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A brief history of the Green, taken from the inside flap of the new book by Richard C. Simon, The Green, A History of the Morristown Green.

Located at the center of the county seat, with 2 1/2 acres of attractive land, the Green has been the stage for many political, military, penal, cultural, celebratory, and public entertainment events through the years.

Of particular importance in the history of the Green is its role in various aspects of the American Revolutionary War period, linking local history to the history of the United States as a whole. General George Washington was headquartered at the Green in Arnold's Tavern during his first encampment in Morristown (January - May, 1777), and was in town again during the winter of 1779-80. As a result, the Green was frequently the center for military and political activities related to the period, and was visited by many of the national military leaders.

In addition, the Green was the site of the Morris County Courthouse and jail for nearly 75 years (until 1827) and was the stage for many penal activities, including the incarceration of Tories and Hessian soldiers during the Revolutionary period.


On January 6, 1777 General George Washington established his winter headquarters at Jacob Arnold's Tavern, then located at what is now 20 Park Place. He occupied rooms on the second floor. His officers and men were quartered in every house and barn in the vicinity. A large encampment is believed to have set up tents in Loantaka Valley (between Woodland and Spring Valley Roads). Washington remained here until after he left for Middlebrook on May 28, 1777. The Arnold Tavern was moved to a location on Mt. Kemble Avenue in 1866 and burned in 1918.