Princeton

Nassau Hall

Landmark · Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08544

Nassau Hall, completed in 1756, was the sole building of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) for nearly half a century and the largest stone building in colonial New Jersey. It served as a dormitory, classroom, chapel, and library, housing the entire college within its walls. During the Revolution, it was occupied by both British and American forces and sustained damage during the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777. In 1783, Nassau Hall served as the meeting place of the Continental Congress, making Princeton briefly the capital of the United States. The Congress received the news of the Treaty of Paris within its walls.

Stony Brook Bridge (Worth's Mill Site)

Landmark · Mercer Road at Stony Brook, Princeton, NJ

The Stony Brook Bridge marks the crossing point where the Post Road between Trenton and Princeton crossed Stony Brook. On the morning of January 3, 1777, Mawhood's British column had just crossed this bridge heading south toward Trenton when his scouts spotted Washington's army approaching Princeton from the southeast. The bridge and the adjacent Worth's Mill were strategic points during the battle. The current bridge is not the original colonial structure, but the crossing point and the Stony Brook itself remain essentially unchanged.

Princeton Battlefield State Park

Battlefield · 500 Mercer Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540

Princeton Battlefield State Park preserves the site of the Battle of Princeton, fought on January 3, 1777. The park encompasses approximately 85 acres of open fields and wooded areas where American and British forces clashed in the engagement that concluded the Ten Crucial Days campaign. The landscape retains much of its eighteenth-century character, with rolling fields, tree lines, and the Stony Brook providing a sense of the terrain over which the battle was fought. The park includes the Thomas Clarke House, which served as a field hospital during and after the battle, and the Mercer Oak, which marks the approximate location where General Hugh Mercer was mortally wounded.

Morven Museum & Garden

Historic House · 55 Stockton St, Princeton, NJ 08540

Morven is the historic Stockton family estate on Stockton Street in Princeton. Built in the 1750s by Richard Stockton Sr. and expanded by his son Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the property served as the family home until it was donated to the State of New Jersey in 1954. It served as the official governor's residence until 1981 and was opened as a museum in 2004. The grounds include formal gardens that trace their origins to the designs of Annis Boudinot Stockton, who cultivated the estate's landscape in the colonial period.

Thomas Clarke House

Historic House · 500 Mercer Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540

The Thomas Clarke House is a colonial farmhouse located within Princeton Battlefield State Park. Built around 1772 by Thomas Clarke, a Quaker farmer, the house stood at the epicenter of the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777. After the battle, the house was used as a field hospital where wounded soldiers from both armies were treated. The house is maintained by the Princeton Battlefield Society and is open for tours during scheduled events and by appointment.

Drumthwacket

Historic House · 354 Stockton St, Princeton, NJ 08540

Drumthwacket is a Greek Revival mansion built in 1835 on land that was part of the Olden family's colonial-era farm. The property is associated with the Olden family, whose farm bordered the route of Washington's night march to Princeton. Since 1981, Drumthwacket has served as the official residence of the Governor of New Jersey. The mansion is open for public tours on selected days and features exhibits on New Jersey history and governance.

Bainbridge House

Historic House · 158 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542

Bainbridge House is a Georgian-style house built around 1766 on Nassau Street in Princeton. It is the birthplace of Commodore William Bainbridge, a naval hero of the War of 1812, and served as the headquarters of the Historical Society of Princeton for many years. The house was standing during the Battle of Princeton and the period when Congress met at Nassau Hall. The building is one of the few surviving colonial-era structures on Nassau Street.

Princeton Cemetery

Cemetery · 29 Greenview Ave, Princeton, NJ 08540

Princeton Cemetery, established in 1757, is the resting place of many of the individuals who shaped Princeton's role in the American Revolution. Located on Witherspoon Street behind the Nassau Presbyterian Church, the cemetery contains the graves of Aaron Burr Sr. and Jr., Jonathan Edwards, John Witherspoon, Richard and Annis Boudinot Stockton, and numerous Continental soldiers. The cemetery is maintained by the Nassau Presbyterian Church and is freely accessible to visitors.

Mercer Oak Site

Monument · Princeton Battlefield State Park, 500 Mercer Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540

The Mercer Oak site marks the location within Princeton Battlefield State Park where General Hugh Mercer was unhorsed and bayoneted by British soldiers on January 3, 1777. The original white oak tree, under which Mercer reportedly fell, stood for over 300 years before it died and collapsed in March 2000. A descendant tree, grown from an acorn of the original, was planted near the site. A monument and interpretive markers explain the significance of the location.

Princeton Battle Monument

Monument · Nassau St & Stockton St, Princeton, NJ 08540

The Princeton Battle Monument is a large limestone sculpture at the intersection of Nassau Street, Stockton Street, and Bayard Lane. Designed by Frederick MacMonnies and dedicated in 1922, the monument depicts Washington leading his troops at the Battle of Princeton, with the figure of General Mercer falling wounded at his feet. The monument faces south toward the battlefield site. President Warren G. Harding dedicated the monument in a public ceremony.

Nassau Presbyterian Church

Church · 61 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542

Nassau Presbyterian Church, located on Nassau Street adjacent to the Princeton University campus, is the descendant of the congregation that John Witherspoon led during the revolutionary era. The current building dates to 1836, replacing earlier structures, but the congregation's history extends back to the founding of the college and the town. The church's cemetery, Princeton Cemetery, contains the graves of many revolutionary-era figures.

Quaker Road (Night March Route)

Trail · Quaker Road, Princeton/West Windsor area, NJ

Quaker Road is the route used by Washington's army during its night march from Trenton to Princeton on January 2-3, 1777. The road, also known as the Quaker Bridge Road, ran east of the main Post Road and allowed the Continental Army to bypass British positions along the direct route. The march of approximately 5,000 soldiers through the freezing darkness over icy, rutted roads was one of the great feats of endurance of the war. Portions of the historic road alignment are still traceable in the modern landscape.