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.
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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.
This tavern marked the turning point of Washington's advance against Henry Clinton's column. It was here that the order was given to Charles Lee to attack the next morning, June 28, 1778, thus commencing the Battle of Monmouth.
On December 27, 1782, Patriot forces under Captain Richard Shreve and Captain Edward Thomas were surprised at a tavern by Loyalist raider Captain John Bacon, igniting a sharp skirmish. Though the militia gained the advantage, aid from local Loyalists allowed the wounded Bacon to escape, leaving casualties on both sides and marking what is believed to be the last land engagement of the American Revolution.
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.
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.
An ordinary farmhouse within Monmouth, it became a hotspot during the Battle of Monmouth as Charles Lee mounted a defense against advancing British troops.
The Cornelius Low House, constructed in 1741, stands today as one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in 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.
Located along the Morristown Green, the former site of the original First Presbyterian Church once acted as the infirmary for smallpox inoculated Continentals
Nassau Hall, once the largest stone building in the colonies, housed the College of New Jersey, now known as Princeton. During the Battle of Princeton in 1777, British troops fortified the building as a last stand defense.
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.
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.
The mansion once housed George Washington, who utilized it as his headquarters in the freezing winter of 1779.
