Morristown, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Morristown, New Jersey
Town
Morristown Green, the cultural heart of Morristown Morristown Station The Vail Mansion Morris County Courthouse Fort Nonsense Morristown & Morris Township Library Washington's Headquarters Museum The Kedge U.S. Post Office Downtown Morristown Medical Center
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Nickname(s):  "Military Capital of the American Revolution", "Mo Town", "The Mo", "Mo City"
Location of Morristown in Morris County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Morris County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (left).
Census Bureau map of Morristown, New Jersey <mapframe text="Interactive map of Morristown, New Jersey" zoom="8" width="250" height="250"> { "type": "ExternalData", "service": "geoshape", "ids": "Q962499" } </mapframe>
Morristown, New Jersey Location in Morris County, New Jersey Show map of Morris County, New Jersey Morristown, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Morristown, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Morris
Founded	1715
Incorporated	April 6, 1865
Government
• Type	Faulkner Act (mayor–council)
• Body	Town Council
Area
• Total	3.01 sq mi (7.79 km2)
• Land	2.91 sq mi (7.53 km2)
• Water	0.10 sq mi (0.25 km2)  3.26%
Area rank	333rd of 565 in state 25th of 39 in county
Elevation	315 ft (96 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	20,180
• Estimate  (2023)	20,571
• Rank	137th of 565 in state 9th of 39 in county
• Density	6,937.1/sq mi (2,678.4/km2)
• Density rank	67th of 565 in state 2nd of 39 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes	07960–07963
Area code(s)	862/973 and 201
FIPS code	3402748300
GNIS feature ID	0885309

Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the county government is located. Morristown is famous for its important role in the American Revolutionary War. People even call it "the military capital of the American Revolution."

The town was officially created on April 6, 1865. In 2020, Morristown had a population of 20,180 people. This was the highest number of people ever recorded living in the town during a census.

The first permanent settlement in Morristown was called New Hanover. It was founded in 1715 by colonists from New York and Connecticut. Morris County, and later Morristown, got its name from Lewis Morris. He was a popular governor who supported land ownership for colonists.

History of Morristown

Washington's headquarters at Morristown is now a museum in the Morristown National Historical Park.

Morristown in 1828

Early History: Native Americans and European Settlers

For thousands of years, the Lenape Native Americans lived in this area. European explorers arrived in the early 1600s. They set up trading posts to buy furs from the natives. The area first became part of a Dutch colony called New Netherland. But in 1664, the English took control and named it the Province of New Jersey.

Morristown in the 1700s

Around 1715, English Presbyterians from New York and Connecticut settled Morristown. They called their village New Hanover. Because of its central location and good roads, it became the main town for the new Morris County in 1739. Both the village and the county were named after Lewis Morris, who was the royal governor of New Jersey.

By the mid-1700s, Morristown had about 250 residents. It had churches, a courthouse, taverns, schools, stores, and many farms nearby.

George Washington's Visits to Morristown

George Washington first visited Morristown in May 1773, before the Revolutionary War began. He stayed here and traveled to New York City.

In 1777, General George Washington and his Continental Army stayed near Morristown from January to May. Washington's first headquarters was at Jacob Arnold's Tavern in the town center. Morristown was chosen because it was in a very important spot. It was between Philadelphia and New York and close to New England. The town also had skilled workers, local businesses, and natural resources to help the army. People thought the community could provide enough food for the soldiers.

Churches were used to give soldiers smallpox shots. Arnold's Tavern was later moved and became All Souls Hospital in the late 1800s. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1918.

From December 1779 to June 1780, the Continental Army stayed in Morristown again, at Jockey Hollow. This time, Washington's headquarters was at the Ford Mansion. This large house was on the edge of town. Mrs. Ford and her children shared the house with Martha Washington and army officers.

The winter of 1780 was the hardest winter of the Revolutionary War. Soldiers faced starvation, and their money was worth very little. Many soldiers were not paid. Some soldiers from Pennsylvania refused to fight until their problems were fixed.

During this second stay, in March 1780, Washington made Saint Patrick's Day a holiday to honor his many Irish soldiers. Martha Washington stayed with her husband every winter during the war. The Marquis de Lafayette came to Morristown to tell Washington that France would send ships and trained soldiers to help the army.

