Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site facts for kids
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Washington's Headquarters
State Historic Site |
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West (front) elevation, 2006
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 Location in New York
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| Location | Newburgh, New York |
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| Area | 7 acres (2.8 ha) |
| Built | 1750-1770 |
| Architectural style | Dutch Colonial, Federal Revival |
| Website | https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/17/details.aspx |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000887 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | January 20, 1961 |
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site, also known as Hasbrouck House, is a special place in Newburgh, New York. It sits high above the Hudson River. This house was once the main office for George Washington and his team. They led the Continental Army from here during the last year and a half of the American Revolutionary War. Washington stayed here for over 16 months, which was longer than any other place he used as his headquarters during the war.
New York State bought this house in 1850. It was the very first property in the United States bought and saved by a state because of its history. The Hasbrouck House is the oldest house still standing in Newburgh. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.
Contents
Building History: 1750 to 1782
The first small farmhouse on this land might have been built around 1725. In 1750, Jonathan Hasbrouck and his wife, Catherine, built the house we see today. They added more rooms to the house in 1760 and again in 1770. The Hasbrouck family used to farm the land. Later, they built a mill and a dock on the Hudson River to trade goods. This helped them become wealthier.
The house is built in a Dutch style. It has special "Dutch Jambless" fireplaces. The Hasbroucks used one of these as their kitchen.
Washington's Time at Headquarters: 1782 to 1783
On April 1, 1782, General George Washington moved into the Hasbrouck family's farmhouse in Newburgh. This made Newburgh the main headquarters for the Continental Army. He stayed here officially until August 19, 1783. Even though it was his official headquarters, Washington traveled often. He visited places like Philadelphia and West Point for army and government work. He also toured battle sites he hadn't seen.
Despite his trips, Washington stayed at the Hasbrouck House for 16 and a half months. This was his longest stay at any of his more than 160 headquarters during the war.
Before Washington arrived, the army made changes to the house. They built a temporary kitchen outside. They also made existing buildings like stables bigger. Inside the house, they added a new fireplace in Washington's bedroom. Most army buildings were removed after the war.
While Washington was in Newburgh, most of the Continental Army was camped nearby. This camp was called the New Windsor Cantonment. About 7,500 soldiers lived there. Around 500 women and children also lived with the army.
The Newburgh Letter Incident
In March 1782, Washington received a letter from a man named Lewis Nicola. This letter criticized the government for not paying the soldiers. Nicola suggested that Washington should become the king of the United States. He thought a king would be stronger than the current government.
Washington strongly disagreed with this idea. He knew people worried about an "American Cromwell" (a leader who took too much power). Washington did not want to be a king. He wrote back that Nicola's idea caused him "painful feelings." Because Washington refused to become a king, the street where the headquarters is located was renamed Liberty Street.
Some people say Washington turned down the "crown" of the United States. This is not quite right. He simply rejected the idea of becoming a king, which came from a low-ranking officer. Still, this moment was important. It showed Washington's strong belief in a government run by the people, not a king. It was rare for a winning general to turn down absolute power.
The Badge of Military Merit
On August 7, 1782, Washington created the Badge of Military Merit. This award was for soldiers and non-commissioned officers. It honored them for long, loyal service and brave actions. Only three non-commissioned officers received this award. They were Sergeant William Brown, Sergeant Elijah Churchill, and Sergeant Daniel Bissell. General Washington gave them the Badge personally on the lawn of the Newburgh Headquarters.
This Badge is seen as the first military award for the United States. It is also the second oldest military award in the world.
For a long time, the Badge of Military Merit was forgotten. But in 1927, the Army Chief of Staff, General Charles Pelot Summerall, wanted to bring it back. Later, in 1931, General Douglas MacArthur worked on a new design. An Army specialist named Elizabeth Will redesigned the medal. It became known as the Purple Heart. The new design shows a picture of George Washington. It was released in 1932, on the 200th birthday of Washington.
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Badge of Military Merit
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Purple Heart
Meeting at Verplanck's Point
On August 31, Washington and his army marched south to Verplanck's Point. There, Washington held a grand review of the Continental Army. This was to honor the French Commander-in-Chief, Comte de Rochambeau, and his army. The French army was on its way to Boston. Rochambeau would then return to France.
