Morristown, NJ Revolutionary Road Trip: Darley Newman's Guide to Washington's Winter Encampment

Historic Travel
Written By Cynthia Irons

I'm Darley Newman, and outside Ford Mansion in Morristown National Historical Park is where I started this leg of Travels with Darley's Revolutionary Road Trip through New Jersey — one of the many places George Washington slept, and one of many places sharing untold stories of the American Revolution.

Just over 30 miles from Manhattan, Morristown is where General Washington established not one but two winter encampments during the Revolutionary War, including the coldest winter of the entire 18th century. It's an easy stop on any New Jersey road trip for the American Revolution traveler, and one of the most hands-on, family-friendly legs of this Revolutionary Road Trip.

Ford Mansion & Morristown National Historical Park

Ranger Eric Olsen led me through Morristown National Historical Park — the first national historical park ever established in the United States. Ford Mansion, its grand Georgian centerpiece, was Washington's headquarters for six months, from December 1779 to June 1780. “One officer referred to it as the Great White House at the far edge of town,” Olsen told me. In some ways, this was the Pentagon of the Revolution — the place directing the war, with Washington's aides, including a young Alexander Hamilton, working alongside him. The house slept anywhere from 30 to over 100 people a night, and by law, Washington needed the widow Mrs. Ford's permission to headquarter there. She gave it.

Jockey Hollow

Five miles south of Ford Mansion, Jockey Hollow was where roughly 2,000 soldiers spent that brutal winter of 1779-80 in hundreds of hand-built log huts. The army cleared more than 2,000 acres of trees here — about 2,000 football fields' worth — to build over 1,000 huts and keep warm. For a few months, this quiet park was one of the largest cities in the United States.

Washington's Headquarters Museum & Discovery History Center

Most people think of Washington as a general or a president — but at his own headquarters museum, you learn he thought of himself as a farmer, meticulously recording “corn sent to the mill” and “carpenters and bricklayers for the work” in his farm letters. The adjoining Discovery History Center is built for families, with hands-on exhibits including reproduction Revolutionary War uniforms and a regimental coat kids can try on to learn how soldiers reversed their coats for extra warmth in winter.

Schuyler-Hamilton House

While stationed in Morristown, Alexander Hamilton found time to court his future wife, Elizabeth Schuyler, at what's now the Schuyler-Hamilton House. Curator Pat Saftner shared the story of a romance that blossomed amid 100 inches of snow — and the Daughters of the American Revolution chapter that saved the farmhouse from demolition a century ago after reading about its sale in the newspaper.

Morristown Green

At the historic Morristown Green, County Commissioner John Krickus showed me the site of Arnold's Tavern, Washington's first Morristown headquarters from January to May of 1777, following the victories at Trenton and Princeton. It's also where Hamilton and the Marquis de Lafayette delivered Washington the news that the French fleet and army were on their way — a turning point that would help win the war at Yorktown.

History, Food & Culture Beyond the Battlefield

A Revolutionary road trip through Morristown comes with its own kind of toast.

Glenbrook Brewery — Morristown, NJ

Co-owner Darren Cregan has built an entire “Revolutionary Beer” lineup naming brews after Morristown's historic parks and figures — Ducky Hollow Pumpkin Ale, Lewis Morris Park, Tempe Wick Farmhouse Sour, and the popular Schuyler Seltzer among them. It's a favorite of local reenactors, who are known to stop in for a toast — I joined them for one myself.

The Grain House Restaurant — Morristown, NJ

During the winter of 1778, George Washington stored grain for his troops at Jockey Hollow in what's now the Grain House Restaurant — a building over 250 years old, with the original bones still intact. If you're venturing inside, the specialty drink is the Coppertoptini.

Black Horse Pub & Tavern — Mendham, NJ

A short drive from Morristown, the Black Horse Pub & Tavern is reputed to be the oldest continuously running restaurant in New Jersey, with roots dating back to 1742. What began as a barn and home later became a colonial-era inn — the kind of place travelers would have stopped to rest for the night centuries ago, and still do today.

More Historic Landmarks to Add to Your Itinerary

Morris Museum — Morristown, NJ

Executive Director Tom Loughman walked me through the Morris Museum's fine art collection, which includes a faithful period copy of Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington and a formal court portrait of a young Benjamin Franklin, painted while he was still a proud, loyal subject of the English crown — a reminder of how much changed in a few short years.

Plan Your Own Revolutionary Road Trip Through Morristown, NJ

•    Best for: History lovers, American Revolution travelers, families, day-trippers from NYC

•    Located: About 30 miles from Manhattan, easily reached by car or NJ Transit

•    Combines well with: A broader New Jersey Revolutionary Road to 250 itinerary, or a standalone NYC-area day trip

•    Don't miss: Ford Mansion, Jockey Hollow, the Schuyler-Hamilton House, and a toast at Glenbrook Brewery

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is Travels with Darley's Revolutionary Road Trip? Revolutionary Road Trip is a new book by award-winning TV host and travel expert Darley Newman. Drawing on years of firsthand research and travel across the 13 original colonies, Darley road trips to hidden Revolutionary-era sites, authentic colonial taverns, and battlefields where lesser-known heroes shaped a nation

  • What Revolutionary War sites can you visit in Morristown, NJ? Morristown's top Revolutionary War sites include Ford Mansion and Jockey Hollow within Morristown National Historical Park, the Schuyler-Hamilton House, and Morristown Green, site of Washington's first 1777 headquarters at the former Arnold's Tavern.

  • Why did George Washington choose Morristown for his winter encampments? Morristown's surrounding hills offered natural defensive cover, distance from British-held New York City, and access to timber and farmland — making it a strategic, defensible location for the Continental Army to wait out two harsh winters, including the coldest winter of the 18th century in 1779-80.

  • Is Morristown, NJ a good day trip from New York City? Yes. Morristown is about 30 miles from Manhattan and reachable by car or NJ Transit, making it one of the easiest Revolutionary War day trips for travelers based in or visiting New York City.

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Cynthia Irons
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