Bill Text: NJ SCR58 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges New Jersey State Park Service to establish visitor's center at Princeton Battlefield State Park.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-04 - Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading [SCR58 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-SCR58-Introduced.html
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 58
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
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
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
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.
STATEMENT
This concurrent resolution urges the New Jersey State Park Service to establish a visitor's center at Princeton Battlefield State Park.
Princeton Battlefield State Park preserves a critically important piece of American and New Jersey history. Important leaders in the early history of the United States of America, including General George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Charles Willson Peale, and Dr. Benjamin Rush, were present at the Princeton Battlefield. It was also the hallowed ground where several important military leaders gave their lives, notably, General Hugh Mercer of Virginia, Colonel John Haslet of Delaware and Captain William Shippin of Pennsylvania, the first United States Marine to fall in land combat. The Battle of Princeton ended ten long days of battle between the Continental Army, the hired Germanic auxiliary troops, and the British military forces, beginning with the famous Christmas Day crossing of the Delaware River by General George Washington and his Continental Army. Victory for the Continental Army at the Battle of Princeton was a major turning point in the war for America's independence.
Preserving the Princeton Battlefield is crucial. The site memorializes the sacrifice of those who defended the United States in its first war, and is a tribute to those who still defend the nation almost 250 years later. The battlefield's status as a State Park is not enough. Establishing a visitor's center will highlight its importance in New Jersey and in American history by providing a permanent place in which visitors can learn about the Battle of Princeton and the American Revolutionary War. Without a visitor's center to welcome and educate the public, the physical site of the Princeton Battlefield is at risk and its story could become lost. Private donations would help the State Park Service in developing the best possible visitor's center.
