Princeton Battlefield State Park

These open fields which today are enjoyed by visitors of all ages once witnessed one of the fiercest battles of the American Revolution.

American troops under General George Washington surprised and defeated a force of British Regulars on the morning of January 3, 1777. American soldiers, pushed back by a strong British assault, were rallied by Washington who rode his horse between the British and American lines, leading his men to his first field victory over British troops. The Battle of Princeton capped 10 days of maneuvering and fighting, including three battles, which began with Washington’s famous December 25, 1776 crossing of the Delaware.

Today, the Battlefield Park encompasses a fraction of the total ground on which the Battle of Princeton was fought.

Within the Park visitors will find the Thomas Clarke House. Built in 1772 by Quaker Thomas Clarke, the house was a witness to the Battle of Princeton and served as a field hospital in the aftermath of the gruesome fighting. Clarke and his family treated both British and Continental soldiers, including Continental Army officer Brigadier General Hugh Mercer. Mercer sustained a series of mortal wounds during the battle and died in the home of Thomas Clarke nine days later.

Hugh Mercer’s legacy is cemented by becoming the namesake of this county as well as one of the most iconic features of the battlefield: the Mercer Oak. The historic Mercer Oak, believed to have been present during the Battle of Princeton, once stood on the battlefield near what is now Mercer Road. It collapsed from old age in March 2000. An offspring grown from an acorn of the Mercer Oak in 1981 now thrives next to the large stump of the original tree.