TRENTON & THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION - Mar 2017.kmz

Trenton and the American Revolution
This folder can be used to locate and learn about sites in Trenton associated with Trenton during the years 1774 to 1783 - the years of the American Revolution. At this time Trenton was a town divided by the Assunpink Creek which was the border between Hunterdon and Burlington counties. The town of Trenton on the north bank of the Assunpink was the county seat of Hunterdon County. South of the Assunpink, in Nottingham Township, were areas of occupation and economics that combined with the town of Trenton and the two areas together can be called functional Trenton.

Battles of Trenton

Samuel Henry's Mill

Phillips' Mill

Assunpink Creek & Shabakunk Run

Assunpink Creek sites

Assunpink Creek Bridge - 1688
The Assunpink Creek separated Trenton Township, Hunterdon County from Nottingham Township, Burlington County. The stone bridge across the creek was a link on the main road between New York and Philadelphia, and by extension, the New England and Southern colonies. The bridge played a continuous role during the Revolution as troops, supplies, dignitaries, etc. passed over it. It also played prominent roles in the two battles of Trenton, especially the second battle on January 2, 1777 when the British were unable to cross it in the face of American cannon and musket fire from Mill Hill on the Nottingham side of the creek.

Assunpink Creek mill pond [1776]

Assunpink Creek [today]

Map overlays

Functional Tenton map

Trenton 1776

Battle of Trenton

2nd Battle of Trenton

phillips' mill map

Trenton streets in 1777s and 1780s
This street pattern at the time of the American Revolution is still mostly intact today.

Front Street

Front Street path
Today Front Street is still Front Street. At times in the early years it was sometimes called Water Street or First Street.

Second Street
Today Second Street is State Street.

Second Street path

3rd Street

Third Street path

4th Street

Fourth Street Path
Today this is Academy Street.

King Street places

King Street path
Today King Street is Warren Street.

Stacy Potts house
Stacy Potts owned the tannery adjoining his house lot and was a prominent Trenton merchant. During the Revolution he was elected town clerk every year at the annual town meetings. He was a Quaker and refused to take any oath of loyalty to a government. This caused him to suffer a fine by the new state government. During December 1776 before the Battle of Trenton, his house was the headquarters for Hessian Colonel Johann Rall and Rall died after the battle in this house. The house no longer exists.

Abraham Hunt house and store
During the American Revolution Abraham was one of the chief merchants of Trenton and had his home and store on the corner of King (Warren) and Second (E.State) Street. Hunt was also the lieutenant colonel, second in command, of the First Hunterdon County militia regiment from 1775 until March 1777. The night before the Battle of Trenton, Hessian Colonel Johann Rall attended the party at Hunt's house. Hunt had remained in Trenton when many people left in early December upon the imminent arrival of the British. Hunt swore an oath of loyalty to the crown and accepted protection papers from General Howe, causing him to be viewed as a Loyalist by some. However, he was never put on trial and he continued to be a respectable citizen after the Battle of Trenton. This might indicate that he was acting with the knowledge of Washington and was perhaps positioning himself as a spy for him.

Queen Street

Queen Street path
Today Queen Street is Broad Street.

Quaker Lane

Quaker Lane path

Church Alley

Church Alley path

River Road to Front Street

DeCou Tanyard Alley

Front and Second Street Alley

Maidenhead Road

Pennington Road

Beakes Lane

Front Street to Assunpink path

Petty's Run Iron Works path

Ferries at Trenton
When the Revolution began there were two ferries operating across the Delaware River just below Trenton. The original ferry was at the foot of Ferry Street and a ferry extablished about 1773 was operating from the viciniit of Trenton Landing, or Lamberton, by Elijah Bond, without a license. A third ferry began operation in 1781 at Beatty's Ferry just above the falls.

Trenton Ferry
Location of Trenton Ferry at the time of the American Revolution.

Beatty's Ferry
This ferry began operation in 1781.

Lower Ferry
This ferry began operation about 1773 by Elijah Bond. It caused controversy because Bond had not obtained a license and was competing with the original Trenton Ferry. It operated throughout the Revolution.

On the outskirts of Trenton

The Hermitage
The home of Philemon Dickinson.

Trenton Landing/Lamberton
Location of the settlement of Trenton Landing that became known as Lamberton. This was the riverport for Trenton and the site of the Continental supply depot warehouses, etc. Several Trenton merchants - Moore Furman, Abraham Hunt, and William Richards had wharves for river craft - such as shallops, sloops, etc. that brought and took items from and to Philadelphia.

William Trent House
Originally built in 1719 by William Trent, during the early days of the Revolution it was the home of Dr. William Bryant. Bryant was a Loyalist but an important doctor who was allowed to keep his home and sign a parole limiting his movements and activities. When he lived here the house and estate were known as Kingsbury. In 1778 the proprty was purchased by Colonel John Cox, who had taken on the duty of Assistant to new Quartermaster General Nathanael Greene. He changed the name of the house to Bloomsbury. He lived here the remainder of the war years.