52. New Jersey Journal Site Traditional Cache

Chatham saw a great deal of military activity in and around the town. Chatham played its most important military role in the Revolutionary War in August 1781, when between two and three thousand Continental (American) troops stopped to encamp here during a long march down the east coast towards Yorktown, Virginia. Also marching along a different route were French troops, who had recently arrived in America to fight as allies alongside the Continental Army.

General George Washington arrived on the scene on August 27. He is believed to have made his headquarters at the home of Jacob Morrell, which is now used as the Scalini Fedeli restaurant.The New Jersey Journal was the only newspaper published in North Jersey during the Revolutionary War; it reported on the events of the war from a pro-American point of view. (New Jersey's other newspaper during the war, the New Jersey Gazette, was published in Central Jersey, in Burlington and then Trenton.

The first edition of the New Jersey Journal was published on February 16, 1779, by Shepard Kollock, who had previously served in the Morris County Militia and the Continental Army before setting up his printing press in Chatham. He published the newspaper throughout the rest of the war in several different buildings in Chatham which were located near this sign.

In June 1780, British troops invaded New Jersey, making it as far as Springfield, less than five miles from here, resulting in the Battle of Springfield. To protect his printing press, Shepard Kollock evacuated Chatham with his equipment, causing the New Jersey Journal to miss publication for a week.

In 1786, Kollock began publishing the New Jersey Journal in Elizabeth. Its name was later changed to the Elizabeth Daily Journal, and it remained in publication until January 3, 1992.

This cache is one of "The American Revolution Geo~Trail" caches throughout New Jersey. These special geocaches are hidden at historic locations which have a connection to important New Jersey's American Revolutionary War history. To participate in the optional Geo-Trail, after you find the geocache, locate the secret code and record it into your passport which you will print from the Geo~Trail website. Information at njpatriots.org

The Northern New Jersey Cachers, NNJC is about promoting a quality caching experience in New Jersey. For information on The Northern New Jersey Cachers group you can visit: www.nnjc.org.