Ford Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ford Mansion
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Ford Mansion, George Washington's Revolutionary War headquarters from December 1779 to June 1780
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 Location in Morris County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 30 Washington Place Morristown, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Built | 1774 |
| Built by | Jacob Ford, Jr. |
| Architectural style | Georgian style |
| Part of | Morristown National Historical Park (ID66000053) |
| Designated CP | October 15, 1966 |
The Ford Mansion is a historic house in Morristown, New Jersey. It is also known as Washington's Headquarters. This classic 18th-century American home was General George Washington's main office and living space during the American Revolutionary War. He stayed here from December 1779 to June 1780.
The house was built in 1774 by Jacob Ford Jr. It was designed in the Georgian style. Today, the National Park Service owns and protects it. The Washington Association of New Jersey bought the house in 1873 to save it. It became part of the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966, as part of the Morristown National Historical Park.
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What Does the Ford Mansion Look Like?
The Ford Mansion has a Georgian-style outside. This means it looks grand and balanced. Inside, especially in the kitchen, you can see some Dutch influences. The outside walls were painted to look like fancy stone with special corner blocks called quoins.
The house also has a beautiful Palladian window above the front door and a stylish trim called a cornice. These fancy details were not just for looks. They showed how wealthy the Ford family was.
The main part of the house had rooms that were perfectly matched on both sides of the entrance hall. For example, the office was across from the library. The parlor (a formal living room) was across from the dining room. Upstairs, the bedrooms were also arranged in a balanced way. The servants' area was near the kitchen on the east side. The large hall and parlor are why this house is called a mansion. Instead of brick, which was common, the Ford Mansion used painted wooden boards for its outside walls.
Why Was This Location Important?
George Washington and the Continental Army needed a good place to stay for the winter. They chose Morristown because it was easy to defend. It also had important roads and access to key supplies. The Ford family owned several businesses nearby, including iron mines, forges, and mills for grain and gunpowder. These businesses were very helpful for getting supplies for the army.
Morristown was a small town with about 250 people and 70 buildings. In 1777, many high-ranking army officers rented houses there. However, a sickness spread through the town from the soldiers. This made some townspeople unhappy when Washington's troops arrived in 1779.
Washington's main army stayed at Jockey Hollow, about five miles south of the Ford Mansion. Washington himself stayed in the mansion.
Who Owned the Mansion?
The Ford Mansion was first owned by Colonel Jacob Ford Jr. His father gave him the land (about 200 acres) in 1762, the same year he married Theodosia Johnes. Before the war, Jacob Jr. and his father ran an iron forge in Whippany, New Jersey. Ford built the house close to the Whippany River, which made it easier to get to work.
Jacob Ford Jr. was a leader of the Morris County Militia. Sadly, he died from pneumonia in the mansion on January 11, 1777. Thirty-five Delaware troops were there when he passed away.
Ford and his soldiers had captured a British cannon on January 3, 1777, during a victory in Princeton, New Jersey. The army needed weapons, so this capture was very important. It also made the soldiers feel better about the war. This captured cannon is now on display at the museum on the Ford Mansion property, along with other old cannons.
Washington's Stay at the Mansion
After Jacob Ford Jr. died, his wife, Theodosia Ford, became the owner of the mansion. Mrs. Ford was very strong. She kept her family together and made sure their farm and businesses continued to do well.
Before Washington arrived, the house had been rented to other Continental Army troops in 1777. A sickness spread among them, which was a difficult time for the Ford family. When Washington came, he asked Mrs. Ford for permission to stay and paid her rent. General Washington, his wife Martha Washington, five of his assistants, and 18 servants all stayed in the mansion.
Mrs. Ford and her four children used two of the four bedrooms downstairs. She also kept the kitchen for her family's personal use.
The Commander-in-Chief's Office
Washington arrived at the Ford Mansion in December 1779. The location was perfect for him. The American capital was in Philadelphia, and the British Army's main base was in Manhattan. This spot allowed Washington to watch the British closely and send letters easily to the Continental Congress.
During his time at the Ford Mansion, Washington wrote many letters to Congress. He explained the difficult situation his troops were in. His own workspace was a private study on the first floor. Washington's assistants, called aides-de-camp, worked in the parlor, which became the military office. Famous people like Alexander Hamilton worked there.
A letter from Richard Meade, one of Washington's aides, to Mrs. Ford on July 26, 1780, confirms Washington's stay. It states that Washington moved into the mansion on December 1, 1779, and left on June 23, 1780. He used two rooms downstairs, all of the upstairs, the kitchen, cellar, and stable. The letter also mentions that the stable and two upstairs rooms were built or finished at the public's expense. A well that was not working was also repaired.
Saving the Ford Mansion
The Washington Association of New Jersey was created to help protect the Ford Mansion and its history in Morristown. This group bought the mansion in 1873 and started working to restore it. A small house for a caretaker was built nearby in 1886. In 1933, the mansion and its land were given to the National Park Service to be preserved for everyone.
See also
- New Jersey in the American Revolution
- List of Washington's Headquarters during the Revolutionary War
- List of museums in New Jersey
- List of the oldest buildings in New Jersey
- List of historic sites preserved along Rochambeau's route
