November, 2000 issue

The route, which passes through the Hudson Valley, was the path taken by the troops of George Washington and French General Rochambeau as they traveled together to fight the British in Yorktown, Virginia.

The legislation will commission the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the route, including sites in Verplanck where the French army camped. The study would identify the route's relationship to the American Revolutionary War and how it can best be preserved.

U.S. Rep. John B. Larson of Connecticut said he became involved in the preservation of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route in February at the request of a constituent from Bolton, Hans DePold, who is the Bolton Town Historian. DePold asked Larson to take the lead in Congress on obtaining support for the preservation project from Members of Congress in other states along the route.

The entire 600-mile route travels through Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia.

During the American Revolutionary battle of 1780, George Washington's army dwindled to less than 3,000 men and desperately needed assistance. Fortunately, 5,000 troops from the French expeditionary army landed in Newport, Rhode Island, led by General Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, to assist General Washington.

In July, after Larson introduced the legislation, the French Ambassador to the United States, Francois Bujon de l'Estang sent a letter of thanks to Larson for his legislative initiative and commended him for "paving the way to a proper commemoration of an important page of the shared history of our nations."

Also in July, Larson held a press conference at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum on Main Street in Wethersfield, Conn., which was the location of one of the final meetings that Washington and Rochambeau had before traveling to Yorktown. Joining Larson that day were representatives of the Connecticut Historical Commission, the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Committee, and the Sons of the American Revolution.

The ultimate goal of the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is to have the route added to the National Park Service registry of historic places in time for the 225th anniversary of Washington and Rochambeau's march to Yorktown, which was the decisive battle in the American Revolution.

November, 2000 issue

The route, which passes through the Hudson Valley, was the path taken by the troops of George Washington and French General Rochambeau as they traveled together to fight the British in Yorktown, Virginia.

The legislation will commission the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the route, including sites in Verplanck where the French army camped. The study would identify the route's relationship to the American Revolutionary War and how it can best be preserved.

U.S. Rep. John B. Larson of Connecticut said he became involved in the preservation of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route in February at the request of a constituent from Bolton, Hans DePold, who is the Bolton Town Historian. DePold asked Larson to take the lead in Congress on obtaining support for the preservation project from Members of Congress in other states along the route.

The entire 600-mile route travels through Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia.

During the American Revolutionary battle of 1780, George Washington's army dwindled to less than 3,000 men and desperately needed assistance. Fortunately, 5,000 troops from the French expeditionary army landed in Newport, Rhode Island, led by General Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, to assist General Washington.

In July, after Larson introduced the legislation, the French Ambassador to the United States, Francois Bujon de l'Estang sent a letter of thanks to Larson for his legislative initiative and commended him for "paving the way to a proper commemoration of an important page of the shared history of our nations."

Also in July, Larson held a press conference at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum on Main Street in Wethersfield, Conn., which was the location of one of the final meetings that Washington and Rochambeau had before traveling to Yorktown. Joining Larson that day were representatives of the Connecticut Historical Commission, the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Committee, and the Sons of the American Revolution.

The ultimate goal of the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is to have the route added to the National Park Service registry of historic places in time for the 225th anniversary of Washington and Rochambeau's march to Yorktown, which was the decisive battle in the American Revolution.