You may know Morristown for its delicious restaurants and stunning shops, but did you know that Morristown played a very important role in History? Yes, it’s true: from the American Revolution to the Underground Railroad, Morristown has played a vital role in our history.
Winter Ball
Many of you have probably heard of the Winter Ball from Hamilton, but were you aware that this event actually happened in our Starbucks in Morristown? That’s right, where you get your lattes nowadays once held a high-end event during the Revolution. In February of 1780, the colonial army had set up encampment in Morristown during the winter, and George Washington and his men had heard of a dance going on, so they made the journey through the snow to attend. In case you’re wondering, sadly, this is not where Eliza Schuyler and Alexander Hamilton met.
Underground RailRoad
Now this did not happen in Morristown but it did happen in a neighboring town, Chester. Around the year 1820 many slaves were escaping to the north in search of freedom, and New Jersey was a main passageway through the Underground Railroad. John Milton Bull worked as a guide for escaped slaves. He would bring them up to Chester, where a family of Quakers lived, and would take them in for the night before they continued on with their journey.
Jockey Hollow
The year was 1780, and George Washington and his army were failing to win any battle against the British. The army had little food, water, and many of the men were without proper clothing. This is when George Washington came across an area of land now known as Jockey Hollow, This area was home to Henry Wick. The area was surrounded by trees, which caught George Washington’s attention, as the wood could be used to build cabins and supply a heat source for the soldiers. So that’s just what they did. The soldiers started cutting up the wood and building huts that could hold up twelve soldiers. If you go to Jockey Hollow today, you can explore a recreated hut. The winter of 1780 was the one of the coldest winters in American history, with average temperatures being below 32 degrees, and without proper clothing this situation was unbearable. Even through these harsh months, the army continued and made a remarkable comeback later on.
As you can see Morristown played a large role in history. Which place would you visit?
Works Cited
YouTube: Home, 3 June 2009, https://www.mypaperonline.com/the-railroad-that-wasnt-in-morris-county.html. Accessed 12 March 2024.
Austen, Jane. “When Eliza Schuyler Danced with Col. Alexander Hamilton, 1780 — Susan Holloway Scott, Bestselling Historical Fiction Author.” Susan Holloway Scott, 7 February 2019, https://susanhollowayscott.com/blog/2019/2/2/lqlopzjbgmmvl7syyvlqemwp3zfyfu. Accessed 12 March 2024.
“Jockey Hollow.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jockey_Hollow. Accessed 12 March 2024.
“Jockey Hollow – Morristown National Historical Park (U.S.” National Park Service, 14 August 2022, https://www.nps.gov/morr/learn/historyculture/jockey-hollow.htm. Accessed 12 March 2024.
“Morristown National Historical Park, Jockey Hollow.” NJ Skylands, https://njskylands.com/hsmtnhp. Accessed 12 March 2024.
“Visit these North Jersey Underground Railroad safe houses.” Bergen Record, 24 May 2021, https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2021/05/24/underground-railroad-miniseries-amazon-north-jersey-safe-houses-slavery/5145559001/. Accessed 12 March 2024.
