Morristown National Historical Park

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Morristown National Historical Park
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
Morristown National Historical Park
Location Morris County, New Jersey, USA
Nearest city Morristown, New Jersey
Coordinates 40°46′34″N 74°32′02″W / 40.77611, -74.53389
Area 1,711 acres (6.92 km²)
Established March 2, 1933
Visitors 241,897 (in 2005)
Governing body National Park Service

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.

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, and her three 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 being remodeled and should be open again in 2007.

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