Exploring Greenwich, Connecticut: Putnam Cottage, Still Revolutionary After All These Years (Revisited)

 

It was ten years ago when I posted this on another blog site. Dated September 4, 2014, I returned to Putnam Cottage that day. 

You'll see that I donated a few Mead family heirloom furniture pieces for the public to view and enjoy. Haven't been to Putnam Cottage in years? I hope this blog post might inspire you to make a return visit.

How many years had it been? Twenty? Twenty-five? I confess to you that as a member of the Capt. Matthew Mead Branch of the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution it had been that long since I stepped into Putnam Cottage here in Greenwich, Connecticut. 

Bear in mind, too, that my journeys home for the past few years were after the Labor Day weekend. You know how it goes. You intend to call for an appointment to tour the house. Distractions, errands, a hurricane (Sandy, two years ago- remember?), a nor'easter storm comes roaring up the Atlantic coast (a week after Hurricane Sandy), and before you know it's time to board a flight back to Hawaii. 

After I attended the 9:30 a.m. service at the Second Congregational Church on July 6, I strolled around the Putnam Hill Historic District. 

It's a place that I am particularly fond of, a place venerable by its history, its architectural gems, and its sense of permanency in a time of rapid change. It is so New England, so very Greenwich. 

Time has a way of slowing down here. That suited me just fine, considering I was still a bit dehydrated, jet-lagged and in a state of uneven recovery after one of the more colorful non-flights from Honolulu to New York. Even when your sense of being in the same time zone as your neighbors  is perfectly synchronized the sense of calm is quite palatable. 

Just the day before I attended the annual Independence Day celebration at Greenwich's Town Hall. When co-chair and town ambassador Bea Crumbine recognized me as one patriotic soul who flew all the way from Hawaii to be there she and the others assembled had no idea how precarious my state of being was. 

I arose, smiled broadly, waved at the crowd -and then prayed that 

the Good Lord Up Above would keep me from falling over. I was 

there to honor history and country, not to be remembered for a 

tumble down the center aisle. 

But I digress. 

The grounds of Putnam Cottage were deserted. The walk in the sunshine under the protection of old shade trees -trees that stood like trusty sentinels- made solitude my best friend during those quiet moments. Even the drone of traffic on East Putnam Avenue was happily subdued. 

One week and one phone call later I would return to Putnam Cottage where I was warmly greeted by two docents from the Daughters of the American Revolution. 

See that American flag in the left corner in the photo above? That was where I received my award. I also had to read my essay to the audience.  I later found out that my picture was featured in the local daily newspaper, the Greenwich Time. Yikes! 

When I was a sixth grader at Parkway Elementary School I won an American History Month essay contest sponsored by the Putnam Hill Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. 

For many years the tavern was known as Knapp's Tavern. At the time of the Revolutionary War it was owned by Israel Knapp. My American Revolutionary War ancestor, Ebenezer Mead, like other local patriots was a frequent visitor here. 

  

Israel Putnam is an iconic figure in our local American Revolutionary era history. A Massachusetts man born in 1718, Putnam had been in various colonial-era military conflicts such as the French and Indian War 1754-1763. It is written that Putnam ran off to Boston to volunteer to fight after the Battle of Lexington on April 20, 1775. He was appointed to the rank of Major General under George Washington. In June, 1775 he fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill. 

We grew up with the Putnam name seemingly everywhere. There was Putnam Park, Putnam Restaurant on Greenwich Avenue, "Put's Hill," Putnam Green, even Putnam Gynecology & Obstetrics. 

It was on a winter day, February 26, 1779, that General Israel Putnam made a rather risky and bold escape from British forces. He barely escaped capture by forces under the command of British General William Tryon, who was Governor of what was the Province of New York. Greenwich was raided a number of times over the years since it was in a battle zone between New York and the rest of New England. Tryon was notorious for waging campaigns against American Patriot civilian targets, including women and children.

General Putnam wore a tricorn hat. He was shot at while on his 

escape to Fort Nonsense in Stamford to gather reinforcements. A 

bullet hole pierced the side and it is on display at the Cottage. 

Putnam cursed and shook his fist at the British he had just escaped 

from. 

By the time Putnam returned with reinforcements the British had 

already retreated to New York. 

For this Putnam was given command over American forces in the 

Long Island area. It was at this time that his fortunes declined, too. 

General Washington eventually assigned him to recruiting troops 

for the American cause. He was then given command of Fort 

Montgomery and Fort Clinton in the Hudson Valley, New York 

region. When Putnam abandoned these he was called before a 

board of inquiry, and eventually he was exonerated. 

Later in 1779 Putnam suffered a stroke that paralyzed him, thus 

curtailing his military career. In 1790 General Israel Putnam died.

Three days after my arrival in October, 2012 Hurricane Sandy hit 

the region with a force that is seen perhaps once every century. The 

entire regional power grid had been turned off. I was staying in the 

Stanton House Inn just three blocks away.

The next day a cousin picked me up and we went exploring around Greenwich.

Three days before my return flight to Hawaii I received some 

wonderful news. The Israel Putnam Association and the Putnam Hill 

Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution had agreed 

to accept three Mead family heirloom furniture pieces.

I wanted them in a place and museum setting where they would 

be safe and accessible to all. 

The chairs are in particularly delicate condition. Both date from the 

latter 18th century. 

The Greenwich History Society turned down my request. 

"We already have enough of your family things here." 

Truth be told, our family archives and collections are the largest 

owned and held by the Society. I understood. It was worth a try.

I felt invigorated and reconnected by my visit to Putnam Cottage, 

and I look forward to my next one. My passion for the American 

Revolution was energized, especially since I have a direct connection 

to that history and to this enigmatic house in my ancestral home 

town.

Rather than be dismayed by the fact that so many overlook this place, 

I see it as an opportunity to establish a new paradigm with educators 

and the general public.

Trees down, courtesy of Hurricane Sandy. 

Yes, we need to increase the appreciation for the educational 

resources places such as Putnam Cottage offer. The docents work 

for little or no compensation at all. All of us need to do more to 

sustain and invigorate the constructive, educational roles all such 

places offer.

Putnam Cottage is a lovely circa 1690 home that is located at 243 

East Putnam Avenue in Greenwich, Connecticut USA. It is situated 

directly opposite Christ Church Greenwich.

Docents are with the Putnam Hill Chapter of the Daughters of the 

American Revolution.

Call them for an appointment at 203-869-9697. Go to this web link 

for a list of events, both past and present.

There is at this time an admission charge of $5.00.

It's the revolutionary thing to do! Enjoy your trek into the past.

"Let us gather political wisdom from the American Revolution. It has 

taught the world, emphatically, that oppression tends to weaken and 

destroy the power of the oppressor; that a people united in the cause 

of liberty are invincible by those who would enslave them; and that 

heaven will ever frown upon the cause of injustice, and ultimately 

grant success to those who oppose it."
Reverend C. A. Goodrich
History of the United States
1824