The Ford Mansion, Jockey Hollow, and Fort Nonsense are now part of Morristown National Historical Park. This was the first National Historical Park created in the United States.

While Washington was in Morristown, Benedict Arnold was put on trial for misusing military supplies. He was publicly scolded, but Washington quietly promised to help him later.

Alexander Hamilton met and married Elizabeth Schuyler at a house where Washington's doctor was staying. This house, called the Dr. Jabez Campfield House, is now a historic site.

The Morristown Green has a statue that shows George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, and Alexander Hamilton. They are shown discussing the help that France would send to the Continental Army.

Burnham Park in Morristown has a statue of Thomas Paine, who wrote the famous booklet Common Sense. This booklet encouraged Americans to break away from British rule. The statue shows Paine writing his famous words, "These are the times that try men's souls..." It was dedicated on July 4, 1950.

Morristown from the 1800s to Today

War memorial

The idea for building the Morris Canal came from Morristown businessman George P. Macculloch in 1822. The canal was used for 100 years.

In July 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette returned to Morristown during his visit to the United States. A special party was held for him at the Sansay House.

In 1833, a man named Antoine le Blanc was found guilty of murder. He was the last person to be hanged on the Morristown Green.

Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail built the first telegraph at the Speedwell Ironworks in Morristown on January 6, 1838. The first message sent was "A patient waiter is no loser." Five days later, they showed the invention to the public. This was an early step into the Information Age.

Jacob Arnold's Tavern, Washington's first headquarters, was moved in 1887 to save it from being torn down. It became a boarding house and then All Souls Hospital, the first general hospital in Morris County. The building burned down in 1918. A new hospital building was built across the street. This hospital later became the Morristown Medical Center.

In 1843, the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church was started. This was the first church created by Black people in Morris County. It also served as the only school for Black children until 1870.

On January 5, 2009, five red lights were seen in the Morristown night sky. This event was later found to be a staged prank using balloons and flares. It became known as the Morristown UFO hoax.

Geography of Morristown

Morristown covers about 3 square miles (7.8 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.

Morristown is completely surrounded by Morris Township. This is like a "doughnut town" where one town is entirely inside another.

The main shopping and business area of Morristown is around a square park called the Morristown Green. This park used to be a market square in colonial times.

Climate in Morristown

Morristown has a climate with four distinct seasons. It has warm summers and cold winters.

People in Morristown

2020 Census Information

The 2020 census counted 20,180 people living in Morristown. There were 8,391 households.

The population included:

• 49.29% White
• 10.05% Black or African-American
• 1.71% Native American or Alaska Native
• 4.8% Asian
• 0.06% Pacific Islander
• 20.47% from other races
• 13.63% from two or more races
• 25.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

About 13.3% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 36.4 years.

The average household income was about $111,130. About 8.8% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Economy and Jobs

"Smart Growth" in Morristown

Several companies have their main offices in Morristown. These include Capsugel, Reworld, Louis Berger Group, Schindler Group, and the Morristown & Erie Railway. Honeywell also has offices here.

Morristown Medical Center is the largest employer in Morristown, with 5,500 workers.

Arts and Culture

St. Peter's Episcopal Church

Home of Thomas Nast, known as Villa Fontana

Mayo Performing Arts Center

Main Places to Visit

• Morristown National Historical Park: This park includes four historic sites from the American Revolutionary War. You can visit Jockey Hollow, where George Washington's army camped. It has a visitor center, the Wick farm, and hiking trails. You can also see the Washington's Headquarters & Ford Mansion, which was Washington's headquarters.
• Speedwell Lake: A park with an old dam and other interesting ruins. The Patriots Path, a walking trail, goes through this park.
• Morristown Green: This is a park in the center of town. It used to be a common area in colonial times. It has monuments from the Revolutionary War and Civil War. Historic churches, the county courthouse, and shops surround it.
• St. Peter's Episcopal Church: A large church with a bell tower, beautiful stained glass, and old furnishings.
• Acorn Hall: An 1853 Victorian mansion that is now home to the Morris County Historical Society. It is a museum with many original furnishings.
• Morris Museum: This museum has displays of rocks, minerals, fossils, animal mounts, a model railroad, and Native American crafts.
• Mayo Performing Arts Center: This used to be a movie theater. Now it's a large performing arts center with 1,302 seats.
• The Seeing Eye: This is the first school in North America that trains guide dogs for blind and visually impaired people.
• Speedwell Ironworks: A National Historic Landmark and museum. This is where the electric telegraph was first shown to the public on January 11, 1838.

