Morristown Green facts for kids

The Morristown Green, often called just the Green, is a historic park in the middle of Morristown, New Jersey. It's about two and a half acres big. In the past, it was used as a military base, a place for soldiers to train, and where public legal punishments happened. Today, it's a popular public park where many community events take place.

You can find a map to walking paths on the Morristown Green.

History of the Green

This important historical area dates back to 1715, when New Jersey was still an English colony ruled by King George II. Years later, the Green played a huge role during the American Revolutionary War. In the winter of 1777, the Green became George Washington's first camp. Washington stayed at Arnold's Tavern, which used to be across the Green.

For almost 75 years (until 1827), the Green was home to the Morris County Courthouse and jail. It was a place where many legal activities happened, including holding Loyalists (people who supported the British King) and Hessian soldiers (German soldiers hired by the British) during the Revolution. The last public legal punishment here was in 1833.

In its early days, the land belonged to the Morristown Presbyterian Church, one of Morristown's oldest churches. In 1816, trustees bought the Green. They promised it would always be "a common forever for the use and enjoyment of the public." By the 1850s, people started improving the Green by planting trees and adding fences.

Several statues have been put up to remember the important events that happened in the park. One statue shows George Washington, the young Marquis de Lafayette, and Alexander Hamilton talking about French ships and troops coming to help the new American nation. There's also a statue honoring soldiers from the American Civil War and another for guide dogs.

Green's Landscape and Awards

The Green has won awards for its improvements, thanks to a company called Dewberry. It received an Excellence Award from Downtown New Jersey for how well the renovation was done. This award recognized how the Green helps make the downtown area better, brings people together, and makes the community proud.

The Morristown Green is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. This means it's recognized as a very important historical place. It sits right in the center of the Morristown Historic District.

Important Landmarks

Here are some of the important landmarks you can find on the Green:

• Patriots' Farewell Fountain (2001): This fountain is a monument to the Revolutionary War.
• The Alliance (2007): This bronze sculpture is also known as "The French Are Coming." It shows General George Washington, Colonel Alexander Hamilton, and the Marquis de Lafayette meeting on May 10, 1780.
  

  The Alliance (2007)
• Morris County Civil War monument (1871): This is a white granite statue of a Civil War soldier on top of a 50-foot tall granite pole.
• Morris Frank and Buddy statue (2005): This sculpture is called "The Way to Independence." It shows Morris Frank, who helped start the idea of seeing-eye dogs, and his first service dog, Buddy. The bronze statue shows them walking together, with Frank giving Buddy a command.
• Plaque marking site of Arnold's Tavern: This plaque is across from the Green, showing where George Washington stayed.
• Marker for the Baptist Church on the Green: This marks the original spot of the First Baptist Church, which was used as a hospital and burial ground during the Revolutionary War.
• Original site of the Presbyterian Church: This marks where one of Morristown's oldest churches first stood.
• The Liberty Pole: A tall pole that represents freedom.
• Granite "E. Pluribus Unum" medallion: This is in the center of the Green and features the Latin phrase meaning "Out of many, one."
• Stone marker of first courthouse and jail: This marks the spot where the county courthouse and jail once stood.
• Time capsule: A container holding items from the past, meant to be opened in the future.
• Site of the Alexander Carmichael House: This house was used by Nathanael Greene, who was in charge of supplies during the Revolution.
• Site of the Continental Storehouse: This was a storage building for the Continental Army.
• A replica of the survey of the Green: This shows a map of the Green made by Major Robert Erskine, ordered by Washington in 1779.
• Gold Star Mothers' Tree: A tree dedicated to mothers who lost children serving in the military.

Fun Activities at the Green

The Green hosts many different activities throughout the year. The most well-known event is the Festival on the Green. This is a big outdoor party where local businesses and groups come together to share information and have fun. Other events include the Christmas Festival, Moonlight Movies in Morristown, and blood drives. The Green is also a place where the community can gather to share their ideas and opinions.

The yearly Christmas Festival is a four-week event that started 97 years ago. It began with volunteers lighting a star on top of a signal tree. Now, it includes a Santa House and many other holiday decorations. Many events during the festival are free to the public, thanks to local businesses that help pay for them.

The Seeing Eye was started in 1929 and is the oldest school in the world for guide dogs. Here, dogs learn how to help people who are blind move around more easily. The dogs are taught to recognize dangers and obstacles, and people learn how to work best with their guide dogs. The Seeing Eye also offers tours of its facilities to schools nearby.