The Continental Army wore their best uniforms and marched perfectly. Washington wrote about the event:
As the intention of drawing out the troops tomorrow is to compliment his Excellency the Count de Rochambeau; The troops as he passes them shall pay him the honors due the commander in chief... On this occasion the tallest men are to be in the front rank.
After a few days, the French and American armies left. Washington then returned to the Hasbrouck House.
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Washington at Verplanck's Point, by John Trumbull
Washington and Rochambeau's Last Meeting
After Rochambeau left his army in Boston, he traveled through Newburgh. He was on his way to Philadelphia to sail back to France. This visit was the very last time Generals Washington and Rochambeau met. They were the two leaders who won the Battle of Yorktown.
A French general named Marquis de Chastellux arrived at Newburgh Headquarters two days before Rochambeau. Chastellux often helped Rochambeau and Washington communicate. Years later, in 1786, Chastellux published his travel diaries. In them, he described Newburgh Headquarters in detail. He wrote that he arrived on December 5, 1782. He found Washington and others talking in the parlor.
He said the headquarters house was "neither spacious nor convenient." He described the dining room as "fairly spacious, but it has seven doors and only one window." The parlor was turned into a bedroom for Chastellux. The next day, Chastellux sent a message to Rochambeau. He asked Rochambeau to stay somewhere else that night. There wasn't enough room at the headquarters for him.
Chastellux left Newburgh Headquarters on the morning of December 7, just as General Rochambeau arrived. Letters from Washington confirm Rochambeau's arrival that morning. We don't know how long Rochambeau stayed or what they talked about. But since Rochambeau soon left for France, this was their final meeting.
The Newburgh Conspiracy
In March 1783, many army officers were upset. They had not been paid by Congress. Some politicians in Philadelphia secretly encouraged their anger. These officers started sharing a letter. It called for a meeting of all officers to decide what to do about Congress. The letter suggested that if peace was declared and they were still unpaid, they should refuse to disband the army. They might even march against Congress. This would have been a military takeover of the government.
Major John Armstrong, Jr. wrote this letter. It made the officers very angry. This event is known as the Newburgh Conspiracy. Washington feared this could destroy the new democracy. He faced the problem directly. He gave a powerful speech, the Newburgh Address. He also read a letter from a Congressman. Washington convinced his officers to give up the plan. He asked them to stay loyal to Congress and to their country's principles.
End of the Fighting
A month later, Washington announced the end of the fighting. He issued the Proclamation for the Cessation of Hostilities. This meant a peace treaty with Great Britain was being made. It marked the end of the American Revolution, exactly eight years after the fighting began at the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
Washington noted that this was not a "general peace" yet. But he said everyone should celebrate and be thankful:
Although the proclamation before alluded to, extends only to the prohibition of Hostilities, and not of the annunciation, of a general peace; yet it must afford the most rational, and sincere satisfaction, to every benevolent mind. As it puts a period, to a long and doubtful test, stops the effusion of human blood, opens the prospect to a more sp[len]did scene; and like another morning Star; promises the approach of a brighter day, than hath hitherto illuminated the Western Hemisphere—On such a happy day, a day which is the harbinger of peace, a day which completes the eighth year of the War, it would be ingratitude not to rejoice! it would be insensibility not to participate in the general felicity.
Washington's Advice to the States
In the summer of 1783, as peace was forming, Washington wrote an open letter. It was called the "Circular Letter to the States." In it, he gave advice on how the new nation could succeed. He said America had many advantages, like its large size and natural resources. More importantly, he said the country was founded on ideas of freedom and equality. This was the first time a republic (a government run by the people) was tried in the modern world.
Washington warned that the world would be watching. If America succeeded, it would show that monarchy (rule by a king) was old-fashioned. If it failed, people would laugh, and republicanism would seem like a bad idea.
Washington then listed four things the country needed to succeed:
- First, states needed to be strong, but there also needed to be a strong national government. He believed the country's success depended on staying united.
- Second, all debts from the American Revolution should be paid quickly. States needed to pay their share to the national government. Also, soldiers and officers had to be paid in full.
- Third, the militia (citizen soldiers) across the nation should be well-trained and equipped. They were the country's main defense.
- Finally, citizens should see themselves as one unified people, not just from their own state. He said they should be willing "to sacrifice their individual advantages to the interest of the Community."
Washington ended the letter by saying he hoped to retire peacefully from public life.
After the War: 1783 to 1850
After Washington left, the house went back to Mrs. Hasbrouck. Later, it belonged to her son, Isaac Hasbrouck. After Isaac died, his son Jonathan III received the house.
