The Somerset Hills played host to a number of events that changed the course of history in the United States. The area hosted three winter encampments for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The first was in 1776 in nearby Bernardsville and Morristown, and the other two were winter encampments in nearby
Middlebrook. During the winter of 1778-1779 General Henry Knox and over 1000 artillery troops spent the winter in
Pluckemin, New Jersey at what is now known as America's First Military Academy, created 28 years before the founding of the
US Military Academy at West Point. Another notable events was the capture of
General Charles Lee at the Widow White's tavern in Basking Ridge on December 13, 1776. If it were not for this capture, Lee might have been selected the "father of our country." In 1779, General Washington wrote General William Alexander, the Earl of Stirling to construct a series of signal beacons to warn the continental army if there was detected movement of the British troops moving west from New York City and Staten Island. This chain of beacons proved effective during the battle of Springfield. These Rev War beacons were remembered during the 225th anniversary of the British Evacuation day on November 25, 2008. ==Historic landmarks==