Washington Rock was a strategic lookout for General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. At that time, the surrounding land was mostly fields and meadows, offering a clear view for 30 miles. In June of 1777, the ability to monitor British troop movements from this location proved crucial to the survival of the Continental Army. In the spring of 1777, over 8,000 Continental troops were camped in the Watchung Mountains, 3 miles away, where the high elevation and mountainous terrain provided strong defensive cover. British General Howe made several attempts to entice them down onto level ground to fight, but Washington refused to leave his secure mountain stronghold. After these tactics failed, Howe moved his troops to Perth Amboy and then to Staten Island. The following day, seeing that the coast was clear, Washington sent a contingent of men down to Quibbletown, now the New Market section of Plainfield. When Howe learned of this movement, he recalled his troops, organized and led a division to attack Quibbletown, and General Cornwallis took another British division to circle behind the Continentals and cut off their retreat route to the mountains. Watching these maneuvers from this lookout and recognizing the British plan, Washington ordered his troops to return immediately and refortify their mountain positions, a decision that saved the Continental Army from a disastrous defeat.
