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Historic House

The Hermitage

Hackensack, NJFeatured Site

About This Place

The Hermitage is a National Historic Landmark located in Ho-Ho-Kus, just north of Hackensack, that served as a headquarters for George Washington in July 1778 during the Continental Army's march through northern New Jersey following the Battle of Monmouth. The estate was the home of Theodosia Prevost, wife of British Lieutenant Colonel Jacques Marcus Prevost, who hosted American officers despite her husband's service with the British army. It was here that Theodosia met Aaron Burr, whom she would marry in 1782.

The house has been preserved as a museum and is open for guided tours. The grounds and architecture reflect the domestic life of the colonial gentry in Bergen County. The Hermitage is one of the few surviving sites where the personal, social, and military dimensions of the Revolution in Bergen County converge in a single location.

Revolutionary Significance

Washington used the Hermitage as his headquarters during the march from Monmouth in July 1778. The social dynamics of the Hermitage — a British officer's wife hosting the American commander-in-chief — illustrate the complex personal relationships that persisted across enemy lines in Bergen County. The house later became the home of Aaron and Theodosia Burr, adding another layer of historical significance.

Location

335 North Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423

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Events at This Location

  1. 1774

    Bergen County Divided: Loyalties Split

    Reverend Dirck Romeyn, Judge John Fell, Sam of Hackensack

  2. 1775

    Formation of the Bergen County Committee of Safety

    Judge John Fell, Sam of Hackensack

  3. 1775

    Militia Musters on the Green

    Major John Mauritius Goetschius, Reverend Dirck Romeyn, Sam of Hackensack

  4. 1775

  5. 1776

    Fall of Fort Lee

    Sam of Hackensack

  6. 1776

    Washington's Retreat Through Hackensack

    Reverend Dirck Romeyn, Sam of Hackensack

  7. 1776

    British Occupation of Bergen County

    Reverend Dirck Romeyn, Sam of Hackensack

  8. 1776

    Desecration of the First Dutch Reformed Church

    Reverend Dirck Romeyn, Sam of Hackensack

  9. 1776

    Loyalist Raids and Partisan Warfare in Bergen County

    Major John Mauritius Goetschius, Sam of Hackensack

  10. 1777

    Capture of Judge John Fell by Loyalist Raiders

    Judge John Fell, Sam of Hackensack

  11. 1777

  12. 1778

    Continental Army Foraging Expeditions in Bergen County

    Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, Major John Mauritius Goetschius, Sam of Hackensack

  13. 1778

    Confiscation of Loyalist Property

    Judge John Fell, Sam of Hackensack

  14. 1778

  15. 1778

    Baylor Massacre at River Vale

    Major John Mauritius Goetschius, Sam of Hackensack

  16. 1783

    End of the War and Return of the Displaced

    Reverend Dirck Romeyn, Judge John Fell, Sam of Hackensack

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