Visited a good friend who just moved to Chappaqua, NY.
1. Lodgings: in the ol’ days one could sleep on John’s couch and the entire contents of his pantry would be at your disposal, well those days are no more, therefore the next best option is:
Sheraton Tarrytown: it’s a buck 93 a night (how did f¥€£ did that happen?!, oh yeah the wife booked it). Very comfortable, close to John and close to Tarrytown.
2. Coffee: Muddy Water Coffee, “Downtown“ Tarrytown. Good coffee with the overstuffed leather chairs I like.
3. Legend of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Tours: There are two cemeteries located back to back in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow. A quick tour of both will help capture the essence of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. But first visit the Philipsburg Manor House visitor center and buy the book “Tales of the Old Dutch Burying Ground” at the visitors center ($8), then proceed north on N. Broadway to the Headless Horseman Sculpture, then proceed to . . .
The Old Dutch Burying Ground: Located at the northeast corner of N. Broadway and Bellwood (Apple maps is wrong). Park in the parking lot next to the church and use your newly purchased book as your tour guide. Open 10:00-4:30 pm.
Sleepy Hallow Cemetery: Pickup a free map at the cemetery office. Don’t miss the following:
-Helmsley Mausoleum: Don't be shy, go up to the front door, look in, read the inscriptions on the sarcophagi and look at the three beautiful stained glass windows depicting the NYC skyline.
-Rockefeller Mausoleum: It’s not John D. Rockefeller, but his younger brother William (disappointed?).
-The Irving Family Grave-plot: So you can pay your respects to the man who made you come to Tarrytown in the first place.
4. Patriot’s Park: There is a statue of John Paulding at the exact location where British Major John André (head of the British Secret Service in America) was captured by three American militia men (John Paulding, David Williams and Isaac Van Wart) during the Revolutionary War. He was on a secret mission to recruit Benedict Arnold. As André was in civilian clothes, he was considered a spy and therefore hung nine days later on the other side of the Hudson, in Tappan, NY (on the current site of the Major John André Monument).
Not sure why John Paulding gets a statue (and his name on the school across the street), while the other two get nothing.
The statue is inscribed “The Statue the Gift of JOHN ANDERSON”, which could lead an unsuspecting tourist to think the statue was of John Anderson (note to self for future statue gifting).
5. Tappan Zee Bridge: Completed in 2017, replacing the previous bridge that was located just to the south. It’s a twin cable stayed bridge that carries I-287 over the Hudson River. If your visiting John from other than NY (you know who you are), then this will most likely be your entrance to NY State.
Pierson’s Park is a great place to get great views of the bridge through a free set of mounted binoculars.
Eastbound (Southbound) tolls are collected via EZ Pass or mail and use dynamic pricing.
Tappan Zee derives its name from the Tappan Native American tribe and the Dutch word zee, meaning sea.
6. Tarrytown Light: Built in 1883, made redundant in the late ‘50s by the construction of the first Tappan Zee Bridge and deactivated in 1961.
Park at Kingsland Point Park (go over the train tracks at Palmer Ave and make a left).
A large tract of land adjacent to the lighthouse is being re-developed (the old GM Assembly Plant). I just hope the Toll Bros. build homes in keeping with this historic location. Just saw some of the new homes . . . never-mind.
7. After your cemetery tour(s), stop in at the Bridge View Tavern for a cold beer (over 15 on tap) and views of the bridge, the Hudson River and the aforementioned Toll Bros. development site.
Recommend the Beet Salad with goat cheese and grilled salmon. As good as a 5 star restaurant.
Sunset Cove could also be a good spot for great views of the bridge.
8. The Drive: When you drive to John’s home, pay close attention to the last five minutes of the route, as when you depart you will initially not have cell service.
Misc:
Required Watching: Green Acres.
Required Drinking: As John is an indiscriminate drinker, anything from Charles Shaw Merlot to Veuve Clicquot (what I brought) will suffice.
Required Reading: What else but “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving (it’s only 41 pages, you can do it). Note: The route of the Headless Horseman can be found here.
North Tarrytown has re-branded itself in 1996 and is now called Sleepy Hollow, I know John would approve.
Chappaqua’s third and fourth most influential residents live at 15 Old House Lane (use Google maps, not Apple maps).
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