WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER REOPENS
THE MILLER HOUSE IN NORTH WHITE PLAINS.
(White Plains, NY) – Surrounded by the descendants of Ann and Elijah Miller, the family that lived in the Elijah Miller House during the American Revolution, Westchester
County Executive George Latimer hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially welcoming the public back to the historically significant home. The newly renovated Westchester County Park property is located at 140 Virginia Road in North White Plains.
Latimer said: “This building is not just a historic building that we wanted to honor. This is not just a building that was collapsing, that we made a commitment to re-establish.
This building tells you something about who George Washington was when he was here. Something about the American spirit is what this house is about. We had an obligation to make sure that George Washington’s presence was never forgotten. We had to figure out
how to find the money, we had to figure out how to find the will. The will to make sure that this house did not become a pile of rubble that got swept away, but that it would be here long after I am gone.”
Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators Benjamin Boykin said: “Things like the Miller House need to live on so that our future generations can understand
our history. You have to understand where we come from, in order to understand where we are, and where we are going. Residents, students and others from around this region will be able to come and visit here. We are very pleased to be working with the County
Executive, the Board of Legislators and the state to get the funding together to be here today.”
Assemblyman David Buchwald said: “It is so gratifying to be at a point where we can spread the joy of having all this work culminate in a great moment of history in its
own right. This is an effort that could not have been possible without the men and women who took this funding and recreated a true gem in the Westchester County Parks system. I think the residents of Westchester will be very happy that their money was well
spent.”
Westchester County Legislator Margaret Cunzio said: “I want to thank George Latimer because he took this project and he got us here to the finish line. This is an example
of working together to make government work, and preserve history. I am so excited to see future programs here, and I am very excited that we can put George Washington’s headquarters back on the map, and have it be one of the top historical sites in Westchester
County.”
Supervisor of the Town of North Castle Mike Schiliro said: “This project has been a lot of starts and stops. I want to thank Margaret for continuing to push from day one
for more money in the budget, and thank you to our County Executive, George Latimer, for making it a reality.”
Westchester County Parks Commissioner Kathy O’Connor said: “As the Commissioner of the Westchester County Parks Department, I am so thrilled that this property is finally
being restored to our docket. It is a high point in the history of Westchester County, and we are looking forward to putting together a great program once we get off and running in November. We want to be able to show our children what it was like to live
during this era.”
Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Public Works Hugh Greechan said: “We only replaced what needed to be replaced. It is much more difficult construction
than normal construction. But with a lot of help, the project was completed on time and on budget. Today is a great day for my Department, and for all of Westchester County.”
Latimer was also joined by Friends of the Miller House/Washington’s Headquarters president Linda Fernberg, and Anne Novak, Carole Clarke and their mother, Mary Ann Miller,
descendants of Ann and Elijah Miller, the family that lived in the house during the Revolution.
The 501 c(3) Friends of Miller House/Washington’s Headquarters is an organization dedicated to help preserve the historic preservation and its ongoing operation.
Friends President Linda Fernberg said: “General Washington had many headquarters in Westchester, but the Miller house is the only one that’s still on its original site.
County Executive George Latimer gave Westchester a wonderful gift. It will let future generations learn about our history and the importance of this home.”
The Miller House’s public programming will begin with two presentations of “Patriot in a Petticoat: The Life of Ann Fisher Miller,” on Sunday, November 17. Ann
Miller, her husband, Elijah, and their family lived there during the war. The two-hour program will start with
a narrated visual historical depiction of life in Westchester from about 1755 to 1790. A reenactor playing Ann will then tell the fact-based story about the Millers’ life, family, home and experiences during that time. “Ann” will then invite the public
to tour the home’s interior. The program will be presented by the Daughters of Liberty’s Legacy.
The Miller House is on the National Register of Historic Places, the New York State Register of Historic Places and the Westchester County Inventory of Historic Places.
It’s also a Town of North Castle Landmark.
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