George Washington and New Jersey were perfect together. In New Jersey, Washington’s Continental Army achieved early victories over the British army at Trenton and Princeton. Here, Washington played cat and mouse with the British for several years, hiding his army’s movements behind New Jersey’s mountains, while his scouts surveilled the Brits from the ridgetops.
It’s estimated that more than 600 battles and skirmishes were fought in New Jersey during the American Revolution. Many of the homes that played key roles in those historic moments—including homes where Washington slept—have been preserved as witnesses to America’s epic struggle for independence. Here’s a selection you can visit as New Jersey commemorates the nation’s semiquincentennial.
[RELATED: Where to Celebrate America’s 250th in NJ: Fireworks, Fests & More]
Ford Mansion
Morristown
Washington, his wife, Martha, his aides and his servants spent the frigid winter of 1779-80 at the gracious home of the wealthy Ford family. The home is part of the Morristown National Historic Park; guided tours are offered throughout opening hours, 11 am-3 pm, Thursday-Sunday. The neighboring Washington’s Headquarters Museum has an impressive display of Washington artifacts, including the general’s sword. FREE.
30 Washington Place; 973-539-2016
The Hermitage Museum
Ho-Ho-Kus
Photo: Courtesy of the Hermitage Museum
In the summer of 1778, Theodosia Prevost—whose soldier husband had thrown in his lot with the British—invited Washington to bunk at what she described as her “commodious” home. For Prevost, it was a means of showing loyalty to the rebel cause. Washington made camp on the Hermitage grounds from July 11 to 14, along with Alexander Hamilton, the Marquis de Lafayette, future president James Monroe, and future vice president Aaron Burr, who married Prevost (after her husband’s death) in the stone farmhouse, which was later transformed into the Victorian Gothic mansion. Guided tours ($10) of the National Historic Landmark are offered 1:15-3:15 pm, Friday-Sunday. The home will celebrate America’s 250th on July 11 with musket firing and craft demonstrations.
335 Franklin Turnpike; 201-445-8311
Boxwood Hall State Historic Site
Elizabeth
Photo: Ken Schlager
Hamilton slept here. Lafayette slept here. Washington did not, but he did drop by for lunch with the home’s owner, Elias Boudinot, who preceded Washington in the pre-Constitution presidency of the new republic. Today, the three-story mansion is frayed, but still sports its intricate crown moldings and marble fireplaces. Each room is furnished with antiques and reproduction wallpaper to reflect a period in the home’s long history. Open 9 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday. Call ahead for a fact-filled, one-hour tour. FREE.
1073 E. Jersey Street; 908-282-7617
Dey Mansion
Wayne
Photo: Courtesy of Passaic County
In 1780, Washington spent the better part of July, and then October and November, headquartered at the three-story-brick-and-brownstone home of Theunis and Hester Dey (pronounced “die”). An hour-long tour provides details of the rooms where Washington slept, worked and greeted the likes of Mad Anthony Wayne and Lafayette. Period furnishings fill the impressively maintained home; additional artifacts at the greeting center include Washington’s shaving mug. Open 10 am-5 pm, Wednesday-Sunday; admission $5. Passaic County will celebrate America’s 250th birthday at the mansion with its annual July 4th picnic, which is free.
199 Totowa Road; 973-706-6640
Thomas Clarke House
Princeton
This modest, white-clapboard 1772 farmhouse sits atop the rolling hill where, on January 3, 1777, Washington rallied his troops for a pivotal victory in the Battle of Princeton. The house, which served as a field hospital after the clash, offers two rooms with extensive displays of period artifacts and weaponry. This year’s July 4th celebration will include a reading of the Declaration of Independence, musket firing and living-history demonstrations. Open 10 am-noon and 1-4 pm, Wednesday-Sunday. For battlefield tours go to pbs1777.org. FREE.
500 Mercer Road; 609-921-0074
Whitall House Museum
Red Bank Battlefield Park
This 1766 brick farmhouse on the Delaware River served as a hospital for American and Hessian soldiers in October 1777. Open for tours 11 am-3 pm, Thursday-Sunday, April 6-October 22. FREE.
100 Hessian Avenue; 856-853-5120
Hancock House
Lower Alloways Creek
Built in 1734, this house was the site of a 1778 massacre of at least 10 citizens and militia. Open for tours 9 am-4 pm, Wednesday-Saturday, and 1-4 pm, Sunday. FREE.
3 Front Street; 856-935-4373
Steuben House
River Edge
One of three historic homes at Historic New Bridge Landing, the Dutch sandstone Steuben House witnessed the Continental Army’s desperate withdrawal from the British in November 1776. The grounds, with interpretive signage, are open daily, dawn to dusk. The Bergen County Historical Society will open the Steuben House on July 4th for a walking tour. Admission to the site is $12.50 or $7.50 for students.
1201 Main Street; 201-343-9492
Rockingham Historic Site
Franklin Township
Dating to 1710, the wood-frame house served as Washington’s final headquarters in the waning months of the war in 1783. Visit rockingham.net information about taking a guided tour of the home. FREE.
84 Laurel Avenue; 609-683-7132
Craig House
Freehold
The Craig family farmhouse served as a field hospital for the British during the 1778 Battle of Monmouth. Restored with period furnishings, it’s now part of Monmouth Battlefield State Park. Open 1-4 pm, Sunday. FREE.
Route 9; 732-462-9616
Abraham Staats House
South Bound Brook
The house was the headquarters, from March to June 1779, for General Baron von Steuben, who brought Prussian training and tactics to the Continental Army. Tours are by appointment. FREE.
17 Von Steuben Lane; 732-369-3583
Cannonball House
Springfield
Built in 1741, this yellow clapboard house survived the Battle of Springfield, during which the New Jersey militia beat back a superior British and Hessian force. Artifacts on display include a cannonball that penetrated the house during the 1780 battle. Tours are by appointment. FREE.
126 Morris Avenue; 973-912-4464
Jacobus Vandeveer House & Museum
Bedminster
The Dutch-style farmhouse, with its heavy wood beams and Delft-tiled fireplace, served as headquarters for General Henry Knox, Washington’s artillery chief, during the second Middlebrook Encampment of 1778-79. Admission is $10 or free for visitors ages 12 and under.
3055 River Road; 908-397-3377
Indian King Tavern Museum
Haddonfield
This is a tavern, not a home, but Indian King Tavern was the site of several sessions of the New Jersey Legislature during the Revolution. Tours are offered Wednesday-Sunday; hours vary, so check before visiting. FREE.
223 Kings Highway East; 856-429-6792
Ken Schlager is a lecturer at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and the former editor of New Jersey Monthly.
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