Libraries in Morristown

• Morristown and Morris Township Public Library: This library started in 1792. A fire destroyed much of it in 1914. In 1916, a new fireproof building was built. The library had a special women's-only book club called the Modern Mondays Reading Club.

Historic Sites in Morristown

Acorn Hall, headquarters of the Morris County Historical Society

Morristown has many places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include:

• Acorn Hall (added 1973)
• Dr. Jabez Campfield House (added 2008)
• Morris County Courthouse (added 1977)
• Morristown National Historical Park (added 1966)
• Thomas Nast Home (added 1966)
• Speedwell Village-The Factory (added 1974)

Statues in Morristown

George Washington by Frederick Roth

The Hiker by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson

• An equestrian statue of George Washington is near the Ford Mansion. It was dedicated on October 19, 1928.
• A statue called The Hiker honors soldiers from the Spanish–American War. It was put up in 1948.
• One of only two statues of Thomas Paine in the United States is in Morristown.
• The courthouse has a statue of Lady Justice that is not blindfolded.
• A statue of Morris Frank, who helped start The Seeing Eye guide dog school, and his dog Buddy is on the Morristown Green.
• The Alliance (2007) shows bronze figures of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and the Marquis de Lafayette on the Morristown Green.

Sports in Morristown

The New Jersey Stampede is a professional inline hockey team that plays in Morristown.

The United States Equestrian Team, the national equestrian team, was founded in Morristown in 1950.

Morristown also has a cricket club, which was the first in North America.

The Morristown 1776 Association Football Club is a soccer club that plays in local leagues.

Education in Morristown

Morristown–Beard School

The Morris School District serves students from Morristown and Morris Township. High school students from Morris Plains also attend Morristown High School. The district has 10 schools and about 5,216 students.

Morristown also has several private schools:

• The Red Oaks School: An independent school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It offers Montessori and International Baccalaureate programs.
• Assumption Roman Catholic: A K-8 school. It was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2014.
• The Peck School: A private day school for kindergarten through eighth grade. It started in 1893.
• Delbarton School: An all-boys Catholic school for grades seven through twelve.
• Morristown-Beard School: A private co-ed school for grades 6 through 12.
• Villa Walsh Academy: A private Catholic college preparatory school.

The Rabbinical College of America is one of the largest Hasidic yeshivas in the world. It is located in Morristown.

Transportation in Morristown

Interstate 287 northbound in Morristown

Morristown station

Roads and Highways

Morristown has about 40 miles of roads. Interstate 287 is the main highway that connects to Morristown. Other important roads include U.S. Route 202 and New Jersey Route 124.

Public Transportation

Morristown is a "transit village" because it has good public transportation. This has helped new buildings and businesses grow around the train station.

NJ Transit offers train service from the Morristown station. You can take trains to Newark Broad Street, Secaucus Junction, New York Penn Station, and Hoboken Terminal. Travel times to New York City became shorter in the 1990s.

NJ Transit also offers local bus service from the Morristown train station and other locations.

"Colonial Coach" is a free transportation service provided by the town within Morristown.

Aviation

Morristown Municipal Airport is the closest public airport. It is owned by the town but located in nearby Hanover Township.

Newark Liberty International Airport is the closest major airport with passenger flights. It is about 20 minutes away by car.

Media in Morristown

Because Morristown is close to New York City, people read newspapers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

The Daily Record newspaper used to be called the Morristown Daily Record. The New Jersey Monthly magazine is also published here.

WMTR is a local AM radio station that plays oldies music.

WJSV (90.5 FM) is the non-profit radio station of Morristown High School. The school also has a TV show called Colonial Corner.

Hometown Tales, a TV show and podcast about stories and urban legends, is based in Morristown.

Notable People from Morristown

William O. Baker

Steve Forbes

Morris Frank and Buddy

Julia Hurlbut

Otto Hermann Kahn

Fran Lebowitz

Thomas Nast

Craig Newmark

Gene Shalit

Many interesting people have been born in, lived in, or are connected to Morristown:

See also

In Spanish: Morristown (Nueva Jersey) para niños