From 1782 – 1783, General George Washington lived at the Hasbrouck House located along the Hudson River in Newburgh, New York- his final headquarters of the war. It was in this house that the Washingtons lived and where the Continental Army’s leadership worked, ate, and held meetings. During this period, the army experienced a great deal of hardship and triumph in winter quarters and accordingly, Washington made some of his most important decisions of the war at this headquarters. Thankfully, the Hasbrouck House has been preserved as Washington’s Headquarters at Newburgh and can be visited today!
History
The Hasbrouck House was originally built around 1725 by a man named Burger Mynderse. By 1750, Jonathan Hasbrouck lived in the house and immediately set out to make improvements to the home (the house is often called the “Hasbrouck House”). Above the eastern door it is chiseled “HB AD 1750,” likely marking the date of Hasbrouck’s additions to the house. Another addition was made in 1770 and similarly, a chiseled mark can be seen on the house to this day.
Jonathan Hasbrouck served in the Ulster County militia beginning around 1747 and continued to do so when the revolution arrived to the Hudson River valley. During the American Revolution, Jonathan served as a colonel for the patriots; however, he died in 1780 and did not get the opportunity to open his door for General Washington when he used the house as his headquarters. It was Jonathan’s widowed wife, Tryntje, who welcomed the general in the spring of 1782.
In April 1782, General George Washington established his headquarters at the Hasbrouck House, which offered easy access to the Hudson River. Washington, his wife Martha, slaves, and his military aide-de-camps all lived in the cramped house until August 1783.
During Washington’s stay, he made some of his most important decisions of the war. On August 7, 1782, he established the “Badge of Military Merit,” which was the first award that could be earned by enlisted soldiers. It would be presented “whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed” and if awarded, a soldier was “permitted to wear on his facings over the left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth, or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding” (this award served as the inspiration for the Purple Heart).
Perhaps the most famous decision was the “Newburgh Address,” which Washington wrote while at this headquarters. This address appealed to his officer’s better natures and was meant to stamp out the mutinous grumblings that spread throughout the army’s New Windsor winter encampment. Washington read this address on March 15, 1783, which quickly ended the Newburgh conspiracy and saved the cause of liberty. A few weeks later on April 19, 1783, Washington officially announced the cessation of hostilities with Great Britain (the Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783).
Another decision made by Washington during his stay at the Hasbrouck House was to write a “circular letter” in June 1783, which was addressed to the governor of each state (it was copied 13 times there at his headquarters). This letter, which Washington considered his “last official communication,” offered his sentiments and congratulations on the hard-won victory; however, he also gave his own political opinions on America’s future and in a sense, warned that the Articles of Confederation must be amended or changed.
Washington remained at his headquarters in Newburgh for nearly 16 months, which was the longest he stayed at any place during the Revolutionary War. Undoubtedly, the Hasbrouck House is one of the most important structures related to George Washington still in existence. That is in large part thanks to the efforts of Jonathan Hasbrouck III, who won a court case that ensured his house (and Washington’s headquarters) would not be demolished to make room for a road extension. By 1850, New York Governor Hamilton Fish successfully pushed to have the house designated a historic site (to Jonathan Hasbrouck III’s chagrin) and it opened to the public that same year.
Interesting Facts
- Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site is America’s oldest publicly owned historic site
- General Washington’s stay at the Hasbrouck House was the longest he stayed at any headquarters during the Revolutionary War
- Aside from the Washington’s and the general’s aides, numerous slaves lived at and worked at the headquarters (an oft overlooked and understudied reality of those times)
Our Visit & Recommendations
Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site (84 Liberty Street, Newburgh, NY) is open for guided tours from mid-April to late-October (Wed-Sat 11AM-4PM, Sun 1PM-4PM) and November to mid-April (Fri & Sat 11AM-3PM). There is free parking on site along with a museum (adjacent to the Hasbrouck House), which can be explored before or after your house tour. Be sure to give yourself time to see the museum (which is included with your tour ticket), because it has an incredible number of artifacts on display. Some of these artifacts include a howitzer, cannon, an original revolutionary war-era chain & boom (dredged from the Hudson River), and countless paintings, muskets, powder horns, and household items.
We were lucky to be the only ones on the house tour during our visit, so we had a very detailed and intimate walkthrough of Washington’s Headquarters. The tour begins outside of the historic home and presents some important background information about the Hasbrouck family and General Washington’s stay. Before entering the house, be sure to find the inscription “HB AD 1750” by the door!
The first room on the tour is popularly known as “the room of seven doors and one window,” so named for obvious reasons. Upon entering, I was immediately struck by the beautiful Prussian blue paint of the doors and framework (analysis shows that this was the color during Washington’s stay). This served as the main room of the house, in that it served as the dining room, entertainment space, and offered entrances to the Washington’s bedroom. In fact, two rooms can be accessed from this space, to include the Washington’s bedroom and another room, that may have been used as slave quarters or as Martha’s changing room (that is how the room is furnished today).
One fascinating piece in the Washington’s bedroom is a small mirror on display atop the dresser. According to the staff at Washington’s Headquarters, this mirror may have been a gift to the Washington’s given by the Marquis de Lafayette (although this has not been verified).
The tour continues into what was used as an office for General Washington’s many aides, which is furnished with a few tables to look as it might have in 1782-1783. This room would have been bustling from morning until night everyday, as the general’s aides wrote and responded to correspondence. As you stand in this room, look up at the ceiling and beams (all original). These were painted with white-wash from crushed oysters taken from the shore of Hudson River. As you leave this room and pass into General Washington’s personal office, take note of the large heavy door you walk through- this was actually the front door of the house at one point!
Washington’s personal office was my favorite room on the tour, which has that beautiful Prussian blue paint all over (to include the ceiling). This was the room that General Washington spent a majority of his time and likely the space where he wrote his famous Newburgh Address- imagine what went through his head during those trying times in this space!
There are also some remarkable items on display in this room, to include a circa 17th-century wall clock (believed to have been owned by the Hasbrouck family), General Washington’s actual desk that he used in 1780 (not original to this particular headquarters), and my favorite piece: the ORIGINAL black chair that General Washington used during his stay in Newburgh.
Next, the tour passes through a small space that was used as a sleeping quarters for General Washington’s aides, complete with fold-away beds (these beds, built on hinges, could be broken down and stored in a small trunk for easy transport). Prior to exiting the house, the tour stops in the foyer, which has a staircase leading to the second floor (not part of the tour) and offers a view through the house into the “room of seven doors and one window.” During Washington’s stay, the door leading from the foyer to the main room was often closed in order to provide some sense of privacy to the Washingtons. The tour concludes in a front room, which was often used for entertainment and even a makeshift sleeping quarters for visitors.
The tour concludes in front of the house and afterwards, you’re welcome to explore the museum and the grounds, to include the circa 1888 “Tower of Victory” (it was closed during our visit due to ongoing construction and renovations).
Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site offers a remarkable look into the life of General Washington and his officers during the anxious final months of the American Revolution. Over the past 170 years, the Hasbrouck House has been preserved, thoughtfully furnished, and superbly managed. Thanks to the hard work of numerous patriots, Washington’s Headquarters will be cherished by Americans for decades to come.
Book Recommendation: Washington’s Headquarters in Newburgh: Home to a Revolution, by: A. J. Schenkman