CELEBRATE 250: A Colonial Conversation & Historic Tour

Location

White Plains Public Library

100 Martine Ave, White Plains, NY 10601, USA

Date & Time

Sun, September 27th 2026
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM EDT

Additional details

📜 The Battle Map for this Free Celebration

To ensure a smooth mobilization for our valued regiments, please review these

logistical details before embarking Sunday, September 27, 2026.

This free event requires that you complete checkout to register your attendance.

You will receive a confirmation email once registration is completed.

Part I:

Self-Guided Historic Tour — Scouting the Homefront

11:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Multiple Sites

Explore three preserved local Revolutionary War sites in any order at your own pace. Volunteer guides will be on-site to share

stories of local patriots, British raids, and wartime strategy.

Historical Tour Locations:

 1. Wayside Cottage, 1039 Post Road, Scarsdale, NY. 

Wayside Cottage is believed to date back to between 1713-1717 and has evolved, grown over the years from a one-room farmhouse

to an inn, tavern, post office, and library. It was a meeting place for Scarsdale patriots during the Revolutionary period and

the scene of repeated attacks by British soldiers.

*Volunteers will be available for guided tours.

2. Miller House, 140 Virginia Road, North White Plains, NY.

Visited by George Washington on three occasions, the Miller House is an 18th-century style farmhouse that served as a command post

during the Battle of White Plains in 1776.

The museum is the former home of the Ann and Elijah Miller family, average colonial Westchester family whose lives were changed forever when Washington and his army fought for American independence during the Battle of White Plains, which took place virtually outside their door in October of 1776.

*Volunteers will be available for guided tours.

3. Miller Hill Battle Site, 74 Dunlap Way, North White Plains, NY. 

The last shots during the Battle of White Plains (October 28 to November 6, 1776) were fired by Col. John Glover’s Patriot troops

from atop Miller Hill, ending the British advance and changing the course of the American Revolution.

Continental Army soldiers constructed earthworks on the hill, using its commanding views to monitor British troop movements.

Today, the remaining earthworks are among the few surviving Revolutionary War fortifications in Westchester County,

offering a tangible connection to the region’s wartime history.

*Further information will be provided after registration for a self-guided tour of the site.

Part II: Musical Prelude, Keynote Presentation, & Reception

2:00 PM: White Plains Public Library Auditorium

Special Musical Prelude: To launch our program and welcome our guest speaker, the Westchester Choral Society—

an award-winning local institution with 84 years of serious vocal swagger—will treat us to a powerful performance

of soaring Americana and songs of freedom.

Featured Presentation — A Colonial Conversation with University of

Pennsylvania Professor Emma Hart

2:30 PM: White Plains Public Library Auditorium
Gather at the White Plains Public Library Auditorium for a keynote address by Professor Emma Hart. Professor Hart is the

Richard S. Dunn Director of The McNeil Center for Early American Studies & Roy F. and Jeannette P. Nichols Chair of American History

at the University of Pennsylvania. Professor Hart will connect local history to the grand narrative of the American Revolution.

Discover the Revolutionary history of the landscape where we live:

• Life Before the Storm: What everyday life looked like in Westchester before war arrived on local doorsteps.
• The Strategic Picture: How the Battle of White Plains fit into Washington’s broader campaign in 1776.
• The Aftermath: What unfolded across the region after the front line shifted south.

3:30 PM: White Plains Public Library Gallery

Post-Talk Reception: Following Professor Hart’s presentation and audience Q&A, join us in the Library Gallery

for our post-talk reception featuring light refreshments!

Location & Parking

• White Plains Public Library | 100 Martine Avenue White Plains, NY 10601.
• Where to Hitch Your Horse (Parking): Street parking is available along Martine Avenue (payable via
• the White Plains parking app/meters). For the easiest experience, we recommend using the Municipal Parking Lot,
• located below the library. Enter by turning left just past WPPL’s main entrance and take the elevator up to the Library’s second floor.

Questions about the event?

Please email Nicole Blum, Penn Club of West/Rock VP, Events @ nicoleblum9@gmail.com or Danielle Marino, Executive Director White Plains Library Foundation @ dmarino@whiteplainslibrary.org