George Washington Drank Here

There are certainly many places in New Jersey where General George Washington stayed during his military campaigns. He certainly ate and drank in those places, too.  

Washington was not a heavy drinker of alcoholic beverages, but he did drink regularly. Madeira wine was his favorite, but he also drank rum punch, hard cider, and occasionally beer or porter. He even ran one of the largest distilleries in America after the war in Virginia.

Washington, with a tavern madeira

Where did he do some of this drinking?

The Indian King Tavern in Haddonfield (Camden County) is probably his most famous drinking connection. Washington visited while traveling through the state. Taverns like this served Madeira, rum punch, hard cider, and ale. The building later hosted the New Jersey legislature. It has been a strong tradition that Washington drank here. It is still standing and preserved as a historic site.

The Nassau Inn's original tavern in Princeton was a drinking spot where Washington as he stayed in town multiple times.  Located near the Battle of Princeton, this and other taverns were meeting places for officers. He probably drank his favorite Madeira or punch during stays. Tavern culture was integral to military life. 

Wallace House / Old Dutch Parsonage in Somerville (Somerset County) was Washington’s winter headquarters (1778–1779). He hosted dinners with his officers and staff, and wine and spirits were part of officer hospitality.  Records show regular alcohol consumption by staff. 

Ford Mansion in Morristown was Washington’s headquarters during the harsh winters of 1777 and 1779–1780. Washington was known to prefer Madeira over harder spirits and there were social evenings including drinks despite shortages. (Within the Morristown National Historical Park)

The Old Barracks, located in Trenton, was where Washington stayed before and after the Crossing of the Delaware. Soldiers were issued rum rations, but officers drank separately, and typically had wine or punch.

Rockingham House in Kingston (near Princeton) was where Washington stayed after the British evacuation of NYC. Celebratory gatherings with wine and toasts were customary

You can't stop by most of these places for a drink today, but you can drink in some history at all of them. Only the Nassau Inn Tap Room still operates as a drinking establishment with direct historical continuity. But if you want to go non-alcoholic, I have another suggestion.

Along the Aqueduct Trail in the Jockey Hollow unit of Morristown National Historical Park, there is a historically significant natural spring that provided water to people long before modern pipes existed. This natural spring is perhaps the most historically documented one in New Jersey. It’s the source of Primrose Brook, one of the cleanest-rated waterways in New Jersey, and is marked by a rudimentary stone wall piled around it and a slate slab canopy.

The Lenni Lenape used it as a water source hundreds of years ago, as can be ascertained by the many artifacts found in the immediate area, showing there was a settlement around it. 

While the late-1800s aqueduct system itself wasn’t around in Washington’s time, the spring that feeds Primrose Brook was a key fresh water source that helped make the Morristown/Jockey Hollow area viable for troops during the Revolutionary War. Washington led his Continental Army to winter encampment in Morristown during the Revolutionary War for a second time in 1779-80, and the spring was documented as being a water source for the patriot soldiers, particularly the Maryland and Pennsylvania brigades. One story tells of Washington visiting the spring after inspecting nearby drills and drinking directly from it with his cupped hands. 

In 1890, an aqueduct system was developed by the Morris Aqueduct Company, New Jersey’s first water company, founded in 1799, and the spring was put into use, bringing drinking water to the growing town. Today, the spring, with crystal-clear groundwater still flowing from it through cracks in the Precambrian bedrock, can be found along the Aqueduct Trail in the park.

A NOTE ON MADEIRA
Madeira wine is a fortified (grape brandy is added) wine originally coming from the Portuguese island of Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean, and it was one of the most popular wines in colonial America. Madeira is deliberately heated and oxidized during production. This gives it remarkable stability and the ability to survive long sea voyages. Its flavors don’t spoil once opened, and so it became the preferred wine of the American colonies. Today, it is referred to as a dessert wine.

I bought a bottle recently that I'm saving for George's birthday on February 22nd. 

In the meantime, during this winter, I will have some "Newark cider" like the hard cider George thought was the best. Made from a blend of four elite New Jersey apple varieties. The blend was dominated by the Harrison apple and“lauded by George Washington.” Modern NJ cider makers restoring the tradition say that Ironbound’s Newark Cider is “literally the cider that George Washington drank.”

Where Do New Jersey Moths Go in the Winter?

We have all heard stories about the incredible migrations of monarch butterflies every year. But where do moths go in winter? 

In New Jersey winters, most moths don’t migrate far away like monarch butterflies do. They survive the cold in various dormant stages right where they live. This process is called overwintering. 

Many overwinter as caterpillars. Some species spend the winter as larvae — often tucked in leaf litter, soil, or under bark where they pupate (form cocoons) and stay protected until spring. 

For example, the Polyphemus moth caterpillars burrow into the ground to overwinter as pupae. Some giant silk moths also pupate in soil or leaf litter in fall and remain dormant through the winter. 

Overwintering as pupae is one of the most common ways moths survive cold weather. The caterpillar forms a cocoon in fall and stays in that state underground, under leaves, or attached to plants until temperatures rise in spring. 

