About

2024 Annual Report

Arboretum Restoration

George Harding Painting

Conservation & Native Plant Restoration

Infrastructure Projects

Educational Projects

Events & Activities

Washington's Landing

Tai Chi by the Delaware

Activities for Kids

Our EventBrite Page

Tours

Guided History Tours

Self-Guided Tours

Washington Arboretum

Park Links

State Park Info

Passport to History

Education Programs

Downed Firewood Permits

Scheduling an Event

Ten Crucial Days

About

2024 Annual Report

Arboretum Restoration

George Harding Painting

Conservation & Native Plant Restoration

Infrastructure Projects

Educational Projects

Events & Activities

Washington's Landing

Tai Chi by the Delaware

Activities for Kids

Our EventBrite Page

Tours

Guided History Tours

Self-Guided Tours

Washington Arboretum

Park Links

State Park Info

Passport to History

Education Programs

Downed Firewood Permits

Scheduling an Event

Ten Crucial Days

2021 Annual Meeting Presentation

Click to expand, and then scroll through. Hover over the images for descriptions.

The achievements of the past two years actually starts in December of 2019, thanks to the The New Jersey Arborists ISA who selected the Park for its volunteer work day.

We were the beneficiaries of the work of 138 Volunteer Arborists who brought along equipment with an estimated value of 7.7 million dollars. They performed work with a value of approximately $145,000.

Unfortunately 2021’s tornado, which went directly through the Park, left damage that will take years to clear. We will reapply to the NJAISA as soon as possible. We are also working to arrange Chainsaw Certification classes for Park staff and volun

Our Conservation and Education Committee does twice yearly clean-ups of the perimeter of the Park in collaboration with the invaluable work of Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space.

The WCPA has been in hopeful discussions with the Hopewell Valley Arts Council on strategies to renovate and utilize the theater. Sadly the space suffered multiple setbacks that limited our efforts. Vandals targeted it in late 2019, destroying many

The 2020 tornado dropped trees all over the park, including one on the already badly damaged concession stand....

...Which no doubt disturbed the 200 pound hive of bees that had made their home in its walls.

And this was all overshadowed by the damage caused by this fall's flash flooding, which tore out a large chunk of the stage.

It is our hope that these more recent natural phenomena will inspire collaboration with local organizations, and help to build this space back to the community jewel it once was.

The WCPA is collaborating with the Garden Club of Trenton as they develop a map of the historic Arboretum, a self-guided walking tour, and markers for the site's many specimen trees.

The WCPA is very fortunate to be part of an incredible community! Lisa Raezer and Robert Thompson have been leading Tai Chi classes in the lower park, by the river, every seasonable Saturday for the past few years!

This year Christa Eastgate led yoga classes at the lower park on Spring and Summer Tuesdays and Saturdays!

We have been working with Kevin Kavanaugh and Paul Moran to organize a growing troop of volunteers (currently numbering 17) who meet monthly to clear our trails.

Soon they will have the funding and equipment needed to take on some real trail improvement projects like constructing water bars, steps, and bog bridges, and filling in holes and wet areas.

The Nelson House, by the Delaware River, was built in the early 1800s as part of the much larger Nelson Hotel. The WCPA office is currently located in the ice house, on the left.

Our Conservation and Education Committee established and maintains a pollinator garden on the other side of the property, with grants from the Bowman Hill Wildflower preserve.

The Johnson Ferry House is one of the crown jewels of the State Park. In 2016 the WCPA arranged for the repainting and restaining of the entire exterior. In 2020 we arranged for the replacement of the house's cedar roof in collaboration with a grant

We've been working on wayfinding signs within the park for both historic and recreational sites. These signs were created and installed this year thanks to a grant from the NJ Historic Trust’s License Plate program.

We're also working with state officials to get directional signage on route 95...we expect to see this signage on 95 very soon.

This exciting project concerns a work by muralist and military artist George Harding. The mural was essentially lost until rediscovered by former WCPA Trustee Pat Millen.

The mural is 100 years old this year. It will cost an estimated $40k to restore the mural for the new Visitor’s Center.

Speaking of the Visitor Center, we have had the privilege of collaborating on planning for the park’s new Visitors Center and Museum, which will be built in time for the 2026 Semiquincentennial.

The Center will be placed between the Johnson Ferry House and the Arboretum and within sight of the Crossing, creating a more cohesive historic district within the park.

Here is a birds eye view of the proposed site.

The Ten Crucial Days Roundtable meets several times a year to report on our various initiatives and develop strategies to increase awareness of and visitation to the pivotal sites of the Ten Crucial Days of 1776.

This brings us to one of the biggest events of the year in our park, which is in fact orchestrated by the Washington Crossing Historic Park of Pennsylvania.

The WCPA is pleased to offer a heated tent for the Christmas Day Crossing, for VIP guests and our Family, Patron and George Washington Level members.

Our Historic Education and Preservation Committee was honored with a Hopewell Valley Historical Society Award for Significant Contributions to Historical Education in 2021. Here are a few more of their accomplishments this year.

The committee presented three community educational talks on Washingtons Crossing, the Rest of the Story, via Zoom. They also presented the talk as part of the Hopewell Museum's "Hopewell Valley Heritage Week."

The committee offered Guided Walking Tours to nine groups totaling about 85 people in 2021. They also formed a relationship with, and donated $3000 to, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment which will help them acquire authentic Regimental uniforms.

The Committee produced a Self-Guided Driving Tour of the Victory Trail and the March to Trenton.

The Committee received a grant from the Mercer County History Regrant Program for the creation of our new documentary video: "Crossing to Victory, Washington Recaptures New Jersey,” which you can see on our home page.

PARK INFO: Washington Crossing State Park, 355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road
Titusville, NJ, 08560 • 609-737-0623

PARK HOURS CHANGE THROUGH THE SEASON … CURRENTLY 8 AM TIL’ 8 PM

Visit the Official NJ State Park Website

Visit NJ's other ten crucial days sites

Washington Crossing State Park Visitors Center, 495 Washington Crossing Pennington Rd, Hopewell Township, NJ, 08560, United States609-738-0765info@washingtoncrossingparkassociation.com

Washington Crossing Park Association
P.O.Box 83
Titusville, NJ 08560
(609) 738-0765

Email us at info@wcpa-nj.com