George Washington stopped here
WARWICK. George Washington Day celebration features movie and tours of Shingle House complex.
| 02 Aug 2019 | 05:06
George Knight discusses the findings of the ongoing "Shingle House Dig" project with Ivy Tulin. (
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The Shingle House Dig uncovered this original wall, which was then at street level but about five feet below the level of the property today.
Volunteer Peg Ross described some of the early 19th and 20th century agricultural items essential to dairy and other farming in this area.
Visitors view the original tools used by early farmers in an agricultural exhibit held in the ca. 1825 Sly Barn that sits behind the Shingle House.
The interior of the Shingle House, the oldest house in the Village of Warwick.
On a July day in 1783, General George Washington and his entourage visited Warwick's Baird's Tavern.
Washington, the commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, had been traveling along Kings Highway on his way back from an important visit with a French military ally in Philadelphia. A meticulous record keeper, Washington recorded this visit in his journal along with an itemized purchase of grog.
In previous years the Warwick Historical Society has commemorated the annual George Washington Day in Lewis Park, just across the street from the site of that historic Baird's Tavern complex.
This year, in a departure from the colonial games, storytelling, military drills, craft exhibits and so forth, the public was invited to the first "Movie in the Park" at Lewis Park on Saturday evening, July 27.
The film, introduced by Town of Warwick Historian, Dr. Richard Hull, was "National Treasure," the film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and starring Nicolas Cage as a treasure hunter who uncovers hidden troves and secrets from U.S. history while evading the U. S. Government.
The following day, Sunday, July 28, the celebration continued with an open-house of the Shingle House Complex on Forester Avenue and the new exhibit at the Buckbee Center.
The Shingle House, built in 1764, is the oldest house in the village.
"As we were a part of the Founders' Day Celebration with the Friends of the Hathorn House, back on June 1," explained Executive Director Nora Gurvich, "we decided to not try to compete with that living history environment, and instead do something else, thus the movie and open-house."
The Historical Society of the Town of Warwick believes that an understanding and appreciation of our historic heritage is essential to maintaining a unique and meaningful identity as a community.