Home History Middlebrook Encampment Washington Campground Association Contact

What's New:
Steve Yacik created a WCGA Facebook page

It has a post about a $25,000 Historic Preservation Grant from Somerset County in the Fall of 2022. This grant will be used to replace the deteriorating signage at the Camp Ground and begin a long-term restoration to make this site an iconic historic landmark.

Bob Mayers new book:
"Middlebrook - The Revolutionary War Campground that Saved America" Bob Mayers, 2021

The park was established in 1894. Legend has it that the land was donated to the Washington Camp Ground Assn. on the condition that the Declaration of Independence is read every 4th of July, or the land would revert to the heirs of the LaMonte family who donated it. As of 2022 this has occurred for 128 consecutive years.
In 1907 more than 2,000 marched in a parade from Bound Brook to the campground to celebrate Independence Day. What made that parade so memorable was that it was the first reported parade in the United States that included a procession of automobiles.

The ceremony starts with retiring the flag which has flown over the park for the last year and raising a new one.

Early flags of the United States:
   
The Hopkinson flag is generally believed to be the first. Francis Hopkinson was a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The so-called Betsy Ross flag was more likely a flag used for celebrations of anniversaries of the nation's birthday. Her descendants claimed it was the first flag, but there is no evidence of that. The first documented usage of this flag was in 1792. See: Flags of the United States

Fourth of July Patriotic Exercises
Location: 1761 Middlebrook Rd., Bound Brook, NJ (See map below)

128th Annual Independence Day Celebration Sunday July 4th, 2021

The annual ceremony includes (times are approximate):
10 AM Bring lawn chairs and listen to patriotic music
10:30 Flag raising
11:00 Reading of the Declaration of Independence
      Master of Ceremonies: Mayor Bob Fazen, President, Washington Campground Assn.
      Welcome Address: Bridgewater Mayor Matt Moench
      Reading of the Declaration of Independence:

Many prominent political figures, including Millicent Fenwick, U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 5th district, 1983-1987, have attended the ceremony.
Many local residents have supported the association over the years. The Haelig family have been members for at least four generations, John Sr., and John Jr. have served as officers for many years. two members who have passed on, Herbert Patullo, a local businessman, and Kels Swan, a historian, also had a long time active associations with the group.
There is also an annual meeting around Washington's Birthday, with a business meeting, buffet, talk and Cherry pie and cobbler.

Annual Meeting - Program and Buffet Dinner
February 18, 2024 Open to the public

Somerville Elks Lodge, 375 Union Av., Bridgewater
12:30 PM - Seating - Music
1 PM - Welcome, Business Meeting (election of officers, ...)
1:30 PM - Brunch Buffet & Desert
2:30 - Historical Talk: Arthur Lefkowitz

Dinner: $30 members, $40 non-members

   Payable to: WCGA Dinner
      Mail to: ?
 Contacts:
 President:          Bob Fazen
 1st Vice President: ?
 2nd Vice President: Jamie Schleck
 Secretary:           open
 Treasurer:           Gary Lindermann
 Historian:           Kels Swan (In Memoriam)
 
 Trustees 2016-2018
   John Haelig, JR.  Jamie Schleck  Herb Patullo (In memoriam)

 Trustees 2017-2019
     Borbart Frazen  John Haelig, Sr.  Robert Papp
   
 Trustees 2018-2018
   Jessie Havens  John Kuhn  Richard Hall  
   

Gary Lindermann
63 Hillcrest RD
Martinsville, NJ 08836

Map

Books:
"Revolutionary New Jersey: Forgotten Towns and Crossroads of the American Revolution " Bob Mayers 2018
"Middlebrook - The Revolutionary War Campground that Saved America" Bob Mayers, 2021

Return to: Middlebrook Encampment