In 1833, two of Jonathan III's daughters, Ann Eliza and Israela, opened a school in the house. They taught local women. Sometimes, the Hasbroucks also took in people who needed a place to stay.
Jonathan faced money problems around 1837. The house was put up for sale. People started to realize how important the house was historically. Many wanted to save it. Washington Irving, a famous writer, wanted to preserve it. In 1839, a group of people from Newburgh tried to buy the house to save it. But their plan didn't work out.
Jonathan's money problems got worse. The state took possession of the house in 1848 because he couldn't pay a loan.
A man named Andrew J. Caldwell and Governor Hamilton Fish wanted to save the house. In 1850, Governor Fish signed a law to preserve Washington's Headquarters.
The First Historic Site: 1850 to Today
When New York State bought the house in 1850, it became the first historic site in the country owned by a state or the federal government. It opened to the public on July 4, 1850.
For many years, artifacts were displayed inside the historic house. By 1910, the house was full. So, the state built a two-story brick building next to it. This new building became a museum and visitor center. Today, the Hasbrouck House looks like it did when General Washington lived there. Most items are copies, but some are real artifacts connected to Washington.
The site covers about seven acres. It has four main buildings: the Hasbrouck House, the 1910 museum, a monument called the "Tower of Victory" (built in 1887), and a maintenance shed.
The site was named a National Historic Landmark in 1961.
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Engraving of Hasbrouck House
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1907 postcard of Washington's Headquarters SHS
The Tower of Victory
In the northeast part of the site, there is a large stone monument called the Tower of Victory. It opened in 1887. It celebrates 100 years since the Continental Army was successfully disbanded. The Tower's construction was delayed, so it missed the exact 100-year mark by four years.
The Tower was a project between the federal and state governments. Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's son, helped lead the planning. The architect, John H. Duncan, designed the monument. He later designed the tomb of President Ulysses S. Grant. The Tower is meant to look strong and simple, like the Revolutionary times. Visitors can go to the top for a view on guided tours.
There are four bronze statues on the outside of the Tower. They represent the "four pillars" of the Continental Army. These statues were made by William Rudolf O'Donovan in 1888. They show a Rifleman, a Light Dragoon, an Artilleryman, and an Infantry Line Officer. Inside the Tower, there was a life-sized statue of George Washington. It is currently being repaired.
In 1950, strong winds from a hurricane damaged the Tower's original roof. The monument closed for repairs. Enough money was not raised until 2019, and a new roof was finally installed.
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The Tower of Victory 1950–2019
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Current View
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Dedication plaque of the Tower of Victory
Other Monuments and Memorials
The site also has three other monuments. Each one tells a unique part of revolutionary or local history.
The oldest is the grave of Uzal Knapp. He was one of the longest-living veterans of the Continental Army. He claimed to be the last living member of Washington's special guard. He was buried here with military honors in 1856. A monument was built over his grave four years later. However, historians now doubt his claim.
There is a statue called The Minuteman. It was placed on the grounds in 1924. It looks very similar to another statue by the same artist at the site of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The artist wanted these statues to mark the beginning and end of the war. The fighting began on April 19, 1775, and ended in Newburgh on April 19, 1783.
In 1927, a group called the American Legion placed a small plaque outside the house. They exchanged soil from the grave of Judson Paul Galloway with soil from Washington's Headquarters. Galloway was a local Newburgh man. He was killed in action during World War I in 1918. He was awarded a medal for his bravery.
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Grave of Uzal Knapp
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The Minuteman by Kitson, installed in 1924
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Commemorative plaque of First Lieutenant Judson P. Galloway
Visiting the Site
The site is open to visitors all year. In summer, from mid-April to mid-October, it is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm, and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm. In winter, from mid-October to mid-April, it is open only on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 3 pm. You can also visit by appointment Tuesday through Thursday.
Visitors need to buy tickets at the museum. You can explore the museum galleries on your own. But to see the Headquarters house and the Tower of Victory, you must take a guided tour with a staff member.
Honors and Commemoration
On April 19, 1933, the U.S. Post Office released a special stamp. It celebrated 150 years since Washington announced the end of fighting. The stamp shows Washington's Headquarters at Hasbrouck House overlooking the Hudson River.
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1933 commemorative stamp of Washington's HQ
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Washington's Headquarters featured on the flag of the city of Newburgh
