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

Despite the prominent role Cornwallis played in the Revolution, Henry Clinton was blamed for the loss of the American colonies following the surrender at Yorktown.

Biography

A veteran of the Austrian War of Succession and the Seven Years' War, the Comte d'Estaing later found himself commanding elements of the French Navy against the British during the American Revolution.

Biography

In 1779, after a stalemate in the north, Cornwallis went south as second in command to Sir Henry Clinton. Clinton captured Charleston in May 1780. Cornwallis pressed on to defeat General Horatio Gates...

Biography

Captain Isaac Davis, a Massachusetts Minuteman leader, was the first American officer killed in the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Concord on April 19, 1775.

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.
Historic Site | Marker
Schuylerville, NY
Following the Revolutionary War, Lafayette accepted an invitation from George Washington and returned to America. The Marquis de Lafayette departed France in mid-June 1784 and arrived in New York City...
Historic Site | Fort/Outpost
Schuylerville, NY

The site of the British surrender to the Americans on October 17, 1777.

Historic Site | Historic House
South Bound Brook, NJ

Constructed in the early 1740s, this home acted as the headquarters of Baron Von Steuben during the Continental Army's cantonment in 1779. Today, it stands as one of the few remaining Dutch structures in central New Jersey.

Battlefield |
Burlington, NC

Patriot forces under Andrew Pickens and "Light Horse Harry" successfully rout British forces in Alamance County following Cornwallis' failed attempt to catch Nathanael Greene during the "Race to the Dan"

State/County Park | Fort/Outpost
Cohoes, NY

On August 17, 1777, American forces retreated south to this place as they prepared defenses to make a final stand against the British, who intended to capture Albany.

Historic Site | Museum
New York, NY

The Fraunces Tavern Museum is Manhattan’s oldest building and the site of meetings of the Sons of Liberty.

Historic Site | Gardens & Grounds
Morristown, NJ

Now a quiet park in the center of urban Morristown, this green once served as the training and parade grounds of the Continental Army during its 1777 winter encampment.

Historic Site
Sullivan's Island, SC

William Moultrie died in 1805 and was buried in the family cemetery. In 1977, his remains were moved to Sullivan's Island within Fort Moultrie.

State/County Park | Historic Site
Hewitt, NJ

Owned and operated by German immigrants, this site once housed one of the largest ironworks in the colonies that supplied the Continental Army. Started in 1766, it was in operation for over a century.

Historic Site |
Cayuga, NY
Lafayette Tour Marker, Cayuga, NY The Lafayette Trail 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...
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.

State/County Park | Historic Site
Bath, NC

North Carolina's first official town and port of entry, Bath served as an early hub of trade and development during the Colonial period.