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
National Park | Historic House
Morristown, NJ

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

North Carolina
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...

South Carolina
Battlefield | Historic Site
Moncks Corner, SC

Fort Fair Lawn was a British outpost in 1780–1781 and was the target of a daring Patriot raid on November 17, 1781, and abandoned by the British a...

South Carolina
Historic Site | Fort/Outpost
Charleston, SC

One of the many forts that dotted the landscape around Charleston, Patriots seized this fortification and raised the Moultrie flag, which bears...

New York
Historic Site | Fort/Outpost
St. Johnsville, NY

Built in 1750, Fort Klock is one of the Mohawk Valley's best-preserved fortified homes, serving as a refuge for local families during both the French...

New Jersey
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...

New Jersey
National Park | Fort/Outpost
Morristown, NJ

Fort Nonsense if one of four sites that compose Morristown National Historical Park. Atop a hill, it functioned as a defensive observation post for...

New York
Historic Site
Fort Plain, NY

Perched high above the Mohawk Valley, Fort Plain stood as one of New York's most important frontier strongholds during the American Revolution...

South Carolina
Battlefield | Fort/Outpost
Gaffney, SC

A station constructed during high tensions with the Cherokee, this fortification was utilized by Loyalists until July of 1780.

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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

Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved woman from Massachusetts, became a celebrated poet, publishing a book in 1773, corresponding with prominent figures like George Washington, and demonstrating the literary talent of African Americans before dying in poverty at 31.

Biography

During the Revolutionary War, Sumter became a prominent commander in the South Carolina militia. When Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton’s raiders burned his home, however, he organized a band of partisans to harass the British and their Tory allies. General Cornwallis called him one of his “great plagues.”

Biography

Robert Kirkwood served at major battles of the Revolution, including Monmouth, Camden, and Cowpens, where Kirkwood led his Delawareans to play a decisive role in Daniel Morgan’s victory. Kirkwood went on to lead his men at Guilford Courthouse, Hobkirk Hill, Ninety-Six, and Eutaw Springs.

Biography

A British officer, Pitcairn led troops at Lexington and Concord, then commanded a reserve force at Bunker Hill. He was wounded multiple times during the battle and died later from his injuries.

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 |
Chesapeake, VA

The primary approach to Norfolk, Virginia, was over Great Bridge, which spanned the Elizabeth River. On the morning of December 9, 1775, British soldiers attacked Patriot forces near the bridge in an attempt to seize the bridge and run off the rebels.

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 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.

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 Revolution.

Battlefield | State/County Park
Stony Point, NY

Now a state park in New York, Stony Point once served as British defensive position along the Hudson River during the New York campaign. Thanks to cunning actions of "Mad" Anthony Wayne, British forces were swiftly pushed from their defenses.

Historic Site | Marker
Bristol, RI
Lafayette played a crucial role in maintaining coordination between the Continental Army under General John Sullivan and newly arrived French forces under Admiral d’Estaing. In the summer of 1778, the...
State/County Park | Historic House
Basking Ridge, NJ

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.

Battlefield
Heath Springs, SC

This battleground was the site of three British camps, attacked by Patriot troops on August 6, 1780. It was a fight primarily between countrymen.

Historic Site | Marker
Suffolk, VA
In March of 1781, much of the Continental Army was hunting for the traitor, Benedict Arnold. In mid-March, Lafayette was sent south from the Elk River in Maryland with a detachment of troops to...
Historic Site
Charleston, SC

Completed in 1771, the Old Exchange Building is a Charleston landmark and the site of some of the most important events in South Carolina history. Over the last two and a half centuries, the building has been a commercial exchange, custom house, post office, city hall, military headquarters, and museum.

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 | Fort/Outpost
Gaffney, SC

A station constructed during high tensions with the Cherokee, this fortification was utilized by Loyalists until July of 1780.

National Park | Historic House
Morristown, NJ

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