Arnold's Tavern

In 1750, at the age of 24, Samuel Arnold (father of Jacob Arnold) erected the Tavern himself near the west side of the Morristown Green. The original building was "a small establishment,"{{Cite book |last=Greenwalt |first=Phillip S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I4E0EAAAQBAJ&dq=%22jacob+arnold's+tavern%22&pg=PR20 |title=The Winter that Won the War: The Winter Encampment at Valley Forge, 1777–1778 |date=2021-07-21 |publisher=Savas Beatie |isbn=978-1-61121-494-9 |pages=10 |language=en}} a "stout building with a wide front porch, a rabbit warren of tight rooms and smoky fireplaces...[with] bare wooden floors."{{Cite book |last=Sedgwick |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XmEYDQAAQBAJ&dq=%22jacob+arnold's+tavern%22&pg=PA80 |title=War of Two: Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and the Duel that Stunned the Nation |date=2016-10-18 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-1-59240-969-3 |pages=80 |language=en}} At that time, the Green was a "grazing area for cattle, sheep, and horses." The Tavern was located beside "the Morris County courthouse and jail [and] the Presbyterian and Baptist churches." The town had about 250 inhabitants at this time.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_S03AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22jacob+arnold's+tavern%22&pg=PA12 |title=Morristown National Historical Park (N.P,), General Management Plan: Environmental Impact Statement |date=2004 |pages=12 |language=en}}

Samuel Arnold's son was Revolutionary War colonel Jacob Arnold,{{Cite web |title=Jacob Ogden Arnold – History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914 |url=http://www.usgenwebsites.org/NJMorris/biographies/lewisbios/arnold.htm |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=www.usgenwebsites.org}} paymaster and commander of the light-horse militia of Morris County, NJ under George Washington.{{Cite web |title=CONTENTdm |url=https://cdm16100.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16100coll6 |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=cdm16100.contentdm.oclc.org}} He refers to himself as the "commanding officer of Jersey troops" in a 1781 letter.{{Cite web |last=Arnold |first=Jacob |title=Letter from Jacob Arnold to Jersey Officers, 1781 January 1 |url=https://digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu/concern/texts/ht24wj61f#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0&xywh=-90,2398,2123,1432 |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu}}

In 1764, Samuel Arnold died at 38 years of age. Jacob Arnold inherited his father's Tavern, but his mother Phoebe Arnold assigned landowner Thomas Kinney to manage the farm until 1775, due to Jacob's young age. Jacob Arnold became its innkeeper/proprietor in 1775.{{Cite web |last=Colles |first=Julia Keese |year=1893 |title=Authors and Writers Associated with Morristown: With a Chapter on Historic Morristown |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37834/37834-h/37834-h.htm#Page_25 |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=www.gutenberg.org}} He collaborated with Thomas Kinney to build the slitting mill at Speedwell.{{When|date=October 2022}}{{Cite web |title=History of "The Arnold Tavern," Morristown, N.J. : and many incidents connected with General Washington's stay in this place, as his headquarters in winter of 1777 : with views of historic buildings and places of Revolutionary interest. |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.historyofthearno00hoff/?sp=15&st=pdf |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA}} He later{{When|date=October 2022}} served as the Sheriff of Morris County.

