NJ History Nerd and Nerdette Luncheon #1, Old 76 House, Tappan, NJ on December 8, 2022
We had planned a luncheon at the Old 76 House after our Nerd Tour #4 in 2019, but due to COVID in 2020 and scheduling challenges, we postponed our lunch until today. Unfortunately, Jim and Ruth Aupperlee could not attend. Attending were Bill and Wilma Bogertman, John and Karen Breur, Faye and John Dyksen and Gary and Barb Link.
NOTE: We talked about another tour up the Hudson River including Stony Point Battlefield, Fort Montgomery Fort Clinton at Bear Mountain and Newburgh, NY Washington HQ. We also talked about having our "annual Nerd Luncheon here as well annually!We took pictures of the furnishings, the pictures and other original artifacts in the Tavern, including pewter mugs, plates, pictures, in the larger banquet hall and the staff room, the bathroom hallway and the 2 dining rooms. On the ceiling of the first floor were the original 12X12 (or larger) hand hewn beams. And the bar wood was original, coming from the horse poles outside the tavern, used to tie up horses.
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| Rob Norden talking to our table. |
We were waiting to talk to Rob Norden, the owner. "You're not Rob," said Bill to a man coming over and talking to our table. Rob Norden told us he had been 300 pounds when he gave us the Old 76 House tour in 2019. (Refer to pictures of Rob at our 2019 lunch here at the 76 House).A woman stopped at our table and said she had been the assistant manager here and talked to us about more history, especially "seeing spirits and ghosts." She said tables 1 (the new house) and 2 (in the old house) as well as a relative of the original owners, the Mabies, claimed there were family ghosts as well as the Andre ghost seen on October 2nd, the day he was hanged.
Notable founding Fathers and Generals who visited or stayed here included Hamilton, Green, VanBuren, Lafayette, Wayne, Lord Sterling, Glover, Tallmadge (Spymaster), Knox, VonSteuben and Washington.
After lunch, at 2:30pm, Rob Norden, the owner, took the 8 of us for a short look at the upstairs where Alexander Hamilton slept as well as the room where Hamilton greeted visitors and guests. (He said that it was "illegal" to take tours upstairs. Hamilton lived upstairs here almost 2 years.
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| Nerdettes at 76 House Front |
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President Richard Nixon's Favorite Table ...
with John Andre picture behind
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Rob commented that the "new 1810 addition" of the open spindle staircase rails was not authentic, since period buildings had full wood enclosed stairways to conserve heat. Where our table was located, he also pointed out the differences in floor wood planking.
Upstairs, in the SW corner, is where Alexander Hamilton slept. In the upper floor are 3+ business rooms with desks (estimated 10X10), a small Hamilton bedroom (estimate 15x10) with an old fireplace and across a narrow hallway a larger room on the northern side (estimate 20X15) used as his TV, sitting, guitar, and butterfly room. In the short hallway, there may have been a closet door or two.
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| At the luncheon table |
Rob commented about Hamilton's BR with the original 1755 fireplace, with original bricks made in England, since it was illegal to make bricks in the United States back in 1700s.
We all thoroughly enjoyed our historic luncheon and afterwards, walked to the Tappan Reformed Church on the next block, where Major John Andre was tried by some of General George Washington's favorite Generals including Greene, Lord Sterling, St.Clair, LaFayette, Clinton, Knox Glover, Patterson, Hand, Huntington, Starke.
We experienced some incredible American history in the exact locations and buildings where these events occurred, over 240 years ago! A enjoyed very good day with the Nerds and Nerdettes!
Pictures of some artifacts and 1750's antiquities below:
