Follow the French Tour

Washington Reviewing Our Ally—the French—1781 by Henry Alexander Ogden. The Society of the Cincinnati, Washington, DC.

This family-friendly tour of three historic Revolutionary War sites in Westchester—where French troops camped during the final year of the war—was organized by the Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters. The Scarsdale Historical Society provided the funding to create the free TravelStorys audio tour. The audio tour will be available long after the event for tourists and history lovers to use.

• Visit three historic Revolutionary War sites in Westchester, where French troops camped during the final year of the war.

• Listen to the FREE AUDIO TOUR about the crucial French alliance with General George Washington and the Continental Army.

• Come learn about the French role in winning our war for independence, see their encampment sites, visit a historic tavern, meet Generals Rochambeau and Washington, tour a pop-up museum, and pet animals from the colonial period.

• This free family-friendly event will take place Saturday, May 20, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Each location will have family activities.

FREE AUDIO TOUR!
Download the free TravelStorys Follow the French audio tour and learn about the sites as you drive to each location. The audio launches automatically—hands-free—as you approach each site, without the need for cell service or Wi-Fi. You can also listen to the tour at home. Click here to download it. The tour will be available long after the event for tourists and history lovers to use.

TOUR SITE LOCATIONS
Audio tour works best in this order.

Smith’s Tavern Educational Complex
440 Bedford Road, Armonk, NY

Smith’s volunteers, in period costume, will welcome you with lots of fun for the whole family. There will be an optional self-guided tour of four ancient buildings: Historic Smith Tavern (a National Register of Historic Places site), a 1798 Quaker Meeting House, Brundage Blacksmith Shop and East Middle Patent One-Room School. Here you can see the correspondence between Washington, Rochambeau and Lauzun, pretend you are a soldier of Lauzun’s Legion or stand with Rochambeau. Learn about the Daughters of the American Revolution and all it does to promote American history.

Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters
425 Ridge Road, Hartsdale, NY

See artifacts from the museum-in-the-making, meet General Rochambeau and many of the camp followers. Costumed volunteers will offer children’s activities, a selfie booth and teach you how to make a model of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters. Learn about the nearby encampment of the French and American armies, the crucial decision that was made at the house by Washington and Rochambeau and the ongoing restoration of this National Register of Historic Places site.

Rochambeau Park/Yorktown Grange Fair Grounds
99 Moseman Road, Yorktown Heights, NY

Meet French, Continental and British forces in uniform performing drills and firing muskets, participate in an encampment setup (for both adults and kids), learn to use a model musket, greet reenactors in period dress, and see farm animals from the period.

Tour organized by the Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters, in collaboration with the North Castle Historical Society and the Yorktown Heritage Preservation Commission.

Funding for TravelStorys audio tour provided by the Scarsdale Historical Society.

Upcoming: 'Greenacres Tales' Film Premiere, March 15

Our newest documentary film, ‘Greenacres Tales: Building a Scarsdale Community’ explores the people, places and events that shaped the formation of Greenacres. There will be two screenings, each with a Q&A session to follow, at the Scarsdale Public Library on Wednesday March 15th at 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The film explores the streets, homes and local landmarks of Greenacres through archival photography, documents and present-day footage. The film is written and directed by Lesley Topping, an award-winning editor and filmmaker who grew up in Scarsdale.

Following the 30-minute film, there will be a Q&A session with Topping and special guests. Admission is free. The event is sponsored by the Scarsdale Public Library.
 
Link to register for 6:00 p.m.: https://www.scarsdalelibrary.org/event/greenacres-tales-building-scarsdale-community-first-screening
 
Link to register for 7:30 p.m.: https://www.scarsdalelibrary.org/event/greenacres-tales-building-scarsdale-community-second-screening

Annual Meeting & Scarsdale on Ice Opening Reception

2023 ANNUAL MEETING
All Scarsdale Historical Society members—and anyone interested in joining—are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting. Please join us for a brief update on the activities of the Scarsdale Historical Society.

