Complete information about visiting Morristown National Historical Park is now on National Park Planner!
The Morristown National Historical Park is the site of General George Washington’s Continental Army winter camp for three consecutive seasons beginning with the winter of 1779-80. Until modern times, armies deployed in the northern climates could not fight during the winter due to snow and ice. Instead, the men gathered at strategic points and built camps where they could wait until spring, or even early summer since the roads would be nothing but mud when the snow melted. Morristown’s strategic importance was that the British Army’s winter camp was just a two-day march away in New York, and between the two camps stood the Watchung Mountains and the Great Swamp, so there was no way for the British to pull off a surprise attack.
Today there is nothing left of the camps other than the locations themselves. Hiking trails crisscross the park and provide ample opportunity for exercise. Some pass through the historic areas, while others follow picturesque streams. All trails are open to hikers, and a few allow horseback riding for those with their own horse. No biking is allowed on the trails.
There are also a few historical homes in the park. The Ford Mansion where George Washington stayed is open for tours. The Wick Farmhouse at Jockey Hollow where General Arthur St. Claire spent the winter is open on a limited basis. At the Pennsylvania Line Encampment Site in Jockey Hollow, you can visit replicas of huts in which the enlisted men would have stayed.
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Last updated on March 22, 2019
