'It was dark back then': Knox's headquarters gets spooky

New Windsor — Did you ever walk past a creepy-looking house at night when you were a kid? Visit a house straight out of your fondest Halloween memories in tours starting at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29. For more than 250 years, the Ellison House, Knox's Headquarters, has silently witnessed some of the most important events in the history of our nation. Officers who stayed at or visited the house include Generals Nathanael Greene, Henry Knox, Horatio Gates, and George Washington. Preparation of the artillery, so vital to the allied victory at Yorktown, Va., in 1781, was guided by the able hand of General Knox from this house. In one of the rooms, scheming officers hatched a plot to menace Congress with military force, threatening the very liberties the country had fought so hard to secure. Over the years, many staff members at Knox's Headquarters have claimed to have seen spectral visages — whether a passing glimpse out of the corner of their eye or just an uncomfortable lump in their stomach they could not help but feel at times, that someone was watching them. Practical thinkers would dismiss these claims as the products of vivid imaginations or illogical fear. Considering that some people can sense things that the population at large cannot, is it possible that a few actually did see something? Come to Knox's Headquarters to see for yourself. While this event is appropriate for all ages, some may find the experience to be scary. Reservations required. Knox's Headquarters is located at 289 Forge Hill Rd. in Vails Gate, three miles southeast of the intersection of I-87 and I-84. The bridge over Moodna Creek, just east of Knox's Headquarters, was damaged by Hurricane Irene, so access to the site is from State Route 94 only. For reservations and more information call 561-1765 ext. 22. Knox's Headquarters was the working country seat since 1754 of the prosperous Ellison family, who hosted officers of the Continental Army consecutively from 1779 through 1783. For more information visit www.nysparks.com.