American Revolution

Study: Americans Ignorant About American Revolution

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The American Revolution Center (ARC), an organization hoping to build the first national museum of the revolution in Philadelphia, released today what it’s calling &#8220the first comprehensive national survey of adult knowledge of the American Revolution.&#8221 The findings, which are based on a random sample of 1,000 telephone interviews, indicate that 83 percent of Americans failed a basic test on knowledge of the American Revolution and the principles on which the country was founded.

Perhaps more interesting is the finding that 90 percent of respondents think that knowledge of the American Revolution and its principles are very important, and that 89 percent expected to pass a test on basic knowledge of the American Revolution, but scored an average of 44 percent.

The survey questions considered issues related to Revolutionary documents, people, and events, and also asked attitudinal questions about the respondents’ perception of the importance of understanding the Revolutionary history and the institutions that were established to preserve our freedoms and liberties. The entire study can be downloaded via pdf here.

Here is are some of the more remarkable findings:

American adults mistakenly believe the Constitution established a government of direct democracy, rather than a democratic republic. While this basic fact is included on the naturalization exam for immigrants to qualify for U.S. citizenship, more than half of the Americans polled do not know it.

More than 50 percent of Americans wrongly attributed the quote, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs” to George Washington, Thomas Paine, or President Barack Obama, when it is in fact a quote from Karl Marx.

Many more Americans remember that Michael Jackson sang “Beat It” than know that the Bill of Rights is part of the Constitution.

60 percent of Americans can correctly identify the number of children in reality-TV show couple Jon and Kate Gosselin’s household (eight), but more than one-third do not know the century in which the American Revolution took place. Half of those surveyed believe the Civil War, Emancipation Proclamation, or War of 1812 occurred before the American Revolution.

At a time when thousands of political protesters hold “tea parties” around the nation, more than half of Americans do not know that the outcome of the Boston Tea Party was not a repeal of taxes, but rather that it prompted British to pass the Coercive Acts which ignited American patriotism and sparked the Revolution.

One-third of Americans do not know that the right to a jury trial is covered in the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights, while 4-in-10 mistakenly think that the right to vote is.

Presentation: Fort Ontario: 250 Years of History

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George A. Reed, the author of Fort Ontario: 250 Years of History, 1755-2005 will offer a presentation on the truth and legends of Fort Ontario at 2 P.M. Oct. 17 at the Busy Corner Cafe, 234 Ford Street (at the intersection of Ford and State streets) in Ogdensburg. Reed’s informal talk, hosted by the Fort La Presentation Association, will focus on Fort Ontario’s rich history at the time of the French and Indian War.

The old fort Ontario was first constructed in 1755 overlooking the Oswego River, the main route west in colonial times, to protect the fur trading settlement at Oswego. Following the American Revolution, the fort remained in British hands until the Jay Treaty in 1796. 

The Fort saw action twice during the War of 1812 and received and trained troops during the Civil War. Troops from Fort Ontario fought in the Philippines during the Spanish American War and the fort was enlarged in 1909 and became the Flower Medical Unit, training Army doctors, nurses, and medics, and treating wounded troops from the battlefields of France. Between World Wars, Fort Ontario s mission changed to training National Guard troops and Artillery. Its currently serves as a historic site.

The Fort La Presentation Association is hosting New York State’s final 250th anniversary commemoration of the French and Indian War, July 16-18, 2010.

1779 Sullivan-Clinton Expedition Against the Iroquois

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After the 1779 Continental Army Sullivan-Clinton Expedition devastated the land of the Iroquois, the people of the Six Nations would forever remember its author, General George Washington, as the “Town Destroyer.&#8221 Sunday September 20, at 1:30 PM, the New Windsor Cantonment on Route 300 (374 Temple Hill) in the Town of New Windsor, will host a multi-media presentation “New York’s Missing Link: The Sullivan-Clinton Campaign, Then and Now.” The lecture by Dr. Robert Spiegelman is free.

