Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-27
HAVEN'S REAL HOUSE
Has West Point Worshiped at the
Wrong Shrine7
WHAT ABOUT THIS DISCOVERY
Evidence that the Famous Tavern,
Instead OF Having Been Burned
Down, is sim Standing
Among the Hills.

WEST POINT, N. Y, Feb. 23.-Down by
the shore of the Hudson river under the
cliffs which terminate just south Of Butter
milk Falls there stood formerly a little
weatherbeaten kouse long known in the
neighborhoOd as the famous Benny Ha-
vens tavern, which for over half a century
was the rendezvous Of cadets from the
nearby Military academy. When a little
over two years ago 1t was destroyed by
fire 1t wal generally thought that the last
had been seen Of the famous tavern.
Very recently efforts were MADE to
obtain photographs Of this old house in
order to perpetuate its memory in some
permanent form. The search for photo
graphs led to an investigation regarding
he authenticity OF the structure. There
resulted the interesting discovery OF evil
dence, first, that this was not the Ravens
house at all; second, that the original
house was pulled down about thirty years
ago, and. third, that the original house
still existed.
story of the Tavern.
It was found that over the site occupied
by the tavern now pass the rails Of the
West Shore railroad, whose construction
in the early SOS brought about the demo-
lition OF the Havens house. Old residents,
however. have recalled that the building
was not destroyed at the time; but was
carefully taken apart and carted up the
hill. What happened next was recently
told by two sons Of the man who bought
the Havens house and took II away. They
aided in the work and are stln living in
the vicinity OF the Havens site.
Their father owned a farm five miles
back in the mountains southwest OF the
military reservation, and there the house
was set up again and still stands. nearly a
hundred years old, in surroundings very
different from It's original situation. How
within three or four years Of the death
OF Benny himself II should have gone on
it's travels without attracting any special
attention is no less curious than the trans
fer Of public attention to an entirely allen
structure.
The writer recently visited the new site
and found the house TO be according 10
The statements of men who knew Havens
and have been entertained beneath his
roof, essentially the same structure that
stood on the river AMI The original brass
knobs are in the doors, the iron hooks
from which hung lamps are in place in
the ceilings and even the dor1ier window
near the roof. according to the testimony
OF the present owner, is out of plumb
just as Il was in the first place.
The bar is gone, needless 80 say, and the
basement where the drinks were mostly
served, and which was originally a long
open room has been divided into several
rooms, What was formerly the kitchen
wing Of the house has been transferred
from the north to the south end OF the
house. With these two exceptions there
IS no important change evident. The PIAZZA.
with It's ratings and two flights OF steps,
is said TO be the Identical one which once
fronted the Hudson.
Now Il fronts the green floor of a quiet
mountain cove, Behind the house rises
Long Pond mountain. Across the valley
and a lake lies Listening Hin, a part OF
the four or five hundred acre mountain
farm, mostly under forest, to which the
dwelling now belongs. Southwestwardly the
valley winds gently among the Mills for
a few miles 10 Forest OF Dean, where the
old iron mines are, close to the northern
projection OF the tract recently offered
by Mrs. Hartman as a state park.
In the opposite direction one looks from
a bend In the road near the house down