Morristown

 

Town (1990 pop. 16,189), seat of Morris co., N N.J., on the Whippany River; settled c.1710, inc. 1865. Although chiefly residential, it has diverse manufactures, including electronic products, health and beauty aids, auto parts, and chemicals. Morristown is also a center for telecommunications research and development and other corporate activity. The town was a principal area of Revolutionary maneuvers, particularly in the winters of 1777 and 1779–80, when the Continental army encamped there. Benedict Arnold was court-martialed in the town. S. F. B. Morse and Alfred Vail perfected (c.1837) the telegraph there. Of interest are the Schuyler-Hamilton House (1760), where Alexander Hamilton courted (1779–80) Elizabeth Schuyler (it has become headquarters for the Daughters of the American Revolution); and the courthouse (1826). Other notable residents of Morristown were the cartoonist Thomas Nast, the writer Bret Harte, and the humorist Frank R. Stockton. Morristown National Historical Park (see National Parks and Monuments, table) includes the Ford Mansion, which was Washington's headquarters in 1779–80; a historical museum; and the reconstructed sites of encampment of the Continental Army at Fort Nonsense and at Jockey Hollow.

The Town of Morristown, New Jersey
Seal
Nickname: Military Capital of the Revolution
Location of Morris County in New Jersey; Inset: Location of Morristown in Morris County
Coordinates: 40°47′56″N 74°28′43″W / 40.79889, -74.47861
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Morris
Founded	1715
Incorporated	April 6, 1865
Government
- Type	Council-Manager
- Mayor	Donald Cresitello (D; term ends December 31, 2009.
Area
- Town	sq mi (km²)
- Land	sq mi ( km²)
- Water	sq mi ( km²)
Elevation [2]	ft ( m)
Population (2006)[1]
- Town
- Density	/sq mi (/km²)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	07960, 07961, 07962, 07964
Area code(s)	973
FIPS code	34-483002
GNIS feature ID	08784943
Website: http://www.morristown-nj.org

Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population was 18,544. Its estimated population in 2004 was 18,842. It is the county seat of Morris County⁶. Morristown is not to be confused with Moorestown, a township much farther south in New Jersey, in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Morristown was incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 6, 1865, within Morris Township, and was formally set off from the township in 1895.^[3]

History

18th Century

Morristown was settled around 1715 by English Presbyterians from Southold, New York on Long Island and New Haven, Connecticut as the village of New Hanover. The town became the seat of the new Morris County shortly after its separation from Hunterdon County on March 15, 1739. The village and county were named for Lewis Morris, the first and then sitting royal governor of a united colony of New Jersey.

By the mid-century the two hundred and fifty people shared the village which had two churches, a courthouse, two taverns, two schools, several stores, and numerous mills and farms nearby.

George Washington and the Continental Army were encamped near Morristown from January to May 1777. Washington had his headquarters during that first encampment at Jacob Arnold's Tavern located at the Morristown Green in the center of the town. Morristown was selected for its extremely strategic location, the skills and trades of the residents, local industries and natural resources to provide arms, and the ability of the community also to provide enough food to support the army. The churches were used for inoculations for smallpox. That first Headquarters, Arnold's Tavern, was eventually moved a half mile south of the green onto Mount Kemble Avenue to become All Souls Hospital in the late 1800s. It suffered a fire in 1918, and the original structure was demolished, but new buildings for the hospital were built directly across the street.^[4]

During the second encampment from December 1779 to June 1780 at Jockey Hollow, Washington's second headquarters in Morristown was located at the Ford Mansion, a large mansion near what was then the 'edge of town.' Ford's widow and children shared the house with Martha Washington and officers of the Continental Army.

The winter of 1780 was the worst winter of the Revolutionary War. The starvation was complicated by extreme inflation of money and lack of pay for the army. During Washington's second stay, in March 1780, he declared St. Patrick's Day a holiday to honor his many Irish troops.^[5]

Martha Washington traveled from Virginia and was present with George each winter throughout the war.

The Marquis de Lafayette brought news here in 1780 of aid from France.

