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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| James N. |
Posted - November 22 2009 : 12:55:33 PM
Washington's Headquarters and New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Sites are two of the most significant places in the Hudson Valley because it was here that Washington spent the longest period of the Revolution; entertained the last British commander, Sir Guy Carleton, in preparation for the ultimate British withdrawl; and faced down a serious threat to the stability of the new Nation in the form of a proposed rebellion of his own officers, disgusted by their treatment and lack-of-pay by the financially strapped and apparantly uncaring Congress. ( Sound familliar? )
The beautiful mid-1700's Hasbrouk House headquarters and adjoining historical museum, the oldest of its kind in the country with a wealth of priceless memoribillia, is unfortunately placed in the midst of the most dismal setting of decaying urban Newburg with its human flotsam and jetsam and boarded-up but once-grand 19th century commercial buildings. Its largely black population seems to be becoming disconcertingly displaced with a "Hispanic" one - to judge from signs in the few open businesses - that looks suspiciously to be neither Puerto Rican nor Cuban. ( Read: MEXICANS! )
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The New Windsor Cantonement is nearby amidst an area of contrasting suburban "white flight" sprawl, and boasts a NEW National Purple Heart Hall of Honor ( since it was while the army was encamped here that Washington created the Badge of Military Merit which served as its "ancestor" ), which unfortunately with its "modern" displays and computer database seems to be getting all the attention. It shares a building with a museum about Revolutionary soldier's life, which includes a very good display of authentic period artillery in the basement. The park itself, which is on the site of the Continental Army's last encampment, is a bucolic area featuring a monument, a few reconstructed buildings, and what puports to be a hut built of ORIGINAL-to-the-site timbers. ( If that's TRUE, it's being allowed to ROT sitting out exposed to the elements, as you can see from my photo! ):
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Another associated site nearby is a large handsome stone house known as "Gen. Henry Knox's Headquarters" but which in fact served to quarter successively a number of other generals as well, including Nathaniel Greene and Horatio Gates. In fact, it's generally thought the "plot" known as The Newburg Conspiracy of 1782 was hatched here by disgruntled members on the staff of Gates, who was then serving as Washington's second-in-command. Though already "closed for the season", I was still able to view the outside and its setting.
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