Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins Funds Odell Rochambeau Museum
Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins visited the Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters for a peek at some of the artifacts the museum will contain.
State funding being used to construct historic Revolutionary War exhibits; Nonprofit plans museum opening for 2026.
The nonprofit Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters will turn the historic house, long in disrepair, into a museum of Westchester’s revolutionary war efforts with help from a $250,000 state grant secured by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
The museum, tentatively set to open in the spring of 2026, in time for nationwide observances of America’s 250th birthday, will feature exhibits throughout the house's ten rooms, providing guests with an immersive and educational experience, telling the story of the house and its pivotal role in the Revolutionary War.
“It was my pleasure to deliver the funds needed to see this visionary museum project to completion,” said Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousin. “Here in the Town of Greenburgh, we have a site as deeply rooted in our nation's founding as any in the country, and our community is blessed to have dedicated organizations like the Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters to serve as stewards of this remarkable historical resource. I look forward to seeing these exhibits completed when the museum opens to the public.”
Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins visited the Odell House property in Hartsdale to meet with the nonprofit's representatives and get a sneak peek of some of the artifacts the museum will feature when it opens.
Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters President Susan Seal said "I am so grateful to the Majority Leader for providing the key funding for the museum exhibits. The Senator has been our enthusiastic supporter from the very beginning and this major grant allows us to build modern, interactive and informative exhibits that will engage and excite visitors."
Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins received a tour of the 1732 house which is undergoing renovation for the museum installation.
The Odell House dates to 1732 and served as headquarters for Gen. George Washington's French ally, Gen. Count de Rochambeau during the Revolutionary War. It was there, in 1781, that Rochambeau and Washington hatched the plan to march the Continental and French armies south from New York to Virginia to confront the British. Just a few weeks later, the pair led their forces to victory over British troops at Yorktown, effectively ending the war and securing American independence.
The house is named for Revolutionary soldier Col. John Odell, a key guide to Gen. Washington during the War. Odell purchased the property after the war ended and five generations of his descendants lived in the Hartsdale home. When the Town of Greenburgh took ownership in 2020 the work to transform it into a museum began.
Restoration of the house has been underway since 2021 and is nearly complete thanks in part to more than $2 million in funding from the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and supported with a $500,000 grant from Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins. The museum will contain the many relics and historic artifacts which the Friends are meticulously cataloging for themed exhibits, with a goal to open to the public next spring.
Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters representatives who joined Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins are: President Susan Seal, Vice President Tom Hay, Secretary Vaneska Pasqua, Co-Treasurer David Seal, Communications Director Marc Cheshire, Sandy Morrissey, Ken Jones, Rob Pellegrino, Peter Marcus, Amelia Bucarelli and Bob Hermann.