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 Ford Mansion. Image: National Park Service
After Ford's death in 1777, his widow offered house to Washington as headquarters during winter encampment while she moved into two rooms with her four children. Ford family and descendants continued to live in house until 1870s sale at auction to wealthy residents who formed nonprofit Washington Association of New Jersey to preserve house, later donated house and collections to National Park Service in 1933. House furnished to reflect 1770s, shown in guided tours which begin in museum building. Museum building designed by noted architect John Russell Pope, who also designed Jefferson Memorial in Washington, features exhibits of furniture, weapons, documents and other 18th century objects. Park also includes Wick House built between 1747 and 1750, which served as officers' headquarters of Major Joseph Bloomfield of Third New Jersey Regiment during winter of 1776-1777 and of General Arthur St. Clair in 1779-1780 winter encampment. House open to public, furnished to portray its use as a general's headquarters. Washington also ordered construction nearby of fortifications on hill overlooking Morristown, later known as "Fort Nonsense," also administered by National Park Service and open to visitors.
Camden
One of New Jersey's poorest and highest-crime cities, Camden nonetheless offers a worthwhile day trip, particularly focused on the Battleship New Jersey; the Adventure Aquarium; and the Walt Whitman House; Established as a fur trading post in 1626, Camden later became major industrial center, corporate headquarters of Campbell Soup one of only remaining signs of old firms. Battleship New Jersey (self-guided tour with audio narration $24.95 ages 18 through 61; seniors 62 and over and children 5-17 $19.95; higher for guided tours, free for active military and WW II veterans), Main Deck features Exhibit/ Museum that depicts 48 years in and out of service during WW II, Viet Nam, Middle East. Ship built at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, launched December 7, 1942, first anniversary of Pearl Harbor attack. Guides are available for questions and conversation in the Captain’s Quarters and CEC. Aquarium (online daily tickets ages 13 and over $29.99; 2 through 12 $19.99) houses over 15,000 aquatic species, including largest collection of sharks on East Coast and only great hammerhead shark on exhibit in US, along with the popular Shark Bridge, world's longest, V-shaped rope suspension bridge allowing visitors to walk inches above 21-foot deep Shark Realm exhibit. also only aquarium in world to exhibit hippos (two from Nile each weighing 3,000 pounds), one of only six facilities in US to have Little Blue penguins as permanent residents Walt Whitman House only home Whitman ever owned, purchased in 1884 for $1750, Whitman lived there until his death in 1892 at age seventy-two (grave in Harlingen Cemetery). House includes photographs of period, Whitman's original letters, personal belongings, bed in which he died, and death notice nailed to front door..
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