Morristown National Historical Park

Morristown National Historical Park
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historical Park
New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Location:	At jct. of U.S. 202 and NJ 24, Morristown, New Jersey
Coordinates:	40°46′1″N 74°31′43″W
Area:	1,711 acres (6.92 km²)
Built:	1744
Architectural style:	Georgian, Cape Cod
Visitation:	241,897 (2005)
Governing body:	National Park Service
NRHP Reference#:	66000053
NJRHP #:	3381
Significant dates
Added to NRHP:	October 15, 1966
Designated NHP:	March 2, 1933
Designated NJRHP:	May 27, 1971

Morristown National Historical Park consists of three sites, the Ford Mansion, Fort Nonsense, and Jockey Hollow that were important during the American Revolutionary War, which began in 1775 and was ended in 1783 by the Treaty of Paris. Morristown is called the military capital of the revolution because of its strategic location, being the source for many essential supplies, and being used twice as the winter headquarters for George Washington.

Jockey Hollow, a few miles south of Morristown, New Jersey, was the site of a Continental Army encampment. It was from here that the entire Pennsylvania contingent mutinied and later, 200 New Jersey soldiers attempted to emulate them.

Reconstructed troop cabins.

Fort Nonsense occupied a high hilltop overlooking Morristown, and is believed to have been the site of a signal fire, along with earthworks.

The Ford Mansion, atop a beautiful hilltop in Morristown was the site of the "hard winter" (December 1779 – May 1780) quarters of George Washington and the Continental Army. That winter remains the coldest on record for New Jersey. Theodosia Ford, widow of Jacob Ford Jr., and her four children shared their household with Washington, his staff, including Alexander Hamilton, along with their servants and sometimes, their family members. Martha Washington traveled to Morristown to spend the winter with her husband. The adjacent museum is open to the public but is under construction, remodling the auditorium and two new galleries in addition to the two galleries that are open to the public.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Morris County, New Jersey

External links

• National Park Service: Morristown National Historical Park
  • NPS Museum Exhibit: Morristown
• NJ Skylands: Morristown National Historical Park
• StateParks: Morristown National Historical Park
• NY-NJTC: Morristown National Historical Park Trail Details and Info