A Revolutionary Road Trip: Schools, Forts, and Typos in the New Jersey Hills

New Jersey is dense with history, but sometimes the best discoveries happen when you take the back roads.

On a recent drive through the rolling hills of Morris and Somerset Counties, I explored three sites that range from the educational to the military, and finally, to the unintentionally funny. From a hilltop fortress with a silly name to a graveyard where the carver clearly had a bad day, here is a look at the hidden history of Washington Valley and Bedminster.

The Little Schoolhouse in Washington Valley

Our first stop was a step back into the 19th-century education system. Located in Washington Valley (Morris Township) sits a pristine example of a one-room schoolhouse.

While a school has stood on this spot since 1813, the current structure was built in 1869.

• The Architecture: It is a classic example of vernacular schoolhouse design, meant to serve the children of local farmers.
• The Use: It operated as a school until 1913. Afterward, it served as a meeting hall for the Washington Valley Community Association.

Today, it stands as a reminder of an era when students of all ages were taught in a single room, huddled around a potbelly stove during the harsh New Jersey winters.

The Legend of Fort Nonsense

Next, we headed to Morristown to climb a steep hill with a peculiar name: Fort Nonsense.

Part of the Morristown National Historical Park, this site offers commanding views of the town below. But why the funny name?

The Myth: Local legend claims that General George Washington ordered his troops to build this earthwork fort during the winter of 1777 not for defense, but simply to keep them busy. The soldiers, tired and bored, nicknamed it “Fort Nonsense” because they thought the labor was pointless “busy work.”

The Reality: Historians argue the fort actually served a vital purpose. It was a strategic lookout and a beacon site.

• The Signal Fires: The Continental Army used a system of signal fires—pyramids of wood and brush—on high peaks. If the British Army moved from New York City, the fires would be lit.
• The Network: The signal at Fort Nonsense could be seen for miles, triggering a chain reaction of beacons to warn the militia across New Jersey.

While the original earthworks are gone (recreated outlines exist today), the view remains one of the best in the county.

The “Typos” of Bedminster

Our final stop took us south to a small, historic cemetery in Bedminster (Somerset County). Walking through 18th-century graveyards is often a somber experience, but here, it offers a humanizing glimpse into the past.

In the 1700s, stone carvers were often local artisans, not masters. They were sometimes illiterate, and they certainly didn’t have spell-check or a “delete” button. If they made a mistake in the stone, they had to improvise.

We found two fantastic examples of “Carver’s Errors” on the tombstones here:

1. Running Out of Room: On one stone, the carver didn’t plan ahead. He got to the date “1788” but ran out of stone at the edge. His solution? He carved the “17” on one line and squeezed the “88” onto the next line below it.
2. The Forgotten Name: On another stone, the carver seemingly forgot who was buried there! The inscription reads “In Memory of…” followed by a caret symbol (^) and the name “David” inserted above the line in smaller text.

These “typos in stone” are a charming reminder that our ancestors were just as prone to mistakes as we are—but their typos lasted forever.

If You Visit

• Washington Valley Schoolhouse: 1 Schoolhouse Lane, Morristown, NJ.
• Fort Nonsense: Ann Street, Morristown, NJ (Open daily, sunrise to sunset).
• Bedminster Cemetery: Located near the intersection of Route 202/206 and Lamington Road.