Morristown Green
Encyclopedia
Morristown Green, most commonly referred to as the Green, is a historical park located in the center of the Morristown
, New Jersey
, with two and a half acres that have served as a military base
, a militia
training ground, and an area for public executions. Currently is a public park in which many community events are held.
, "This historical ground dates back to early 1715, in a time when New Jersey
was still an English colony under the rule of King George II
and Parliament
,” Years later the Green served a critical role during the American Revolutionary War
. In the winter of 1777, the Green became George Washington
's first encampment. Washington stayed at Arnold's Tavern, which once stood across the Green on what is now North Park Street. According to Simons, "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" The Green also served in the American Civil war
, as a public executions ground. The executions lasted till 1833.
In the early days of the Green the land was owned by the Morristown Presbyterian Church, one of the oldest churches in Morristown; but was purchased in 1816 by the trustees of the Morristown Green and have maintained it ever since. The trustees pledged that the Green would remain "a Common forever for the use and enjoyment of the public," and by the 1850s, efforts were made to revitalize the Green with tree plantings and fencing"(Chemerka). A photograph of the Morristown Green taken at the turn of the 19th clearly shows its walkways and plantings.
Today several statues were rectified, in the Green, of the important historical figures that stepped foot on its grounds. “The Morristown Green has a statue commemorating the meeting of George Washington
, the young Marquis de Lafayette, and young Alexander Hamilton
depicting them discussing aid of French tall ships and troops being sent by King Louis XVI of France as support for the budding nation”(buckeye1776), there is also a Civil War memorial statue and a seeing-eye dog commutative statue.
(1) Preserving and enhancing the character of the downtown environment
(2) Contributing to the economic vitality of the downtown district
(3) Generating pride in the community
(4) Drawing people to the area
(5) Demonstrating a coordinated effort by various segments of the community
(6) Improving the streetscape or visual appearance of the business district
The Morristown Green is on the National Register of Historic Sites and is in the center of the Morristown Historic District"(Wenistein).
People all throughout Morristown know about the Greens beauty. It has become a place where some have even propose, because of sheer beauty of the Green, but the Green is not only beautiful during the spring and summer seasons. In the autumn season the many trees of the Green turn into their golden and brown colors and the Green becomes a winter wonder land in the winter months when it is covered in snow. Snowflakes are put up on each light post to further bring out the winter wonderland feel of the green.
The annual Christmas festival is a four week event that began 97 years ago, with a group of volunteers lighting a star on top of a signal tree in the Green. Now has grown to include a Santa House and other seasonal decor. The festival includes several events that are free to the public thanks to the sponsorship of local businesses, including Century 21
, Morristown Memorial Hospital and Hyatt Morristown.
The newest projected that’s going on around the Green is 40 park. It is a collection of luxury condos and retail project that replaced the Epstein’s department store near the Morristown Green. 95% of these million dollar condos have already been leased. “Some powerful developers are investing a lot of money in Morristown, with the aim to increase the town’s wealthy population,” Rick Rizzuto states.
The Seeing Eye
was established in 1929, and is the oldest existing dog guide schools in the world. They instructed dogs to help individuals that are blind to be more mobile by teaching their dogs when and where something is dangerous or and obstacle. The Seeing Eye
gives tours of their facilities to surrounding schools in the area.
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, with two and a half acres that have served as a military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
, a militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
training ground, and an area for public executions. Currently is a public park in which many community events are held.
History
The Green’s begins start with the discovery of the AmericasAmericas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, "This historical ground dates back to early 1715, in a time when New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
was still an English colony under the rule of King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
and Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
,” Years later the Green served a critical role during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. In the winter of 1777, the Green became George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's first encampment. Washington stayed at Arnold's Tavern, which once stood across the Green on what is now North Park Street. According to Simons, "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
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
and Hessian soldiers during the Revolutionary period" The Green also served in the American Civil war
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, as a public executions ground. The executions lasted till 1833.
