Washington Crossing State Park

Not to be confused with Washington Crossing Historic Park, a Pennsylvania state park near the same location. For other uses, see Washington Crossing.

United States historic place

Washington Crossing State Park

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. National Historic Landmark

New Jersey Register of Historic Places

Crossing site, from the New Jersey side, looking west to Pennsylvania across the Delaware River.

Washington Crossing State Park

Show map of Mercer County, New Jersey

Washington Crossing State Park

Show map of New Jersey

Washington Crossing State Park

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Location| Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
Nearest city| Titusville, New Jersey and Trenton, New Jersey
Coordinates| 40°18′40″N 74°51′49″W﻿ / ﻿40.31111°N 74.86361°W﻿ / 40.31111; -74.86361
Area| 3,575 acres (1,447 ha)
NRHP reference No.| 66000650[1]
NJRHP No.| 1706[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP| October 15, 1966
Designated NHL| January 20, 1961
Designated NJRHP| May 27, 1971

Washington Crossing State Park is a 3,575-acre (14 km2) New Jersey state park that is part of Washington's Crossing, a U.S. National Historic Landmark 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 park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. It is supported by the Washington Crossing Park Association, a friends group that works to preserve, enhance, and advocate for the park.[3]

This park area, together with Washington Crossing Historic Park 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 on October 15, 1966.[4][5]

The park's natural area consists of 140 acres (0.57 km2) of mixed hardwood forests and fields that offer locations for hiking, picnics, nature walks and cross-country skiing.[6] 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, 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, is administered by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry as part of Washington Crossing State Park.

## Johnson's Ferry

[edit]

The park includes the site of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River at Johnson's Ferry. This is where George Washington and a 2,400-man detachment of the Continental Army 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 corresponding ferry on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River was known as McConkey's Ferry.[7]

The Johnson Ferry House, an 18th-century farmhouse and tavern near the Delaware River, was owned by Garret Johnson, who operated a 490-acre (2.0 km2) plantation and a ferry service across the Delaware.[8] It was likely used by General Washington and other officers at the time of the crossing.[6] 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

[edit]

Built c. 1850, 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.[9] The house includes period furnishings and old photographs of railroad and canal transportation.

## Washington Crossing Visitor Center Museum

[edit]

Visitors center museum

Military map by William Faden with troop movements during the Ten Crucial Days

The Washington Crossing Visitor Center Museum focuses on the American Revolution and the military campaign known as the "Ten Crucial Days" from December 25, 1776, through January 3, 1777.[10] During this time, the George Washington and the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River, and fought at the Battle of Trenton, the Battle of the Assunpink Creek, and the Battle of Princeton. 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.[6] 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Goat Hill Overlook is a 213-acre (0.86 km2) scenic preserve administered as part of nearby Washington Crossing State Park. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Green Acres program purchased the Goat Hill Overlook property in 2009 for $4.5 million from Constructural Dynamics Inc. of Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania. The company acquired Goat Hill Overlook from the Boy Scouts 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.[11]

## Gallery

[edit]

* Johnson Ferry House

* Stone barn by the Johnson Ferry House[12]

* Nelson House

* Ferry boat reproduction[13]

* Sign marking Continental Army route.

* Monument near the crossing site

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places portal
* New Jersey portal

* List of New Jersey state parks
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Mercer County, New Jersey

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "National Register Information System – (#66000650)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
2. ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Mercer County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office. December 30, 2019. p. 7.
3. ^ "Washington Crossing Park Association". Washington Crossing Park Association.
4. ^ C. E. Shedd Jr. (August 1, 1960). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Washington Crossing State Park" (pdf). National Park Service. and Accompanying two photos, from 1960
5. ^ "New Jersey NHL Washington's Crossing". National Park Service. August 1, 1960 – via National Archives Catalog for New Jersey. `{{cite web}}`: External link in ``|via=`` (help) Downloading may be slow.
6. ^ a b c "Washington Crossing State Park". New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
7. ^ Rutt, Walter E. (January 25, 1937). "McKonkey Ferry House" (PDF). Historic American Buildings Survey.
8. ^ Danilov, Victor J. (2013). Famous Americans: A Directory of Museums, Historic Sites, and Memorials. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810891869.
9. ^ Osborne, Peter (2012). Where Washington Once Led: A History of New Jersey's Washington Crossing State Park. Yardley Press. pp. 59–64\. ISBN 978-0-9860305-0-5. OCLC 895194785.
10. ^ "Ten Crucial Days". Crossroads of the American Revolution Association.
11. ^ "DEP Preserves Scenic Acres Along the Delaware River" (Press release). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. October 14, 2009. "Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Mark N. Mauriello today announced the preservation of a 213 acres (0.86 km2) scenic property in West Amwell Township, Hunterdon County."
12. ^ "Stone Barn". Washington Crossing Park Association.
13. ^ "Ferry Boat Reproduction". Washington Crossing Park Association.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Washington Crossing State Park.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Johnson Ferry House.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nelson House.

