Wallace House (Somerville, New Jersey)
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Wallace House | |
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| Location | 71 Somerset Street, Somerville, New Jersey |
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| Coordinates | 40°34′8″N 74°37′19″W / 40.56889°N 74.62194°WCoordinates: 40°34′8″N 74°37′19″W / 40.56889°N 74.62194°W |
| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1778 |
| NRHP Reference # | 70000395[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 02, 1970 |
The Wallace House is a Georgian style historic house which served as the headquarters of General George Washington during the winter of 1778-79, located at 38 Washington Place, Somerville, Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It was listed on the New Jersey Historic Register and then the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.[2]
History
Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh, a Dutch Reformed minister who lived in the nearby Old Dutch Parsonage, sold a small farmhouse and 95 acres (38 ha) of land to John Wallace, who was a merchant and fabric importer in Philadelphia. In 1775 and 1776, Wallace bought 12 acres (4.9 ha) more land, and in 1779 built an eight-room Georgian mansion next to the farmhouse. Wallace named the estate "Hope Farm," and planned to retire there.
The Continental Army camped in the Watchung Mountains at Middlebrook, 3 miles (4.8 km) from Hope Farm during the winter of 1778-79. The Wallace House became George Washington's headquarters, though he only stayed there for 11 days before leaving to attend the Continental Congress in Philadelphia for 6 weeks. Washington returned in February 1779 bringing his wife Martha. The Washingtons may have been the first occupants of the house.[3] He then used the house to host foreign dignitaries and official dinners, and to plan military strategy. In particular, he planned the 1779 campaign against the Iroquois League known as the Sullivan Expedition. Guests at the parties included Benedict Arnold, Nathanael Greene, Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox, and Baron Steuben.[3]
Washington left on June 3, 1779, and paid Wallace $1,000. The Wallace family and their slaves then returned to live in the house.
John Wallace, his wife, and his mother-in-law all died in 1783-84, and his youngest son William inherited Hope Farm. William lived there until he died at age 33 in 1796, leaving three orphan children. William's brother Joshua took care of the children and sold Hope Farm to Dickinson Miller in 1801.[2]
The Revolutionary Memorial Society bought the house in 1896, and gave it to the State of New Jersey in 1947.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Somerset County, New Jersey
- List of museums in New Jersey
- List of Washington's Headquarters during the Revolutionary War
References
- ↑ National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- 1 2 "Wallace House". New Jersey. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
- 1 2 Historic American Buildings Survey - data p.2.
External links
- Virtual Tour Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage, New jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
- Historic American Buildings Survey, photos, architectural drawings and data. Retrieved February 3, 2012.