Very interesting Walter, thanks. And here is the song that Washington's troops reportedly sang as they marched down to New York City to take it back from the British: http://home.earthlink.net/~jeffwarnertradmusic/DoodleDandy.mp3 Dave R. www.daveruch.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Walter Greenspan To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Friday, November 25, 2005 9:40 AM Subject: [NYHIST-L] Today is 222nd Anniversary of Evacuation Day On November 25, 1783, the British Army boarded their naval vessels and evacuated New York City (then coterminous with New York County), their wartime headquarters and their last military position in the United States during the Revolutionary War. As they sailed away in retreat through the Narrows separating Long Island and Staten Island, the last thing they saw, as their ships sunk below the horizon, was the Flag of the United States of America flying atop the Liberty Pole (an extended flag pole) in the frontyard of the Dutch Reformed Church in the Hamlet of New Utrecht, Town of New Utrecht, Kings County. Today this is at 18th Avenue and Liberty Pole Boulevard (84th Street) in the neighborhood of Bensonhurst in the Borough of Brooklyn (Kings County), New York City. Replaced six times over the years, the 106' Liberty Pole is the last remaining Liberty Pole in the original thirteen United States. On top of the Pole is the original eagle and weathervane. The eagle is made of wood and has a 5' wingspan. After two hundred and twenty-two years, the weather has weakened it considerably and it has been reinforced with iron bands. Here's the URL for the New Utrecht Liberty Pole Association: http://www.historicnewutrecht.org/LPA.html Here's the URL for the Dutch Reformed Church: http://www.newutrechtchurch.org/ I hope this information is useful or, at least, interesting. Regards, Walter Greenspan Great Falls, MT & Jericho, NY -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.10/186 - Release Date: 11/29/2005