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Dear Reader:
I wanted to pass along a link to information and registration in regard to the 2026 Princeton battlefield tour program, which begins on May 17. That date will mark the first in a series of tours offered on multiple Sundays each month through October—a noteworthy lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the battle of Princeton on January 3, 2027. (The reenactment of that event will occur on December 27.) The tour program is jointly sponsored by the Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS), which works to preserve and promote the historical legacy of this hallowed site, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which manages the park.
Each tour includes a one-hour guided exploration of the important engagement that occurred on this site in January 1777 and its significance in the Revolution, as well as a visit to the 1772 Thomas Clarke House, which is the last surviving witness to the battle. The historical interpreters who participate in this program are all volunteers who possess a wealth of knowledge about the pertinent subject matter, extensive experience as public historians, and a dedication to sharing their insights with visitors to the park. (As one of them, I’d be delighted to see some of you there in the next few months.) Visitors will also have the opportunity to see firsthand the results of ongoing efforts to reimagine this historic ground so as to better conform with its appearance 250 years ago, which are sponsored by PBS, DEP, and the American Battlefield Trust (ABT), as well as new interpretive signage that supplements the information provided in the tour program. There’s more information about this venue on the ABT website.
The Princeton battlefield has long been underappreciated as a historic site, given that it hosted the climactic moment of the legendary “Ten Crucial Days” campaign of Washington’s army in the winter of 1776-77, which profoundly altered the course of the war for independence. This now-tranquil setting fully deserves the renewed attention being paid it by the public history community and the State of New Jersey.
Check it out for yourself—and happy spring!
Best regards,
dp