* Official website
* Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. HABS NJ-19, "Johnson-McKonkey Ferry House, Washington Crossing, Mercer County, NJ", 3 photos, 8 measured drawings, 7 data pages
* "Ferry Site". The Historical Marker Database.
* Washington Crossing Open Air Theatre
* NY-NJTC: Washington Crossing State Park Trail Details and Info

* v
* t
* e

New Jersey in the American Revolution

1776|

* Turtle Gut Inlet
* New York and New Jersey campaign
* Fort Lee
* Geary ambush
* Iron Works Hill
* Delaware River crossing
* First Trenton

1777|

* Assunpink Creek (Second Trenton)
* Princeton
* Millstone
* Forage War
* Bound Brook
* First Middlebrook encampment
* Short Hills
* Red Bank
* Gloucester

1778|

* Quinton's Bridge
* Monmouth
* Baylor Massacre
* Affair at Little Egg Harbor
* Chestnut Neck
* Second Middlebrook encampment

1779|

* Paulus Hook
* Jockey Hollow
* New Jersey Brigade encampment

1780|

* Connecticut Farms
* Springfield
* Bull's Ferry

1781|

* Pennsylvania Line Mutiny

1783|

* U.S. Capital at Princeton

Other|

* Fort Billingsport
* Fort Mercer
* Mary Hays ("Molly Pitcher")
* New Bridge Landing
* Pluckemin Cantonment
* Temperance Wick

See also: Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, Morristown National Historical Park, Washington Crossing State Park

* v
* t
* e

New Jersey Historic Sites

* Allaire Village
* Barnegat Light
* Basking Ridge white oak
* Batsto Village
* Boxwood Hall
* Cape May Light
* Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal
* Clarke House
* Craig House
* Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park
* Blackwells Mills Canal House
* Port Mercer Canal House
* Prallsville Mills
* Double Trouble Village
* Fort Mott
* Glen Rock
* Grover Cleveland Birthplace
* Hancock House
* The Hermitage
* Hillman Hospital House
* High Point Monument
* Indian King Tavern
* Jockey Hollow
* Johnson Ferry House
* Long Pond Ironworks Historic District
* Monmouth Battlefield
* Old Dutch Parsonage
* Princeton Battlefield
* Ringwood Manor
* Rockingham
* Skylands Manor & State Botanical Garden
* Somers Mansion
* Steuben House
* Trenton Battle Monument
* Navesink Twin Lights
* Wallace House
* Walt Whitman House
* Wahington's Crossing
* Waterloo Village
* Whitesbog Village

* v
* t
* e

Protected areas of New Jersey

Federal|

| National Estuarine Research Reserves|

* Jacques Cousteau

|

National Historical Parks|

* Morristown
* Paterson Great Falls
* Thomas Edison

National Monuments|

* Statue of Liberty

National Recreation Areas|

* Delaware Water Gap
* Gateway

National Reserves|

* Pinelands

National Trails|

* Appalachian
* Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route

National Wild and Scenic Rivers|

* Great Egg Harbor River
* Lower Delaware River
* Maurice River
* Musconetcong River

National Wildlife Refuges|

* Cape May
* Edwin B. Forsythe
* Great Swamp
* Supawna Meadows
* Wallkill River

Other|

* National Historic Landmarks
* National Natural Landmarks
* National Register of Historic Places
* Wilderness Areas

State|

| State parks|

* Allaire
* Allamuchy Mountain
* Barnegat Lighthouse
* Cape May Point
* Cheesequake
* Corson's Inlet
* Delaware and Raritan Canal
* Double Trouble
* Edison
* Farny
* Fort Mott
* Hacklebarney
* High Point
* Hopatcong
* Island Beach
* Kittatinny Valley
* Liberty
* Long Pond Ironworks
* Monmouth Battlefield
* Parvin
* Pigeon Swamp
* Princeton Battlefield
* Rancocas
* Ringwood
* Stephens
* Swartswood
* Voorhees
* Washington Crossing
* Washington Rock
* Wawayanda

|

State forests|

* Abram S. Hewitt
* Bass River
* Belleplain
* Brendan T. Byrne
* Green Bank
* Jenny Jump
* Norvin Green
* Penn
* Ramapo Mountain
* Stokes
* Wharton
* Worthington

Recreation areas|

* Atsion
* Bull's Island
* Round Valley
* Spruce Run

Wildlife management areas|

* List of New Jersey wildlife management areas

County|

| Nature parks|

* Eagle Rock Reservation
* Garret Mountain Reservation
* Sourland Mountain Preserve
* South Mountain Reservation
* Watchung Reservation
* New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route

|

Other|

| Nature centers|

* List of nature centers in New Jersey

|

* Category
* Essex County
* Hudson County
* Union County
* New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

Nature centers in New Jersey

Atlantic County|

* Warren E. Fox Nature Center

Bergen County|

* Closter Nature Center
* Demarest Nature Center
* Flat Rock Brook Nature Center
* James A. McFaul Environmental Center
* Lorrimer Sanctuary
* Meadowlands Environment Center
* Ridgefield Nature Center
* Tenafly Nature Center

Burlington County|

* Palmyra Cove Nature Park
* Paws Farm Nature Center
* Rancocas Nature Center
* Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge
* Fernbrook Farms Environmental Education Center

