Where Washington crossed the Delaware River

"These are the times that try men's souls..." were words that Thomas Paine wrote - drumming up support for the troops in Revolutionary War times. In the dead of night, on a frigid Christmas day 1776, with the password "Victory or Death," General George Washington and his rag-tag band, crossed the icy Delaware River through sleet and hail, into Trenton New Jersey, surprising the Prussian mercenaries and changing the course of history. Washington Crossing Historic Park preserves this historic site and the small town of Taylorsville with a boat house used to store replicas of the Durham boats used to make the crossing, and other 18th century structures, including the home of Robert Thompson and William Neely used to aid wounded soldiers during the winter of 1776-77. Every year on Christmas Day they re-enact this moment in our nation's history. Check their website for a calendar of events and other information.

Monument commemorating Washington's Crossing of the Delaware


The Hibbs House, built in 1828-30 for tenant craftsmen as part of the village of Taylorsville, open hearth demonstrations are held here throughout the year


The site of the crossing. It looks so calm and peaceful now - but imagine a snow storm, driving wind, sleet and hail, hunks of ice, dead of night, holes in your shoes, the Prussian army waiting...