New-York tribune., 1903-03-22
HAVIL4ND,S INN.
Both Washington and Lafayette
Among Its Guests.

Another Of the famous Revolutionary land
marks Of Westchester County-the Old tavern III
Isye where Washington. Lafayette. John ADAMS
and other noted men stoPped-is to be preserved
7-la inn which has been standing in Rye for
r..,rly TWO hundred years. and was for genera
tions the place where stages from NeW-1"k
and Boston would meet and deposit travellers
70 remain overnight, has just been acquired hE
Jo1r + and William II. Parsons and their
cousin J. II. WhittemoTe- The purrh'iS'fE
bought the property for the purpose Of making
if a memorial % ihrir grandfather. who was an
early resident OF the town. The owner, William
RAYMOND, a local builder was about 10 tear the
old structure down and erect q business building
On lis site. when the members of the Parsons
family who own large country places IN 1tye
sc5 Harrison banded together and bought II
for S15Oy0 The deed has PASSED, and MT Ray
rnOud and his family Win vacate about April l.
--A.- new owners have not decided what Will
b. done with the old hosiery. They viii proha-
lIy swing out a sign bearing the name 11"\I-
lands Inn" such WAS there III the stage C"a'll
days and make the building q local hlsIoIl'''.
,r,,,s..,ua where relics souvenirs, books ana
records covering the history OF the town since
its establishment as 4 parish of the monarchlcai
e,-s,.,o of Great Britain in 1860 may be col
l-ctt-d and preserved.
The country surrounding Rye aboundS WIN
reli-c and souvenirs Of the Revolution IN the
rs,ssession Of the HeathCOte. Jay, Parsons
Wainwright, Bayiand, Park and other oId 1al'l-
Ijes and it is said to be one OF the prlnclpal
ideas Of the founders Of the museum to collect
these and keep them for the coming generations
II i also possible that some OF the local socle-
tf.e MAJ, after q tiI.le have their headquarters
there.
TIE tavern stands in the village square just
Nv he residents
z few years ago. 1t is known to have been
puL.j.. house as early as 1871, when it was kept
by Peter Brown It is q two story and attic
building constructed OF hand heWn shingles.
On the first floor there drawing room,
large taproon1. with Old fashioned 1repiaces ana
brass andiroIls. dining room and a suite OF
smaller roUIns- The room where Washington
and Lafayette slept is on the second floor. In
il are still TO be found the high walnut bedstead
in which the Father of His Country rested
while on his way to meet Rochambeau for their
great cup against the British, and the large
mirror before which he dressed the next morn
ing. The rooms contain other relics and articles
Of furniture of the Revolutionary period which
have been preserved through d long succession
Uf tenants.
The date that Washington registered at the
tavern was October 10, 1893 He speaks of his
visit as follows in the notes in his diary:
Thursday. October II. 17S9.-After dinner.
through frequent light showers, We proceeded 10
a tavern of a Mrs HaViland, al Rye who keeps
very neat and decent inn Friday, the 10th,
about : u m. We left the widow Havilands, and
after tGassing Horse Mex, about six miles dis
tant from Rye the road which is hilly and i'm
l,'Ilsely StOney and trying TO wheels and car
riagrs We breakfasted at Stamford, which is
six miles further. one Webb's, tolerably
good house, but not equal in appearance and
reality to Mrs. HaTiaHdS- 5
The widows inn appears to have appealed to
the fancy of the general, FOR on his way back