Washington Crossing State Park is a

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

state park that is part of Washington's Crossing, a

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

area. It is located in the Washington Crossing and Titusville sections of Hopewell Township in Mercer County, north of Trenton along the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...

. The park is operated and maintained by the

New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry In the state of New Jersey, the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry is an administrative division of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. In its most visible role, the Division is directly responsible for the management an ...

. It is supported by the Washington Crossing Park Association, a friends group that works to preserve, enhance, and advocate for the park. This park area, together with

Washington Crossing Historic Park Washington Crossing Historic Park is a 500-acre (2 km2) state park operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in partnership with the Friends of Washington Crossing Park. The park is divided into two secti ...

on the Pennsylvania side, comprise the Washington's Crossing National Historic Landmark, which was listed on January 20, 1961, and added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

on October 15, 1966. and The park's natural area consists of of mixed hardwood forests and fields that offer locations for hiking, picnics, nature walks and cross-country skiing. The Nature Center offers exhibits, displays, and educational programs for children, families and school groups. During warmer months, concerts and plays were once held at the

Washington Crossing Open Air Theatre The Open Air Theatre in Washington Crossing State Park in the Titusville, New Jersey, Titusville section of Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County, New Jersey, is a permanent outdoo ...

, an outdoor theater with seating consisting of wooden benches and a stage, but this facility has been abandoned since 2017. Goat Hill Overlook, located nearby in West Amwell Township in

Hunterdon County Hunterdon County is a County (United States), county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, 4th-least populous ...

, is administered by the

as part of Washington Crossing State Park.

Johnson's Ferry

The park includes the site of

George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, which occurred on the night of December 25–26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, was the first move in a complex and surprise military maneuver organized by George Washington, t ...

at Johnson's Ferry. This is where

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

and a 2,400-man detachment of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

crossed the river overnight on December 25, 1776, and into the morning of December 26, 1776, to make a surprise attack on Trenton, a move that would prove to be a turning point in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. The corresponding ferry on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River was known as

McConkey's Ferry Washington Crossing Historic Park is a 500-acre (2 km2) state park operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in partnership with the Friends of Washington Crossing Park. The park is divided into two sect ...

. The Johnson Ferry House, an 18th-century farmhouse and tavern near the Delaware River, was owned by Garret Johnson, who operated a plantation and a ferry service across the Delaware. It was likely used by General Washington and other officers at the time of the crossing. Several rooms are furnished with period pieces, and an 18th-century kitchen garden has been planted. On weekends, living-history demonstrations are frequently held.

Nelson House

Built , the Nelson House, also known as the Alexander Nelson Tavern, is located near the landing site on the Delaware River and is used for park history demonstrations. The house includes period furnishings and old photographs of railroad and canal transportation.

Washington Crossing Visitor Center Museum

The Washington Crossing Visitor Center Museum focuses on the American Revolution and the military campaign known as the "

Ten Crucial Days New Jersey played a central role in the American Revolution both politically and militarily. It was the site of more than 90 military engagements, including the pivotal battles of Trenton, Princeton, and Monmouth. George Washington led his army ...

" from December 25, 1776, through January 3, 1777. During this time, the George Washington and the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River, and fought at the

Battle of Trenton The Battle of Trenton was a small but pivotal American Revolutionary War battle on the morning of December 26, 1776, in Trenton, New Jersey. After General George Washington's George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, crossing of the ...

, the

Battle of the Assunpink Creek The Battle of the Assunpink Creek, also known as the Second Battle of Trenton, was a battle between Thirteen Colonies, American and Kingdom of Great Britain, British troops that took place in and around Trenton, New Jersey, on January 2, 1 ...

, and the

Battle of Princeton The Battle of Princeton was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, fought near Princeton, New Jersey on January 3, 1777, and ending in a small victory for the Colonials. General Lord Cornwallis had left 1,400 British troops under the comma ...

. It features the Harry Kels Swan Collection of Revolutionary War artifacts. Over 700 military items from the American and British Armies are included in the collection. The center also includes interpretive history exhibits that cover the Revolutionary War from its prelude in 1758 to the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

Nature Center and Observatory

The Washington Crossing State Park Nature Center offers nature education programs are for schools, youth groups, community organizations, and visitors to the park. The center is open Wednesday through Sunday, year round. Nearby is the John W. H. Simpson Observatory, which is operated by the Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton. The observatory houses two telescopes: a 6.25-inch Hastings-Byrne refractor and a 14-inch SCT. The observatory is open for public observing led by association volunteers on Friday nights April through October from 8 to 11 pm, weather permitting.

Goat Hill Overlook

Goat Hill Overlook is a scenic preserve administered as part of nearby Washington Crossing State Park. The

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is a government agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is responsible for managing the state's natural resources and addressing issues related to pollution. NJDEP now has a staf ...

's Green Acres program purchased the Goat Hill Overlook property in 2009 for $4.5 million from Constructural Dynamics Inc. of

Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania Fairless Hills is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The CDP is located within Falls Township. The population was 9,046 at the 2020 census. That is up from 8,466 at the 2010 census. History Fairless ...

. The company acquired Goat Hill Overlook from the

Boy Scouts Boy Scouts or Boy Scout may refer to: * Members, sections or organisations in the Scouting Movement ** Scout (Scouting), a boy or a girl participating in the worldwide Scouting movement ** Scouting America, formerly known as Boy Scouts of America ...

in 1983 and originally intended to use the land for mining operations. That plan was later changed in favor of constructing a residential development complex at the site. In addition to views of the Delaware River, the property features a prominent rock, known as Washington Rock. According to local legend, General Washington used the views from Goat Hill Overlook to assess battle conditions during the Revolutionary War. The site also offers miles of hiking trails and contains a variety of wildlife and plant species.

Gallery

File:Washington Crossing State Park, NJ Johnson Ferry House.jpg, Johnson Ferry House File:Washington Crossing State Park, NJ - Stone Barn by Johnson Ferry House.jpg, Stone barn by the Johnson Ferry House File:Washington Crossing State Park, NJ Nelson House.jpg, Nelson House File:Washington Crossing State Park, NJ - ferry boat by Nelson House.jpg, Ferry boat reproduction File:2024-10-29 15 47 52 Sign at the southwest end of the Continental Lane Trail within Washington Crossing State Park in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey.jpg, Sign marking Continental Army route. File:Washington Crossing State Park, NJ history plaque.jpg, Monument near the crossing site

References

External links

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Washington Crossing Open Air Theatre

NY-NJTC: Washington Crossing State Park Trail Details and Info
{{authority control American Revolutionary War sites State parks of New Jersey Nature centers in New Jersey New Jersey Register of Historic Places American Revolutionary War museums in New Jersey Museums in Mercer County, New Jersey Historic house museums in New Jersey Ferries of New Jersey Parks in Mercer County, New Jersey Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey American Revolution on the National Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places in Mercer County, New Jersey Conflict sites on the National Register of Historic Places in New Jersey Historic American Buildings Survey in New Jersey George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River