Early North Castle Buildings

By: Doris Finch Watson
Town of North Castle Historian

One of the oldest North Castle buildings is Smith’s Tavern located at 440 Bedford Road, Armonk.  An early stagecoach stop, militia headquarters, post office and voting place, it serves today as headquarters for The North Castle Historical Society.  The Society has restored the building and three other early buildings on their educational complex.  Historic Smith’s Tavern is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and docents offer guided tours on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons.

The Elijah Miller house (Washington’s Headquarters) on Virginia Road, in North White Plains, was built in 1738.  This building is also listed on the National Register, and plans are underway to restore it.  The house and property are owned by Westchester County.  Many other early homes dot North Castle.

In 1790 the Sands family purchased the old Thomas Wright’s mill site.  During the 1800s the Sands added more mills including a woolen mill, oil mill and a variety of shops and stores.  Today the old buildings are gone, and the old mill site holds only an old bridge and two monuments, which tell of the important event in history that transpired on that spot.