1

 National Park Service 

Department of the Interior 

Junior Ranger Booklet 

Morristown National Historical Park 

 This booklet belongs to: 
2

Welcome To Morristown National Historical Park!

Those who have only been in Valley Forge 

and Middlebrook during the last two 

winters, but have not tasted the cruelties 

of this one, know not what it is to suffer. 

Maj. Gen. John Kalb 

Morristown, February 12, 1780

Morristown in 1779 to 1780 is the story of an army 

struggling to survive. But, it was not the first time General 

George Washington and his army had visited Morristown. 

The Continental Army also had encamped there three years 

earlier. 

In 1777, the army wintered in the Morristown area after its 

triumphs at Trenton and Princeton. The men were 

quartered in civilian homes, spread out so that the British 

would think the army was bigger than it really was. The 

local citizens complained to General Washington that the 

soldiers stole, gambled and used bad language. They also 

brought diseases that killed many of the civilians of 

Morristown. Washington and his troops were not 

remembered on good terms. 

The winter weather of 1779 to 1780 was the worst of the 

18th century. The army came with 13,000 soldiers and 

chopped down over 600 acres of forest to build log huts in 

nearby Jockey Hollow. General Washingtonís army 

struggled through hunger, sickness, and desertion. 

Washingtonís leadership was never more obvious than when 

he held together his ragged, hungry army through that 

second Morristown encampment. It was the army that 

represented the coloniesí main hope for independence, and 

it survived the winter to win the war. 
3

Requirements To Become A Junior Ranger

All Junior Rangers: must complete the Park Stewardship

activity on this page and the Park Preservation activity on 

the last page. 

If you are 6 to 9 years old: please complete any 3 

activities. 

If you are age 10 and up: Please complete the 

Washingtonís Headquarters pages if you visit 

Washingtonís Headquarters, the Jockey Hollow page if 

you visit Jockey Hollow, plus two other activities. 

When you are finished, please bring the booklet to the 

information desk to be checked and to receive your badge. 

If you have questions, feel free to ask someone for assistance. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Park Stewardship

A steward is a person who takes personal responsibility 

for the care of our parks and their visitors. As a Junior 

Ranger, you must be willing to be a steward to Morristown 

National Historical Park and any other parks you visit. 

Introduce yourself to the ranger or volunteer leading the 

tour of the Ford Mansion or in the Wick House at Jockey 

Hollow. 

Ask the ranger or volunteer if there is any way you can 

assist at the park. 

Write down how you helped: 

Write the ranger or volunteerís name here: 
4

Put The Revolution In Order

Working as a ranger in an historical park, you will need to 

know some history to help visitors understand the park. 

Place a ì1î by the event that happened first, then ì2î for 

the next event that occurred, and so on. 

After you have put the events in order, circle the 

Morristown events. 

September 3, 1783: Treaty of Paris signed; 

peace treaty officially ends war 

July 4, 1776: Declaration of Independence 

adopted by the Second Continental Congress 

September 5, 1774: First Continental Congress 

meets in Philadelphia 

December 1, 1779: Second Morristown winter 

encampment begins 

June 17, 1775: Battle of Bunker (Breeds) Hill 

in Boston, MA 

December 16, 1773: Boston Tea Party 

October 19, 1781: General Cornwallis 

surrenders at Yorktown, VA 

April 19, 1775: First shot is fired in 

Lexington, MA 

January 6 to May 28, 1777: First Morristown 

encampment 

December 17, 1777: France plans to recognize 

American independence 
5

 18th-Century Scavenger Hunt

The items pictured below are examples of things used by 

people during the 18th century. All of them can be found 

somewhere in the park. 

When you see an item, circle it and then label where you 

found it. (WH for Wick House, M for Museum, FM for 

Ford Mansion, VC for Jockey Hollow Visitor Center). 

Some items can be found in more than one place. 

 

 Ice Creepers Powder Horn Niddy Noddy 

 

 

Portable Desk Oven Warmer Iron Trivet

 

 

Muskets Musket Ball Mold

 

Cartridge Box Wood Canteen
6

Messenger Needed

General Washington at Headquarters must get a 

message to Major General Arthur St. Clair at the 

Wick house in Jockey Hollow. The only way to 

get the message to St. Clair is by horseback. 

Find the right path to the Wick house! 
7

Jockey Hollow

Jockey Hollow

How many soldiers encamped in Jockey Hollow from 1779 

to 1780? 

How many enlisted men slept in one hut? 

From which states were the troops who participated in the 

second winter encampment? 

The Wick House

Was the Wick house considered a small home in 1780? 

How many acres of land did the Wicks own during the 

1779-80 winter encampment? 

Who used the Wick house as his headquarters during the 

winter encampment? What state was he from? 

How many members of the Wick family lived in the house 

during the encampment? 
8

Washingtonís Headquarters Museum 

War Comes to Morristown Exhibit

Name a person from Morristown who served in the Continental 

Army or militia.

Name another person who lived in Morristown in 1780. What 

did that person do? What did that person think of the war? 

What was a New Jersey citizen called who wanted the British to 

win the war? 

Who was court-martialed in Morristown during the 1779-80 

encampment? 

Weapons Room Exhibit

Find the link from the West Point Chain. What was it used for? 

How much does the link weigh? Do you weigh more or less? 

The British musket used in American Revolution was nicknamed 

a ______________ _______________. 

The basic ammunition for the musket consisted of round lead 

____________, and black _______________. 

Find the Ferguson rifle. This is not a musket. It is a 

___________-_________________ rifle of a new construction. The 

total number of enlisted rifles produced was _________. The rifle 

here is marked number ________. 
9

Ford Mansion Tour and Movie

Ford Mansion

Approximately how many people came with General 

Washington and stayed with him in the Ford Mansion? 

