President George Washington enjoyed two stays at Rye’s historic Square House in 1789, noting its neatness and decency in his diary. According to the Rye Historical Society:
“He famously wrote in his diary that ‘After dinner through frequent light showers we proceeded to the Tavern of a Mrs. Haviland at Rye who keeps a very neat and decent Inn.’”
John and Samuel Adams were also visitors at the Square House during the same time period.
The Square House is a historic landmark where events important to both Rye and our country’s history have taken place since it was first built on Boston Post Road, one of the oldest roads in the country. The original structure was first built in 1675 and the present building was constructed in 1730. It served as an inn for nearly a century, then as a post office, village hall and then city hall. Inn 1964, it became a public museum.
The Square House is the spot where Rye residents formed a committee that decided to support the Continental Congress in Philadelphia and to protest taxation without representation. In 1774, John and Samuel Adams also stayed there as they traveled to and from the Continental Congress.
Another historical connection in Rye is the original milestones that Benjamin Franklin fixed along Post Road in 1763. The milestones mark the 24th, 25th and 26th miles from New York.
Today, the Square House serves as a museum. Read more about hours and programs here.
