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:
Massachusetts
Historic Site | State/County Park
Boston, MA

Once the training ground for British troops in Boston, it was from here that Regulars marched toward Lexington & Concord, sparking the American...

Massachusetts
Historic Site | Historic House
Lexington , MA

Waiting on British troops to arrive on the morning of April 19, militia members used this tavern to wait for their arrival before assembling on the...

South Carolina
Historic Site
Pamplico, SC

Located in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina, it was here that Francis Marion signed a treaty with a local Loyalist militia leader, effectively...

North Carolina
Historic Site | Historic House
Wilmington, NC

Home to a Loyalist sympathizer, the Burgwin-Wright House stands as one of the oldest structures in Wilmington. In 1781, the likes of Cornwallis and...

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...

Massachusetts
National Park | Historic House
Lincoln, MA

This building was the home of the captain of the Lincoln Minutemen, William Smith, who led his men at the Lexington Green on April 19, 1775.

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...

South Carolina
Historic Site | Battlefield
Spartanburg, SC

When Jane Black Thomas overheard Loyalists plotting a surprise attack on her son's militia camp, she rode nearly 60 miles through dangerous territory...

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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

Born in England in 1723 and trained as a physician in London, John Pyle brought his family to Alamance County, North Carolina, where he later emerged as a steadfast Loyalist colonel. In 1781, his misidentification of Patriot troops as British escorts led to the brutal clash known as Pyle’s Defeat, leaving him wounded and maimed—yet ultimately tending to the very Patriot soldiers who had struck down his force.

Biography

Charles Pinckney was born in Charleston, South Carolina on October 26, 1757. His father bore the same name and was a wealthy lawyer and planter.

Biography

While serving as a drummer in the Revolutionary War, young Stephen Tainter witnessed Burgoyne’s surrender and the failed Newport siege.

Biography

Colonel Henry Rugeley was a prominent South Carolina Tory who earned a commission in the British army after the siege of Charleston in 1780.

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.
National Park | Historic House
Morristown, NJ

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

Historic Site | State/County Park
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.

Historic Site |
Boston, MA

One of the oldest public buildings in the United States, the Old State House was the seat of government in Massachusetts leading up to the Revolution and after the consolidation of the States. Infamously, the Boston Massacre happened just beyond its steps.

Historic Site |
Clemson, SC

Nestled outside the traditional bounds of the South Carolina colony is the Presbyterian church where Andrew Pickens committed his time as an elder following the Revolution. In the adjacent cemetery lie the graves of several American soldiers who had fought by Pickens' side during the war.

Historic Site | State/County Park
Washington Crossing, PA

Located on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, this park commemorates Washington's planning of his famous crossing that re-ignited the spark of liberty.

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 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.

Historic Site |
Englishtown, NJ

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.

State/County Park
Camden, SC

Not far from Camden Battlefield, Goodale State Park is lined with cypress trees, a spring-fed lake that offers boating, fishing, and hiking opportunities.

Historic Site | Historic House
Lenoir, NC

Built in 1792 by Revolutionary War officer William Lenoir, Fort Defiance preserves the homestead that rose near the site of an earlier frontier fort and reflects the legacy of one family for nearly two centuries.

Battlefield | National Park
Gaffney, SC

The Cowpens Battlefield commemorates Daniel Morgan’s victory over Banastre Tarleton on January 17, 1781.

Historic Site |
Gresham, SC

Located along the Great Pee Dee River, Snow's Island served as Francis Marion's favorite refuge for his militia in the swamps of South Carolina