From 3:30 – 5:00 PM, visitors can interact with Revolutionary War re-enactors portraying the people involved in this historical event and see them fire muskets and a cannon. Admission is free. For more information please call (845) 561-1765. New Windsor Cantonment is located on Route 300 (374 Temple Hill Road) in the Town of New Windsor, four miles east of Stewart Airport. It is three miles from the intersection of I-87 and I-84 in Newburgh, New York.

In June and July 1779, General George Washington, from his New Windsor, New York Headquarters, gave final orders to General John Sullivan, at Easton, Pennsylvania, and General James Clinton, in the Mohawk Valley, to launch the biggest operation, to date, against Native Peoples in North American history. Because of this expedition and subsequent punitive treaties, most of the Iroquois were uprooted from their homelands, which cleared the way for the Erie Canal and Westward Expansion. Strikingly, though Sullivan/Clinton has the most historical markers in New York, it has been nearly forgotten. Spiegelman’s tour-de-force combines fresh research, dramatic visuals and unique animated maps to answer why. It introduces the Campaign’s dark origins, key players, main events, tragic and victorious aftermaths, and lasting results. Beyond the military operation, he shows its impact on native culture, the land and today’s environment. Back from the &#8220memory hole,&#8221 Sullivan/Clinton becomes an essential lens on New York and American history. Agreeing with David McCullough that making history boring is a &#8220crime,&#8221 Spiegelman unveils Sullivan/Clinton as high drama with present-day impact. For more, please visit www.sullivanclinton.com

Dr. Robert Spiegelman is the president of Real-View Media. As a sociologist, multimedia artist and writer, Spiegelman presents widely on New York, Iroquois, Irish and environmental themes. The founder of SullivanClinton.com and Derryveagh.com, Spiegelman revisits hidden histories that link past and present, and fosters indigenous values of peace, democracy and nature-in-balance. A college teacher for 12 years, he holds a Doctorate in Sociology from CUNY Graduate Center.

The event is co-sponsored by the recreated, Continental Army, 3rd New York Regiment which served in Clinton’s Brigade during the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition. The living historians are members of the Brigade of the American Revolution, an international organization dedicated to recreating the life and times of the common soldier of the War for Independence, 1775-1783. The remarkable variety of dress worn by participants provides a living window to the past. Green-coated Loyalists and British regulars in red. Among the Patriot forces, you will find both Continentals and militia, dressed in coats that were blue, gray, brown or whatever color happened to be available at the time. Some had no recognizable uniform at all.

In addition to the special programs and activities, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and the New Windsor Cantonment Visitor Center will be open. These buildings feature the story of the Purple Heart, the history of the New Windsor Cantonment, Revolutionary War artifacts and the exhibit The Last Argument of Kings, Revolutionary War Artillery. A picnic grove is available and there is plenty of free parking. Just one mile from the Cantonment is Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Site. Elegantly furnished by John and Catherine Ellison, the 1754 mansion served as headquarters for Revolutionary War Generals Nathanael Greene, Henry Knox, and Horatio Gates. Also be sure to visit Washington’s Headquarters in Newburgh, a short drive from the New Windsor Cantonment.

Spend an Evening with General Johnny Burgoyne

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This Friday, September 18th the Friends of the Bennington Battle Monument will host an evening with Major General John Burgoyne who will give a humorous, rueful and accurate account of “what went wrong” in 1777. Burgoyne was sent to put an end to the rebellion in the colonies and secure the Lake Champlain and Hudson River corridor for England. His loss at the Battle of Bennington in August led to his ultimate defeat and surrender at Saratoga, the turning point in the American Revolution.

“Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne is portrayed by Howard Burnham, an English-born actor, author, educator and museum curator, touring the area on a journey to Saratoga and Fort Ticonderoga. Howard’s acclaimed one-man shows have played throughout England and have been on the BBC. His fully costumed dramatic monologues/lectures-in-character with Power Point last approximately 45-50 minutes. This is history with humor, a program that can be enjoyed by all ages.

