The McDonald Interviews are a powerful newly accessible digital collection from the Westchester County Historical Society.
The collection contains over 400 firsthand accounts of the Revolutionary War in Westchester County, New York (which at the time also included all of present-day Bronx County, NY), and parts of Fairfield County, Connecticut.
During the American Revolution, this area was considered a “Neutral Ground” due to its location between the British lines “below” near the city of New York and the American lines “above” in northern Westchester and eastern Fairfield counties.
Although the area was not securely held by either side during the war, it was certainly not “neutral,” and was the scene of numerous raids, skirmishes, and depredations between 1776 and 1783.
The accounts were compiled from 1844-1851 by lawyer-turned-historian John Macdonald (also spelled McDonald). They shed light on stories of survival, resistance, and community beyond the battlefield.
The collection is now available on the sites of Westchester County Historical Society and New York Heritage. The project was made possible by the National Historical Records and Publications Commission, a part of the National Archives.
Project Archivist Monica Genuardi along with Westchester County Historical Society Librarian Patrick Raftery will be guides to the collection’s creation, insights, and what it reveals ahead of the Revolution’s 250th anniversary in a webinar
This presentation is a collaborative effort between the Westchester County Historical Society, New York Heritage, New York Archives Magazine, and the Archives Partnership Trust.
You can register for the free Zoom presentation here.
Read more about the American revolution in New York.
Illustration: A sample of the McDonald Interviews.
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