Scarsdale Historical Society Awards Grant to Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters

Historic Site in Hartsdale, NY. Played A Key Role in Revolutionary War

The Scarsdale Historical Society (SHS) today announced the award of $7,500 granted to the Friends of the Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters (OHRH) in Hartsdale, N.Y. The grant is a part of SHS’s mission to discover, preserve and disseminate the rich history of Scarsdale and its neighboring communities in Central Westchester.

In 1781, OHRH served as the headquarters for the Comte de Rochambeau and his French Forces during the French American Encampment in Greenburgh, N.Y. It was here that Rochambeau and George Washington made the important decision to march their troops to Yorktown, Virginia, where they jointly defeated the British army and won America’s Independence. Not only is OHRH one of the most important sites of revolutionary history in Westchester County, but it is also a rare example of an 18th-century farmhouse, with its original details intact, that was occupied by one family from 1785 to 1990.

“Friends of OHRH are grateful for the continued support of the Scarsdale Historical Society,” stated Susan Seal, President of the Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters. This grant will help defray the cost of storing the vast contents of the house representing over 230 years of the life of the house. These antiques and artifacts have been safely removed from the house by the Friends to allow the restoration work to progress. The grant also continues to provide us with an expert to assist us in maintaining our website.”

“With this grant, we are pleased to play a role in making sure the history and legacy of OHRH lives on,” stated Randy Guggenheimer, President of the Scarsdale Historical Society. “OHRH is a community treasure that will educate and inspire the public for generations to come.”

Visit the OHRH website to learn more.

Scarsdale Historical Society Provides Grant for Scarsdale Public Library Renovation

The Scarsdale Historical Society has provided a $100,000 grant to the Friends of the Scarsdale Library to assist in the renovation of the Library. “The Scarsdale Historical Society is very pleased to be able to assist in this important community project. We look forward to continuing to work with the Library on developing a Scarsdale History area as part of the renovated library,” said Randy Guggenheimer, Scarsdale Historical Society President.

“We’re thrilled by this gift, which will immediately be doubled through a one-to-one match offered by two very generous donors,” said Library Board President Terri Simon. “The Historical Society’s commitment underscores community recognition of the Library’s enduring value not only as a repository of materials, but as an active place of research for Scarsdale now and for generations to come.” "The Historical Society and the Library have had a successful partnership for many years. We are grateful for the continued support and look forward to collaborating on many future projects," said Elizabeth Bermel, Director of the Scarsdale Public Library. 

The Scarsdale Historical Society has previously given grants to the Library for digitization of the Scarsdale Inquirer newspaper and for funding summer internships.  The Scarsdale Historical Society and the Library are working together on a “Bring Your Scarsdale History” event which will take place this spring.

About the Scarsdale Historical Society

The Scarsdale Historical Society exists to discover, preserve, and disseminate historical information as well as inspire others to learn about and contribute to the history of Scarsdale and the Central mid-Westchester region.