Westchester Historical Society Backs Moving North Castle's Miller House

NORTH WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- The white clapboard cottage used by George Washington as a headquarters in the Revolutionary War, languished for years in an industrial area in North White Plains while historical society and county officials debated its fate.

The historic Elijah Miller House is on Virginia Road in North White Plains.
Photo Credit: *Phil Corso*

Carol Reif

07/24/2015 4:00 a.m.

But now there may be hope for the rundown, but historic, farmhouse on Virginia Road built in 1738 by farmers Elijah and Anne Miller.

The Westchester County Historical Society is recommending that the county -- which acquired the site in 1917 and had been running it as a museum until unsafe conditions and a lack of staffing forced its closure – move the house to Miller Hill, a nearby county-owned park.

According to a July 16 letter sent to Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett, the society feels that the new site would be more secure and sustainable. The post-and-beam structure, it said, can be dismantled and moved without losing its National Register status.

Miller, and two of his sons, joined the Westchester County Militia in 1776. All three died while in camp, most likely of fever, according to Wikipedia.

Miller’s widow, Anne, was Washington’s hostess during his stays. She died in 1819, at the age of 96. The last owner of the house was said to be former Armonk Postmaster Charles Kaiser.

County Legislator Michael J. Smith -- who represents District 3 (Mount Pleasant/Pleasantville/North Castle) -- said he started working on solutions to the house’s woes after taking office in 2012.

A “framework” for an agreement, he said, was reached with representatives on the North Castle Town Board in 2013 which would have moved the house to town-owned property.

The agreement fell apart in 2014 following a change in the local administration, Smith said.

Smith said the historical society’s proposal backs the county’s stand that the house has to be moved in order to save it.

County Executive Rob Astorino, Smith said, agrees that “spending significant taxpayer dollars to keep the house at its current location is blatantly irresponsible.”

In its letter, the historical society also suggested that the house, once moved to the new site, could serve as a residence for a county employee. The house could then be open to the public at certain times during the year, it said.

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