The presentation, sponsored by the Friends of the Monument, will take place on September 18th at 7:30 p.m. in the Old First Church Barn on Monument Circle. It is free and open to the public, light refreshments will be served. For further information contact the Bennington Battle Monument at (802) 447-0550, information on Howard Burnham can be found on his website www.HowardBurnham.com.

NYS Librarys September Noontime Programs

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In September, the New York State Library will offer three noontime author talks and book signings. On Wednesday, September 9th, Mark Jodoin will discuss his book &#8220Shadow Soldiers of the American Revolution: Loyalist Tales from New York to Canada,&#8221 which tells the stories of ten young men and women who were forced to flee north, into what became Ontario and Quebec, because they remained loyal to the British government. On Wednesday, September 16, Dr. Margaret Lynch-Brennan will discuss her new book, &#8220The Irish Bridget: Irish Immigrant Women in Domestic Service in America, 1840-1930,&#8221 one of the first books written on Irish servant girls. And on Wednesday, September 23, Michael Esposito, author of &#8220Troy’s Little Italy (Images of America),&#8221 will talk about the Italian immigrants who settled in Troy, beginning in the late 1880s, and the community they created there. All programs run from 12:15 to 1:15 and are free and open to the public.

Sept. 9: Shadow Soldiers of the American Revolution: Loyalist Tales from New York to Canada

In 1778, New York State patriots forced colonists loyal to the British government to flee north into what became Ontario and Quebec. Many of the defiant young British Americans soon returned south as soldiers, spies and scouts to fight for their multigenerational farms along the Mohawk River, Lake Champlain and the Hudson River Valley. Eventually defeated, they were banished from their ancestral homelands forever. Mark Jodoin, author of the book Shadow Soldiers of the American Revolution: Loyalist Tales from New York to Canada offers an enlightened look back at ten young men and women who were forced north into what became Ontario and Quebec, sharing the struggles that these Loyalists faced during our nation’s founding.

Sept. 16: The Irish Bridget: Irish Immigrant Women in Domestic Service in America, 1840-1930

&#8220Bridget&#8221 was the Irish immigrant servant girl who worked in American homes from the second half of the nineteenth century into the early years of the twentieth century. She was widely known as a pop culture cliche: the young Irish girl who wreaked havoc working as a servant in middle-class American homes. Many contemporary Irish-American families can find one or more of these Irish Bridgets in their background. Come hear Dr. Margaret Lynch-Brennan discuss her new book, &#8220The Irish Bridget: Irish Immigrant Women in Domestic Service in America, 1840-1930.&#8221 This is the first book to be written on Irish servant girls. This program will be held in the Huxley Theater on the first floor of the Cultural Education Center.

Sept. 23: Troy’s Little Italy

Italian immigrants began arriving in Troy in large numbers in the late 1880s, escaping the abject poverty of their homeland. They settled among Irish immigrants who had arrived fifty years earlier in Troy’s first and eighth wards just south of the central business district, an area bustling with activity. The neighborhood contained blocks of two and three story brick buildings, a mix of row houses and free standing homes. Within a few years, these Italian immigrants began opening small businesses, particularly on Fourth Street, the neighborhood’s “Main Street,” and it was typical of the mixed residential and commercial communities in many American cities. Michael Esposito will discuss the neighborhood and its people from his new book “Troy’s Little Italy.”

Pieces of Fort Edward Revealed During Dredging

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A piece of historic Fort Edward, site of the Great Carrying Place portage between the Hudson River and Lake George and prominent in the history of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, is reported to have been brought up while dredging the Hudson River for PCBs according to the Glens Falls Post Star.

