Let’s continue our trip across the Northeast. After driving clear across the Massachusetts Turnpike, we finally cross the Mario Cuomo Bridge over to New York!
We continue driving south on the New York Thruway towards New Jersey, passing east of the Catskill region. Due to time constraints, we didn’t go into the Catskills this time, but there are many, many beautiful towns for a visit and mountain areas for hiking and scenic views. Definitely add a stop there if you’re planning your next Fall trip.
As we drove through northern New Jersey, we visited two National Historical Sites. First, we made a quick stop at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Site.
Paterson began as a project of Alexander Hamilton in 1792 to harness the power of the powerful Great Falls waterfall for industrial use. Manufacturing sprang up in the surrounding mills and turned Paterson into a key city for the growth of the country into the 20th Century.
Today, the park contains a small historical information center and walking trails to view the Great Falls. You won’t need more than half hour to an hour there but it’s a neat stop, especially if you’re a history buff.
Next, we went to Morristown National Historical Site. This site commemorates the cold winter encampment of General Washington and the Continental Army from December 1779 to June 1780. This is where Washington’s leadership turned the Continental Army into a cohesive and disciplined fighting force. This location is part of the path of the Continental Army from New York down to Valley Forge and eventually to Yorktown, and is a defining point in the Revolutionary War and American history.
The park is part of a network of many other historical sites in the region. Here, we visited the Washington’s Headquarters Museum, which is a really well-crafted collection related to the encampments & George Washington, as well as items relating to pre- and post-Revolutionary America. There is also a large surrounding area of walking paths. This is definitely another good stop for history buffs.
In the next post, we’ll cross the Delaware River into Pennsylvania just like George Washington did, but luckily in a car, and continue into the Poconos region for more scenic views.
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Adventures By Anne 