Conservancy offers special tours of Washington’s and Knox’s Headquarters
The Palisades Parks Conversancy announces Winter Welcome Week, highlighting the recently renovated museum at Washington’s Headquarters and its new exhibit, Unpacked and Rediscovered: Selections from Washington’s Headquarters’ Collection, with over 1,300 artifacts. The museum is displaying rare collections not seen by the public for many years.
The state historic site will offer guided tours through the historic Hasbrouck House, used as a headquarters by Gen. George Washington and his wife during the yuletide of 1782, the last winter of the Revolutionary War. Children can make 18th-century style hats to take home as a remembrance of the day. Tours will be held Dec. 27-29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for students and seniors (ages 62 and older), and free for children 12 and under. For more information, call 845-562-1195.
Knox’s Headquarters
For two Christmases, John and Catherine Ellison shared their home with the officers and soldiers of the Continental Army. Over the winter of 1780-81, Gen. Henry Knox, his wife Lucy and the young Henry and Lucy were there, while two years later it was Gen. Horatio Gates and his military family of aides de camp who shared in the season’s festivities.
Knox’s Headquarters will hold an open house on Thursday, Dec. 27 and Friday, Dec. 28. The Ellison mansion is open for tours at 10 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 2 p.m. each day. Knox’s Headquarters is located at 289 Forge Hill Road, in Vails Gate, N.Y., three miles southeast of the intersection of I-87 and I-84. The bridge over Moodna Creek, just east of Knox’s Headquarters, was damaged by Hurricane Irene, so access to the site is from State Route 94 only. For more information, call 845-561-1765, Ext. 22.