&#8220Neal Orsini said he was awakened at 4 a.m. by the noise of a clamshell dredge pulling the piece of wood, which he estimated to be about 14 feet long, from his property,&#8221 the paper reported. &#8220There was a breakdown somewhere in the system and they took a piece of old Fort Edward out of the bank they weren’t supposed to be touching,&#8221 Orsini said, &#8220It was really loud.&#8221

Orsini also told the paper that a clamshell dredge removed a section of riverbank. &#8220It left a gaping hole in my river bank,&#8221 he said. The paper is reporting that archeologists are on the scene and a &#8220survey is being performed on the pieces taken from the area.&#8221

Fort Edward was built in 1755 on &#8220The Great Warpath&#8221 between Albany and the head of northward navigation at Lake George. It’s three components, the fort itself, a fortified encampment on Rogers Island, and a Royal blockhouse built in 1758 across the river was Britain’s largest military outpost in North America during the French and Indian War housing more than 15,000 troops. An earlier stockaded area named Fort Nicholson was located there in 1709 during Queen Anne’s War- it was rebuilt as Fort Lydus (primarily the trading post of John Lydus) and in 1731 was rebuilt as Fort Lyman. It was renamed For Edward by Sir William Johnson during the French and Indian War in 1755.

Although the historic site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it has been largely forgotten, after the area was heavily contaminated with PCBs, and has fallen into disuse except for the Rogers Island Visitors Center. The Associated Press reported this week that three entities are hoping to purchase parts of the site including the Archaeological Conservancy, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and archeologist David Starbuck, who has been excavating the site since at least 2001.

Rogers Island was also the base camp of Major Robert Rogers and his company of Rangers and it was there that he composed his &#8220Ranging Rules&#8221 which form the basis of military tactics adopted by irregular fighting forces all over the world. The site is considered the birthplace of the U.S. Army Rangers. The fort fell to British forces under John Burgoyne in 1777 during the American Revolution.

The dredging project is in its fourth month of removing approximately 2.65 million cubic yards of Hudson Riverbed sediment contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). General Electric is believed to have dischargeed more than 1 million pounds of PCBs from its plants in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward into the Hudson River. The company then fought a legal, political, and media battle to avoid cleanup for nearly 20 years. GE fought the Superfund law in court and conducted a media campaign to convince the public that cleaning the toxic waste from the river would stir up PCBs. This week high levels of PCBs downriver slowed the dredging. GE was ordered by the EPA to clean up a 40-mile stretch of the Hudson River it contaminated in 2002.

Photo: Fort Edward from &#8220A Set of Plans and Forts in Americas, Reduced From Actual Surveys&#8221 [1763]

VPR Looks At Historic Lake Champlain Sinkings

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All last week Vermont Public Radio (VPR) has been running a series of reported entitled &#8220History Under the Waves&#8221 looking at five historic wrecks that lie at the bottom of Lake Champlain. Over 300 shipwrecks lie at the bottom of Champlain, and VPR looked at what sent five of them to their fates, including a Revolutionary War gunboat, a lake schooner, two steamboats, and a sailing canal boat. The reports also feature a photo gallery.

Much of what is known about the extend of underwater remains of Champlain shipwrecks comes from surveys conducted by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (LCMM). The LCMM has been instrumental in conducting archeological surveys and persuading New York and Vermont to establish the Lake Champlain Historic Preserve System in order to provide access for divers to some of the Lake’s historic shipwrecks. You can find a list of manning of the Champlain Shipwrecks at the LCMM Shipwrecks site.

Saratoga County Celebrates Historical Week

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The Town of Saratoga and Villages of Schuylerville and Victory are planning an exciting “historical week” celebration starting August 1 and ending August 9 as part of the &#8220Explore! Saratoga County&#8221 efforts. Historical Week is an over 100-year tradition which commemorates the rich history of the villages of Schuylerville, Victory and the Town of Saratoga.

&#8220We plan a whole week of events to commemorate America’s Most Historic Village,&#8221 Schuylerville Village Historian Kristina Saddlemire said, &#8220We have a great partnership made up of the various levels of government including the Town of Saratoga, Villages of Schuylerville and Victory, Saratoga County, Hudson River Valley Greenway, Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission, Saratoga National Historical Park and non-governmental partners including the Turning Point Parade, Old Saratoga Historical Association, Hudson Crossing Park, Schuylerville Area Chamber of Commerce, Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club, and the Schuylerville Public Library.&#8221

The schedule includes:

