Denville's Beacon
Denville, Morris County, New Jersey
Marker Inscription
This is a replica of a beacon used by the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Fires were lit as beacons to warn other outposts of British attack. There were a total of 23 outposts spread across the Northeast.
The Story
During the American Revolution, the Continental Army built a chain of signal fires on high ground across northern New Jersey and the surrounding region to relay warnings of British troop movements. When lit, one beacon would alert the next outpost, sending an alarm racing across the countryside far faster than any messenger on horseback. This replica in Denville recalls a single link in that network of 23 outposts spread across the Northeast, where sentries stood ready to set their pyres ablaze at the first sign of attack.
Why it matters
Long before the telegraph, these fire beacons formed an early-warning system that let a dispersed and outmatched army coordinate its defense — a reminder that vigilance and communication were as vital to winning independence as any battle.
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Related events
- · American Revolution
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