Discover New Jersey’s critical role in America’s fight for independence—experience historic battlefields, personal stories, and key Revolutionary War sites with The Liberty Trail New Jersey app.
New Jersey played a major role in the fight for independence, from Washington’s daring crossing of the Delaware River to defeat the British at Trenton to a critical Patriot victory at the Battle of Princeton. Its location between the British stronghold in New York and the revolutionary center of the new nation in Philadelphia caused the Continental and British armies to clash on this ground repeatedly throughout the Revolutionary War.
The Liberty Trail New Jersey offers engaging, in-depth tours of sites related to the American Revolution. Visit the battlefields where lives were risked and lost, hear the stories of men, women, and enslaved laborers who played a part in the conflict, and learn how the efforts of both soldiers and citizens contributed to the future of the United States. Whether you are a longtime history fan or a first-time explorer, there are many ways to access the Liberty Trail—find your path.
The Liberty Trail New Jersey app was produced with the support of an award of Federal funds from the American Battlefield Protection Program administered by the National Park Service.
Download The Liberty Trail New Jersey for free today!
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.
Located on the Princeton Battlefield, this home served as a field hospital in the wake of the battle. At this site, Patriot officer Hugh Mercer died while in care from fatal wounds sustained during the decisive engagement.
Built in the 1740s, this building acted as a ferry house for those wishing to cross the Delaware, including the likes of George Washington and his men on Christmas night of 1776.
The home of a prominent Philadelphia merchant, this was the largest home built in New Jersey during the Revolution. During the Continental Army's encampment at Middleburg, it served as George Washington's Headquarters.
The mansion once housed George Washington, who utilized it as his headquarters in the freezing winter of 1779.
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.
The Dey Mansion, built around 1770, served as General George Washington’s headquarters in 1780 during a pivotal time in the American Revolution. As one of his surviving field headquarters, it offers a lasting connection to the strategic decisions, military challenges, and historic events that shaped the fight for independence.
Along the banks of the Hudson, one can walk in the steps of Cornwallis' army, which landed at this spot to chase the Continental Army through New Jersey.
This parsonage was constructed in the 1750s and housed the reverend of the Dutch congregation in what is now modern-day Somerville.
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.
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.
Renowned for Gen. George Washington's daring crossing of the Delaware River on a frigid Christmas night, Trenton marked the start of the Ten Crucial Days—a series of bold victories that reignited hope in the Revolutionary cause.
Once a sprawling manor complex in the New Jersey countryside belonging to Major General William Alexander, all that remains are two extant structures and the cellar of the original home.
