News & Events from RW250
NEWS
Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters Receives Restoration Grants
The Town of Greenburgh has received two $500,000 grants as part of the ongoing restoration of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters. Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Leader of the New York State Senate, made one grant and former Assemblyman Tom Abinanti the other.
Senator Stewart-Cousins relayed her firm support for the restoration: “I am happy to announce a new capital grant of $500,000 that I secured to support the restoration and renovation of the Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters that played such an important role in the Revolutionary War. It had been in a state of continuous disrepair, unprotected and vandalized for over 30 years until the Town of Greenburgh assumed ownership in 2020. Since then, with my support, the Town has received other State funding to renovate this historical structure. I applaud the formation of The Friends of OHRH and its leadership who have led the charge and done so much to restore the property so it can be turned into a public museum by 2026 in celebration of our country’s 250th anniversary.”
EVENTS
Dr. Iris De Rode on François-Jean de Chastellux and American Independence
François-Jean Chastellux, a major general in the French army, member of the Society of the Cincinnati, and cousin of the marquis de Lafayette, played a central role in the Franco-American alliance during the Revolutionary War. Chastellux was part of Rochambeau’s forces during their encampments in Westchester.
Recently, a collection of more than four thousand pages of Chastellux’s private papers were discovered at his estate in Burgundy, France, by historian Dr. Iris De Rode. Drawing from her discovery and other primary sources, Dr. De Rode will discuss Chastellux’s important involvement during and after the Revolution through his military, intellectual, scientific, commercial, and political exchanges.
The live event will be presented by the American Revolution Institute of The Society of the Cincinnati at Anderson House in Washington, D.C. and can also be viewed on Zoom.
Thursday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m. Details and Zoom registration link here.
She-Merchants, Sachems, and Slaves: Women of Colonial New York
New York was one of the most diverse of the thirteen colonies, thanks to its Dutch colonial roots. Racial religious and racial diversity meant that colliding cultures had different ideas of how to treat women. Learn about women’s rights (or lack thereof) in Munsee, Iroquois, African, Dutch, and English culture, and how enslaved women’s rights changed over time. Learn about women’s roles in everyday life, uprisings, and war. Meet individual women like Dutch she-merchant Margaret Hardenbroek De Vries Philipse, Esopus sachem Mamanuchqua, Jewish merchant Rebecca Gomez, Revolutionary War soldier Deborah Sampson, and more. Presenter Sarah Wassberg Johnson is the Education & Programs Manager for Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site.
Wednesday, March 8 at 7:00 p.m. In-person at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site and online via WebEx. Registration information here.
A Revolution of Her Own! Deborah Sampson
Award-winning historical interpreter, Judith Kalaora, portrays Deborah Sampson, the first woman to fight in and be honorably discharged from the American Military. Judith captivates audiences in an immersive living history program chronicling Sampson’s life. An indentured servant by age five, Deborah grew up in a man’s world, where women were naught but second-class citizens. As a self-educated masterless woman, she felt a higher calling, and in the final years of the American Revolution, Deborah bound her chest, tied back her hair, and enlisted in the 4th Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army, as “Robert Shurtlieff.” The American heroine takes you back in time in a unique performance in honor of Women’s History Month. Appropriate for all ages.
Sunday, March 19 at 2 p.m. This Rockefeller State Park Preserve event will place at the Pocantico Hills Fire Department 531 Bedford Rd, Tarrytown, N.Y. Cost: $5 + Eventbrite fees. Register here.
Washington’s Rock Legends & Lore Marker Dedication
This 1913 photo was found in a box of postcards by the family of Dr. Leroy Heck.
In 2015 a group of Mt. Kisco history enthusiasts rediscovered “Washington’s Rock.” For more than a century local lore was that General George Washington sat on the rock and ate his dinner on November 10, 1776, before heading to Peekskill with his troops after the Battle of White Plains. The Mount Kisco Historical Society cordially invites the public to celebrate the dedication of the new Legends & Lore marker at Washington’s Rock. This event is free. The marker was made possible by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
Sunday, March 19 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at George Washington Rock, 681 Main St., Mount Kisco, N.Y. Parking is available across the street at 657 Main Street. Raindate: Sunday, March 26.