On Monday, October 9, 1780, George Washington moved his headquarters back into a house on what is now Totowa Road. Colonel Theunis Dey called the house "Bloomsbury." Washington stayed until Monday, November 27. Two hundred forty-six years later, every October and November program Passaic County has scheduled at Dey Mansion Washington's Headquarters falls inside that same seven-week stretch, apart from tonight's lantern tour.
The overlap is close. The free Fall Encampment opens Saturday, October 10, the day after the anniversary of Washington's return. The two dinners in character are on November 12, 13 and 14, about two weeks before the anniversary of his departure. On a regular Wednesday in the off-season, the house is a museum with hourly tours. From now through late November, it runs a calendar laid over the time Washington actually lived there.
Why he came back to the Preakness Valley
The second stay had a reason. In July 1780, Washington picked the "vicinity of the Passaic Falls" for its strategic position and its access to food and forage for the army. Passaic County's American Revolution itinerary adds that the area had lookouts toward New York City, where British troop movements could be watched.
He left on July 29 to meet the newly arrived French allies. While he was away, the war turned. At the end of September, Major General Benedict Arnold's treason came to light. His accomplice, Major John André, was hanged at Tappan, New York, on October 2. According to the county's history of the house, British commander Sir Henry Clinton wanted to avenge André by capturing Washington himself, so Washington moved his army to the less accessible Preakness Valley.
So the October 9 return was partly about safety. Washington chose a defensible valley in what is now Wayne at the most dangerous point of his autumn. The fall programs at 199 Totowa Road lean on that history. The Washington everyone knows from July is a general planning ahead. The October Washington had just been betrayed and was watching the roads.
His host was not a stranger. Dey commanded the Bergen County Militia, which kept him in regular contact with Washington. Historian Isaac A. Serven described the bond this way:
"Besides sharing ideals of liberty and military secrets, they had other interests in common. Both were nearly the same age, both were large landowners and agriculturalists, and both had served in a civil capacity in the governing bodies of their respective counties and states."
The 2026 calendar, laid over the 1780 stay
Here is the county's posted schedule, in date order:
| 2026 date | Event | Cost | Detail worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 15, 22, 29 (Thursdays) | Dey After Dark Lantern Tours | $15 | Two evening slots; quarter-mile walk to the Dey Family Cemetery |
| Sat Oct 10, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sun Oct 11, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. | Fall Encampment | Free | Reenactors and live demonstrations |
| Sun Oct 11, 1–2 p.m. | Lecture on Col. Alexander Scammell | Free | Given by docent Tom Dempsey |
| Sat Oct 24, 2–4 p.m. | Archaeology tour | Free | Reservations required |
| Thu Nov 12 and Fri Nov 13 | Dinner with the Washingtons and Warrens | $75 | Two seatings each night |
| Sat Nov 14 | Dinner with George & Martha Washington | $75 | 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. seatings |
Anniversary weekend
The Fall Encampment is the county's annual reenactment weekend. The listing promises Revolutionary War encampments, live demonstrations, and a look at how soldiers and civilians lived at "General George Washington's 1780 headquarters." Admission is free. Saturday runs a full day and Sunday wraps up at 2 p.m.
Sunday's free lecture on Colonel Alexander Scammell starts at 1 p.m., so you can see both the camp and the talk before the encampment ends. Tom Dempsey, a Dey Mansion docent, gives the talk on the Continental Army officer.
Thursday nights
The Dey After Dark lantern tours start inside the house and continue by lantern to the Dey Family Cemetery, about a quarter mile away, so wear walking shoes. The county's listing mentions a turnip hunt along the way, plus fall bites and cider.
The tours run every Thursday this month: October 8, 15, 22 and 29. The county lists two slots each night, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m. Not every listing agrees. The VisitNJ listing gives a 6 p.m. first slot and leaves out October 8 entirely, so the county page and the ticket page are the ones to trust. When we checked the Friends of Passaic County Parks ticket calendar, it showed a waiting-list option on October 8 and October 22 but not on October 15 or 29. That calendar does not say which slots are full, so check it again before you plan an evening around it.
What's under the lawn
The free archaeology tour on Saturday, October 24, from 2 to 4 p.m., starts with archival photographs and site features and ends with artifacts recovered from the grounds. Reservations are required. This is the program for anyone who has toured the rooms and wants to know what the property looked like as a working farm.
Dinner in November
The Dinner with the Washingtons and Warrens sets the evening in 1780. George and Martha Washington are joined by Mercy Otis Warren and James Warren. A presentation opens the night, and then the four characters sit at guests' tables for a historically inspired dinner. Seatings are 6 to 8 p.m. and 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. on both Thursday, November 12, and Friday, November 13, at $75 per person, and seating is limited. A separate Dinner with George & Martha Washington follows on Saturday, November 14, with 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. seatings, also $75.
The house on an ordinary afternoon
The special events are on weekends and Thursday nights. On other days you can still walk in Wednesday through Sunday:
- Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tours on the hour.
- Guided mansion tours run 45 minutes to an hour. Grounds tours are given only on weekends at 2 p.m.
- Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for ages 7 to 17, and free for children under 6.
- The house closes on federal and state holidays. A holiday that lands on a Monday or Tuesday is observed the following Wednesday.
The county's Plan Your Visit page asks visitors to call ahead for the day's tour schedule because it can change. Those details were posted in 2024, so a call to 973-706-6640 before you drive over is worth it.
A weekday visit in October also has a deadline attached. In April, Passaic County announced that the Dey Mansion is one of five sites in RevolutionNJ's "History Pinned" America 250 program, which gives out collectible buttons and booklets. The distribution window runs June 1 through October 31. After Halloween, the button from Washington's Wayne headquarters is gone for the year.
After Washington left
Washington left on November 27, 1780. The house's 2026 calendar keeps going for a few more weeks. December brings a Colonial Christmas Concert with Linda Russell & Company on December 4 from 6 to 8 p.m., free with registration. Holiday Tea follows on December 5 and 6, with seatings at 1 and 4 p.m. each day, at $35 with reservations. The season ends with a Wine and Cheese Fundraiser on December 10 from 6 to 9 p.m., at $40 with reservations.
If you're planning a Saturday morning around the encampment, the Wayne Farmers Market at 475 Valley Road runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday through November 21. That covers both the encampment weekend and the archaeology tour weekend.
Joe Simone has spent more than 30 years helping families find homes in Wayne, a township whose history includes a seven-week stay by Washington himself. If you're wondering how your Wayne home fits into this fall's market, Joseph Simone can help. Request a Free Home Valuation & Local Market Consultation.
