a woman who is distinguished in the field of Hudson Valley history. This honor is presented at the Site’s annual program, The General’s Lady held in March during Women’s History Month. The Woman of History award acknowledges Martha Washington’s important place in our history as a devoted patriot in support of the American Revolution and our budding nation.
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| 18th century engraving looking south down the Hudson River , West Point to the right in distance. |
Let’s start at the very beginning and talk about what Washington’s Headquarter’s really was, a private home. It was the residence of Colonel Johnathan Hasbrouck and his wife Tryntje Dubois.
Built in 1750 by Col. Hasbrouck on a gentle rise overlooking the Hudson River, two additions to enlarge the house were added later in 1770. During the Revolutionary War, Tryntje Dubois Hasbrouck rented the house to General George Washington. The house became his headquarters from April 1782 until August 1783 and for a year’s time Washington’s wife Martha lived in the house..
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| Interpreter standing beside what is said to be George Washington’s actual desk. |
Washington’s Headquarters is located at 84 Liberty St. in Newburgh, N.Y. and is the oldest house in said city. This property was acquired by New York State in 1850 and became the first ever publicly operated historic site in the country. The first substantial restoration work on the Hasbrouck House began in 1912 and has been continuous throughout the years. As new information and technologies have become available, the house’s integrity has remained steadfast and true to it’s most accurate original form.
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| approx. 1900 |
The very first fieldstone house on this spot may have been built in 1725 by Burger Mynderse and later the property was sold to Elsie Hasbrouck. She turned it over to her son Jonathan and his wife Catherine (Tryntje) Dubois and they built the structure we see today. Using the original footprint and foundation if any still existed, this work was done in 1750.
The house was surrounded by stock farms in what is now hard to imagine as quite expansive and open countryside. Existing buildings such as stables and barns also occupied the property. Hasbrouck house is endeared to me especially for not only it’s million dollar view, but it’s original to structure “Dutch Jambless” fireplace. This is an open floor plan fire “pit” or platform, sideless, no walls and without flue between base and ceiling height where smoke is drafted out through the chimney located directly above the platform.
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| Dutch Jambless fireplace. |
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| Easy self research! |
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| Museum on south lawn at Washington’s Headquarters. |
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| “The Minuteman” by Henry Hudson Kitson. Erected, Nov. 11, 1924. |
While visiting, please take the tour of the Tower of Victory that dates back to 1887. The 132 year old monument to peace has been reopened as of April 27, 2019. I attended the ribbon cutting on that blustery, winter like spring day, celebrating it’s use to the public for the first time since 1953. The ceremony was lovely, capped off with my very first entry into the tower. The walk up the spiral staircase to the belvedere at the top afforded a beautiful view of the surrounding neighborhood, including north to south view of the Hudson River. Most interestingly, an eastern view of Mt. Beacon where Revolutionary War fires were lit to signal approaching British ships.
The 53ft tall limestone monument has four large archways. An atrium and two decorative iron spiral stairs in it’s northern corners. Both leading to the top of the structure. A red granite pedestal with a life size bronze statue of George Washington, sculpted by William Rudolf O’Donovan. The construction of the tower commemorated the end of the Revolutionary War 100 years earlier. The well known architect commissioned in 1883 was John Hemenway Duncan. Secretary of War Robert T. Lincoln, the first son of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary, designated this tower to be built honoring the place where Washington created the Purple Heart medal. It was completed in 1887.
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| View of one spiral staircase from the other! |
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| Looking down on the bronze statue of George Washington. |
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| View south from the belvadere . |
The Tower of Victory.
Please visit Washington’s Headquarters soon. It’s a full day or part time research. Enjoy the large open lawn, stretch out, take pictures, paint or just go for a walk. Take the tour, bring the kids. No doubt they will be fully engaged!
When you’re finished or just want to take a break, there are several nice places to eat along Liberty St. that are within easy walking distance of the museum.
https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/17/details.aspx
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