The current membership will vote to elect the following people to the Board of Trustees:

• Class of 2025 – 2 Year Term – May Cowan

• Class of 2026 – 3 Year Term – Karen Ceske, Seth Kaller, Dana Matsushita and Christine Weston

The continuing trustees are:

• Class of 2024 – Leslie Chang, Jordan Copeland, Barbara Shay MacDonald and Deborah Skolnik

• Class of 2025 – Randy Guggenheimer, Stewart Kagan and Deidre Michael

Wednesday, March 1, 6:45 p.m.
At the Scarsdale Public Library, Scott Room

Please stay for the exhibit opening reception of the Scarsdale on Ice Exhibit. If you have any questions, please call us at (914) 723-1744.

SCARSDALE ON ICE PHOTO EXHIBIT OPENING RECEPTION
Join us for the opening of a photo exhibit celebrating Scarsdale's favorite winter pastimes through history, in partnership with the Scarsdale Living Magazine and the Scarsdale Public Library.

Trustee Leslie Chang will highlight stories and local tidbits about our rich history of ice skating, skiing, sledding and platform tennis. Through the exhibit of historic photographs, visitors will see that Scarsdalians have long enjoyed experiences shaped by snow and ice - sometimes in the most unexpected places.

Wednesday, March 1, 2023
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Scarsdale Public Library

To register click here.

‘Greenacres Tales’ Documentary Premiere

The Scarsdale Historical Society will present the first public screenings of its newest documentary film titled, ‘Greenacres Tales: Building a Scarsdale Neighborhood.’ The film explores the people, places and events that shaped the formation of Greenacres—developed as “one of the finest communities” in Westchester County. There will be two screenings, each with a Q&A session to follow, at the Scarsdale Public Library on Wednesday March 15th at 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The film is directed by Lesley Topping, an award-winning editor and filmmaker who grew up in Scarsdale.

March 15
6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
RSVP required.

Link to register for 6:00 p.m.: https://www.scarsdalelibrary.org/event/greenacres-tales-building-scarsdale-community-first-screening

Link to register for 7:30 p.m.: https://www.scarsdalelibrary.org/event/greenacres-tales-building-scarsdale-community-second-screening

Scarsdale on Ice Photo Exhibit Opening Reception

Join us for the opening of a photo exhibit celebrating Scarsdale's favorite winter pastimes through history, in partnership with the Scarsdale Living Magazine and the Scarsdale Public Library.

Trustee Leslie Chang will highlight stories and local tidbits about our rich history of ice skating, skiing, sledding and platform tennis. Through the exhibit of historic photographs, visitors will see that Scarsdalians have long enjoyed experiences shaped by snow and ice - sometimes in the most unexpected places.

Wednesday, March 1, 2023
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Register here: https://www.scarsdalelibrary.org/event/scarsdale-ice-photo-exhibit-opening-reception

Ministers of Apollo Chamber Music

Celebrate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the American Revolution with this musical program featuring music from the time period. Step back in time through the power of music! Enjoy popular music from the late 18th-century played on harpsichord with vocals, violin, and cello. Some of the music comes straight from original music books, which will be on display.

The Ministers of Apollo are Eliza and Erik Lichack. The mission of Ministers of Apollo is to bring people back in time–just for a little while–through the power of music. How do they do that? For several years, they have been researching the sights and sounds of the late 18th-century and have been faithfully recreating music, clothing, cosmetics, and hairstyles of the time period in order to give people a flavor of the 18th-century. To even further the audience into the past, they use a combination of reproduction and original musical instruments, music books, clothing, accessories, and more.

Register for the event here.

Saturday, October 15 at 2:00 p.m.
Scarsdale Public Library, Scott Room

Sponsored by the Scarsdale Public Library and Revolutionary Westchester 250.