The continuing story of Benedict Arnold

by Posted in Buildings/Structures Leave a comment
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I’ve mentioned in earlier posts that Benedict Arnold fascinates me. As I move around in our part of the Hudson Valley I often come across things and places that touch on his story.

Yesterday I went with a friend (another Brit) to Peekskill, NY. We’d been threatening to try out a local British/Irish style pub: The Quiet Man. Unfortunately, it was closed because of a leaking sprinkler. No problem. There’s another place that serves British food and beer just across the road McDonald & Peacock Cider House. So off we went only to find a sign on the door indicating that they were closed all of February for vacation.

Eventually we ended up at a 1939 vintage diner: the Center Diner. It was pleasant enough but I’d been looking forward to some English food and a couple of beers.

So what does any of this have to do with Benedict Arnold. Well…so far nothing at all. However, as we were returning to the car I spotted this small monument. While the top sign is pretty easy to read, the lower one isn’t. They actually read as follows:

Historic Peekskill Revolutionary War Events

George Washington gave the West Point command to Benedict Arnold at this site on August 3rd 1780

Arnold attempted to betray Hudson Valley forts, soldiers and supplies to British forces in collusion with John Andre, an English officer.

Peekskill was the first Continental Army regional center for military operations, with headquarters at the former Birdsall House.

And

Near this spot during the revolutionary war stood THE BIRDSALL HOUSE, a popular hostelry patronized by GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON on his frequent visits to Peekskill and vicinity as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.

According to The Magazine of American History with Notes and Queries, Volume 8

The Birdsall house, Washington’s headquarters at Peekskill, has been gone for many years. It stood on the southwest corner of Main and Division Streets, a frame building, erected by Daniel Birdsall, shortly after the founding of the present village in 1764. After his death, which took place October 29, 1800, it was occupied by his son for more than half a century, during which time the interior arrangements of the house remained unchanged. After his death the house was torn down.

Although the original is long gone, in the vicinity of where it stood now stands a modern restaurant called the “Birdsall House“. It has a good collection of craft beers. Had I known I would have gone there instead of the diner.

Taken with an iphone 5s.

Metro North: A Commuter’s Story by Ocean Morisset

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I became aware of Ocean Morisset through the Hudson Valley in Pictures Facebook group to which we both contribute – he frequently; me less so. He’s passionate about Peekskill (where he lives) and is an active member of the community.

So when I read somewhere (I don’t remember where) that there was an exhibition of his photographs at the Jefferson Valley Mall I decided to go and take a look.

An information board provides basic information about the exhibition and Ocean himself:

Ocean Morisset is a self-taught photographer specializing in Photojournalism and Documentary photography. A self described “humanitarian with a camera”, Ocean also explores Fine Art photography and engages with a wide range of subjects in life, though his passion remains in telling stories with images. Ocean’s choice of subject reveals his humanitarianism, as he has a keen eye for the unnoticed and under-appreciated aspects of life, and presents them in a way that the view takes hold of the image for their own self reflection.

One of Ocean’s projects on view here is from an ongoing series of Metro-North train commuters where he takes a candid approach to photography, capturing authentic moments as they unfold on the train. These moments turn what would be an otherwise “mundane” commute into an adventure in seeing and capturing images that tell the story of the everyday commuter.

Ocean Morisset is a widely exhibited photographer and currently resides in Peekskill, New York. You can view more of Ocean’s work at the following:

oceanmorisset.com
@oceanstide (Instagram)
facebook.com/oceanmorisset
oceanmorisset11@gmail.com

Only a small number (10) of photographs are presented (a couple of examples below).

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I must say that this is not my favorite photographic genre and apart from a couple I didn’t really like the photographs all that much – but that’s probably just me (I rarely take pictures of people for a variety of reasons, which I explain in People Pictures).

However, I also took a look at his website and I encourage you to do so too. Some very interesting stuff there. I was particularly impressed by the still lifes (a genre I’m thinking of getting into), which I think are absolutely wonderful.