Bucco Measure Bolstering Historic Washington Association of NJ Advances to Governor’s Desk

Legislation sponsored by Senator Anthony M. Bucco that would expand the board of the Washington Association of New Jersey (“WANJ”) awaits consideration by Governor Murphy after passing the Senate.

The bill (A4370/S2919) allows the board of the association, chartered in 1874, to expand to 18 members.

“The association plays a crucial role in preserving the legacy of George Washington and New Jersey’s significant contributions in the Revolutionary War,” said Bucco (R-25). “The future of WANJ and its treasured historic sites depends on dedicated volunteers. The addition of new leadership voices to the existing core of committed members will bring new ideas and renewed energy to the ambitious mission.”

WANJ is one of the oldest historic preservation organizations in the country. It was founded to acquire and preserve George Washington’s military headquarters at the Jacob Ford Mansion in Morristown. It is a not-for-profit advisory and fundraising body for the Morristown National Historical Park, the country’s first national historical park.

In addition to the Ford mansion, the historic park includes other historical sites: the Jockey Hollow encampment, site of the Continental Army’s winter encampment between 1779 and 1780; Fort Nonsense, an encampment overlooking Manhattan built in 1777; the New Jersey Brigade area, where American troops camped in December 1779; and the scenic Cross Estate gardens. The WANJ collaborates with the National Park Service as co-stewards of these sites.