Quadricentennial Bike Tour of the Hudson
Saturday, August 1, (10 am)
As part of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s sail, join us for a casually-paced 30-mile tour of the historic roads from the Village of Victory to Stillwater and back, with occasional stops at points of historical significance. There will be lots of fine views of the river. The terrain is mostly rolling with two steep hills (one up, one down). Park along Cemetery Avenue just south of the Saratoga Monument, near the intersection of Burgoyne Road. Bike Helmets Are Required! For information, contact 587-7801 or [email protected]. Gather along Cemetery Avenue just south of the Saratoga Monument, near the intersection of Burgoyne Road, Victory Mills

TURNING POINT PARADE FESTIVAL – “Echoes on the Hudson”
Saturday, August 1, (Noon)
Kid’s rides, food, bonfire, and block dance on Saturday. Fort Hardy Park.

TURNING POINT PARADE – “Echoes on the Hudson”
Sunday, August 2 (1 – 2:30 pm)
Over 100 separate units including marching bands/musical units, fire and rescue, law enforcement, re-enactors and military units past and present. It is a parade with a &#8220small town flavor&#8221. Broad Street.

TURNING POINT PARADE FESTIVAL – “Echoes on the Hudson”
Sunday, August 2, (3 pm)
Kid’s rides, food, music including the Open Bar Band and fireworks (9:30pm) on Sunday. Fort Hardy Park. For more information http://www.turningpointparade.com/

For more information on Turning Point events see http://www.turningpointparade.com/

GREAT CHAMPLAIN-HUDSON SOJOURN
Monday, August 3 (4pm – 8pm)
The Great Champlain-Hudson Sojourn will be stopping at Fort Hardy Park as part of twenty-six day, 325 mile kayaking and camping trip from the Canadian border to Manhattan along beautiful Lakes Champlain and George, the Champlain Canal and the Hudson River. A group of Thru-Paddlers will be camping out at Fort Hardy and visiting heritage and cultural sites in the community. Please join us at 10am to welcome this group of paddlers to Fort Hardy Park. There will be a local kayaking outfitter providing free kayaking lessons, exhibitors, and plenty of activities for the kids! A community dinner, sponsored by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors will held at Fort Hardy at 6pm.

RESEARCHING YOUR SCHUYLERVILLE AREA ANCESTORS
Tuesday, August 4 (10 am)
Get help with research strategy for finding Schuylerville ancestors from Deputy Town Historian and Genealogist Patricia Peck. Schuylerville Public Library.

MAKING A CARDBOARD BOAT
Tuesday, August 4, 2009 (7 pm)
This is an opportunity to make a boat to compete in the Hudson Crossing cardboard boat race on Saturday, August 8. Bring cardboard and enjoy the creative process. Schuylerville Public Library, Ferry Street, Schuylerville

WALKING TOUR of VICTORY
Wednesday, August 5 (7 pm)
Join Sean Kelleher, Village of Victory Historian, for a walking tour of Victory. Meet at the Village Hall/Community Center

STORY HOUR &#8211 400th anniversary themed
Thursday, August 6 (10 am)
Pre-school age children are welcome (with an adult) to attend the Schuylerville Public Library’s Story Hour for a story and activity with Town Historian, Sean Kelleher. Schuylerville Public Library. 23 Pine Street, Victory Mills

VILLAGE OF SCHUYLERVILLE WALKING TOUR
Friday, August 7 (7 pm)
Join Village of Schuylerville Historian, Kristina Saddlemire, for a walking tour of the North Broad Street Cemetery. Learn about former Schuylerville residents. Meet on Broad Street in front of the cemetery.

HUDSON CROSSING CARDBOARD BOAT RACE
Saturday, August 8 (starts at 8 am races at 1 pm)
Construct a &#8220human-powered&#8221 boat made of corrugated cardboard (or 100% recyclable materials) or watch the races and enjoy the day on the Hudson River in Schuylerville. Registration and boat construction begin at the gazebo at 8:00 am. Racing begins at 1:00 pm. For more information contact (518) 859-1462 or www.hudsoncrossingpark.org Fort Hardy Park Beach.

