Former President George Washington To Return To B’hurst

George Washington is coming back to Bensonhurst.

Friends of Historic New Utrecht invites you to meet the former president — as portrayed by actor Michael Grillo — at the New Utrecht Reformed Church Parish House (18th Avenue and 84th Street), on Thursday, February 11, at 7:30pm.

Mr. Grillo, Educational Director at the Van Cortlandt House Museum in the Bronx, has been appearing as Washington for over 16 years at historic sites and events. Mr. Grillo’s presentation about Washington’s career will include discussion of the Battle of Brooklyn in August 1776, his victorious return to New York in November 1783, his inauguration there in 1789 and his visit to New Utrecht in April 1790, when he had lunch at Barre’s tavern (84th St. and 16th Ave.) and greeted students from the village school nearby.

President Washington will have an escort of two Revolutionary War reenactors in the uniform of a New York State militia unit, one of whom will give a brief talk about the life and equipment of a Revolutionary War soldier. A Q&A session with the audience will follow the presentation. Admission is free.

On the morning of February 11, President Washington will pay a visit to New Utrecht High School and speak than 700 students from local schools, just as he did more than 200 years ago.