December 13, 1776, stands as the most electrifying day in Basking Ridge’s history, when the sleepy colonial crossroads suddenly became the center of the Revolution. At dawn, the infamous capture of General Charles Lee sent shockwaves through Washington’s struggling army and the entire young nation. British dragoons thundered down the roads, militia scrambled in confusion, and a single moment on a frosty Basking Ridge morning changed the trajectory of the war. It was the day our town became the stage for one of the Revolution’s boldest and most consequential twists.
Because Basking Ridge is home to the Mr. Local History nonprofit, this moment is more than a passing footnote; it is the heartbeat of a story we are uniquely positioned to tell. What happened here on that cold December morning is now unfolding in a series of posts that explore the people involved, the landscape that shaped their decisions, and the far-reaching impact of this single event on American history. By grounding the narrative in the place where it actually happened, we can bring readers closer to the tension, the personalities, and the significance of a turning point that helped alter the fate of the Revolution.
Mr. Local History Widow White’s Research Series
General Charles Lee’s Capture at Widow White’s Tavern in Basking Ridge Study
Views: 43 Paper presented to the Basking Ridge Historical Society in 1933 by Reverend Oscar Vorhees December 13, 1776, stands as the most electrifying day in Basking Ridge’s history, when the sleepy colonial crossroads suddenly became the center of the…
December 13, 1776 – Basking Ridge , New Jersey Altered American History
Views: 8,065 The world might have had a different look if it weren’t for this day’s event.December 13, 1776 in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Basking Ridge, New Jersey’s most famous incident, occurred on December 13, 1776, at about noon. General…
New Jersey Rev War Series Mr. Local History Project
Views: 9,895 New Jersey is known as the “Cockpit of the American Revolution” for a reason – because it was. More battles, more encampments, more strategies took place in New Jersey than in any other colony of the original thirteen.…
Widow White – Mary Jarvis Whitaker Brown White
Views: 853 This is a story about a widow, a General, and a War for Independence. For over a decade, I’ve been researching the story behind the 1776 capture of one of General Washington’s head generals, but I never really…
Widow White’s Tavern in Basking Ridge was More Than a Grog Stop
Views: 26,783 Basking Ridge, New Jersey’s Most Famous Incident Yes, this historic event made the series, so look for it. The episode covering that timeframe is Episode 3: “The Times That Try Men’s Souls (July 1776 – January 1777)” about…
Three Historic Moments That Changed Basking Ridge & America
Views: 11,445 On the internet, we’ve created the #3LOCALHISTORYEVENTCHALLENGE, where you share your town’s three most historic events. As the historian for Bernards Township, representing Bernards Towns#hip and its four hamlets is a great honor. We’re always looking for ways…
Widow White’s Tavern 7th Wooden Historic Village Keepsake
Views: 6,085 Be part of the Widow White’s Tavern limited edition run. Mr Local History is proud to announce the release of the 7th in the collectible series, the infamous 1776 Widow White’s Tavern in the village of Basking Ridge.…
John Morton – General Washington’s Rebel Banker Stashed in Basking Ridge
Views: 6,475 John Morton was a Colonel in the Continental Army. Still, he relinquished his commission in 1761 to become a highly successful merchant, specializing in the trade of flax from his native Ulster in Northern Ireland, thereby supporting the…
What Happened to Mary White and Widow White’s Tavern – Research Notepad
Views: 27,066 Below are the original research notes as I had spent years researching contradicting information on the Widow White’s Tavern in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Often I like to post research in hopes that other researchers can see what’s…
Related Posts from Mr. Local History
Our Readers’ Top 10 MLH Posts this Week