SPIN TIL YOU DYE
Saturday, August 8 (11 am &#8211 3 pm)
Rock Day Spinners demonstrate fiber spinning and natural dyeing over an open fire. Schuyler House, Route 4, Schuylerville.

18th CENTURY DAY
Sunday, August 9 (12 – 5 pm)
Step back in time at the historic Schuyler House! The grounds abound with 18th century activities, including puppet shows, music, oxen cart rides, basket weaving, chair caning, tinsmithing, and more. Schuyler House, Route 4, Schuylerville. For more information, call (518) 664-9821 ext. 224 or www.nps.gov/sara.

Historical Week is sponsored by the Town of Saratoga, Village of Schuylerville, Village of Victory, Schuylerville Public Library, Turning Point Parade Committee, Schuylerville Visitors Center, Schuylerville Area Chamber of Commerce, Old Saratoga Historical Association, Hudson Crossing &#8211 A Bi-County Educational Park, Hudson River Valley Greenway, Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission, Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club, Saratoga County, and the Saratoga National Historical Park. The purpose of Historical Week is to commemorate the important role that the Town of Saratoga and Villages of Schuylerville and Victory played in regional, national and international history. For more information call 695-4159 or visit http://www.villageofschuylerville.org/

Photo: The Saratoga Monument in Victory, NY.

Welcome Our New Sponsor, The Jay Heritage Center

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Please join me in welcoming The Jay Heritage Center (JHC) as our new sponsor for New York History. Support from advertisers like JHC helps make this site possible. If you are interested in supporting us and extending your brand through advertising targeting those interested in New York history, let us know.

The Jay Heritage Center (JHC) in the lower Hudson valley in Rye, New York was chartered in 1993 to oversee restoration of John Jay’s boyhood property in Rye, including the 1838 Peter Augustus Jay House. The site has been closed for a time due to extensive restoration but has recently re-opened. The JHC was recently named to the Hudson River Valley Heritage Area. The grounds and pastoral landscape of the 23 acre scenic 1745 Jay Property are a must see for visitors interested in American History, Social Justice, Landscape Preservation and Environmental Stewardship as well as lively place for concerts, interactive theatre and art shows. The site also has a a great Quadricentennial Exhibit. “A Legacy of Sailing-Residents of the Jay Estate and Yachting New York 1843-1966.”

Begun in the spring of 2008, New York History has already grown to be the state’s most popular online journal about New York State history. The site has become a go-to state news resource for those interested in New York history from the academic to the lay traveler and resident and for those outside the state who want to stay current on history news happening in the state, the latest books, and events and exhibits.

Jay Heritage Centers 400th Yachting & Sailing Exhibit

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The Jay Heritage Center (JHC) in the lower Hudson valley in Rye, New York was chartered in 1993 to oversee restoration of John Jay’s boyhood property in Rye, including the 1838 Peter Augustus Jay House. The site has been closed for a time due to extensive restoration but has recently re-opened. The JHC was recently named to the Hudson River Valley Heritage Area. The grounds and pastoral landscape of the 23 acre scenic 1745 Jay Property are a must see for visitors interested in American History, Social Justice, Landscape Preservation and Environmental Stewardship as well as lively place for concerts, interactive theatre and art shows. The site also has a a great Quadricentennial Exhibit. “A Legacy of Sailing-Residents of the Jay Estate and Yachting New York 1843-1966.”

Owners of the historic Jay Estate in Rye and their families shared a passion for the water and were influential members of the New York sailing community: John Clarkson Jay was one of the founders of the historic New York Yacht Club, owner of the yacht, &#8220La Coquille&#8221 and a consultant to Commodore Matthew Perry following his 1852 -54 Expedition to Japan- the Van Norden patriarch, a member of the Holland Society, was one of the original organizers of the 1909 Henry Hudson Tercentenary that celebrated New York’s most vital waterway while applauding the contributions of European culture to this state’s development and commerce- Edgar Palmer, famed Princeton philanthropist, owned several famous yachts including two schooners named &#8220Guinevere&#8221 that were legendary for their state of the art technology—both vessels were commissioned to the US Navy in World War I and World War II for special escort patrol.

