Historic Happenings Blog

Two Chances to Watch George Washington’s Annual Delaware River Crossing Two Chances to Watch George Washington’s Annual Delaware River Crossing December 8 and 25, 2019 Each December, thousands gather on the banks of the Delaware River to watch the reenactment of George Washington’s daring Christmas Day 1776 river crossing. During the event, several hundred reenactors in Continental military dress listen to an inspiring speech by Washington and then row across the river in replica Durham boats. The public has two opportunities to view the reenactment. The first is on Sunday, December 8, 2019, when the park will hold a full dress rehearsal from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm (actual crossing at approximately 1:00 pm). On this day, in addition to the crossing reenactment, special colonial-era activities and demonstrations throughout the historic village will provide families with a full day of fun and learning. The cost to attend is $8 for adults, $4 for children age five to 11, and free for those un...

Saturday, November 16   - Titusville, Mercer County “John Honeyman, Washington’s Patriot Spy: The Legend” The Washington Crossing (New Jersey) Park Association is pleased to announce that on Saturday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm we will host: “John Honeyman, Washington’s Patriot Spy: The Legend,” by Tim Stollery. The program will be at the Washington Crossing State Park Visitor Center, 355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, NJ. Come and discover the story of  John Honeyman, a Griggstown NJ businessman, who,  according to legend, became a spy for General George Washington around the time of the Battle of Trenton.  His home still stands near the D&R canal. Tim Stollery is an Emmy-award winning filmmaker, who researched the two-part TV feature series for NJN News in 2000 called “The General and the Spy.” Through his research, Stollery has discovered new primary documentation which reveals that John Honeyman was able to criss-cross enemy lines into  British...

Saturday, July 20 – Mercer County WASHINGTON CROSSING STATE PARK NEW JERSEY Songs and Stories of the American Revolution Performed by Matthew Dodd    Dressed in colonial clothing and performing rousing period songs and stories, Matthew Dodd will take you back in time to the days of the American Revolution. Mr. Dodd sings and plays the guitar, banjo, mandolin and recorder throughout the show. The performance will take place at 2 PM at the Visitor Center Museum at Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville, New Jersey. The Visitor Center Museum’s auditorium can hold approximately 60 people on a first come basis. A vehicle Park entrance fee applies.    The Visitor Center Museum will be open from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. featuring The Swan Historical Foundation’s Collection of 500+ Colonial and Revolutionary War artifacts.    The Visitor Center Museum can be reached from I-95 by taking the Trenton/Lambertville Exit (...

Come Celebrate George Washington’s 287th Birthday - February 17, 2019 Come Celebrate George Washington’s 287th Birthday February 17, 2019 Come celebrate George Washington’s 287th birthday on Sunday, February 17, 2019 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at Washington Crossing Historic Park in Pennsylvania. Admission is free this year thanks to financial support from The Philadelphia Contributionship. During the day, buildings in the historic village will be open and various children’s activities will be offered. At 2:00 pm, visitors will gather in the park’s visitor center to sing happy birthday to George and watch him use his sword to cut his cake, which is donated by The Caketeria in Newtown. Children are encouraged to send George homemade birthday cards prior to the event. Cards can be mailed to P.O. Box 1776, Washington Crossing, PA 18977. All children will receive a written reply from George. Washington Crossing Park is located at the intersection of Routes 32 and 532 in Washington Crossing, P...

Two Chances to Watch George Washington’s Annual Delaware River Crossing Two Chances to Watch George Washington’s Annual Delaware River Crossing December 9 and 25, 20198 Each December, thousands gather on the banks of the Delaware River to watch the reenactment of George Washington’s daring Christmas Day 1776 river crossing. During the event, several hundred reenactors in Continental military dress listen to an inspiring speech by Washington and then row across the river in replica Durham boats. The public has two opportunities to view the reenactment. The first is on Sunday, December 9, 2018 when the park will hold a full dress rehearsal from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm (actual crossing at approximately 1:00 pm). On this day, in addition to the crossing reenactment, special colonial-era activities and demonstrations throughout the historic village will provide families with a full day of fun and learning. Cost to attend the dress rehearsal is $8 for adults, $4 for children age five to 11, and f...

Wednesday, December 5 – Union County Westfield Historical Society’s December First Wednesday Luncheon – Washington’s Crossing for the 21 st  Century       As part of the the Westfield Historical Society’s  First Wednesday Luncheon  series, Dr. Jonathan Mercantini, Acting Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Associate Professor of the Department of History at Kean University, will speak on the topic Washington’s Crossing for the 21st Century on December 5, 2018. The event will begin with check-in at 11:45 am at the Echo Lake Country Club, located at 515 Springfield Avenue, Westfield.      Dr. Mercantini will present a re-telling of Washington’s Crossing for the 21st-century. Considering that triumph as an origin story will enable the audience to better understand the legacies of New Jersey’s history and prompt a discussion on how that history can better inform the present and influence the future.     New J...