The History
On Christmas night, 1776, General George Washington and his Revolutionary troops met here to secretly cross the Delaware River so that they could surprise the British and Hessian troops presumably celebrating in Trenton, several miles south.
The Experience
General George Washington and his Revolutionary troops met here to cross the Delaware River in 1776.
Washington Crossing Historic Park is divided into two sections: the lower park holds the visitor center and several buildings, and the upper park once functioned as an infirmary during the battles and an original grist mill.
The visitor center video tells of the 10 days from the time of the crossing through the revolutionaries’ victories at Trenton and Princeton.
Open every day. Bowman’s Tower, which is also in the park, is open every day as well (weather permitting).
Events & More
History buffs get into the spirit of the season when they witness Washington Crossing the Delaware River, a free, annual reenactment staged at 1 p.m. on Christmas Day at Washington Crossing Historic Park.
A day of family-friendly activities accompanies the full dress rehearsal a few weeks prior to the real thing.
