REVOLUTIONARY RIVERSIDE RETREATS July 23, 2025
New Jersey, often dubbed the "Crossroads of the Revolution," holds more history within its borders than many realize. Beyond the famous battlefields, our state is interwoven with a network of rivers, canals, and waterways that were not just scenic backdrops, but vital arteries for both strategic military movements and transformative economic innovation. So, while the rest of the state is heading down the shore this summer, sojourn by a refreshing waterway and learn about NJ’s revolutionary history!
Nestled beside the tranquil Batsto River, this historic iron works and glass manufacturing community was far from a quiet retreat during the Revolution. Its furnaces roared, producing bog iron critical for cannonballs, gun parts, and other munitions that supplied the Continental Army.
Today, visitors can wander through the preserved village; explore the mansion, general store, and various workshops; and visualize the intense labor that supported the fight for independence. The river, once a power source and transport route for iron products, now adds to the village's picturesque charm and creates ample recreation opportunities for history and nature lovers alike.
Washington Crossing State Park
No site embodies "Revolutionary Riverside Retreats" quite like Washington Crossing State Park. On the eastern bank of the Delaware River, Washington Crossing State Park marks the historic site where George Washington and his Continental Army famously crossed the icy river on Christmas night in 1776, a pivotal moment in the American Revolutionary War.
Beyond its profound historical significance, the park offers stunning views of the Delaware, miles of walking trails, and ample picnic areas. Stay tuned for the state-of-the-art visitor's center that will bring this pivotal revolutionary moment to life, once again.
Perched atop the Palisades overlooking the Hudson River, Fort Lee Historic Park offers a breathtaking vantage point and a crucial chapter in the Revolutionary War. Established with its counterpart, Fort Washington across the river in New York, these forts were intended to control the vital Hudson River. While the eventual "Retreat to Victory" from Fort Lee in November 1776 marked a dark moment for the Continental Army, it was a strategic move that ultimately saved Washington's forces.
Today, visitors can explore reconstructed fortifications, walk the scenic grounds with unparalleled views of the George Washington Bridge and the New York City skyline, and reflect on the strategic importance of this riverside stronghold and the arduous journey that followed.
New Jersey’s revolutionary history extends beyond 1783, beyond the close of the war that made us an independent, free country. New Jersey’s revolutionary history also extends into the Industrial Revolution. The picturesque Prallsville grist and linseed oil mills, strategically situated on the Delaware River and the Delaware & Raritan Canal Feeder, were revolutionary in their economic impact. They provided essential milled goods and oil that supported the blooming nation through its infancy and beyond.
Today, visitors can explore the beautifully preserved stone buildings, learn about milling technology, and appreciate how the river's power harnessed here sustained communities and commerce through centuries of change – a quiet, yet powerful, revolution of industry and sustenance.
Our final "Revolutionary Riverside Retreat" showcases not a war-torn battleground, but a post-war engineering marvel that revolutionized transportation and trade in New Jersey: the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Completed in 1834, this man-made waterway connected the Delaware River at Trenton with the Raritan River at New Brunswick, creating an inland shortcut for goods and materials that dramatically boosted the state's economy. While built after the war, the D&R Canal was a revolutionary undertaking, symbolizing America's ambitious drive for progress and connection.
Today, the canal and its historic towpath offer miles of scenic walking trails for land lovers and miles of refreshing water for those who wish to delight in this once-Revolutionary means of transportation.
New Jersey was revolutionary in 1776 and ever since! Want to learn more about NJ’s Revolutionary History? Check out Revolution NJ’s website for more historic sites, events, and resources!