Courthouse Exhibit Celebrates 250 Years of Justice and Independence
Published on July 13, 2026
New Self-Guided Exhibit Explores Morris County’s Legal History Ahead of Courthouse Bicentennial
The Morris/Sussex Vicinage of New Jersey Courts recently opened a special 250th Anniversary exhibit inside the historic Morris County Courthouse and adjoining Administration and Records Building, commemorating America's semiquincentennial and launching a 200th anniversary celebration of the historic courthouse, which was built in 1827.
Launched in conjunction with the county’s “Light to Unite” campaign and public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, the self-guided exhibit traces more than 270 years of Morris County's legal and civic history, from the county's first log courthouse in 1755 to the current courthouse.
Through historic photographs, artifacts and interpretive displays, visitors will discover how the courthouse evolved alongside Morris County and the nation over the past 200 years as it reflected the enduring principles of justice, liberty and the rule of law.
Among the exhibit's highlights is the court-martial of Benedict Arnold. One of the most significant legal proceedings of the Revolutionary War took place in Morristown during the Continental Army's second winter encampment. From Dec. 23, 1779, through January 1780, Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold was tried by a military court at Dickerson's Tavern on Spring Street. The proceedings resumed a case first opened at Middlebrook earlier that year but postponed because of military operations.
The exhibit also examines the 1887 blasphemy trial of Charles B. Reynolds, one of New Jersey's earliest legal challenges involving freedom of speech and religious liberty. The widely publicized case, argued by renowned orator and Civil War veteran Robert G. Ingersoll, became an important chapter in the nation's evolving conversation about free expression and religious freedom.
Additional displays highlight notable Morris County court cases, the history of the Morris County Sheriff's Office and the courthouse's distinguished Federal-style architecture, one of the finest surviving examples of its kind in New Jersey. Visitors also may step inside the beautifully preserved historic courtroom, which has remained in continuous use for nearly two centuries.
As a commemorative keepsake, visitors may pick up a complimentary copy of “Founding Documents of the United States,” a pocket pamphlet containing the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, courtesy of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation.
Self-Guided Tour
The exhibit is open to the public during regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visitors are invited to explore the self-guided exhibit at their own pace by following directional signage throughout the historic courthouse.
- Begin on the second floor of the Administration & Records Building, 10 Court St. in Morristown. Access the second floor using the lobby elevator after passing through the security screening.
- Cross the enclosed pedestrian bridge into the historic Morris County Courthouse, where the exhibit begins with the history and evolution of the county's courthouses.
- Continue through displays featuring landmark trials, historic artifacts, digital presentations and notable figures in Morris County's legal history.
- Proceed to the first floor to explore exhibits highlighting the history of the Morris County Sheriff's Office.
- Before departing, pick up a complimentary pocket Constitution.
Please note: Visitors requiring accessible access may view both the first floor and second floor exhibits by entering the Administration & Records Building and the historic Morris County Courthouse separately. Upon arrival at either building, please notify a sheriff's officer that you would like to view the 250th anniversary exhibit and require accessible access.
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Photo 1: A video display case featured in the Morris/Sussex Vicinage of New Jersey Courts 250th anniversary exhibit inside the historic Morris County Courthouse.
Photo 2: An illuminated display case inside the 250th anniversary exhibit in the historic Morris County Courthouse.
Photo 3: A wall display highlighting Morris County and the historic Morris County Courthouse during the Revolutionary War on the first floor of the Historic Morris County Courthouse.
Photo 4: George Washington, painted by John Lavalle in 1956, is displayed in the historic Morris County Courthouse.