Ever wonder what it was like to advise General Washington during the Revolutionary War? Here at the Dey Mansion, you can almost feel the weight of those decisions. The Dey Mansion in Wayne served as General George Washington’s headquarters. He stayed here during the summer and fall of 1780. The Dey Mansion played a significant role in the American Revolution.
Dirck Dey built the Dey Mansion around 1740. He bought the land in 1717. Dey was a carpenter. His well-finished home shows his skill. Dirck Dey built the east wing of the mansion. His son Theunis finished the rest. That included a twelve-foot grand center hall. The front is brick, produced on-site. There are sandstone quoins from the Little Falls Quarry. The remainder of the home is split quarry and field stone. Hester Dey referred to the home as Bloomsburg Manor.
Dirck Dey and his family were third-generation Dutch immigrants. They settled in Preakness as early as 1707. The Dutch settled much of Northern New Jersey. New Jersey was part of the Middle Colonies. Only non-English Europeans settled here. Dirck Dey was a freeholder of Bergen County. He was a member of the New Jersey Assembly from 1748 to 1752. His son Theunis was born in 1726. He succeeded his father as the owner of the six-hundred-acre estate.
Theunis Dey married Hester Schuyler in 1749. They lived in this house with their 10 children. The Deys kept slaves like George Washington. The slaves did much of the heavy farm labor. Colonel Theunis Dey commanded the Bergen County militia. That was during the American War for Independence. He supervised the west side of the Hudson River. That was above New York Bay. Theunis Dey was also a member of the New Jersey Assembly. He also served on the New Jersey Provincial Council. In 1780, the British raided New Jersey. These were the so-called “forage wars.” This kept the Americans in a constant state of emergency.
Continental Army troops bivouacked on the property around Dey Mansion. George Washington and his aides stayed in the mansion itself. Washington’s “life guards” slept in the attic rafters. Washington occupied the four rooms of the original part of the house. He used the southeast room as an office. He took his meals in a room at the rear of the house. While the General was at Dey Mansion, his wife Martha stayed in Morristown at Ford Mansion.
Thousands of Continental Army troops camped in tents nearby. This was in July. They moved on to campaign in the Hudson Highlands. The American Army moved from Preakness to Paramus. Then they crossed the Hudson River at Kings Ferry. Washington returned on October 8, 1780. He came from the Hudson Highlands. Benedict Arnold was found to be a traitor. He escaped on the British ship Vulture. Arnold’s accomplice was Major Andre. Andre was hanged at Tappan on October 2. Washington used Dey Mansion to avoid the vengeance of Andre’s superior. Sir Henry Clinton was intent on seizing the General.
Most of the battles were being fought in the south. Neither the British nor the American armies in the New York area were strong enough for major action. General Washington was at Dey Mansion. A commander of the French Fleet arrived. Count Rochambeau came to Newport Rhode Island. He had 6000 men.
Dey Mansion served as Washington’s Headquarters in 1780. Washington wrote over 300 letters in the front room. This served as his office. Washington’s letters refer to Dey Mansion as “Head Quarters, Pracaness [Preakness]”. After the arrival of the French army in July 1780, Washington was urged against attacking New York City. Washington instead concentrated on coordinating allied war efforts. In 1781 he launched the Yorktown Campaign. He cooperated with the comte de Rochambeau and the comte d’Estaing. The Yorktown campaign was critical in securing the American victory.
Richard Dey sold the Dey Mansion in 1801. The house had seventeen owners. The city of Wayne, NJ purchased Dey Mansion in 1930. It has been restored to the way it was during the American Revolutionary War. The mansion has many items on display from the Dey family. Also, many period pieces are featured from the New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art. The house stands as it did in Washington’s time. The kitchen has been rebuilt. The original had been destroyed by fire.
Before you leave, take a stroll through the Dey Mansion Garden. It’s a restored version of the 1930s Olmsted landscape. The Olmsted Brothers also designed Central Park in New York City. Special events and demonstrations throughout the year make history come alive at the Dey Mansion.