Fort Nonsense

After the victories at Trenton and Princeton, General George Washington and the Continental Army arrived in Morristown on January 6, 1777, seeking a secure location for their winter camp behind the Watchung Mountains and the Great Swamp. Washington set up his headquarters at Arnold's Tavern, while other troops were quartered in private homes and buildings throughout the area.

Before breaking camp in late May, Washington ordered the construction of a fortification on a hill bordering Morristown to serve as a supply base and retreat point if necessary. The fort, initially known as "the Hill" or "Kinney’s Hill," was fortified with trenches, breastworks, and a guardhouse, though it was never used in battle as the British never attacked Morristown. This fortification, later called Fort Nonsense, earned its name due to the legend that Washington had ordered its construction merely to occupy his troops. However, this story is unlikely, as soldiers in their pension claims referred to it as a legitimate defensive post. In addition to the earthworks, it is believed that a beacon was also constructed as part of a signal system used to alert militias across northern New Jersey, with records showing it was activated during British movements in 1780.