Trail Sites

Liberty Trail Historic Sites

Discover the myriad of sites across The Liberty Trail where significant cultural and Revolutionary history unfolded. From military ruins to meticulously restored mansions, immerse yourself in the footsteps of our nation’s history-makers.

States of Interest:
New Jersey
Historic Site
Morristown, NJ

The Arnold Tavern, constructed in the mid-18th century, served as Washington's headquarters from January - May 1777

New Jersey
Historic Site | Historic House
Princeton, NJ

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...

New Jersey
Historic Site
Union, NJ

The Caldwell Parsonage is a site of tragedy outside of the battlefield of Connecticut Farms & Springfield. The events that transpired that day still...

New Jersey
Historic Site | Historic House
Springfield, NJ

This Revolutionary War landmark withstood fierce fighting during the Battle of Springfield. A British cannonball struck the home — and the scar...

New Jersey
Historic Site | State/County Park
Barnegat, NJ

On December 27, 1782, Patriot forces under Captain Richard Shreve and Captain Edward Thomas were surprised at a tavern by Loyalist raider Captain John...

New Jersey
Historic Site | Historic House
Piscataway, NJ

The Cornelius Low House, constructed in 1741, stands today as one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in New Jersey.

New Jersey
Historic Site | Historic House
Freehold, NJ

This unassuming home, owned by the Covenhoven family, was requisitioned by British General Henry Clinton in the days prior to the monumental Battle of...

New Jersey
State/County Park | Historic House
Freehold, NJ

An ordinary farmhouse within Monmouth, it became a hotspot during the Battle of Monmouth as Charles Lee mounted a defense against advancing British...

New Jersey
Historic Site
Crosswicks, NJ

New Jersey militia and Continentals assaulted a British column in-and-around these grounds in mid-June of 1778, just days before a continued series of...

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States of Interest

Liberty Trail History Makers

The Revolutionary War was a war unlike any other — one of ideas and ideals, that shaped “the course of human events. Explore the history and personalities from this pivotal time in American history.
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 patriot by the Daughters of the American Revolution, her gravestone reads, "was killed at Connecticut Farms by a shot from a British Soldier. Cruelly sacrificed by the enemies of her husband and her country.”

Biography

Born into Scottish nobility, William Leslie pursued a military career with the British Army, confident in his superiority over the American rebels. However, his life was cut short at the Battle of Princeton, where, despite his disdain for the revolutionaries, he was honored in death by none other than General George Washington and his old friend, Benjamin Rush.

Biography

Johann Gottlieb Rall, a veteran German officer, commanded the Hessian garrison at Trenton despite concerns about its vulnerability. On December 26, 1776, Washington's surprise attack led to Rall’s mortal wounding and the capture of his troops.

Biography

Soon after Greene took command of the southern theater, the tide of war began to turn in favor of the Patriots. Greene and his men turned south to reconquer the South Carolina backcountry. Throughout 1781, Greene steadily drove the British back to Charleston, which they abandoned the following December.

Exploring History
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 |
Union, NJ

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.

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.

Historic Site |
Perth Amboy, NJ

The Royal Governor's Mansion of New Jersey is the only remaining proprietary governor's mansion of the original Thirteen Colonies still standing today. Built in the 1760s, it served as the residence gubernatorial residence of William Franklin, Benjamin Franklin's Loyalist son.

State/County Park | Historic House
Princeton, NJ

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.

National Park | Historic House
Morristown, NJ

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

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.

Historic Site | Historic House
Union, NJ

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.

Historic Site |
Manalapan Township, NJ

Located just behind the Continental artillery line on Perrine Ridge, this Presbyterian church now houses the remains of several patriots in its cemetery.

Historic Site | Historic House
Freehold, NJ

This unassuming home, owned by the Covenhoven family, was requisitioned by British General Henry Clinton in the days prior to the monumental Battle of Monmouth.

Historic Site |
Crosswicks, NJ

New Jersey militia and Continentals assaulted a British column in-and-around these grounds in mid-June of 1778, just days before a continued series of skirmishes reached their zenith at the Battle of Monmouth.

Historic Site |
Somerville, NJ

This parsonage was constructed in the 1750s and housed the reverend of the Dutch congregation in what is now modern-day Somerville.

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.