NJ, USA

Stony Brook Bridge (Worth's Mill Site)

Landmark

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.

What Happened Here

After the main battle was decided, Washington sent troops to destroy the bridge over Stony Brook to delay any British reinforcements from Trenton. This demolition bought critical time for the American army to complete its operations in Princeton before withdrawing toward New Brunswick and eventually to winter quarters in Morristown. The bridge site thus played a dual role: it was the point from which Mawhood departed and the barrier that prevented Cornwallis from pursuing Washington.