Department of Environmental Protection

New Jersey State Park Service

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Princeton Battlefield Historic Site Overview

On this field in 1777, General Washington defeated the British and successfully concluded what came to be known as the “Ten Crucial Days” campaign.

In one of the fiercest battles of the American Revolution, American troops under General George Washington surprised and defeated a force of British Regulars on the morning of January 3, 1777. American soldiers, pushed back by a strong British assault, were rallied by Washington who rode his horse between the British and American lines, leading his men to his first field victory over British troops. The Battle of Princeton capped 10 days of maneuvering and fighting, including three battles, which began with Washington’s famous December 25, 1776, crossing of the Delaware.

Grades: Pre-school – 12th (plus college); year-round
Topics: Colonial life, The Revolutionary War, and the Battle of Princeton

The Ionic Colonnade was originally the facade of a Philadelphia home, later called St. George’s Hall, designed by Thomas U. Walter in 1836. It was re-erected in the park in 1959, as the entrance to the common grave of 21 British and 16 American soldiers killed in the Battle of Princeton. A poem written for the grave by Alfred Noyes in 1916, then a visiting Princeton professor and later Poet Laureate of England, is inlayed in bronze over the grave.

Facilities for People with Disabilities
We encourage people with disabilities who require special considerations to contact the historic site / park at the phone number listed in the general information on the home page of the historic site / park. The staff will assist with arrangements. Text telephone (TT) users, please call the NJ Relay Services at (800) 852-7899.

For the Comfort and Enjoyment of All
This historic site / park is part of the NJ State Park system and your cooperation with the following will help ensure the survival of the museum collections, historic structures & features and surrounding property for the enjoyment and education of future generations!

  • Keep your historic site / park and surrounding property clean and green! Protect this site by taking your trash with you. Whatever you carry into the site, plan on carrying it out too. Bring a bag or two for trash, recycling and cleaning up after your pet. There are no trash receptacles at this site. Thank you!
  • No Smoking on NJ State Park Service Property. Pursuant to N.J.P.L.2005, c.383 (C.26:3D-56)
  • Alcoholic beverages are not permitted at state historic sites [ N.J.A.C. 7:2-2.6]
  • The collection or removal of any object from State Park property is prohibited without written permission from the Superintendent.
  • Use of metal detecting devices on or unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) on or over the property is not permitted without a special use permit (SUP) from the State historic site / park.
  • Commercial photography is not permitted on the property without a special use permit (SUP) from the historic site / park.
  • Interior photography, videotaping or audio taping are not permitted in the historic structure / visitor center / museum, except by prior written permission and for educational purposes only.
  • Non-commercial photography is permitted on the property (outside), but please help preserve the historic site / park and any surrounding property by not attaching anything to, climbing or sitting on historic structures and features or disturbing any plants, wild or cultivated. Photography may not interfere with other visitors to the historic site / park or impede site operations.
  • Food and beverages; pets/animals, except for service animals, are not permitted in the historic structure / visitor center / museum.
  • Please refrain from touching objects/furnishings in and building components of historic structures and museums, except where invited to do so by staff.

Please contact this historic site / park with specific inquiries about any of these restrictions, as there may be some variations at this specific historic site / park.

Related Links

Princeton Battlefield State Park website

General

Phone Number
609-921-0074

Address
500 Mercer Road
Princeton, NJ 08540

Email Address
PrincetonBattlefield@dep.nj.gov

Historic Site Hours

Grounds Hours Open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Clarke House Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10am to Noon and 1 to 4 p.m.
Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.
Tour Hours Please call the site for hours of operation.

Historic Site Fees

Entrance Fee Admission is free, program fees may apply.

Other Related Fees
Map / Directions

GPS Coordinates
40.330858, -74.676856