NJ, USA
Reconstructed Soldier Huts at Jockey Hollow
Landmark
The reconstructed soldier huts at Jockey Hollow represent the log cabins that housed Continental Army troops during the winter encampment of 1779-1780. Built according to specifications issued by Washington in December 1779, each hut measured approximately 14 by 15 feet and housed twelve soldiers. The huts were constructed of notched logs chinked with clay, with a fireplace at one end and a single door. The reconstructions, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and maintained by the National Park Service, allow visitors to experience the scale and conditions of the encampment. The cramped, dark interiors convey the reality of winter quarters far more effectively than any written description.
What Happened Here
During the winter of 1779-1780, approximately 10,000 soldiers built over 1,000 log huts across the Jockey Hollow landscape. The huts were organized by brigade, with each regiment occupying its own row of structures. Officers were quartered in local civilian homes or in slightly larger huts at the ends of the rows. The reconstructed huts show the standard enlisted quarters, which were crowded, smoky, and cold. Soldiers slept on straw or bare ground, often sharing blankets and huddling together for warmth during what was the coldest winter recorded in the eighteenth century.
Visiting Today
Address
Jockey Hollow Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
Hours
Daily 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Admission
Free (part of Morristown National Historical Park)
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