Historical Significance
On January 3, 1777, George Washington fought and won one of the most important battles in American history—the Battle of Princeton. Considered to be the turning point of the American Revolution, the Battle of Princeton was the culmination of a campaign that began with Washington's Christmas crossing of the Delaware River and the Battle of Trenton. At a point when the Continental Army was almost defeated, the crucial Battle of Princeton demonstrated for the first time that American soldiers could defeat Royal British troops.

Princeton Battlefield in 1783
The success of the Battle of Princeton led six long years later to the defeat of Britain. At the time of the battle, the nearby Thomas Clarke house was used for a hospital, and it was here that General Hugh Mercer died nine days after the battle. By 1783 the people of Princeton were attempting to return to a sense of normalcy, and the Thomas and William Clarke families had resumed the farm life that had been interrupted by the war.

Visitor Information
Princeton Battlefield is located approximately one mile south of the center of Princeton at
500 Mercer Road (Princeton Pike)
Princeton, NJ 08540
telephone 609-921-0074
fax 609-921-0074
e-mail: saveprincetonbattlefield@gmail.com
website: www.saveprincetonbattlefield.org

Princeton Battlefield State Park is open every day from dawn until dusk. The Thomas Clarke House is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Parking is available on Mercer Road and in a small lot on the south side of the battlefield.

• July 4, 5, 6 - Independence Day program of demonstrations, encampment, and play Ghosts of Princeton Battlefield