Luna Moth (Actias luna)
American moon moth
via Wikipedia

Overwinters as a Pupa in a cocoon under fallen leaves on the forest floor

They might also overwinter as eggs. Certain species lay eggs in the fall that remain dormant through winter and hatch in spring. For example, the invasive spongy (gypsy) moth overwinters as egg masses attached to tree trunks, fences, rocks, or other surfaces until spring. 

A few overwinter as adults. Though most adult moths die when winter arrives, a few hardy species can be seen on warm winter days. For instance, the winter moth (a non-native species) can emerge from the ground on mild nights to mate, and mourning cloak butterflies (a relative, not exactly a moth) may occasionally bask in the sun in winter. 

Moths and their immature stages seek refuge in places that protect them from freezing temperatures. Leaf litter and soil offer insulation and moisture buffering. Under tree bark or logs is also a protected microhabitat against wind and cold. 

Cocoons are generally in hidden spots, and pupae may be camouflaged in dry leaves or hooked to twigs. 

Of course, the moths that give the species a bad name may be overwintering in man-made structures. For pest species, clothes moths and pantry moths can stay active inside homes if warm conditions allow it. 

But for the good pollinating species outdoors, it helps to leave some natural debris. If you rake up all leaves and stems in your yard in fall, you remove many of the places where moths and other beneficial insects overwinter. Leaving leaf litter and plant stems undisturbed helps native species survive winter better.

Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia isabella) 
Photo: Steve Jurvetson, CC BY 2.0

Overwinters as: Caterpillar  Leaf litter, under logs, stones. This is the classic fuzzy “woolly bear” caterpillar

woolly bear caterpillar
Photo: Micha L. Rieser

Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus)  Overwinters as: Pupa in leaf litter or shallow soil and is one of NJ’s largest moths.

polyphemus

More information at New Jersey Butterfly Club - North American Butterfly Association

Crossroads of the Revolution and America's 250th

I have written about New Jersey's role in the Revolutionary War (see posts) and a recent Ken Burns documentary series on PBS and there is lots of news about celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.

New Jersey played a pivotal role in the American Revolution, serving as a key battleground for many important conflicts.

A 1976 Crossroads of the Revolution license plate was issued, celebrating the bicentennial 200th anniversary of America’s founding and the state's significant role in the American Revolution.

As America begins planning celebrations to mark its 250th birthday in 2026, a proposal has been made to create a “Semiquincentennial” license plate. A bill was introduced to create a commemorative license plate for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Proceeds from the new license plate will support the preservation of New Jersey's Revolutionary War sites. No design has been approvedas of this writing.

POSTS ON THIS SITE ABOUT     (some posts appear undr multiple labels)

NJ History

Historical Preservation

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Winter in Morristown with General Washington

Following the Continental Army's victory at Princeton, General Washington knew his army was exhausted and vulnerable if General Cornwallis, who was now rushing up from Trenton, caught them.

Washington broke off the pursuit and marched his army north to Morristown, New Jersey.

Beginning around January 6, 1777, the Continental Army set up its winter quarters in Morristown. This strategic location in the New Jersey Highlands allowed Washington to protect his army while constantly threatening the British supply lines that stretched between New York and their garrisons in New Jersey. 

The site chosen in Morristown was where the hills surrounding the camp offered a good vantage point to observe the British army, which was headquartered across the Hudson River in New York City.  

Morristown’s position allowed Washington to protect the roads leading from the British strongholds in New Jersey to New England and the roads leading to Philadelphia, where the leaders of the American Revolution were headquartered. 

Morristown was actually the location of two winter encampments during the Revolutionary War. Washington had first visited Morristown in 1773 with his stepson, John Parke Custis. He had been passing through the town en route to nearby Basking Ridge to visit William Alexander, Lord Stirling, who would later become a major-general in the Continental Army.

Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment, where they survived through what would be the coldest winter on record. The park also maintains a museum & library collection related to the encampments & George Washington, as well as items relating to pre- and post-Revolutionary America.

Reproductions of soldier cabins

Washington used some of the winter trying to reorganize and build up the Continental Army. Despite the Trenton and Princeton victories, some soldiers chose desertion over another cold winter without adequate supplies. Reenlistments were down, and soldiers were returning home when their enlistments expired.

For five months, Washington maintained headquarters at Arnold's Tavern on the Green, which was - and still is - the central hub of Morristown society.

Washington ordered inoculations for his militiamen during a smallpox outbreak in February 1777 and he was very concerned with personal and public cleanliness. Nevertheless, his troops were so distressed by the disease and poor conditions of the camp that by spring 1777, many men attempted to leave and were charged with desertion.

Ford Mansion (Photo: Rob Shenk on Flickr)

Washington returned with his troops between December 1779 and June 1780 at a second encampment in a section of forest known as Jockey Hollow. The winter was again bitter. He was accompanied by his wife, Martha, and they were given shelter in the Ford Mansion owned by Colonel Jacob Ford, Jr. and his wife, Theodosia.

The Georgian-style mansion built in 1774, which was Washington's headquarters, is now part of the Morristown National Historical Park.

Some Sources 

• Morristown National Historical Park
• mountvernon.org
• history.com
• wikipedia.org