Cape May County|

* Belleplain State Forest
* Cape May Bird Observatory
* Nature Center of Cape May
* Wetlands Institute

Essex County|

* Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary
* Essex County Environmental Center
* Greater Newark Conservancy

Gloucester County|

* Scotland Run Park Nature Center

Hudson County|

* Liberty State Park Nature Center

Hunterdon County|

* Whittemore Wildlife Sanctuary

Mercer County|

* Lawrence Nature Center
* The Watershed Institute
* Washington Crossing State Park

Middlesex County|

* Plainsboro Preserve

Monmouth County|

* Allaire State Park
* Huber Woods Environmental Center
* Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center
* Poricy Park Nature Center

Morris County|

* Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center
* Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center
* Elizabeth D. Kay Environmental Center
* Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area
* Schiff Nature Preserve
* Willowwood Arboretum

Ocean County|

* Cooper Environmental Center - Cattus Island Park
* Forest Resource Education Center
* Island Beach State Park
* Jakes Branch County Park
* Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education
* Wells Mills Nature Center

Passaic County|

* Rifle Camp Park

Somerset County|

* Duke Farms
* Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary
* Somerset County Environmental Education Center

Union County|

* Reeves-Reed Arboretum
* Trailside Nature & Science Center - Watchung Reservation

Warren County|

* Merrill Creek Reservoir

* v
* t
* e

National Register of Historic Places in Mercer County, New Jersey

Landmarks|

* Abbott Farm Archeological Site
* Westland Mansion
* Albert Einstein House
* Joseph Henry House
* Lawrenceville School
* Maybury Hill
* Morven
* Nassau Hall
* Old Barracks
* Maclean House
* Princeton Battlefield
* Prospect House
* William Trent House
* Washington Crossing State Park

Districts|

* Bear Tavern Road--Jacob's Creek Crossing Rural Historic District
* Berkeley Square Historic District
* Delaware and Raritan Canal
* Drake Farmstead/Brookdale Farm
* Harbourton Historic District
* Jugtown Historic District
* King's Highway Historic District
* Kingston Mill Historic District
* Lake Carnegie Historic District
* Lawrence Township Historic District
* Mill Hill Historic District
* Mountain Avenue Historic District
* Old School Baptist Church and Cemetery of Hopewell
* Pleasant Valley Historic District
* Princeton Historic District
* Riverview Cemetery
* State House Historic District
* Stockton Street Historic District
* Titusville Historic District
* Trenton Ferry Historic District
* Windsor Historic District

Places of
worship|

* First Presbyterian Church of Trenton
* First Presbyterian Church of Pennington
* Penns Neck Baptist Church
* Sacred Heart Church
* St. Michael's Church
* Trenton Friends Meeting House

Houses|

* John Abbott II House
* Abbott-Decou House
* Anderson-Capner House
* Baker-Brearley House
* Bow Hill
* Charles Brearley House
* Gen. Philemon Dickinson House
* Douglass House
* Drumthwacket
* William Green House
* Green-Reading House
* John D. Hart House
* Hart–Hoch House
* Donald Grant Herring Estate
* Highfields
* House at 379 West State Street
* Hunt Farmstead
* Rudolph V. Kuser Estate
* Ichabod Leigh House
* Mansion House
* Mercer Street Friends Center
* Old Ryan Farm
* Isaac Pearson House
* Joseph Phillips Farm
* John Rogers House
* Samuel Sloan House
* Smith-Ribsam House
* Israel Stevens House
* Joseph Stout House
* Tusculum
* University Cottage Club
* Colonel John Van Cleve Homestead
* Jeremiah Vandyke House
* Isaac Watson House
* John Welling House
* John White House
* Jeremiah Woolsey House

Commercial
buildings|

* Adams and Sickles Building
* American Cigar Company
* Broad Street National Bank
* Henry Clay and Bock & Co. Ltd. Cigar Factory
* Golden Swan-True American
* Hopewell Station
* In and Out Social Club
* Thomas Maddock's Sons Company
* New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles Building
* Old Eagle Tavern
* Pennington Railroad Station
* Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Freight Station
* Princeton Railroad Station
* Roebling Machine Shop
* John A. Roebling's Sons Company, Trenton N.J., Block 3
* Somerset Roller Mills
* Stokely-Van Camp Industrial Complex
* Trenton Bath House
* West Trenton Station

Public
buildings|

* Bellevue Avenue Colored School
* Carver Center
* East Trenton Public Library
* Higbee Street School
* Mott School and Second Street School
* Trenton War Memorial
* Trenton City Hall
* U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
* Witherspoon Street School for Colored Children

Sites|

* Archeological Site No. 1-18th Century Vessel (28ME196)
* Crosswicks Creek Site III
* Mount Rose Distillery
* Princeton Ice Company
* Washington Road Elm Allée

Structures|

* Hog Island Cranes
* Morrisville–Trenton Railroad Bridge
* Trenton Battle Monument
* Trenton City/Calhoun Street Bridge

Former|

* Princessville Inn

See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Mercer County, New Jersey and List of National Historic Landmarks in New Jersey

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

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