Yesterday as I read in my current book, I was struck by a personal connection to the history and the subject. I am reading Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch's The First Conspiracy The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington. The book is interesting and keeps me turning the pages. http://bradmeltzer.com/Nonfiction/The-First-Conspiracy
In Chapter 29, in the midst of New York City, Washington is in the middle of April of 1776. Brad and Josh have documented this story well. And I am intrigued by the fine points and intricacies of what for me has always been, ah war, ah, fighting, ah we won. I have an idea of the larger picture and can rattle off where battles were, but my interest has been increasing as I find my own personal history intertwining in some of it. So I pay attention.
But this time Washington's move outside of the city to a residence away from the bustle of New York City crosses my own personal recent history. Washington was moved to a manor house called Mortier's or as they write, "known as Richmond Hill", outside of the busy downtown of New York City near the Hudson. This residence at the intersection of Varrick and Charlton.
I jumped! I have only recently made it to New York City and stayed right there! My husband now works for a company right there! Wow, talk about tying recent history to old history and having a nice picture in my mind. They called it "wooded and secluded section of Manhattan's west side." (page 138 chapter 29.) No longer.
But wow. How cool! And we had tramped by the federal building Federal Hall on New Year's Eve where George had been sworn in as president 13 years and two weeks roughly later. So my mind has lit up soaking all of this in, resorting my mental pictures of it all, and picturing an old city and the early forms of federal and military service.
