Save Sacred Revolutionary War Land

The Opportunity

As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, we stand at a pivotal moment in history. At the American Battlefield Trust, we are seizing this opportunity to protect 218 irreplaceable acres of Revolutionary War battlefield land in New York and South Carolina — land that has remained largely untouched for nearly 250 years.

But it’s not enough to protect the land. We must also tell the stories — through The Liberty Trail, a national initiative of interpretive signage and digital guides helping millions explore Revolutionary War history right where it happened.

We’ve already secured most of the $1.5 million cost. Now, we need your help to raise the final $80,000 for this campaign — $30,000 to secure the land, and $50,000 to bring it to life with history-rich signage and mobile experiences.

America’s 250th celebration is just around the corner. Let’s honor the Patriots who secured our freedom by protecting the places they fought.

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The History

We have the opportunity to save 218 acres of pivotal Revolutionary War battlefield land in New York and South Carolina — and we need your help to make it happen.

Johnstown, New York

Known as the “last battle of the Revolution,” the Battle of Johnstown took place in late October 1781, just days after Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown. It was a fierce and deeply personal clash in the Mohawk Valley, where neighbors fought neighbors in one of the final Northern conflicts of the war.
Major John Ross and Captain Walter Butler led British and Haudenosaunee forces on raids across the valley, burning farms and terrorizing settlements. In response, Colonel Marinus Willett mustered a group of Tryon County militia to engage the invaders near Johnson Hall. Though Willett’s force was outnumbered, he launched a daring counterattack in the woods and pastures, ultimately forcing Ross to retreat to Canada under cover of darkness.

The 58 acres at Johnstown we’re working to preserve have remained nearly unchanged since those fateful days. Located next to a New York State historic site with a visitor center and monument, this land offers an incredible opportunity to interpret and experience history firsthand.

Hanging Rock, South Carolina

Further south, 160 acres at Hanging Rock hold another powerful story. In the searing heat of August 6, 1780, Patriot forces led by Brigadier General Thomas Sumter launched a sunrise assault on British and Loyalist troops encamped near Hanging Rock. The battle was part of a broader campaign to reclaim the Southern backcountry after the fall of Charleston.

This land witnessed fierce, hand-to-hand fighting that shifted momentum back to the Patriots in the South. Among the onlookers was a young Andrew Jackson, just 13 years old, tending horses while history unfolded before him. That experience would help shape his fierce sense of American independence.

The land at Hanging Rock still bears the marks of that day — rolling terrain, wooded thickets, and open ground where the fate of the southern colonies was contested. With your help, we can nearly double the size of the preserved battlefield here and tell its story to generations to come.

The Liberty Trail

In tandem with saving these acres, your support helps us expand The Liberty Trail — an immersive driving, walking, and digital journey through the American Revolution. 

We aim to raise $50,000 to add interpretive signage, interactive apps, and digital maps that make these landscapes come alive for all visitors during America’s 250th and beyond.

Help us raise the final $80,000 of this campaign to protect history and build lasting impact. Your donation today will be matched nearly 50-to-1.

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