Help Save Princeton: The Battle that Saved the Revolution

The period between George Washington’s Christmas crossing of the Delaware River and the decisive Battle of Princeton is known to history as the Ten Crucial Days. On January 3, 1777, Washington changed the course of the Revolutionary War, personally leading a charge that snatched victory from the hands of the British and proved the American Army had the skill and resilience to triumph against its formidable foes.  

Now, we are quickly approaching the 250th anniversary of that decisive victory, the Trust, alongside New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites and the Princeton Battlefield Society, have launched an ambitious multi-year project titled “Reimagining Princeton.” The initiative aims to restore the park’s historic features and enriching its educational and interpretive offerings.

In order to make this transformative project a reality, the Reimagining Princeton project needs funding in this year’s New Jersey budget. State Senator Andrew Zwicker and Assemblywoman Mitchelle Drulis have introduced a Budget Request, which would set aside $1 million to improve visitor amenities and support battlefield restoration activities at Princeton Battlefield State Park in preparation for America’s 250th birthday in 2026 

These funds would be used to transform the present-day landscape back to its 1777 appearance and relocate visitor services outside the core of the battlefield. This rehabilitation includes the removal of non-historic features, recapturing historic road traces, woodlots, and fence lines, and the planting of a wartime orchard. Furthermore, these funds will be used to create a new park entrance and parking area that is appropriately situated outside the battlefield’s historic core where the most intense fighting occurred. 

Revitalizing the Princeton Battlefield, part of the American Battlefield Trust’s Liberty Trail, will transform this beloved community asset into an outdoor classroom and a lasting tribute to the brave American soldiers and their British adversaries who fought there. This budget request for $1 million, introduced by Senator Zwicker and Assemblywoman Drulis will allow for a full revitalization of the Garden State battlefield while educating local residents and out-of-state  travelers about the sacrifices made nearly 250 years ago.

Please sign a letter customized for New Jersey residents and concerned preservationists today stating your support for $1 million for the Princeton Battlefield State Park in New Jersey’s FY 2026 budget and help save the battlefield that saved the Revolution.