George Washington Ate Here

Toward the end of the revolution, General (Brother) George Washington visited Sussex County in Northwest, New Jersey.

Although it is not known if the scenerio was duly recorded in the local paper of the time, it is known that General Washington visited the downtown park area of Newton (NJ, county seat of Sussex County) twice more than 200 years ago, during the American Revolution (1775-1783).

"Around the Green: Newton, New Jersey" cites Washington's expense account as evidence that the country's first president visited the county courthouse on November 28, 1780 and stayed in the County Hotel on Park Place. Before it burned in 1857, the County Hotel occupied the site currently occupied by the Hall of Records and the County Clerk's Office.

On July 26, 1782, General Washington dined and stayed at the home of local patriot Thomas Anderson. This home sat on a parcel of land at the corner of Main Street and Park Place, site of today's Avco Financial Services building.

As recounted in the aforementioned reference, local lore recounts the following:

"On this visit a number of prominent families of our town wished to do the great chieftain all the honor possible in these primitive days, and so set before him all the silverware at their disposal, together with the choicest eatables to be obtained."

"But to their surprise, Washington rebuked them for the display, remarking that it was inappropriate at a time when soldiers in the field were suffering for the necessities of life...."

The portion of Thomas Anderson's house in which General Washington was believed to have stayed was moved and we are not sure that portion is still in existence today. Two years after this visit, Thomas Anderson built an addition to his home which was later moved to a location just south of the square at 62 Main Street on the property of Christ Episcopal Church.

This structure, known as the Anderson House has a gambrel roof and is still used by the church as offices.

While interesting as a vignette of local history about a famous American, this story ties closer than one would first realize.

On June 24, 1788, Harmony Lodge No. 8, F&AM was instituted under the Grand Lodge of New Jersey. A charter member and Harmony's first master, and master for many of the early years, was Thomas Anderson. It leads one to imagine that more than a meal was shared between these Brothers.

References:
"Around the Green: Newton, New Jersey", Kevin Wright, 1991
"Washington Slept Here and Fussed over a meal.", Lockwood, New Jersey Herald, 1996