From Minuets to Militia: Manhattan’s Country Estates in the Revolution

Tom Miller, author of the immensely popular Daytonian in Manhattan blogs on Manhattan architectural and social history, explores how the Revolution transformed the genteel life within Manhattan’s aristocratic country homes – stretching from below Greenwich Village to the northern reaches of the island – from elegant receptions, dances and teas to violence and chaos.

The Continental and British Armies routinely seized the mansions and grounds as their headquarters, sometimes with the owners’ families still in residence. We will discover one feisty woman who tried to oust soldiers from her home, a traitor arrested and executed in the garden, and a mansion that became America’s first Vice-Presidential home. This talk is in conjunction with Salmagundi’s ongoing exploration of New-York history commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

About the Speaker:

Born in Dayton, Ohio, Tom Miller relocated to New York City in 1978. An author, blogger, lecturer and historian, he has written the histories of well over 5,000 locations in Manhattan both in his renowned blog, Daytonian in Manhattan, and elsewhere. The author of “Seeking New York” and “Seeking Chicago,” Tom has also contributed to several other books, and consulted for pieces in Architectural Digest, The New York Times, and similar publications. His appearances are always attended by his enthusiastic fans.

This program is part of Village Preservation’s Semiquincentennial series of programs celebrating our Revolutionary Village. Revolutionary Village not only celebrates the founding of our country, but the exceptional role our neighborhoods played in its development and the realization of its ideals over the last 250 years and beyond.