New Jersey History Scene

Mr. Ken and I stayed in Morristown, New Jersey while we attended his college reunion. Morristown, NJ, was settled around 1715 as New Hanover and became Morris Town in 1739, named for Governor Lewis Morris. It became a pivotal American Revolution site under General George Washington, serving as a winter headquarters twice, first in 1777 and then more significantly for the Continental Army in 1779-80 at Jockey Hollow and the Ford Mansion. The town also has an industrial past with the Speedwell Iron Works and later became an affluent community for wealthy New Yorkers.

Jockey Hollow is famous because Jockey Hollow is famous as the location of a Continental Army winter encampment during the American Revolution, where 10,000 soldiers survived the harsh winter of 1779–1780 in log huts, creating a military capital and a critical refuge for the troops. Today, the site is the largest part of the nation’s first national historical park, Morristown National Historic Park,  and is a significant historical area for its display of Revolutionary War history, hiking trails, and a restored historic farmhouse and gardens.

There are lots of helpful plaques around Morristown, explaining what was there back in the 1700’s.

Arnold Tavern in Morristown was a key location during the Revolutionary War, serving as a short-term headquarters for General George Washington and the Continental Army in the winter of 1777. It was owned by Colonel Jacob Arnold, a business partner of Thomas Kinney, and was also the site of the first trial for Benedict Arnold, who had a less auspicious connection with the tavern’s name. The building was later remodeled and used as All Souls’ Hospital, and though the original structure no longer stands, the site remains a place of historical interest in Morristown.

What interesting historical facts have you learned recently?