illustration of a man from American Colonial era

The Liberty Trail History Makers

Join us in discovering the individuals who shaped the Revolutionary War along The Liberty Trail. 

States of Interest:
Biography

Hannah Caldwell of Connecticut Farms, New Jersey was a civilian casualty of the American Revolution. She died instantly when a British soldier fired into her home on June 7, 1780. Recognized as a...

Biography

Jim Capers, a free African American who courageously served as a Drum Major during the American Revolution, survived brutal battles and close-quarters combat, including being severely wounded at Eutaw...

Biography

Thomas Carney was an African American soldier who fought in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

Biography

One of Virginia's most capable officers of the American Revolution, Edward Carrington was also a confidant of George Washington and statesman in the early days of the Republic.

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.
Battlefield | Fort/Outpost
Fort Lee, NJ

Located along the banks of the Hudson, outnumbered Patriot forces quickly evacuated this site on November 20, 1776, as the British army advanced on their position.

State/County Park | Fort/Outpost
Crown Point, NY

In 1775, at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the American colonists captured this fort from the British and secured sorely needed cannons and heavy ordnance.

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.

State/County Park | Historic Site
Titusville, NJ

The location of George Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware, the site is now a state park that offers historical interpretation and several recreational activities.

Historic Site |
Newport, RI
Hunter House Historical Museum in Newport, RI Historical Marker Database The Hunter House in Newport became a key Revolutionary War site when the French fleet under Admiral de Ternay used it as...
National Park | Historic House
Morristown, NJ

The mansion once housed George Washington, who utilized it as his headquarters in the freezing winter of 1779.

Historic Site | Museum
Newport, RI
U.S. Naval War College Museum Visit Newport Founded in 1884 by Rear Admiral Stephen B. Luce, the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, is the oldest institution dedicated to studying war...
National Park | Battlefield
Concord , MA

The site of the famous "Shot Heard Around the World," the Old North Bridge served as the flashpoint of the American Revolution. To this day, historians debate who fired the first shot, here, which led to the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

Battlefield
Columbus, NJ

At this bridge, American forces under Colonel Samuel Griffin and foraging parties under Hessian Colonel Carl Ulrich von Donop clashed several times throughout December of 1776.

Battlefield | National Park
Blacksburg, SC

On August 16, 1780, the unexpected Patriot success at Kings Mountain infused those favoring rebellion with new confidence.

Historic Site | Fort/Outpost
Trenton, NJ

The Old Barracks Museum is located in Trenton, New Jersey and stands as one of the last military structures dating back the French & Indian War and the American Revolution.

Historic Site | Historic House
Charleston, SC

This historic house museum was the home of Thomas Heyward, Jr., one of four South Carolina signers of the Declaration of Independence.