What are the names and ages of Mrs. Fordís children who 

lived in the mansion while Washington and his ìfamilyî was 

there? 

How many rooms was the Ford family crowded into while 

Washington stayed in the house? 

Do you see anything in the house that was used as a toilet? 

What is it called? 

Movie (optional)

What did the two gentlemen from Morristown want to talk 

to Washington and his staff about? 

Why was Theodosia Fordís cook angry? 

Where were the officers planning to attack? 
10

Famous Americans In Your Wallet

Of the seven people depicted on United States dollar bills, 

place an asterisk (*) next to those involved in the American 

Revolution. Circle the ones who stayed in the Ford 

Mansion. 

 

$1 Washington $2 Jefferson 

 $5 Lincoln $10 Hamilton 

$20 Jackson $ 50 Grant 

 $100 Franklin 
11

Youíre In The Army Now!

Life in the Continental Army was hard. At the second 

Morristown encampment everyone, including the 

soldiers, camp followers (soldierís wives and children) and 

the generals, suffered through the hardships of war, 

harsh weather and lack of food. 

Soldiers lived in wood huts in Jockey Hollow. Soldiers 

were issued uniforms and food. However, supply 

problems were frequent and soldiers sometimes went 

days without proper meals. 

Generals were allowed to choose where they wanted to 

stay, but had to pay for their own rent. They also had to 

pay for equipment, weapons, uniforms, servants and 

extra food. In spite of advantages, some generals lost 

their farms and families ñ just like the soldiers. 

List two reasons why you would join the army as a 

soldier or camp follower. 

1. 

2. 

List two reasons why you would want to be a general. 

1. 

2. 

List two reasons why you wouldnít want to join the army. 

1. 

2. 
12

To Build A Log City

On December 1, 1779 General Washingtonís army of 10,000 

to 13,000 troops moved into Jockey Hollow. At first, they 

slept in tents, but the soldiers eventually constructed over 

1,000 huts, housing 12 men each. The soldiers were not 

given the freedom to build any size hut. Washington 

ordered that all the huts had to be 14 feet X 16 feet and the 

walls had to be 6 1⁄2 feet tall. To increase morale among the 

troops, Washington also ordered that enlisted men build 

and move into their huts before the officers. 

Would you have been willing to stay in a log hut with eleven 

other people, during a severe winter, for the cause of 

independence from Great Britain? 

DRAW YOUR HUT BELOW: 
13

The Continental Soldier 

Label the different parts of the soldierís uniform. 

Musket 

Regimental Coat 

Cartridge Box 

Bayonet 

Cocked Hat 

Overalls 

Shoes 
14

Word Search

Morristown Continental 

Headquarters Washington 

Loyalist Wick 

Ford Officers 

Fort Marched 

Patriot Camp followers 

 Winter Militia 

Independence 

Revolution 

Musket 

F Y R B V M D X W T L S K R C M N W M M

H T R D O O H Z I N G P K H M A P P I M

E P M X E R H L N B R Y O J Z R E Y L U

A A E R E R M O T F T S H F V C J N I S

D T T U V I C Y E O R X K D H H E J T K

Q R Q U Y S D A R R C V C X C E A I I E

U I T O V T B L T D C B C A C D J A A T

A O K M P O I I B S P G R B H B Y L R H

R T Y F Q W I S A A W A S H I N G T O N

T S F R L N Y T R P G L F S S W X D L B

E L O F F I C E R S H X I F J X I I J T

R L Z C O N T I N E N T A L L S O C J R

S C G G J W C I V N G Z O N E R W U K U

F T C A M P F O L L O W E R S E W I R S

F I N D E P E N D E N C E J T F O R D R

R E V O L U T I O N E T R U Y L U A P L 
15

Colonial Brainteasers

Colonial life for the farmer or soldier was not ìall work and no 

play.î Often playtime had lessons hidden inside, just like 

these riddles. See if you can figure them out. 

What has legs, but cannot walk? 

Two brothers we are, 

Great burdens we bear, 

On which we are bitterly pressed; 

The truth is to say, 

We are full all day, 

And empty when we go to rest. 

What is ten menís length and ten menís strength 

and yet ten men cannot make stand on its end? 

I am called by the name of a man, 

yet am as little as a mouse, 

when winter come, I love to be, 

with my red chest near the house. 

Park Preservation 

The NPS cares for special places saved by the American 

people so that all may experience our heritage. Because of 

its rich history, Congress created Morristown NHP as a part 

of the National Park Service on March 2nd 1933. 

 

What would you preserve in this park for future generations? 
16

Listed below are a few nearby National Park 

Service sites that you might like to visit. For 

more information, check out the NPS website 

at www.nps.gov. 

Delaware Water Gap NRA ñ NJ & PA Border 

Edgar Allen Poe NHS ñ Philadelphia, PA 

Edison NHS ñ West Orange, NJ 

Fire Island NS ñ Patchogue, NY 

Gateway NRA ñ New York & New Jersey 

Independence NHP ñ Philadelphia, PA 

Manhattan Sites ñ New York, NY 

Sagamore Hill NHS ñ Oyster Bay, NY 

Saint Paulís Church NHS ñ New Vernon, NY 

Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island NM ñ New York, NY & NJ 

Thaddeus Kosciuszko NMEM ñ Philadelphia, PA 

Valley Forge NHP ñ Valley Forge, PA 

Junior Ranger Pledge 

I (state name) promise to learn about, help preserve, and protect 

the environment and history of our National Parks and my 

community. I will obey all the rules and the rangers and always 

act in a safe manner. 

Date:

___________________________________________________ 

Junior Ranger:

___________________________________________________ 

Park Ranger: 

___________________________________________________