Battlefield Looks Forward to a Refurbished Future
BATTLEFIELD RESTORATION: Reconstruction of the Saw Mill Road (seen here in an artist’s rendering) is just one of many upgrades, including a new visitors and education center, planned for the Princeton Battlefield State Park in the coming months and years. (Photo courtesy of American Battlefield Trust)
By Donald Gilpin
A multimillion-dollar visitors and education center, new trails, reconstruction of the Trace Road, the replanting of an historic apple orchard, interactive signage, “battle windows,” a large metal topographic map of the battlefield, the removal of non-historic structures, and restoration of the gravesite honoring fallen soldiers—these are just some of the improvements on the horizon for Princeton Battlefield State Park.
These plans were discussed Tuesday evening at a public meeting held at Morven Museum & Garden, where representatives from the American Battlefield Trust (ABT), the Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS), the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), and GWWO Architects shared updates and gathered community input on the future of the site.
The gathering, which took place after press time, was designed to present progress to date and outline the long-term vision for revitalizing Princeton Battlefield State Park. With the 250th anniversary of the January 1777 Battle of Princeton approaching, stakeholders emphasized the importance of ensuring the battlefield’s history is preserved, interpreted, and experienced in meaningful ways.
Planning for 2027 and Beyond
Groundbreaking for the new visitors and education center is targeted for 2027, the battle’s anniversary year. One of the goals of Tuesday’s meeting was to solicit public feedback on what the center—and other planned improvements—should include.
“The PBS and the ABT want to build a visitors center that will be a repository for New Jersey’s Revolutionary War history, Princeton’s history, and particularly the Battle of Princeton,” said PBS Communications Committee Chair Mark Herr. “We want to create a site that will tell the entire story accurately and capture what happened on the battlefield almost 250 years ago. That’s hallowed ground.”
Herr reflected on the dramatic “ten crucial days” that culminated in Washington’s victory at Princeton. “They win a magnificent victory and they save the cause of independence,” he said. “Two hundred fifty years later we’re still here because of what they did on that battlefield.”
A Collaborative Community Effort
Herr emphasized that Tuesday’s meeting was meant not only to inform but to invite public participation: “Part of the process is explaining what we want to do, explaining how we want to do it, and soliciting input, because that battlefield belongs to everybody.”
He continued, “The duty of the custodians of history is to transmit that history from generation to generation, and we have several generations of Americans who are woefully ignorant of their nation’s heritage.”
Representatives from ABT and NJDEP echoed this commitment. GWWO Architects, now formally involved in the project, is evaluating potential locations for the visitors center and meeting with neighbors and local organizations. “We’ve already hosted multiple stakeholder meetings to help inform proposed locations,” said ABT Communications Associate Jared Herr (no relation to Mark).
NJDEP’s role is central, as the Princeton Battlefield is a New Jersey state park. Collaboration between state and nonprofit partners has been essential in advancing the vision for the site.
Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future
“Having a turning point of the war in your backyard is something to be very proud of,” said Jared Herr. “Not only to preserve this battlefield, but to educate and inspire, to help people understand what it means for our country today and how that land plays a crucial role in giving us the liberties that we all enjoy.”
The restoration plans aim to ensure that the battlefield remains a powerful place for reflection, education, and connection to America’s founding history.
For more information on the Princeton Battlefield and how to support ongoing preservation and refurbishment efforts, visit the Princeton Battlefield Society at PBS1777.org and the American Battlefield Trust at battlefields.org.