History is for Everyone

NJ, USA

Monmouth Court House (Freehold)

Government Building

The town of Freehold, known in the 18th century as Monmouth Court House, was the county seat and the community closest to the battlefield. The village gave its name to the battle and was the geographic center around which the engagement unfolded.

What Happened Here

Monmouth Court House was a small agricultural village centered on the county courthouse in 1778. The British army passed through and near the village during its march across New Jersey, and the village's roads, buildings, and surrounding farmland became part of the battlefield on June 28. The courthouse itself served as a reference point for the commanders of both armies. After the battle, the village was left with damaged buildings, trampled fields, and scattered debris from the engagement. The current Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold, while not the 18th-century structure, occupies the same general area and continues the civic function that gave the village its colonial-era name.

Visiting Today

Address

Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728

Hours

Business hours (public building)

Admission

Free

Connected Events

Feb 1778
Feb 1778
Valley Forge Training Tested at Monmouth

Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Marquis de Lafayette, Anthony Wayne

Jun 1778
British March from Philadelphia to New York

Sir Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis

Jun 1778
Continental Army Departs Valley Forge

Sir Henry Clinton, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben

Jun 1778
War Council at Hopewell

George Washington, Charles Lee, Anthony Wayne, Marquis de Lafayette, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, Sir Henry Clinton

Jun 1778
Lee Demands Advance Command

Charles Lee, Marquis de Lafayette, George Washington

Jun 1778
Battle of Monmouth

George Washington, Charles Lee, Sir Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis, Anthony Wayne, Marquis de Lafayette, Alexander Hamilton

Jun 1778
Molly Pitcher at the Cannon

Mary Ludwig Hays (Molly Pitcher)