^TM

Remembering “What Was” Helps Americans Appreciate “What Is”

Morristown National Historical Park

By Marilyn Loeser

Visiting Morristown, NJ, you’ll find a typical mid-sized city with a historic courthouse, park-like city center surrounded by upscale shops and centuries-old churches. But it’s what took place here during the Revolutionary War that brings many tourists to town.

Known as the Revolutionary War Capital, three separate historic sites map the movements of the American Continental Army and its commander-in-chief, General George Washington, during the winters of 1777 and 1779–80.

The countryside in and around Morristown sheltered army encampments and served as the army’s headquarters. Washington chose Morristown for its strategic location — the close proximity to British-occupied New York City, its defensible terrain, access to needed resources including local iron forges and furnaces and the support of the community established in the early 1700s.

The Ford Mansion

From January to May 1777, Washington and the Continental Army camped near Morristown. Washington’s headquarters during that first encampment was at Jacob Arnold's Tavern located on the Morristown Green.

During the second encampment Washington used the Jacob Ford House from December 1779 to May 1780 — the coldest winter on record for New Jersey — while his troops camped at nearby Jockey Hollow.

Park rangers conduct tours every day, telling the story of the house, the family and its place in American history.

The Georgian-style mansion was built 1772 to 1774 for the businessman and his family.

Widowed in 1777, Theodosia Ford and three of her four children shared the household with Washington, his staff including Alexander Hamilton, other officers, guests and everyone’s servants. During the months their home was used as military headquarters, the Ford family lived in two rooms of the mansion.

The informative tour allows guests to look into a nation’s beginnings — how the wealthy lived during the time, the war, its leaders and the struggles they faced including battle strategy, securing food and supplies for the troops and the ever-present threat of attack from the British stronghold in New York City.

Martha Washington traveled from Virginia and was present with George each winter throughout the war, including a stay with the Ford household. It was here the Marquis de Lafayette brought news of aid from France.

Fort Nonsense

The second chapter in the Morristown war journal is Fort Nonsense, built on a hill overlooking the village in May 1777.

Continental soldiers dug trenches and raised embankments, under Washington’s order, to be used as a strategic overlook.

The earthworks became known as Fort Nonsense because of a later legend that it had been built only to keep the troops occupied.

But when Washington directed Jeremiah Olney to remain behind at Morristown after troops were on the move again, he said Olney should remain behind with the local militia to guard supplies, strengthen the fort and erect additional forts as necessary for the better defense of Morristown in case a safe retreat became necessary.

Jockey Hollow

Visiting Jockey Hollow on a beautiful summer day, it’s hard to imagine how tortuous it must have been for troops fighting the bitter cold without sufficient clothing or supplies and continually fighting hunger and disease.

Thousands of Continental soldiers endured the winter that included seven blizzards in December alone. Miraculously, only about 100 soldiers died at the encampment. Soldiers built 1,000 huts using native timber and clay — 14 by 16 feet, 12 men to a hut — to shelter themselves against the unrelenting winter.

At the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center, guests can watch a short film about encampment life before exploring the immediate area including Wick house and farm which served as General Arthur St. Clair’s headquarters.

This is a great jump-off point for exploring along more than 27 miles of hiking trails which cross through the New York and New Jersey Brigade areas, or you may opt for a driving tour which takes you to significant areas of the encampment.  

Replicated soldier huts are on display in another area of Jockey Hollow. When soldiers first arrived here, they had no defense against the elements until tents arrived a few days later. Soldiers remained in the tents until the wooden huts were completed.

If you go:

In 1933, Morristown became the third historic park added to the National Park Service and the first titled a National Historical Park. The park includes Ford's Mansion, the site of Fort Nonsense and Jockey Hollow. Admission includes all three areas.

A walk around Morristown will net you other historic opportunities.

During Washington's stay, Benedict Arnold was court-martialed at Dickenson's Tavern on Spring Street, not for treason but on lesser charges related to profiteering from military supplies at Philadelphia.

The park is open year round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Ford Mansion tours are conducted at 10 and 11 a.m.; and 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m.

The adjacent mansion museum is currently closed for renovation. It is scheduled to reopen in 2007.

For more information call (908) 766-8215 or check the website at nps.gov/morr.

Back to TravelLady Magazine