The Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area (XRDS) is a federally designated
National Heritage Area
In the United States, a National Heritage Area (NHA) is a site designated by Act of Congress, intended to encourage historic preservation of the area and an appreciation of the history and heritage of the site. There are currently 62 NHAs, som ...
encompassing portions of fourteen counties in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
that were the scene of significant actions in the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
in late 1776 through 1778.
The designated area covers the
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
and
Hudson valleys in New Jersey and the central portion of the state between the valleys where the
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
fought forces under British command. The National Heritage Area includes
Morristown National Historical Park and sites associated with the
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth, also known as the Battle of Monmouth Court House, was fought near Monmouth Court House in modern-day Freehold Borough, New Jersey on June 28, 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. It pitted the Continental Army, co ...
as well as
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a municipality with a borough form of government in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of w ...
, the meeting place of the
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...
when peace was declared in 1783.
At the direction of Congress, the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...
studied the national importance of the Revolutionary War resources in New Jersey. In 2002 the
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States secretary of the interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior. The secretary and the Department of the Interior are responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land along with natur ...
told Congress that New Jersey met all the requirements for becoming a National Heritage Area. President
George W. Bush signed the legislation making XRDS an official heritage area in 2006.
The territory covered by XRDS totals 14 counties. These counties (north to south) are
Passaic
Passaic ( or ) is a city in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 70,537, ranking as the 16th largest municipality in New Jersey and an increase of 656 from the 69, ...
,
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, secon ...
,
Morris
Morris may refer to:
Places
Australia
*St Morris, South Australia, place in South Australia
Canada
* Morris Township, Ontario, now part of the municipality of Morris-Turnberry
* Rural Municipality of Morris, Manitoba
** Morris, Manitob ...
,
Essex
Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...
,
Hudson,
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
,
Hunterdon,
Somerset
( en, All The People of Somerset)
, locator_map =
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,
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...
,
Mercer,
Monmouth
Monmouth ( , ; cy, Trefynwy meaning "town on the Monnow") is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is northeast of Cardiff, and west of London. ...
,
Burlington,
Camden and
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east o ...
.
Crossroads of the American Revolution Association is a not-for-profit organization created in 2002 in order to increase awareness of the
American Revolution
The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...
in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
. The organization promotes open space, historical preservation and an enhancement of economic development in New Jersey. The Association was designated by the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...
as the management entity responsible for the National Heritage Area.
Executive Order #48: Acting Governor Richard J. Codey
State of New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
. Accessed October 2, 2007.
See also
*New Jersey in the American Revolution
As the location of many major battles, New Jersey was pivotal in the American Revolution and the ultimate victory of the American colonists. This important role earned it the title of ''Crossroads of the American Revolution''.
Not all of the pop ...
References
External links
*
U. S. National Parks Site on the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area
{{New Jersey in the American Revolutionary War
Organizations based in New Jersey
National Heritage Areas of the United States
Protected areas established in 2006
2006 establishments in New Jersey
Protected areas of Passaic County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Bergen County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Morris County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Essex County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Hudson County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Union County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Somerset County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Middlesex County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Mercer County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Monmouth County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Burlington County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Camden County, New Jersey
Protected areas of Gloucester County, New Jersey
Organizations established in 2002
2002 establishments in New Jersey
Morristown National Historical Park
Princeton, New Jersey