New Digital App Provides a 'Pocket Historian' for Visitors Touring New Jersey’s Revolutionary History
Claire Barrett, (202) 367-1861 x7226
Colleen Cheslak-Poulton (202) 367-1861 x7234
(Princeton, N.J.) — A new app from the American Battlefield Trust and its Garden State partners is ready to provide visitors with a “pocket historian” to explore the American Revolution’s Ten Crucial Days. The Liberty Trail NJ app, now available for free download through Google Play and the Apple Store, as well as an online web app, guides users from Washington Crossing, Pa., to Princeton, N.J. Four tour options explore the game-changing events that transpired between December 25, 1776, to January 3, 1777 — just in time for commemorative activities marking the 248th anniversary of events at Washington Crossing, Trenton, Princeton and more. Future additions to the app will tell far more of New Jersey’s Revolutionary story.
“It is no exaggeration to say that New Jersey in the ten days after Christmas 1776 represents one of the pivotal points of our history, actions that saved our nascent nation from the brink of defeat,” said Trust President David Duncan. “The Liberty Trail NJ app’s first module delivers a tale of Patriot perseverance playing out on the frigid soil of New Jersey, with Washington demonstrating that a volunteer army could best highly trained English and Hessian regulars.”
The Liberty Trail program is an unforgettable journey through place and time, connecting locations central to the story of the American Revolution. It began in South Carolina, but with the launch of The Liberty Trail NJ app, its vision has expanded into new territory. As the nation’s Semiquincentennial anniversary dawns, further states will join the network, bearing testimony to more outstanding partnerships and collaborations in the history community. Learn more at www.TheLibertyTrail.org.
As an essential tool for any history lover exploring New Jersey, hallmarks of the app include engaging narrative text, modern photography and 360-degree virtual tours, historical illustrations, original artwork, battle maps and videos with experts. While the “Ten Crucial Days” and “Battle of Princeton” tours are designed for driving, the "Princeton Battlefield” and “Colonial Princeton” tours can be accomplished on foot.
As compelling as the existing content is, the Garden State has far more stories to tell. By collaborating with RevolutionNJ — a partnership between the New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC), a division of the New Jersey Department of State, and the nonprofit Crossroads of the American Revolution Association — The Liberty Trail NJ will expand in phases across further regions of the Garden State, beginning with Monmouth Battlefield State Park.
“As The Liberty Trail NJ grows, it will demonstrate how the cause of American independence touched upon the many elements and influences of New Jersey’s landscape and society,” said Carrie Fellows, executive director of Crossroads of the American Revolution.
“We will also seek to infuse varied perspectives into the app, emphasizing that this nation-forming conflict was seen through many eyes — British and Loyalists, American Patriots, women, the enslaved, indigenous peoples, children and more,” added Sara Cureton, executive director of the New Jersey Historical Commission.
The app complements the new, tourist-friendly historical signage unveiled November 18 at Princeton Battlefield State Park, a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to upgrade the site's visitor experience. That collaboration between New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites program, the American Battlefield Trust and the Princeton Battlefield Society benefited from a battlefield interpretation grant issued by the American Battlefield Protection Program, administered by the National Park Service. An augmented reality (AR) scene is also woven into the app for use in combination with the bronze patina map table depicting the battlefield’s topography, which will be installed before year’s end. The scene overlays animated troop movements onto the map, demonstrating topography's influence on the unfolding fight.
The Trust has now created 29 apps for battlefield trails and sites, including The Liberty Trail SC, the Gettysburg AR Experience and the Yorktown Tour Guide. Learn about the variety of apps available here.
From a grassroots organization started by historians nearly 40 years ago, the American Battlefield Trust has grown into one of the most successful historic land preservation and education organizations in the United States. The Trust has protected nearly 60,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War, representing 160 sites in 25 states from Massachusetts to New Mexico. Its 350,000 members and supporters believe in the power of place and the continued relevance of our shared history to modern American society. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.
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