GEORGE WASHINGTON SLEPT HERE--ON L.I.

• Position: WHAT'S NEW? - Joanne S. Grasso's 'George Washington's 1790 Grand Tour of Long Island' - Brief article

After being elected president, George Washington set out to tour the new nation, which was desperate for a unifying symbol. In April 1790, he spent five days on Long Island, an area recovering from seven years of devastating British occupation. Washington saw it all, from Brooklyn to Patchogue to Setauket and back. He was honored at each venue and wrote extensive diary entries about his impressions of the carriage stops for food, overnight stays at taverns and private homes, as well as his vision for the future of the region.

Author Joanne S. Grasso traces his journey in Arcadia Publishing and...