Dey Mansion Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Dey Mansion
U.S. National Register of Historic Places


Location in Passaic County, New Jersey Show map of Passaic County, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	199 Totowa Road, Wayne, NJ 07470
Area	2.2 acres (0.89 ha)
Architectural style	Georgian Style with Dutch and English Influences
NRHP reference No.	70000392
Added to NRHP	December 18, 1970

The Dey Mansion (pronounced dye) is a historic house in Wayne, New Jersey. It was once known as Bloomsburg Manor. This mansion played a very important part in the American Revolutionary War. It was built in the 1770s by Colonel Theunis Dey. During the war, it served as a headquarters for General George Washington. Today, the Dey Mansion is a museum that is open to the public.

The Dey Family
A Headquarters for George Washington
The Mansion's Design
The Mansion Through the Years
Gallery
See also

The Dey Family

The Dey family's story in America began in 1641. A soldier from Denmark named Dirck Janszen Siecken Dey was the first to arrive. His grandson, also named Dirck, bought 600 acres of land in an area now called Wayne Township.

The mansion was later passed to his nephew, Theunis Dey. Theunis and his wife, Hester Schuyler, raised ten children in the home. He was an important person in the community. He represented Bergen County in the state council. He was also a trustee for Queens College, which is now Rutgers University.

During the American Revolution, Theunis Dey served as a colonel in the Bergen County Militia. This is how he met George Washington. When Washington needed a safe place for his headquarters, Colonel Dey offered his home.

The Dey Family Crest

A Headquarters for George Washington

George Washington used the Dey Mansion as his headquarters twice in 1780. The first time was from July 1 to July 28. The second time was from October 8 to November 27.

Why Was the Mansion Chosen?

The mansion was in a great spot. The area, known as Preakness Valley, was a good place to hide from the British army. It also had plenty of food and supplies for the Continental Army's soldiers and horses.

Life at the Headquarters

While staying at the mansion, Washington and his top aides worked and slept there. His team included famous figures like Alexander Hamilton, Robert H. Harrison, and Tench Tilghman. They used rooms on the first floor as their offices and bedrooms. These rooms became the "war rooms" where they made important plans.

Many important people visited Washington at the mansion. These visitors included the Marquis de Lafayette from France and American generals like Anthony Wayne.

Washington's Office
The War Room
Washington's Bedroom

Important Events at the Mansion

A lot of history happened at the Dey Mansion. Washington and his team wrote over 960 letters there. One very important letter arrived on July 14, 1780. It told Washington that French ships and soldiers had arrived in Rhode Island to help the Americans.

Alexander Hamilton's Quick Thinking

One afternoon, an urgent message arrived for Washington. It warned that British ships were sailing to attack the French allies in Rhode Island. Washington was not there, but Alexander Hamilton was.

Hamilton quickly wrote a letter to the Marquis de Lafayette to warn him. When Washington returned, another letter was sent to the French commander, Rochambeau. Because of Hamilton's fast response, the French fleet and American soldiers were saved from a surprise attack.

A Famous Betrayal

While Washington was away from the mansion, he learned shocking news. General Benedict Arnold, a trusted American officer, had betrayed his country. Arnold had tried to give the fort at West Point to the British. Washington returned to the Dey Mansion on October 8, 1780. He stayed there until late November before moving his army to Morristown, New Jersey.

The Mansion's Design

The Dey Mansion is a large, two-story house. It was built in the Georgian style of architecture, which was popular at the time. The house was designed to face south to get the most sunlight.

Inside, each floor has a wide central hallway with several rooms on either side. There is also a large attic. The original kitchen was in a separate building that burned down in the 1800s. A new kitchen was built in the 1930s to look like a colonial kitchen.

The mansion was fully restored in 2016, but much of the original wood floors and frames are still there. The house sits on a large property that is now part of Preakness Valley Park.

The Mansion Through the Years

After the Dey family, many other families owned the mansion. One of these families was the Hogencamps. Mr. Hogencamp was the first mayor of Wayne Township.

In 1930, Passaic County bought the mansion and the land around it. The goal was to preserve this important historic site. The mansion was opened to the public as a museum on October 8, 1934. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was invited to the opening. He could not attend but sent a letter saying that saving the mansion was "a real contribution to the history of the nation."

In 1970, the Dey Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it is a popular museum where visitors can learn about the American Revolution.