History
🏆 Editor's Pick
Statue of Liberty
National monument site tour.
📜 New Jersey
Best History in New Jersey
Discover 30 hand-picked history across the Garden State.
No state played a more pivotal role in the American Revolution than New Jersey. The Continental Army crossed the Delaware River into Trenton in December 1776 in Washington’s famous crossing — a turning point that revived the American cause. The winter encampment at Morristown National Historical Park in 1779–80 was arguably the Continental Army’s hardest winter, and the park preserves this story beautifully. Princeton Battlefield State Park marks the site of Washington’s brilliant victory at the Battle of Princeton in January 1777.
New Jersey’s historical significance extends far beyond the Revolution. The Erie Lackawanna Terminal in Hoboken, now a transit hub, is a Beaux-Arts masterpiece that speaks to the state’s central role in America’s industrial age. Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest preserves an 18th-century iron furnace community deep in the Pine Barrens. Victorian-era Cape May — the first American resort city — is the most intact Victorian resort town in the United States and a designated National Historic Landmark district.
From the Dutch-era communities of Bergen County to the industrial heritage of Paterson’s Great Falls National Historical Park — the birthplace of American industry — New Jersey’s historical sites reward deep exploration. Browse our complete list of historic sites and heritage destinations below.
Best History in NJ
History
Ellis Island
Immigration history; access commonly via Liberty State Park.
History
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Stunning Gothic cathedral with stained glass and soaring interiors.
History
Bordentown City historic stroll
Historic streets, small shops, and river-town feel.
History
Cape May Carriage Company
Horse-drawn carriage tours through Victorian neighborhoods.
History
Revolution Rail Co. Cape May
Scenic railbike ride along historic railroad tracks.
History
Washington’s Headquarters Museum
Revolutionary War history with short tours.
History
Whitall House
Revolutionary-era home at a riverside battlefield park.
History
Red Bank Battlefield Park
Revolutionary War site with river views and interpretive trails.
History
Princeton University & Nassau Street stroll
Historic campus atmosphere with shops and eateries nearby.
History
Emlen Physick Estate
Historic 1879 Victorian mansion museum with guided tours and gardens.
History
Fort Mott State Park
Coastal fort with river views and history exhibits.
History by NJ Region
Frequently Asked Questions: History in NJ
New Jersey has more Revolutionary War battle sites than any other state. Key sites include Washington Crossing State Park (where Washington crossed the Delaware), Princeton Battlefield State Park (Battle of Princeton, January 1777), Morristown National Historical Park (winter encampments), Red Bank Battlefield Park (Battle of Red Bank), and Monmouth Battlefield State Park (Battle of Monmouth, the longest single-day battle of the Revolution).
Morristown National Historical Park preserves the sites of two critical Continental Army winter encampments during the American Revolution (1777 and 1779u201380). The 1779u201380 encampment at Jockey Hollow was the Continental Army's most difficult winter u2014 worse by some measures than Valley Forge. The park includes Ford Mansion (Washington's headquarters), Jockey Hollow encampment site, and the New Jersey Brigade area.
Cape May is one of America's most significant historic destinations. The entire city is a National Historic Landmark, featuring more than 600 Victorian-era buildings u2014 the largest collection of intact Victorian architecture in the US. Cape May was the nation's first seaside resort, attracting wealthy vacationers from Philadelphia and beyond since the early 19th century. It's also known for exceptional birding and a charming downtown.
New Jersey has several ancient communities. Perth Amboy served as colonial capital and was one of the first cities chartered in the colony. Woodbridge was the first English township established in New Jersey (1669). Salem, in South Jersey, has one of the state's oldest continuous town greens. Bergen (now Jersey City) was established as a Dutch settlement in 1660.
Yes. The Lenape people inhabited New Jersey for thousands of years before European contact. The New Jersey State Museum in Trenton preserves significant Lenape artifacts and tells this history. The Rankokus Indian Reservation in Burlington County hosts the Powhatan Renape Nation. Several county historical societies and museums preserve and interpret New Jersey's Native American heritage.