The Ford Mansion, Jockey Hollow, and Fort Nonsense are all preserved as part of Morristown National Historical Park managed by the National Park Service, which has the distinction among historic preservationists of being the first National Historical Park established in the United States.^[6]

During Washington's stay, Benedict Arnold was court-martialed at Dickerson's Tavern on Spring Street in Morristown, not for treason, but on lesser charges related to profiteering from military supplies at Philadelphia. His admonishment was made public, but Washington quietly promised the hero, Arnold, to make it up to him. He was later given control of West Point, New York, which he almost succeeded in giving to the British.

Alexander Hamilton courted and wed Betsy Schuyler at the residence used by Washington's personal physician. The home on Olyphant Place is owned and operated by the Daughters of the American Revolution as the Schuyler-Hamilton House.

19th Century

The idea for constructing the Morris Canal is credited to Morristown businessman George P. Macculloch. In 1822, Macculloch brought together a group of interested citizens at Morristown to discuss the idea. The canal was used for a century.

The Marquis de Lafayette returned to Morristown in July 1825 on his return tour of the United States, where a ball was held in his honor at the 1807 Sansay House on DeHart Street, which still stands.

Antoine le Blanc, a French immigrant laborer murdered the Sayre family and their servant (or possibly slave), Phoebe. He was tried and convicted of murder of the Sayres (but not of Phoebe) on August 13, 1833. On September 6, 1833, Le Blanc became the last person hanged on the Morristown Green. The house where the murders were committed was until late 2006 known as Jimmy's Haunt, which is purported to be haunted by Phoebe's ghost because her murder never saw justice. In 2007 Jimmy's Haunt was torn down to make way for a bank.

Samuel F. B. Morse and Alfred Vail built the first telegraph at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown on January 6, 1838. The first telegraph message was "A patient waiter is no loser." The first public demonstration of the invention occurred eleven days later as the first step toward the information age we enjoy today.

Jacob Arnold's Tavern, the first headquarters for Washington in Morristown, was purchased by the Colles family to save it from demolition in 1886. It was moved by horse-power in the winter of 1887 from "the green" (after being stuck on Bank Street for about six weeks) to a site one half mile south on Mount Kemble Avenue at what is now a parking lot for the Atlantic RIMM Rehabilitation Hospital. It became a boarding house for four years until it was converted by the Grey Nuns from Montreal into the first All Souls Hospital. George and Martha Washington's second floor ballroom became a chapel and the first floor tavern became a ward for patients. The building was lost to a fire in 1918. The entire organization, nurses, doctors, and patients of All Souls Hospital were then moved across Mt. Kemble Avenue, U.S. Route 202, to a newly-built brick hospital building. All Souls Hospital would go on to become a renowned teaching hospital with a school of nursing also.

Historic images

• photos of Washington's Jacob Arnold Tavern Headquarter.
• images and history of the region
• About the town and the Revolutionary War heros here
• Statues of Tom Paine around the world
• Old post cards and photos of the green

Geography

Morristown is located at 40°47′56″N, 74°28′43″W (40.798900,-74.478526)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 7.8 km² (3.0 mi²). 7.6 km² (2.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (2.00%) is water.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1930			—
1940			0.5%
1950			12.1%
1960			3.4%
1970			-0.3%
1980			-5.9%
1990			-2.6%
2000			14.5%
Est. 2006		[1]	2.0%
Population 1930 - 1990.[7]

As of the census² of 2000, there were 18,544 people, 7,252 households, and 3,698 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,435.3/km² (6,303.9/mi²). There were 7,615 housing units at an average density of 1,000.1/km² (2,588.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 67.63% White, 16.95% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 3.77% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 8.48% from other races, and 3.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.15% of the population.

7.98% of Morristown residents identified themselves as being of Colombian American ancestry in the 2000 Census, the eighth highest percentage of the population of any municipality in the United States^[8]

There were 7,252 households out of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.0% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the town the population was spread out with 18.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 40.4% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $57,563, and the median income for a family was $66,419. Males had a median income of $42,363 versus $37,045 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,086. About 7.1% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Morristown is governed under a Plan F Mayor-Council system of New Jersey municipal government under the Faulkner Act, which went into effect on January 1, 1974.^[9] The Morristown Town Council consists of seven members: three members elected at-large representing the entire town; and four members representing each of the town's four wards. Members are elected to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis; there is an election every two years, either for the four ward seats or for the at-large and mayoral seats. As the legislative arm of the government, the council is responsible for making and setting policy for the town.

The Mayor of Morristown is Donald Cresitello (Democratic), elected in November 2005 to office for a four-year term that ends December 31, 2009.