The exhibit explores the rich history of yachting in New York and features the same pristine view of Long Island Sound from the 1838 Jay mansion that inspired these sailing families when they lived in Rye. Among the unique items are extensive collections of 1909 Hudson Fulton Tercentenary memorabilia including post cards, banners, silver and bronze medals for the 1909 Commission- original engraved invitations, programs and silverware from Tiffany’s- vintage photographs of the 1909 naval parade- 100 year old ship plans of the replica Half Moon and Clermont- maritime photographs from Mystic Seaport’s unparalleled Rosenfeld Collection- an original 1916 scrapbook documenting the very first of the NY 40 design regattas from Long Island Sound all the way to Marblehead and more.

The exhibit is just one reason to visit the site. According to the JHC website:The Jay Property in Rye is the boyhood home of New York State’s only native Founding Father, John Jay (1745-1829). Located next to a marshlands preserve with public trails, this sylvan and historic 23 acre park is all that remains of the original 400 acre Jay family estate where America’s first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and author of The Jay Treaty grew up. Located just 35 minutes from Manhattan, the Property has an 8000 year old scenic vista of Long Island Sound over a meadow bordered by sunken stone ha-ha walls, a European garden design feature added by Jay’s eldest son circa 1822. It is also located on the historic Boston Post Road where mile marker “24” out of 230, designated in 1763 by Jay’s colleague, Benjamin Franklin, is set into the perimeter wall.

The centerpiece of this National Historic Landmark is an 1838 Greek Revival mansion with soaring Corinthian columns built by Peter Augustus Jay atop the footprint of his father and grandfather’s original home “The Locusts” reusing original timbers and nails from the same house. Visitors can literally see the layers of history being uncovered here. The PA Jay House is being carefully restored and managed by the not-for-profit organization, the Jay Heritage Center (JHC) for use as an educational facility hosting Programs in American History, Social Justice, Landscape Conservation and Environmental Stewardship. The house is an official project of the Save America’s Treasures Program and at 170 years old, it is the oldest National Historic Landmark structure in New York State to be using an energy efficient geothermal heating and cooling system. It was recently designated as an important site in the Hudson River Valley Heritage Area list because of its architectural significance and best green management practices.

The African American Heritage Trail of Westchester County lists the Jay property as one of 13 significant sites worth visiting. John Jay is well known for advocating emancipation, serving as President of the Manumission Society and establishing the first African Free School.

Visitors to our National Historic Landmark site see and learn about:

-an 8000 year old Paleo Indian viewsshed of Long Island Sound &#8212- arrowheads and pottery have been found by archaeologists on this site revealing a rich cultural heritage. See the oldest managed meadow on record in all of New York State, an unparalleled scenic view!

-the land where the only Founding Father native to New York grew up and is buried with his descendants- John Jay learned to ride her in Rye as a boy, developing his lifelong love of nature- the Jay Property was a refuge he returned to time and again to be with parents, his son and grandchildren. It is here that Jay’s character was shaped, and led him to serve in every branch of government including first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and Governor of New York.

-the landmarked Boston Post Road with its mile marker placed by Benjamin Franklin- a stretch of road distinguished by three pre- Civil War architectural gems, Whitby, Lounsberry and the 1838 Jay Mansion, all intact in their landscapes.

-a magnificent 170 year old Greek (and &#8220green&#8221) Revival Building that is an official Save America’s Treasures project and also the oldest NHL in all of New York State with a working geothermal heating and cooling pump system, and the first NHL in Westchester County to use such a sustainable system

-a site on the African American Heritage Trail that was home of one America’s leading families in the fight to abolish slavery- a place where slaves worked and were emancipated- the home of Peter Augustus Jay who was an eloquent advocate for African American suffrage in New York State at the 1821 Convention

Photos: The 1838 Jay Mansion and an Aerial View of Jay Property and Neighboring Nature Sanctuary.