Rye, New York: The Perfect Day Trip

     Rye, New York is a small city located on the Long Island Sound. The town nestles in a valley which provides an inspiring view of the hills and dales which surround the city. The city has two National Historical Landmarks. The Boston Post Historic District and  the boyhood home of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the U.S Supreme Court. The historical landmarks are a suitable introduction to the famous people whom have resided here.

     This small city with a population of less then 20,000 has had a broad range of famous residents. Guy Pene du Bois, the well known realist, painted a mural in the city’s Post Office lobby in 1938. The mural is titled “ John Jay at His Home.” The Rye Historical Society has preserved many sites which highlight the famous  people whom have visited Rye. Most notably is the Square House which at one time was a Tavern/Inn in which George Washington had stayed in the 18th century.

     It has been reported that Rye is the third most expensive city in the nation to purchase a home. This can be explained by the wide range of contemporary famous individuals whom have resided here. Recent residents include James Bradley, the author, to Barbara Bush who attended elementary school in Rye. Another famous (or notorious, depending on your outlook) resident is Megyn Kelly of Fox News.

     The two most famous residents of Rye, John Jay and James Bradley, give this city a unique patriotic spirit. Aside from being the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Jay exhibited many traits which encompassed the spirit of liberty. He was famous  for advocating emancipation which was controversial during his time. He helped broker the Treaty of Paris in 1783 which ended the Revolutionary War. He also helped preventing the United States from going to war with Great Britain in 1794 with the Jay Treaty. He topped his career off serving as Governor of New York for six years prior to retiring.

     James Bradley has contributed to the  patriotic spirit of the nation in his own  unique way. His nonfiction works which have vividly chronicled the sacrifice of soldiers and sailors in the Pacific theatre of World War II have earned him critical acclaim. His most famous work was Flag of Our Fathers published in 2000. Other famous works by Bradley are Flyboys: A True Story of Courage (2003) and The Imperial Cruise (2009). James Bradley was awarded the Superior Public Service Award in 2003 by the Secretary of Navy.

     John Jay and James Bradley give the city of Rye, New York deep historical significance. Their contributions make this small city a must see for all American  History enthusiasts. There are just plain fun sites to visit in Rye. The city boasts a theme park called Rye Playland which has National Historic Landmark status. The theme park has a wooden roller coaster, Dragon Coaster, which was built in 1929. Playland is also famous for being the setting in the film Big with Tom Hanks. Just the city’s location on the Long Island sound and its charming  landscape make it a worthwhile day trip in itself.