SCR58 TR

Sponsored by:

Senator ANDREW ZWICKER

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

SYNOPSIS

Urges New Jersey State Park Service to establish visitor’s center at Princeton Battlefield State Park.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As reported by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee with technical review.

A Concurrent Resolution urging the New Jersey State Park Service to establish a visitor’s center at Princeton Battlefield State Park.

Whereas, The Princeton Battlefield is a nationally significant historic State Park, the grounds of which witnessed a highly significant battle in the American Revolutionary War, and is deserving of a visitor’s center to showcase its importance to New Jersey and American history; and

Whereas, The Battle of Princeton, on January 3, 1777, ended a 10-day long campaign of battles between General George Washington’s Continental Army, the hired Germanic auxiliary troops, and the British military forces, known as the “Ten Crucial Days”, which began with the famous December 25, 1776 crossing of the Delaware River by the Continental Army; and

Whereas, General George Washington and the Continental Army secured a culminating victory of the 10-day campaign, ultimately leading to the securing of New Jersey from British control for the remainder of the war; and

Whereas, The fighting at the Battle of Princeton resulted in the mortal wounding of General Hugh Mercer, now the namesake of Mercer County, in which many important New Jersey towns, such as Trenton and Princeton, are located; and

Whereas, The State Park featuring the Princeton Battlefield contains other significant elements of the story of the historic battle, such as the Clarke House, the Mercer Oak, the Princeton Battle Monument, and the Colonnade and Gravesite; and

Whereas, In 2012, the Princeton Battlefield was named by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America’s most endangered historical places, and the State Park still encounters preservation problems today; and

Whereas, A sufficient educational and interpretive resource center for such a unique and consequential American historical treasure is lacking; and

Whereas, Establishing a visitor’s center at the Princeton Battlefield would greatly enhance the public’s learning, understanding, and interpretation of the site’s importance to New Jersey and American political, cultural, social, and military history, as well as encourage more awareness and support for preserving the site for generations to come; and

Whereas, The State Park Service’s consultation with the Princeton Battlefield Society on the development and design of the visitor’s center is vital to create the best possible space for both educators and the public; and

Whereas, By enabling, encouraging, and collaborating with private sector donors to help raise funds for part of the development and
maintenance costs of the visitor’s center, the State Park Service could expedite prospects for further enhancing the educational, commemorative, and tourism potential of the Princeton Battlefield as a leading New Jersey destination; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):

1. The Legislature of the State of New Jersey urges the New Jersey State Park Service to build a visitor’s center on the Princeton Battlefield State Park.

2. Copies of this resolution as filed with the Secretary of State shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Governor of New Jersey.