10/15/2024
We have a connection to Washington Irving right here in the Bar Harbor Historical Society. Their museum building, La Rochelle, was built by George and Julia Bowdoin as one of the grand summer cottage mansions. Julia was the great niece of Washington Irving and summered here regularly. La Rochelle is a truly wonderful historic building and should be on anyone’s to-see list when visiting Bar Harbor. While you’re here you can take a Haunted Mansion tour of La Rochelle to round out your visit!
“His haunts are not confined to the valley, but extend at times to the adjacent roads, and especially to the vicinity of a church at no great distance.” - “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving 🎃
The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow is a 17th-century stone church located in Sleepy Hollow, New York. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places - NPS and designated a National Historic Landmark, the church, and its three-acre churchyard, feature prominently in Washington Irving’s 1820 short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The church attracts visitors from around the world, drawn by the allure of Irving’s ghostly tale and the chance to explore a piece of early American history.
Washington Irving, whose nearby Sunnyside estate is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark, is primarily remembered for his short stories such as “Rip van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” also penned an extensive biography of George Washington and helped shape American literature into what it is today.
The National Register is administered by the National Park Service. Over 90,000 places listed on the National Register of Historic Places are also recognized as National Historic Landmarks.
Image: The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow and adjacent burial ground.
National Historic Landmarks Program Heritage Documentation Programs, NPS Heritage & Historic Preservation - NPS