George Washington Crossed Here

Hello again! How much do you know about George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War? Well, I went to a place where you can learn a lot more! It’s called Washington Crossing Historic Park, and it offers guided tours to help visitors learn a lot more about Washington’s crossing.

The historic park in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1917, to preserve the area where Washington and the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River to attack the British in Trenton, New Jersey. It has two sections (the upper and lower) and beautiful grounds that you can walk around for free.

The lower section (the Historic Village) includes a boat house, the visitors center, and several historic houses. The upper section has one historic house, a grist mill, a wildflower preserve, Bowman’s Hill Tower, and soldiers’ graves.

My family and I took a guided tour of the lower section. We saw the Durham Boat House and the McConkey’s Ferry Inn. The boat house contains replicas of the boats the Continental Army used to cross the river. The inn was the place where Washington and his aides ate the night before the crossing.

So why does this place matter? This site was preserved because the crossing of the Delaware River was the turning point for the Revolutionary War. If the Army hadn’t crossed the river and surprised the British with an attack, the American Colonies may not have gained their independence.

I have to admit, though, that the tour contained a lot of detail, possibly too much for some younger kids. But it was very interesting and beautiful too! This is a great place to go if you want to learn about our country’s history and enjoy the wonderful outdoors!