Other than John Adams, George Washington is one of my favorite founding fathers. Not only is his leadership beyond exemplary, he also understood the importance of being understated and allowing his actions to speak for themselves.
I visited Ford’s Mansion in Morristown, NJ which Washington used as his headquarters during the winter of 1779-1780.
The home was built in the early 1770’s for Jacob Ford, Jr. and his family. Ford was a colonel in the Morris County Militia during the Revolution and was also an iron manufacturer.
The family lived in the home until the 1870’s when four New Jersey men bought it and created the Washington Association of New Jersey, making it one of the earliest house museums in the country!
My whole family loved the house and museum on the property. So wishing I could live there…#ifonly.
This is the Museum Building which was designed by John Russell Pope, who also was the architect responsible for the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D. C., inspired by Mount Vernon (Washington’s home in Virginia).
My favorite part of the museum was this comparison of Revolutionary pamphlets to modern day blogs! It really made me want to write something political and revolutionary on Keep It Simple but I’m not sure if this is really the right place for me to share my radical views 😉
I also visited the historic cemetery of The Presbyterian Church in Morristown. It was both eerie and peaceful which I loved.
This is a statue of George Washington over the Marquis de Lafayette’s shoulder on the Green in front of the church.
The Morristown Green is a Historic Site and has been used for quite a few activities. It was Washington’s first encampment in the winter of 1777. The Green was also the site of the Morris County Courthouse and jail and was the public executions ground until 1833!
What do you think of this snippet of Morristown’s history? Have you ever visited?
-Keep It Simple
Alyssa J Freitas
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