Somerset County's Five Generals Houses

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Where History Comes Alive!

Did you know that Somerset County played a pivotal role in the outcome of the American Revolution? During the Revolutionary War, George Washington and his trusted staff chose Somerset County to position the Continental Army during the First Middlebrook Encampment of 1777 and the Second Middlebrook Cantonment of 1778-79.

While in Somerset County, George Washington and four of his top generals headquartered at nearby houses that are known today as Somerset County's Five Generals Houses!

The Abraham Staats House (South Bound Brook)
The Jacobus Vanderveer House (Bedminster)
The Philip Van Horne House (Bridgewater)
The Van Veghten House (Bridgewater)
The Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage (Somerville)

Click the map above for more details about the Five Generals Houses!

Abraham Staats House

Abraham Staats House
17 Von Steuben Lane
South Bound Brook, NJ 08880

Website: www.staatshouse.org
Email: info@staatshouse.org
Phone: (732) 369-3583

General Public Hours: Open House on the second Saturday of each month (closed July & August). Check website for event schedule. Tours available by appointment.

The Abraham Staats House was built c. 1740 and served as the headquarters for the Prussian-American General Friedrich Willhelm von Steuben during the Middlebrook Cantonment of 1778-79. This site offers historic house tours, open houses, and special events such as the annual Battle of Bound Brook! This site is operated by the Friends of the Abraham Staats House and owned by the Borough of Bound Brook.

Jacobus Vanderveer House

Jacobus Vanderveer House
3055 River Road
Bedminster, NJ 07921
(Located in River Road Park)

Website: www.jvanderveerhouse.org
Email: info@JVanderveerhouse.org
Phone: (908) 397-3377

General Public Hours:
Check website for event schedule. Tours available by appointment.

The Jacobus Vanderveer House was built in the mid-1770s and was headquarters to General Henry Knox during the Winter of 1778-79. This house is the only surviving building associated with the Pluckemin Cantonment, America's first military academy. This site offers historic house tours and special events! The site is operated by the Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House and owned by Bedminster Township.

Philip Van Horne House

Philip Van Horne House
941 East Main Street
Bridgewater, NJ 08807

Website: www.heritagetrail.org
Email: info@heritagetrail.org
Phone: (310) 691-9388

General Public Hours: Check website for event schedule. Tours available upon request.

The Philip Van Horne House was built in the mid-1700s and was the temporary residence of General William Alexander, also known as Lord Stirling. The home is operated by the non-profit organization Heritage Trail Association (HTA). HTA offers various special events and programs throughout the year, such as the annual Revolutionary Revelry Night at the Somerset Patriots' TD Bank Ballpark. This site is owned by Somerset County.

Van Veghten House

Van Veghten House
9 Van Veghten Drive
Bridgewater, NJ 08807

Website: www.somersethistorynj.org
Email: info@somersethistorynj.org
Phone: (908) 218-1281

General Public Hours: Tuesdays from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. and the 2nd & 4th Saturday of each month from 12:00 P.M. to 3:00 PM. Check website for special events. Tours available by appointment.

Though the exact date of construction is unknown, records lead us to believe the Van Veghten House was built in the late 1600s - early 1700s. The home served as the residence of Quartermaster Nathanial Greene during the Second Middlebrook Cantonment of 1778-79. Today, this site servers as the headquarters of the Somerset County Historical Society (SCHS). The SCHS has a library and archives; as well as artifact collections and exhibits.

Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage

Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage
71 Somerset Street
Somerville, NJ 08876

Website: https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/historic/wallacedutch.html
Email: wallacedutch@dep.nj.gov
Phone: (908) 725-1015

General Public Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. Check website for special events and programs. Tours available by appointment.

The Wallace House was built in 1774-76 and was considered to be the largest home built in New Jersey during the Revolutionary War period. The Wallace House served as George Washington's own headquarters during the Second Middlebrook Cantonment of 1778-79. From here, the Commander-in-Chief hosted foreign dignitaries and planned military strategy. This site offers house tours, special programs, and events. The site is operated by the New Jersey State Park Service in collaboration with the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Association.

Five Generals Geocaching

Geocache Image Explore Somerset County's rich Revolutionary War history in a new and exciting way - geocaching! Geocaching is a family-friendly, outdoor scavenger hunt that involves using a GPS app or device to locate hidden "geocaches". Navigate to a specific set of coordinates, search high and low for the hidden geocache, and, upon finding it, sign the logbook inside! History will come alive as you search for hidden treasures at Somerset County's Five Generals Houses!

How to Get Started

To find a geocache, use a geocaching app, Google Maps, or a GPS device and the geocache's description with helpful clues on geocaching.com.

Click the links below to go to each of the Five Generals Houses' geocache description with GPS coordinates!

The New Jersey American Revolution Geo Trail

NNJC Logo The Five Generals Houses geocaches were created in partnership with the Northern New Jersey Cachers (NNJC) as part of the New Jersey American Revolution Geo Trail featuring over 70 historically significant Revolutionary-war sites throughout New Jersey.

Interested in geocaching at more Revolutionary-war sites? Print out the official Geo-Trail passport online and begin your adventures. Click here to learn more.