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.
Jockey Hollow, the site of General Washington’s winter encampment in 1779-1780, played a key role in forging the Continental Army's strength and unity. The nearby Wick House, once home to Major General Arthur St. Clair, now stands as a historic landmark, offering a glimpse into the hardships and strategies of that fateful winter.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nestled in the sloping mountains of New Jersey, the birthplace of American military academies can be found. Initially a part of a winter encampment, it became the proving grounds for Patriot artillerists.
A precursor movement to the Battle of Monmouth, this Quaker meeting house was surrounded by the encampment of British troops under Alexander Leslie in mid-June of 1778.
In the final days of the Revolutionary War, Rockingham became General George Washington’s last wartime headquarters, where he penned his Farewell Orders to the Armies of the United States. As he prepared to step away from military command, news arrived that the Treaty of Paris had been signed, securing America’s independence.
A hidden gem in the borough of Princeton, the Bainbridge House was constructed in the mid-1760s and stands as a hallmark of colonial architecture. Today, it acts as a museum and interpretive center.
The Caldwell Parsonage is a site of tragedy outside of the battlefield of Connecticut Farms & Springfield. The events that transpired that day still have lasting legacies for the township.
Located along the Morristown Green, the former site of the original First Presbyterian Church once acted as the infirmary for smallpox inoculated Continentals
