A new self-guided history exhibit at the historic Morris County Courthouse in Morristown is now open to the public, and Rockaway residents can visit for free during regular business hours.
The Morris/Sussex Vicinage of New Jersey Courts opened the 250th Anniversary exhibit inside the historic Morris County Courthouse and the adjoining Administration and Records Building. The display marks America’s 250th birthday and kicks off a 200th anniversary celebration of the courthouse, which was built in 1827.
The exhibit traces more than 270 years of Morris County legal and civic history, from the county’s first log courthouse in 1755 to the building in use today. Through historic photographs, artifacts, and interpretive displays, visitors can follow how the courthouse and the county grew alongside the nation.
Highlights include the Revolutionary War court-martial of Benedict Arnold, held in Morristown during the Continental Army’s winter encampment, and the 1887 free speech trial of Charles B. Reynolds, argued by orator Robert G. Ingersoll. Other displays cover the history of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, the courthouse’s Federal-style architecture, and a historic courtroom still in use after nearly 200 years. Visitors can also pick up a free pocket copy of the United States Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
The self-guided tour begins on the second floor of the Administration and Records Building at 10 Court Street in Morristown, a short drive from Rockaway. The exhibit is open during regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and admission is free. More on the courthouse’s two centuries of history is available from Morris County.