In the early days of the Green the land was owned by the Morristown Presbyterian Church, one of the oldest churches in Morristown; but was purchased in 1816 by the trustees of the Morristown Green and have maintained it ever since. The trustees pledged that the Green would remain "a Common forever for the use and enjoyment of the public," and by the 1850s, efforts were made to revitalize the Green with tree plantings and fencing"(Chemerka). A photograph of the Morristown Green taken at the turn of the 19th clearly shows its walkways and plantings.
Today several statues were rectified, in the Green, of the important historical figures that stepped foot on its grounds. “The Morristown Green has a statue commemorating the meeting of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, the young Marquis de Lafayette, and young Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
depicting them discussing aid of French tall ships and troops being sent by King Louis XVI of France as support for the budding nation”(buckeye1776), there is also a Civil War memorial statue and a seeing-eye dog commutative statue.
Landscape
The Green has won some awards due to the revitalization efforts by Dewberry, “a well recognized civil, landscape architecture, environmental services and construction engineering, received an Excellence Award in the Public Space category from Downtown New Jersey for the renovation he did on the Morristown Green. The DNJ recognized Dewberry’s Morristown Green Renovation on its success in addressing the following criteria:(1) Preserving and enhancing the character of the downtown environment
(2) Contributing to the economic vitality of the downtown district
(3) Generating pride in the community
(4) Drawing people to the area
(5) Demonstrating a coordinated effort by various segments of the community
(6) Improving the streetscape or visual appearance of the business district
The Morristown Green is on the National Register of Historic Sites and is in the center of the Morristown Historic District"(Wenistein).
People all throughout Morristown know about the Greens beauty. It has become a place where some have even propose, because of sheer beauty of the Green, but the Green is not only beautiful during the spring and summer seasons. In the autumn season the many trees of the Green turn into their golden and brown colors and the Green becomes a winter wonder land in the winter months when it is covered in snow. Snowflakes are put up on each light post to further bring out the winter wonderland feel of the green.
Activities
The Green holds many different activities all throughout the year, but their most prominent event is the festival on the green. "The festival on the green is an open-air event where businesses and organizations come together to share their resources and have a huge block party." A few other events that the Green hosts include the Christmas festival, the Moonlight movies in Morristown, and multiple blood drives. The Green is also used to let the community gather and voice their opinion, as the Tea Party does.The annual Christmas festival is a four week event that began 97 years ago, with a group of volunteers lighting a star on top of a signal tree in the Green. Now has grown to include a Santa House and other seasonal decor. The festival includes several events that are free to the public thanks to the sponsorship of local businesses, including Century 21
Century 21 (department store)
Century 21 is a chain of department stores in the northeastern United States. There are stores located in Long Island/Westbury , Brooklyn , Morristown , and Paramus , but the largest location is in Lower Manhattan, across the street from the World Trade Center site...
, Morristown Memorial Hospital and Hyatt Morristown.
The New and the Old around the Green
The Green is surrounded by store, restaurants, and places of interest.The newest projected that’s going on around the Green is 40 park. It is a collection of luxury condos and retail project that replaced the Epstein’s department store near the Morristown Green. 95% of these million dollar condos have already been leased. “Some powerful developers are investing a lot of money in Morristown, with the aim to increase the town’s wealthy population,” Rick Rizzuto states.
The Seeing Eye
The Seeing Eye
The Seeing Eye, Inc. is a guide dog school that is located in Morristown, New Jersey in the United States. It was founded in 1929 as the first guide dog school in the country...
was established in 1929, and is the oldest existing dog guide schools in the world. They instructed dogs to help individuals that are blind to be more mobile by teaching their dogs when and where something is dangerous or and obstacle. The Seeing Eye
The Seeing Eye
The Seeing Eye, Inc. is a guide dog school that is located in Morristown, New Jersey in the United States. It was founded in 1929 as the first guide dog school in the country...
gives tours of their facilities to surrounding schools in the area.