Princeton Battlefield State Park — Attraction in Princeton

This is the most well-preserved Revolutionary War battlefield in America, thanks to the Clarke family and the Hale family, from whom it passed to the state of New Jersey in 1946. It was farmland until grass was planted to celebrate Woodrow Wilson's candidacy for President. Unfortunately politics got the better of the place and produced the fictitious Milner Report, a fairy tale version of the battle created to preserve the Maxwell tract.

For a long time, the Thomas Clarke House was derelict. I would love to give the battlefield 5 stars, but the Princeton Battlefield Society treats it as if it was their personal property rather than the people of New Jersey (or the United States, including descendants of those who fought here).

One unfortunate loss was the site where the battle commenced: the orchard where William Clarke's house stood. It was cut up in 1810 with the construction of the Trenton-Princeton turnpike, and later Mercer Manor, the final blow being Veblen Circle about 1960.

The Mercer Oak, which fell 20 years ago, was not the tree near which Mercer was bayoneted. That tree stood on a slope near Mercer Street to the east, and was cut down around 1830. A pyramid of cannonballs marked the spot after a marble stone was removed. An American Flag and sign was later used, but this tradition was lost. At one point, in old photos of the cannonball monument, a small tree is seen. This was an attempt to grow a replacement for the true "Mercer Oak," lost to memory.

A short walk from the Clarke House is the Quaker Meeting House. This was struck by musket balls during the battle, most likely the same time the Thomas Clarke house was hit (bullet hole is preserved), that is, a flanking action which was stopped by Thomas Rodney's company.

There are bloodstains on the floor of the parlor of the Clarke house, where Mercer was treated. They are faint, but accounts from the centennial in 1877 state they were barely perceptible even then. Mercer died in the arms of Washington's nephew George Lewis. Members of the Lewis family later resided in Princeton and their gravestones are near that of President Cleveland in the Presbyterian cemetery. Others are at Mount Vernon near Washington's tomb.

A suggestion to visitors: include the Princeton University Art Museum to see C.W. Peale's full length portrait of Washington at Princeton. James Peale's painting of the battle is owned by the university but is sometimes on loan to the Princeton Historical Society, or displayed in Firestone Library: inquire in order to see it. Both Peales were veterans of the Battle of Princeton. The Winterthur Museum in Delaware has a painting of Washington by James Peale with another depiction...

The Park has a small parking lot near the Clarke House (the Clarke House is the only full structure still standing that existed during the battle...it was used as a field hospital following the battle). The house was closed when we were thee but the grounds and hiking trails are open dawn to dusk. At the parking lot is a map of the trails and along the parameter of the main path around the open field are signs with historical information about George Washington and the battle. We hiked past the field to go down to the swinging bridge while we were there (about a mile hike each direction). The bridge was the only crosspoint over the water we came across, so it's over and back, but there are trails on the other side of bridge. Mostly flat, easy trails though not well marked for name of each path while walking (though gps has them all named so if unsure where you are, bring hour phone). Trails are all simple to navigate and well maintained and not very curvy, essentially straight paths in the woods that intersect with a few others. You can see part of the university in the distance when walking along Trolley Trail (with a small pond and sculpture...

It was nice to learn a little history about what transpired in this area around the time of the American Revolution. Besides learning that the Battle of Princeton climaxed on January 3, 1777, after General Washington struggling for American Independence from Great Britain and having lost a series of battles in New York, retreated across New Jersey crossing the Delaware River into Pennsylvania on December 25, 1776 and to quote Thomas Paine, " These are the time times that try men's souls". After desertions, sickness, and casualties, and the British confident in the occupation of New Jersey, Washington reversed course and led a daring attack in Trenton, forcing the British to abandon New Jersey after the Battle of Princeton. We also got a chance to see the Clarke House that contained various artifacts as well as...