During the Revolutionary War, from January to May 1777, the Tavern was George Washington's headquarters{{Cite web |last=Dryfoos |first=Delaney |date=2018-07-05 |title=A true Fourth of July celebration: This town had a reading of Declaration of Independence |url=https://www.nj.com/morris/2018/07/reading_of_declaration_of_independence_brought_to.html |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=NJ |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Fitzpatrick |first=John C |date=February 1920 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cH4mAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22jacob+arnold's+tavern%22&pg=PA68 |title=Washington's Headquarters in Seven States |magazine=Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine |volume=LIV |issue=2 |page=68 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Fleming |first=Thomas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9T_fAAAAQBAJ&dq=%22jacob+arnold's+tavern%22&pg=PR8 |title=New Jersey |date=1984-08-17 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0-393-34859-0 |pages=4 |language=en}} while he received munition from Hibernia mines.{{Cite book |last1=Burger |first1=Joanna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MZxY7-Zx-xkC&dq=%22jacob+arnold's+tavern%22&pg=PA205 |title=25 Nature Spectacles in New Jersey |last2=Gochfeld |first2=Michael |date=2000 |publisher=Rutgers University Press |isbn=978-0-8135-2766-6 |pages=205 |language=en}} Meanwhile, "his troops stayed in [locals]’ homes"{{Cite web |date=2017-07-25 |title=Unique History: A Quick History of Morristown |url=https://www.morristown-nj.org/things-to-do/unique-history/ |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=Morristown Partnership |language=en-US}} and/or camped in the Loantaka Valley to the east.{{Cite book |last=Cunningham |first=John T. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rMk1LTo9wYcC&dq=%22jacob+arnold's+tavern%22&pg=PA57 |title=This is New Jersey |date=1994 |publisher=Rutgers University Press |isbn=978-0-8135-2141-1 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Ring |first1=Trudy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zTL_AQAAQBAJ&dq=%22jacob+arnold's+tavern%22&pg=PA400 |title=The Americas: International Dictionary of Historic Places |last2=Watson |first2=Noelle |last3=Schellinger |first3=Paul |date=2013-11-05 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-25930-4 |language=en}} By that year, Arnold's Tavern had "sprouted an extension with a large public hall for dances." Washington convened councils in the hall, and allegedly designated himself an office and a bedroom on the Tavern's second floor. Morristown historian Julia Keese Colles states that the ballroom was "where [Washington] received his generals, Greene, Knox, Schuyler, Gates, Lee, de Kalb, Steuben, Wayne, [William] Winds, Putnam, Sullivan and others, besides distinguished visitors from abroad, all of whom met here continually during the winter of 1777." The innkeeper was Jacob Arnold at this time.{{Cite book |last1=Hoskins |first1=Barbara |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wPvE92XrrusC&q=%22road+to+jacob+arnold%22 |title=Washington Valley: An Informal History, Morris County, New Jersey |last2=Foster |first2=Caroline Rose |date=1960 |publisher=Edwards Brothers |language=en |author-link2=Caroline Rose Foster}}File:Julia Nelson Colles.png, who in 1886 moved the Tavern to her own property, to prevent its demolition.|left]]In 1780, the Tavern was the place of Benedict Arnold's first trial (no relation to Jacob Arnold).

File:Arnold's Tavern as Adams & Fairchild and P. F. Hoffman & Son Clothiers 1.png and clothing store P. F. Hoffman & Son Clothiers.]]

In July 1863, Hoffman and Abraham L. Cross purchased the historic Arnold's Tavern in Morristown. They entirely remodeled it in the spring of 1864, creating "two handsome stores in the lower story." The upper stories were used as a boarding house known as the Losey House.

By 1882,{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/cu31924028828386 |section=The Smallpox Hospitals |title=History of Morris County, New Jersey |date=1882 |location=New York |publisher=W.W. Munsell |page=115}} the Tavern continued to stand in its original location. It housed three stores on its first floor: Adams & Fairchild Groceries, P. H. Hoffman & Son Clothiers,{{Cite web |title=Revolutionary War Sites in Morristown, New Jersey |url=https://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com/new_jersey_revolutionary_war_sites/towns/morristown_nj_revolutionary_war_sites.htm |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=Revolutionary War New Jersey}}{{Cite news |last=Coughlin |first=Kevin |title=From Kentucky to Morristown, for an historic concert |work=Morristown Green |url=https://morristowngreen.com/2017/09/14/from-kentucky-to-morristown-for-an-historic-concert/ |access-date=2022-11-02 |language=en-US}} and the jewelry store of F. J. Crowell. That year, Philip H. Hoffman was the owner of the building, likely along with Hampton O. Marsh.{{Cite web |title=Philip H. Hoffman |url=https://sites.rootsweb.com/~njmorris/lewisbios1899/hoffmanphilliph.htm |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=RootsWeb}}{{unreliable source?|date=November 2022}} The second floor consisted of apartments.

In the spring of 1886, after Marsh's death, Hoffman "decided to remove the old building, and [erect] in its stead [the] Hoffman Building."[https://www.seekingmyroots.com/members/files/H006045.pdf VOGT BROS., COMPLETE Morris County New Jersey, DIRECTORY for 1897–1898 .] Page 12 local Morristown advertisement. 1898, published by Vogt. Bros. The Tavern's demolition was prevented by Morristown historian and lecturer Julia Keese Colles. To preserve the building, Colles arranged to move the building from the Morristown Green to her estate on Mount Kemble Avenue. One source claims it was "dragged by a team of twelve oxen."{{Cite web |title=Digital Antiquaria – NJ Classics – Notecards – Morristown 1910 |url=http://www.digitalantiquaria.com/NJClassics/NoteCards01.html |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=www.digitalantiquaria.com}} The Hoffman Building was completed by 1896.

