My family and I made it out to Dey Mansion for George Washington’s Encampment weekend which ran on Saturday 2/22 and Sunday 2/23 from 10am to 5pm in honor of George Washington’s birthday.  The Dey Mansion in Wayne, NJ served as Washington’s headquarters during the Revolutionary War from July 1st- July 28th, 1780, and again from October 8th to November 27th, 1780.  

A Taste of 18th Century Life

My family arrived on Sunday at about 10:30 am.  We really enjoyed the demonstration on 18th century meal preparation and cooking in the Spring Kitchen.  We were taught about what the Dey family, who were quite wealthy, would have eaten.  We were also taught about the soldiers’ meager daily rations throughout the war.  The demonstration was extremely informative and addressed the challenges that the Dey Mansion faced in hosting Washington’s entourage.

We walked over to the Dey Mansion and explored the house.  My children also really enjoyed the demonstration on 18th century spinning.  The 18th century reenactor spun sheep’s wool into yarn and the children were able to enjoy a hands-on demonstration as they were able to spin their own yarn, which then became friendship bracelets.  The re-enactor taught us that the dyes used to color the yarns were all from natural products.  Following the spinning demonstration, we explored the rest of the house and witnessed where Washington and his entourage stayed, including his meeting room, where he and his aides would write and receive hundreds of letters per day.

Military Demonstrations

Finally, we made it outside and witnessed the formation of the troops as well as military drills and musket firings.  They closed the demonstration with a bayonet charge.  Following the demonstrations, the reenactors described their weapons, their clothing, and what the troops carried with them.  They also answered questions from the crowd.  Following the demonstrations, my family headed out to lunch.

Other Activities

The weekend encampment at Dey Mansion also included 18th century laundry demos, carpentry and blacksmithing in the Blacksmith shop and a medicinal herbs display.  There was also a food truck present on site from the Chippery Gourmet Fish & Chips.  The Dey Mansion did a fantastic job immersing its visitors into 18th century life during the Revolutionary War.

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