Morristown National Historic Park: Military Capital of the American Revolution

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Morristown National Historic Park | Introduction

The city of Morristown, located in central New Jersey, is known as the military capital of the American Revolutionary War and holds a significant strategic position in American Revolutionary history. The Morristown National Historic Park (Morristown National Historic Park) was established to commemorate the history of Washington's troops encamping here in 1779. The park is divided into three parts: Ford Mansion, Fort Nonsense, and the Jockey Hollow area. These three sites are spread around the town of Morristown and require driving through the city to visit each one. In terms of distance, it's suitable for a half-day to a full-day trip.

Although it is called a national park, it is probably not frequently visited by international tourists. This is partly because historical sites focused on American history might not be of interest to foreigners, and partly because central New Jersey is far from tourist-heavy areas like New York City. Therefore, most visitors are Americans. Due to its significant historical importance and its rare combination of historical sites with hiking paths, Morristown is ranked as the second most important attraction in New Jersey, with the top spot going to the resort destination of Cape May.

Ford Mansion

The first recommended stop is Ford Mansion. The visitor center here features a film and a simple exhibition that narrates the history of the area. Watching the film provides valuable context and is very helpful for the rest of the tour.

The American Revolutionary War began in 1775 and lasted eight years until a ceasefire treaty was signed with Britain in 1783. In 1779, General George Washington led an army of 10,000 men to winter in Morristown, using Mr. Ford's mansion as his military headquarters. Morristown was strategically chosen due to its excellent location, with mountains to the east providing a natural barrier, making it easy to defend and hard to attack. Additionally, it was close to New York, where the British forces were based, allowing Washington to keep a close watch on enemy movements.

The winter of 1779 was particularly harsh, with New Jersey experiencing a once-in-a-century snowstorm. Washington and his troops endured an extremely difficult winter here. The severe cold and disrupted supply lines led to a dire shortage of resources, causing many soldiers to fall ill or desert. Washington continually wrote to the capital in DC for aid, but his pleas went unanswered. The distant congressmen in DC, unable to directly witness the unprecedented cold weather, suspected Washington of exaggeration and refused to extend help.

During the Revolutionary War, America was not yet a unified nation, and trust between government entities was still very weak. It wasn't until the winter ended that DC sent inspectors who confirmed the difficult conditions, prompting them to send aid. During this challenging period, Washington's army survived largely thanks to support from nearby New Jersey.

Opposite the visitor center is the Ford Mansion, which was rented by Washington to serve as his military headquarters. Entrance is only permitted through a guided tour. Tickets for the guided tour cost seven dollars per person, but those with a National Park annual pass can enter for free.

Due to strict New Jersey laws, the military could not requisition private property without compensation, so Washington had to pay rent to establish his military headquarters. The interior of the Ford Mansion is not very large. The two-story building was divided, with half used for office space and the other half accommodating Washington, his officers, and their families. This included 12 servants and their families. Additionally, to raise funds, Washington rented out two rooms on the upper floor. This meant that the kitchen, with only one stove, had to serve at least three households, making for quite crowded conditions.

Morristown national historic park 2 — A large room on the first floor of the office building.

Morristown national historic park 3 — A large room on the first floor of the office building.

Fort Nonsense

Fort Nonsense is a fortification site located on a small hill. Currently, only the trails and a few stone markers remain, leaving visitors to imagine what the fort once looked like, hidden behind the trees on the hillside.

According to historical records, the purpose of building this fort was unclear even at the time. Some say it was constructed simply to keep the soldiers occupied. Regardless, due to its unclear purpose, it was dubbed "Fort Nonsense" by the people of that era, and the name has stuck ever since. However, looking at the dense forest in front of it, it's possible that choosing this secluded location for the fort did have some military significance, even if it was never put to use.

Jockey Hollow

Jockey Hollow is the most popular area for visitors. This expansive region was where the army was encamped in the past. It features several hiking trails, attracting many people who come specifically for outdoor activities. The park has a figure-eight-shaped road, allowing visitors to drive around and see the entire area. For those interested in hiking, you can drive directly to the trailheads. We parked in the lot in front of Wick Farm, which has another visitor center. After passing through the visitor center, a trail leads to Wick Farm.

Wick Farm is an apple orchard that Washington's army used for building their encampment and for firewood when they arrived. Today, visitors can still pick up the small apples that have fallen from the trees. The family walking ahead of us collected many and were happily munching on them right on the spot!

After walking out from the trail behind the farm, we intended to drive around the loop, but we accidentally drove out of Jockey Hollow and ended up in the New Jersey Brigade area. This area used to be another section of the military encampment and also has remnants of where the troops were stationed. However, it requires a longer hike to reach these historical sites.

Driving a bit further up, you can visit the Cross Estate Gardens. This garden is part of the adjacent mansion and doesn't have historical significance related to the national park's main themes. It was acquired by the National Park Service to protect the land surrounding the military encampments, so they ended up purchasing this property. The presence of a grand tower suggests that the mansion's previous owner was quite affluent. The garden is beautifully maintained and is a recommended spot for a pleasant stroll.

After getting lost for a while, we drove back to Jockey Hollow to visit the most iconic military encampment ruins. The wooden huts you see are reconstructions, as the original structures couldn't withstand two centuries of weathering. Originally, there were four huts, but one in the middle collapsed during a winter snowstorm. These photos were taken in late summer, and the space doesn't look too bad in the pictures. However, anyone who has experienced a winter blizzard would understand how harsh the conditions must have been. The soldiers spent that exceptionally severe winter in these flimsy shelters, enduring extreme hardships.

Morristown National Historic Park | Introduction

Ford Mansion

Fort Nonsense

Jockey Hollow

Further reading