Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-29
WAsHINefol RELICS
PRESERVED oYnRA CENTURY IN
HEADauAnrsas u HHwBuRe.
The Old Hasbrouck House on the Bank
Of the Hudson Il = Reminders Of
the American Revolution.
From the Utica Observer.

| From the Utica Observer.
| An outing which brings a complete
change over scene and thought is a boon
scarcely to be overappreciated or over
valued. Perhaps nothing could more eff
fectually supply these two requisites than
a little historic trip in the valley of
the Hudson to the beautiful city of New
burg, which has honored itself and con-
ferred a priceless boon upon the state by
| preserving the old Hasbrouck house,
] which served as Washington's headquar-
ters from April 4, 1882, to August Is, 1888.
Built by Jonathan Hasbrouck in 1850, it
| has the comfortable-look of the unpreten-
tious story and half house Of the period,
and stands finely on the sloping bank of the
| river, where it may be distinguished by the
| traveller on the New York Central railroad
across the river The walls OF the house
| are of stone, two feet in thickness. An old
| fashioned Dutch stoep or porch opens upon
| the first floor, with its six rooms in ad-
| dition to the kitchen. The ceilings are low,
| with heavy timbers of hewn wood, which
| support the floors Of the upper rooms,
| originally only four in number. he slop-
| ing roof Is sustained by long timbers of
| roughly hewn cedar wood. which still gives
out the pleasant odor peculiar to that tree.
| Mrs. Washington There.
| While some changes have been necessary,
| the house today is very nearly just what
it was when General and Mrs. Washington
| occupied 1t with their military family.
| Major Tflghman, Colonel Humphreys and
| Major Colonel Benjamin Walker, who
| now rests in Forest Hill cemetery in Utica.
AS may easily be conjectured. it was very
small for its purpose, and on the arrival
| of guests beds had to be hastily made up In
| the par lor to be removed as early as pos
stble in the morning. This room has become
| famous for its seven doors and only one
w Of siz
| little space for anything but the most
necessary furniture. Mrs. Washington,
however, contrived to make herself fairly
content in these narrow quarters although
| in view of the discomforts it is quite rea-
sonable to suppose she very heartily
glad to move out when peace was pro-
claimed in 1888.
Access to the place is aAined through
gateway guarded by cam ~, the lawn is
bordered with fine elm and chestnut trees
the river dances brightly in front, while the
mountains in all their beauty form Strik-
ing background. The old stoep with it's
dull red settles opens directly into the large
room with its many doors and solitary
window The broad, worm eaten planks of
the floor show its age, the rough stones of
the large fireplace tell of its constant use,
and through the wide throat of the CHM
ney we may gaze up at the open sky. Old
kettles, shoveis and waffle irons hang by
heavy chains to the fireback and to one
old shovel in particular is given the honor
of never having left its post of duty during
the FelSnS OF the ttaSDrouckS washing
tons but, like faithful sentinel, was al
ways ready for work The walls are of
plaster, whitewashed, and every room
shows the heavy open beams, eithe. in
their natural color or painted white. This
room. like the others, is now a museum.
The glass cases hold the hats, vests and
shoes of the continental soldiers, while the
heavy boots of a; Hessian cavalry officer
excite, wonder at their weight and enor-
nous thickness of sole. Framed letters
from Aaron Burr. Robert Morris, John
Hancock, Washington and Benjamin
Franklin line the walls.
French and English Muskets.
In the old Office, with it's small fireplace,
Is the stiff wooden chair used by Washing
ton when living there and>speeimens OF
paper continental money hang in frames
around the wall. In the room once used by
the housekeeper, Mrs. Thompson, are now
stacked French muskets procured by Lafay-
cite. as well as the English muskets cap
tured from the Hessians at Trenton N. J.
Here are also the powder horns engraved
with outlines of forts and houses, with
names of battles fought in the French and
Indian wars, well as those of the revo-
luton. A sketch Of one owned by the
Oneida Historical Society of Utica gives a
feeling of kinship in these historical inter-
eSts.
statue of George Clinton stands in a
small triangle near the entrance to the
grounds. but is not especially well placed.
A portrait Of Uzall Knapp, the last survi.-
ing member of Washington's Life Guards,
hangs On the walls. and a monument 10
his memory stands in the grounds.
This most historical piece of property was
placed in the care of the trustees of New
burg when 1t was a village, to be preserved
by them as nearly possible as it was
In Wasbingtons lifetime. When the vii
lage grew into city 1t was cared for by
the city authorities until 1874 when it
passed to the care of a board of trustees,
the expense being met by a tax on the city
and by state appropriations. The money
has been most advantageously expended,
and the house now forms one of the most
interesting historical meccas of the state.
The situation is UNSURPASSED the noun
tains form a. marvelouSiy beautiful set
ting to the place. and directly across the
river at Fishkiu stands the old Verplanck
house. where Baron Steuben had his head
quarters in 1888. and which also remains
practically unchanged. A pathway leads
from the back porch directly down to Lhe
river. where Steuben often taken
across to confer with Washington at the
Hasbrouck house during the last year OF
the revolutionary war.
Not the least among the many interests
o. NeWburg is the fact that here the proc
lamation of peace was made to the troops
en- the 18th day of April 1888, with i'm
posing ceremonies by day and beacon fires
by night which lighted up the mountains
and spread abroad the cheering intelli-
gence that with it's horrors had ceased.
All this and much more can be realized
while wandering from room to room and
examining as carefully may be the val
liable collection of not only relics of the
war in the form of old guns. swords and
sabres. but the most interesting papers.
order books letters. parchments and
pamphlets, which bring the past before the
mind with a startling vividness.
When General Winfield Scott raised the
"a aG fac tha taft in hQ