So many places lay claim to hosting the nation’s first Commander-in-Chief that it’s become a cliché. Here in New Jersey, though, that claim rings true. In fact, George Washington spent more time during the American Revolution in New Jersey than in any other state.
The tour follows the Continental Army’s march from Princeton to Morristown after the Ten Crucial Days campaign in 1777, but this route covers so much more. The journey spans nearly the entire Revolution, as American forces, as well as British raiding parties, crisscrossed this part of the state several times throughout the war. This is a story not only of the region’s military importance, but also of the war’s impact on the people who lived in the towns and villages here.
The main attractions, though, are the three grand homes you can stop and visit along the way:
– the Ford Mansion in Morristown, which served as Washington’s headquarters during the Jockey Hollow encampment;
– the Wallace House in Somerville, which served as Washington’s headquarters during the Middlebrook encampment;
– and Rockingham, north of Princeton, which became Washington’s final wartime headquarters.
In fact, if you count up the total number of days Washington commanded the Continental Army, he spent one-fifth of those days – and nights – in one of these three houses. That is why New Jersey – and especially the area you are about to visit – can truly claim that “Washington Slept Here.”
The Washington Slept Here tour was created by the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area. It was made possible by the generous support of the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, the George A. Ohl, Jr. Trust, the F.M. Kirby Foundation, the Hampshire Companies, and the Morris County Tourism Bureau.
Este tour también está disponible en español. Toque el botón para ver ambas versiones del recorrido.
Tour Map
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Information courtesy of TravelStoryGPS and The Crossroads of the American Revolution.