Members of the Morristown Town Council are:^[10]

• Anthony Cattano - Council-at-Large and Council President (term ends December 31, 2009)
• John Cryan - Council-at-Large (2009)
• Michelle Harris–King - Council-at-Large (2009)
• Timothy Jackson - First Ward (2007)
• Raline Smith–Reid - Second Ward (2007)
• James E. Smith - Third Ward (2007)
• Richard Tighe - Fourth Ward (2007)

Federal, state and county representation

Morristown is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 25th Legislative District.^[11]

New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District, covering western portions of Essex County, all of Morris County, and sections of Passaic County, Somerset County and Sussex County, is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 25th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Anthony Bucco (R, Denville) and in the Assembly by Michael Patrick Carroll (R, Morristown) and Richard A. Merkt (R, Randolph). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

As of 2007, Morris County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Margaret Nordstrom, Freeholder Deputy Director John Inglesino, Douglas R. Cabana, William J. Chegwidden, Gene F. Feyl, John J. Murphy and Jack Schrier.^[21]

Education

The Morris School District is a regional public school district that serves the communities of Morristown and Morris Township (for grades K-12), along with students of Morris Plains for grades 9-12 only, as part of a sending/receiving relationship. The district provides a supportive and challenging educational environment for a total student population of approximately 4,700. Within the district there are three primary schools (K-2), three intermediate schools (3-5), one multiage magnet school (K-5), one middle school (6-8), and one high school, Morristown High School.

Morristown is home to one of the largest Chabad Lubavitch Chasidic yeshivas in the world. The Rabbinical College of America in Morristown has trained hundreds of young Lubavitch rabbis. Many other Jewish families have moved into the area to be near the yeshiva and surrounding synagogues. Many prominent Chabad Rabbis and Emissaries attended the Rabbinical College of America. The Rabbinical College of America also has a Baal Teshuva yeshiva for students of diverse Jewish backgrounds, named Yeshiva Tiferes Bachurim. On Campus for the Rabbinical College of America is the New Jersey Regional Headquarters for the world-wide Chabad Lubavitch movement.

The Peck School, a private day school which serves approximately three hundred students in kindergarten through grade eight, is located in Morristown. So is the Delbarton School, an all-boys Roman Catholic school serving approximately five hundred and forty students in grades seven through twelve. The Morristown-Beard School, a private co-ed school, serves grades 6 through 12. Villa Walsh Academy is a private Catholic college preparatory school, conducted by the Religious Teachers Filippini.

Transit-oriented development

Morristown has been one of the leading New Jersey municipalities in terms of implementing transit-oriented development. The administration of Governor of New Jersey Jim McGreevey embraced "smart growth" as a way of curing New Jersey’s ills caused by sprawling development. Morristown was one of the first five “transit villages” designated in New Jersey in 2000. In 1999, Morristown changed its zoning code to designate the area around the train station as a “Transit Village Core” for mixed-use. The designation was at least partly responsible for a development frenzy that includes plans for several mixed-use condominium developments with asking prices ranging from $600,000 to over $1,000,000 per unit. As a town with New Jersey Transit rail service at the Morristown station, it benefited from shortened commuting times to New York City due to the "Midtown Direct" service New Jersey Transit instituted in the 1990s.

Local Media

WMTR is an AM radio station at 1250 kHz is licensed to Morristown. The station features an oldies format, one of the few such stations remaining in the area after WCBS-FM switched to the Jack FM format.

WJSV radio and television (90.5 FM) also exists in Morristown, the non-profit radio station of Morristown High School, which also has a television show which airs on cable television, Colonial Corner.

The Morristown Daily Record is published locally.

Sports

The New Jersey Minutemen are a professional inline hockey team that competes in the Eastern Conference of the Professional Inline Hockey Association.

Interesting facts

• The largest statue of Thomas Paine is located in Morristown.
• Morristown was the home of Thomas Nast for more than twenty years.
• Morristown & Erie Railway, a local short-line freight railway, has its main office, yard, and shop in Morristown.
• The Seeing Eye, a guide dog school, is based in Morristown. The dogs are a common sight on the streets.
• The United States Equestrian Team, USET, the international equestrian team for the United States, was founded in 1950 at the Coates estate on van Beuren Road in Morristown.