In an unknown year, Colles renovated the Tavern into the "Colonial House," which was "a residence for summer boarders who came to Morristown as a vacation area." In 1890, the house was sold at a public auction, where it was purchased by the Catholic All Souls' Hospital Association to become the All Souls' Hospital.

In 1896, the Adams & Fairchild Grocers moved into the Hoffman Building, built atop the Tavern's original site.

Some time before the 1960s, the Hoffman Building and two adjoining neighbors to the left were demolished to make way for the Reynolds & Co building at 20 North Park Place.{{Cite book |last=Nadzeika |first=Bonnie-Lynn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t88vrKPxLPgC&dq=%22hoffman+building%22+morristown&pg=PA52 |title=Morristown |date=2012 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-9280-0 |pages=54 |language=en}} As of 2022, the Reynolds & Co building is now the site of a Charles Schwab location.{{Cite web |title=Google Maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7971381,-74.4817037,3a,37.5y,345.31h,95.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVhTW2CbAW5MFSSEpHKWocw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=Google Maps |language=en}}

{{Main|All Souls' Hospital}}

File:Arnold's Tavern of Morristown.jpg.]]

On December 18, 1891, the All-Soul's Hospital opened, operating out of the historic tavern. Its chair was Morristown lawyer Paul Revere, great-grandson of American revolutionary figure Paul Revere, and son of Union General Joseph Warren Revere. According to Caroline Foster and Barbara Hoskins, "The ballroom was transformed into the chapel while the dining room was the hospital ward."

In 1893, Colles described the near-demolition and transition into the hospital:{{Cite web |last=Colles |first=Julia Keese |title=Authors and Writers Associated with Morristown: With a Chapter on Historic Morristown |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37834/37834-h/37834-h.htm#Page_25 |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=www.gutenberg.org}}

The old [Arnold's Tavern] building with its many associations was about to be destroyed, when it was rescued, at the suggestion of the author of this book, and restored upon its present site on the Colles estate, on Mt. Kemble avenue, the old Baskingridge road of the Revolution. It has recently been purchased and occupied for a hospital by the All Souls' Hospital Association. Though extended and enlarged, it is still the same building and retains many of the distinctive features which characterized it when the residence of Washington. Here is still the bedroom which Washington occupied, the parlor, the dining-room and the ball-room where he received his generals, Greene, Knox, Schuyler, Gates, Lee, de Kalb, Steuben, Wayne, [William] Winds, Putnam, Sullivan and others, besides distinguished visitors from abroad, all of whom met here continually during the winter of 1777.

File:Philip H. Hoffman.jpg owned and operated business from the Tavern, replacing it with his Hoffman Building in 1886, and publishing a brief book about the Tavern in 1903]]

On September 10, 2017, the Morris County Historical Society at Acorn Hall featured the museum as part of its exhibit "The Cutting Edge: Medicine in Morris County."

In 1893, Julia Keese Colles described its Revolutionary War history and hospital conversion in her book, Authors and Writers Associated with Morristown: With a Chapter on Historic Morristown.

In 1903, Philip H. Hoffman (former retail tenant and owner, who replaced the Tavern with his Hoffman Building in 1886) compiled a roughly 50-page book about the Tavern's history from 1760 to 1903 in History of "The Arnold Tavern," Morristown, N.J. : and many incidents connected with General Washington's stay in this place, as his headquarters in winter of 1777: with views of historic buildings and places of Revolutionary interest.

In 1960, its history was described in Barbara Hoskin's and Caroline Rose Foster's nonfiction book, Washington Valley: An Informal History.

• Morristown Green
• List of Washington's Headquarters during the Revolutionary War

{{Reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}
• {{cite web|title=Arnold's Tavern – Washington's Headquarters from January 6 to May 28, 1777 |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=32723 |publisher=The Historical Marker Database}}

Category:History of New Jersey

Category:18th century in New Jersey

Category:Morristown, New Jersey

Category:American Revolutionary War sites

Category:Taverns in New Jersey

Category:Demolished buildings and structures in New Jersey