Elijah Miller House
Encyclopedia
The Elijah Miller House is a historic home at North White Plains
, Westchester County
, New York
. The house is an 18th century Rhode Island-style farmhouse that was used during the Revolutionary War
by General George Washington
as a headquarters command post during the Battle of White Plains
. The house, which is now a museum, was home to the average Colonial Westchester Ann and Elijah Miller family and contains many artifacts for public viewing.
General George Washington
occupied the house three times during the American Revolutionary War
. The first was October 1776 as a command post during the Battle of White Plains
, the second was the summer of 1778, and finally in 1781. Anne Miller, a widow, was General Washington's hostess during his stays. Anne would live to be 96 years old and eventually died in 1819. A Miller daughter, Sarah Miller Cornell, lived at the house until she died in 1838 at age 84. Other people would live at the house and farm the land, such as the last owner and former Armonk Postmaster, Charles Kaiser.
After Westchester County purchased the house in July 1917, it was renovated and opened to the public on October 29, 1918. The house is currently a museum under the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Outside of the house is an enormous sycamore tree which undoubtedly was there at the time of General Washington's visit.
By the early 21st century the house was deteriorating from decades of neglect and was open to the public only on a very limited basis. In 2010 the county legislature passed a $1.2 million bond issue to finance its restoration
. County executive
Robert Astorino, who had supported preserving
the building five years earlier as a member of the legislature, veto
ed the measure, saying it should be supported by private funds.
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
, Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The house is an 18th century Rhode Island-style farmhouse that was used during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
by General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
as a headquarters command post during the Battle of White Plains
Battle of White Plains
The Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on October 28, 1776, near White Plains, New York. Following the retreat of George Washington's Continental Army northward from New York City, British General William Howe landed...
. The house, which is now a museum, was home to the average Colonial Westchester Ann and Elijah Miller family and contains many artifacts for public viewing.
History
This Elijah Miller house originally sat on a 600 acres (2.4 km²) farm and was probably built by John Miller in 1738. John had eight children, one of them being Elijah who was born in 1728. Elijah would marry a local named Anne Fisher and in 1770, they moved into the Miller house. Eventually, they put an addition on the west end of the house that included a parlor with a corner fireplace, a bedroom with a fireplace, a small porch and two more bedrooms on the second floor of the new addition. Elijah Miller joined the Westchester County Militia and died in August of 1776 while in camp. Two of his sons, John and Elijah, were also in the Westchester County Militia, both dying of fever in camp during December 1776.General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
occupied the house three times during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. The first was October 1776 as a command post during the Battle of White Plains
Battle of White Plains
The Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on October 28, 1776, near White Plains, New York. Following the retreat of George Washington's Continental Army northward from New York City, British General William Howe landed...
, the second was the summer of 1778, and finally in 1781. Anne Miller, a widow, was General Washington's hostess during his stays. Anne would live to be 96 years old and eventually died in 1819. A Miller daughter, Sarah Miller Cornell, lived at the house until she died in 1838 at age 84. Other people would live at the house and farm the land, such as the last owner and former Armonk Postmaster, Charles Kaiser.
After Westchester County purchased the house in July 1917, it was renovated and opened to the public on October 29, 1918. The house is currently a museum under the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Outside of the house is an enormous sycamore tree which undoubtedly was there at the time of General Washington's visit.
By the early 21st century the house was deteriorating from decades of neglect and was open to the public only on a very limited basis. In 2010 the county legislature passed a $1.2 million bond issue to finance its restoration
Building restoration
Building restoration describes a particular treatment approach and philosophy within the field of architectural conservation. According the U.S...
. County executive
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
Robert Astorino, who had supported preserving
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
the building five years earlier as a member of the legislature, veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
ed the measure, saying it should be supported by private funds.