Noted residents

Some noted current and former residents:

• Bonnie Lee Bakley (1956-2001), murdered wife of Robert Blake, was born in Morristown.^[12]
• Martin Brodeur (1972-), professional hockey goaltender for the New Jersey Devils.
• George T. Cobb (1813-1870), represented New Jersey's 4th congressional district from 1861 to 1863, and Mayor of Morristown from 1865 to 1869.^[13]
• Augustus W. Cutler (1827-1897), U.S. Representative from New Jersey.^[14]
• Caroline Fillmore (1813-1881), wife of President Millard Fillmore, was born in Morristown.
• Adam Gardner, singer/songwriter/guitarist of the band Guster grew up in Morristown.
• Justin Gimelstob (1977-), professional tennis player currently lives in Morristown.
• Linda Hunt (1945-), the Academy Award winning actress, was born in Morristown.
• Otto Hermann Kahn (1867-1934), among the 76 millionaires listed in the 1896 Morristown Social Directory.^[15].
• Jerry Jones (1984-) singer/songwriter of the band Trophy Scars, was born and lives in Morristown.^[16]
• Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918), poet and author, taught at Morristown High School 1908-1909.
• Fran Lebowitz (1950-), photographer, was born in Morristown.
• Dave Moore (1969-), former NFL tight end.^[17]
• Troy Murphy (1980-), professional basketball player, for the Indiana Pacers.
• Thomas Nast (1840-1902), caricaturist and editorial cartoonist, lived in Morristown for many years.^[18]
• Craig Newmark (1952-), founder of craigslist.org was born in Morristown and attended Morristown High School.^[19]
• Joseph Nye attended Morristown Preparatory School for Boys (now the Morristown-Beard School).
• Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), completed her education at the age of 13 at Miss Dana's School, a finishing school in Morristown.
• Robert Randolph of Robert Randolph & the Family Band
• Gene Shalit (1932-), film critic on NBC's The Today Show
• Alfred Vail (1807-1859), inventor of the Morse code
• Tom Varner (1957-), jazz horn player
• Tom Verlaine (1949-), founder of the art punk band Television was born in Morristown.
• George Theodore Werts (1846-1910), 28th Governor of New Jersey from 1893-1896, who served as Mayor of Morristown from 1886-1892.^[20]
• Nancy Zeltsman (1958-), jazz vibraphonist

Points of interest

• Frelinghuysen Arboretum
• Macculloch Hall Historical Museum
• Morristown National Historical Park
  • Ford Mansion
  • Fort Nonsense
  • Jockey Hollow
• The Green
• Loyola Retreat House (Footes Mansion)
• Washington's Headquarters
• Speedwell Ironworks

References

External links

• Morristown official website
• Residential Interactive and Resources

• Museums, Theaters, Libraries, Parks
  • Morris Museum
  • Macculloch Hall Historical Museum
  • Morristown Community Theatre
  • Morristown National Historic Park
  • Joint Free Public Library of Morristown & Morris Township
• Education
  • Morris School District
  • Morristown High School
  • Morris School District's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
  • National Center for Education Statistics data for the Morris School District
  • Rabbinical College of America-Chabad Lubavitch
  • The Peck School

Coordinates: 40.7989° N 74.478526° W

Municipalities and communities of Morris County, New Jersey
County seat: Morristown
Boroughs	Butler | Chatham | Chester | Florham Park | Kinnelon | Lincoln Park | Madison | Mendham | Morris Plains | Mount Arlington | Mountain Lakes | Netcong | Riverdale | Rockaway | Victory Gardens | Wharton
Towns	Boonton | Dover | Morristown
Townships	Boonton | Chatham | Chester | Denville | East Hanover | Hanover | Harding | Jefferson | Long Hill | Mendham | Mine Hill | Montville | Morris | Mount Olive | Parsippany-Troy Hills | Pequannock | Randolph | Rockaway | Roxbury | Washington
CDPs	Budd Lake | Lake Telemark | Long Valley | Succasunna-Kenvil | White Meadow Lake
Unincorporated communities	Cedar Knolls | Cedar Lake | Convent Station | Flanders | Green Pond | Green Village | Hibernia| Lake Hiawatha | Lake Swannanoa | Landing | Mount Freedom | Mount Tabor | New Vernon | Pine Brook | Port Morris | Stirling | Towaco | Union Hill | Whippany

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