The Liberty Trail

History Along the Trail

Explore the people and stories of the American Revolutionary War in South Carolina through videos, audio, and biographies. Hear tales of bravery, defeat, and treason from historians and travelers. The Liberty trail offers captivating and inspiring narratives from this transformative chapter of American history.

Exploring History
We invite you to visit the preserved locations along the Liberty Trail and to immerse yourself in the extraordinary events that determined the fate of a nation.
State/County Park | Historic Site
Elizabeth, NJ

Elizabeth Town Point, New Jersey served as a critical colonial port, ferry landing, and commercial hub connecting New Jersey to New York before and during the American Revolution. On January 25, 1780, British and Loyalist troops crossed here to launch a devastating raid that burned parts of Elizabeth.

Historic Site
Gaffney, SC
On this site lie the bodies of three, unknown British soldiers who perished at the Battle of Cowpens, which was fought around 14 miles away from here on January 17, 1781. These three men were brought...
Battlefield | State/County Park
Clinton, SC

The site of the 1780 battle of Musgrove’s Mill where a small force of Patriot militia fought and defeated a larger force of Loyalist and Provincial soldiers in a short but pivotal battle.

Historic Site |
Middletown, CT
President James Monroe invited the Marquis de Lafayette to visit the United States, his adopted country. Lafayette’s tour of all 24 states in 1824 and 1825 drew large crowds and sparked a renewal of...
Historic Site | Historic House
Lexington, MA

In the early twilight hours of April 19, 1775, Paul Revere rode by this house to warn its occupants, Samuel Adams and John Hancock, of the impending British raids. Already known for their revolutionary sentiments, Adams and Hancock fled to avoid capture.

Battlefield
Hollywood, SC

The Patriots launch a misguided attack on British troops retreating from an aborted raid on Charleston

Historic Site |
Perth Amboy, NJ

The Royal Governor's Mansion of New Jersey is the only remaining proprietary governor's mansion of the original Thirteen Colonies still standing today. Built in the 1760s, it served as the residence gubernatorial residence of William Franklin, Benjamin Franklin's Loyalist son.

Historic Site |
Boston, MA

The oldest standing church in Boston, it once signaled lookouts in Charlestown, which triggered Paul Revere's famous ride to alert militia of the advancing British Regulars across the Massachusetts countryside.

State/County Park | Historic House
National Park, NJ

A home to a Quaker family, it served as a hospital following the Battle of Red Bank.

Historic Site | Historic House
Union, NJ

Liberty Hall was home to trailblazing governors, congressmen, senators, assembly persons, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs. Inhabited by William Livingston, New Jersey’s first elected governor and a signer of the United States Constitution, the 14-room Georgian-style home evolved over time into a 50-room Victorian mansion.

Battlefield |
Union, NJ

The Battles of Connecticut Farms and Springfield were small but at the same time significant. It proved that New Jersey militia would stubbornly oppose any attempt by the British to move inland. The battles also showed that militia and Continental regular troops could work well together.

Battlefield
Concord, MA

At dawn on April 19, 1775, an unknown shot shattered the silence in Lexington. British Redcoats and colonial militia clashed, leaving blood on the field. In Concord, the patriots struck back, and as the British retreated, gunfire hounded them to Boston, thus sparking the American Revolution