North Castle Officials Meet with County on Miller House Repairs
The North Castle Town Board met with the Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino’s office last week to urge the county to make repairs on the Elijah Miller House/Washington’s Headquarters at its current location in North White Plains.
Last month, the town board unanimously passed a resolution, which they presented to the county, regarding repairs to the 276-year-old house.
“We were able to communicate what the town had decided with their resolution the previous week and we will be following up with the county with a subsequent meeting to get a resolution for this,” said Supervisor Michael Schiliro.
The latest development came after members of the Elijah Miller House Committee and the Friends of the Elijah Miller House/Washington Headquarters, asked the town to make much needed repairs to the house while leaving it in its current location on Virginia Road. Previously, the county proposed moving the structure to the Kensico Dam or to a portion of Fountain Park in North White Plains, but both suggestions were deemed unsuitable.
The county has owned the property since 1917 and is required to maintain it under an agreement authored by the state attorney general’s office in 1994. County officials voiced concern, however, about the idea of undertaking repairs to the home in its current location; citing the proximity to a cement factory and traffic issues in the area
The house, which served as headquarters for George Washington and his generals during the Battle of White Plains in October 1776, used to attract thousands of school children each year but children have not been allowed in due to the condition of the building for more than a decade.
The town board passed the resolution regarding the Miller House/Washington Headquarters at their July 23 meeting and presented it to the County Executive’s office last week. Schiliro stated that there is no word from the county yet in regards to how or when repairs may proceed. He explained that members of the county executive’s staff are currently reviewing the town’s resolution and he expects that North Castle officials will have a follow up meeting with the county in the coming weeks.
“We will continue to work together…and we’ll keep moving it forward,” said Schili
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