New Jersey’s position in the context of the American Revolution is at least familiar to most people today, but did you know that about three hundred battles or skirmishes took place here as the colonies fought for British independence?
Most of them are commemorated in one way or another nearly 250 years later, in part thanks to the Crossroads of the American Revolution Association, founded in Trenton, which promotes new jersey’s Revolutionary War sites by connecting some two hundred “heritage components” to the state.
Executive Director Janice Selinger said one of the things her organization aims to teach other people is the lives of New Jersey citizens at this point in history: “Revolutionary Neighbors,” the organization calls them.
Those navigating political disagreements within their families in those days had nothing about the New Jerseyans of the 1770s, Selinger said.
“It was really a civil war in New Jersey, because there were other people who were loyal, and there were other people who were patriots, and it was a very attractive setting where other people from the same circle of relatives took other sides. “she said.
The spouse of the Crossroads National Park Service is Morristown National Historic Park, which reopened after a lengthy COVID-19 shutdown in early July.
Carol Barkin, program coordinator and consultant for the Morris County Tourist Office, said the return of this charm is welcome and is at the center of the history of the “military capital of the Revolution. “
George Washington actually slept in Morristown, Barkin said, for at least two winters of the Revolution. And during his time at Arnold Tavern, right next to the green, he installed a young Alexander Hamilton as an aide-de-camp.
Following the long-term victory of the United States, the watering hole became a popular attraction.
“Morristown has been a tourist destination for other people around the world,” Barkin said. “Shortly after we gained our independence, tourists were coming to Morristown to see Arnold Tavern, because of his agreement with Washington. “
Also in Morristown is what is now known as Hamilton-Schuyler House, where Alexander Hamilton first met his wife Betsy, known as Eliza in the musical “Hamilton”.
A self-guided guided morristown guided historical walking tour will be conducted via downloading an app on morrisexcursionism. org, and a series of fall guided tours begin on Sept. 18, one focused in particular on colonial Morristown scheduled for Oct. 9.
And while New Jersey’s revolutionary sites look to the past, Crossroads looks to the long term through the execution of the New Jersey Historical Commission in commemoration of the 250th anniversary in 2026.
This procedure began as early as the “crucial 10 days” that preceded it, adding and after the crossing of the Delaware River by Washington, and then continued with its march to Morristown for the winter of 1777.
To learn more about the Crossroads of the American Revolution project, révolutionnairenj. org.
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