Morristown National Historical Park Museum and Library: FORT NONSENSE AT 90!

On July 4, 1933, The Morristown National Historical Park was formally dedicated. The accompanying pamphlet describes the history of the Park’s formation and historical descriptions of its main components – Jockey Hollow, Fort Nonsense Park and Washington’s HQ. On March 3, 2023, a 90^th anniversary event was held at the Park Museum in Morristown to coincide with Herbert Hoover’s signing of the enabling legislation which created the very first National Historical Park as part of the National Park Service.

In the July 4, 1933 dedication pamphlet, Fort Nonsense was described as “…the section which contains the restored earthworks built by the Continental Army”. Throughout the decades which followed, Fort Nonsense arguably has remained the least known of the components of the MNHP. The purpose of this blog is to consolidate information from various park sources and others to elevate its visibility and explain its dubious nickname.

Contemporary photograph of Fort Nonsense

Fort Nonsense is the highest point overlooking Morristown. General George Washington believed that such a fort was a ‘point of necessity’ if soldiers needed to retreat from British forces in the event of an attack, and ordered it be constructed in 1777. This fortification is referred to as a ‘redoubt’. It is also believed that a beacon was constructed on the site, 18 to 30 feet high, similar to those found throughout northern New Jersey, for the purpose of signaling an alarm when British movement was detected.

Clay model of Ft. Nonsense

This model is based on archeological work done on the site, and period descriptions of the ‘Upper Redoubt’. It was originally referred to as “the Hill” or “Kinney’s Hill”. The guard house was built to accommodate 30 men. The beacon system was used on June 7, 1780 and again on June 23 when the British crossed into New Jersey. Area militia responded to the alarms engaging the British in Springfield.

As described in the Historical Marker Database web site, “…as it turned out, the British never came and the fortification was never called on to defend the town.” The name “Fort Nonsense” first appeared in the 1790s. Legend has it the fort was called Nonsense because it was built to keep troops busy. This is probably untrue as Washington, throughout the war, demonstrated the military value of holding the high ground.

In the mid-19^th century (ca. 1857), Edward Kranich, a local landscape painter from New Jersey, completed a View of Morristown from Fort Nonsense. This painting is currently part of the MNHP Collection.

In 2017, Morgan Haller, an intern from Centenary University, researched Morristown in the 19^th century and wrote that “… Kranich had a special affection for painting Morristown”, as his in-laws had relocated to an area of Morristown known as Collinsville. While the Fort was never needed militarily, it possessed an outstanding view for a landscape artist.

In the late 19^th century, the Morristown Historical Society placed a commemorative marker on the site, the fortification and beacon only a distant memory. As indicated on the MHNP website, Fort Nonsense Hill is open to visitors from 8:00AM until sunset. The park grounds are surrounded by private property. Visitors are cautioned to ‘be careful as you walk the grounds.