Next Book Club Pick: The British Are Coming
The Washington Crossing Historic Park book club will begin discussion of a new selection at its September 21 meeting. The featured book is The British Are Coming—The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 by Rick Atkinson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who lectured at the park last year. Meetings are led by the park’s curator, Kimberly McCarty, who also selects the books. “Rick Atkinson’s research for this book included combing through the archive of King George III, so it should give us unique insight into the crossing and the events that surrounded it,” she says. As a Georgian Papers fellow, Read More
How Did Bucks County Residents Feel About the Revolutionary War?
As you’d probably expect, Bucks County’s feelings about the Revolutionary War were nuanced. There were both loyalists and patriots living here, but the majority of the population could be described as “disaffected.” “On December 14, 1776, George Washington wrote a letter in which he described people in the area using that word,” says Kimberly McCarty, Washington Crossing Historic Park’s curator. McCarty is currently leading a discussion of The Disaffected—Britain’s Occupation of Philadelphia During the American Revolution by Aaron Sullivan for the park’s book club, which has been meeting virtually throughout the summer. “It intrigued me because even though the bulk of the subject matter Read More
A Central But Unknown Figure
John Haslet’s World: An Ardent Patriot, the Delaware Blues, and the Spirit of 1776, will be released November 3, 2020. You can pre-order the book now on Amazon. The book can also be ordered directly from its publisher, Knox Press. Colonel John Haslet and his Delaware Continental Regiment, known as the Delaware Blues, played a pivotal role in George Washington’s 1776 campaign that culminated in the Ten Crucial Days. “Haslet was someone who kept popping up in David Hackett Fischer’s book, Washington’s Crossing,” says David Price, a historical interpreter at Washington Crossing Historic Park. “When I was planning my first book, Read More
Rest in Peace, Lightning Bolt and Linsey
In the last six weeks, we’ve lost two sheep from the Thompson-Neely Farmstead flock: Lightning Bolt and Linsey. Both enjoyed lives longer than the average life expectancy for sheep and were beloved by the rest of the flock and their caretakers. The park’s Farmstead Manager, Ross Heutmaker, wrote these touching words about Linsey and Lightning Bolt. Lightning Bolt Lightning Bolt was a wonderful, happy sheep. She was one of the grandmas of our flock, always watching over the group with a calm but vigilant demeanor. Even in her old age, she was spry and quick when she had to be. Read More
Enjoy an Educational “Staycation”
In late June, Bowman’s Hill Tower reopened and guided tours of the Historic Village and Thompson-Neely House and Grist Mill resumed. Guided tours will look a little different for the foreseeable future as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. While safety comes first, it won’t come at the cost of an enriching experience. We spoke with Katherine Becnel, the park’s volunteer coordinator, about why August is the perfect time to take an educational and safe tour at Washington Crossing Historic Park. What makes August an ideal time to visit the park? One of the big advantages of being a state park Read More
Friends Welcome New Park Manager
Please join us in welcoming Marisa Sprowles as the new Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) manager for Washington Crossing Historic Park (PA). In this position, Marisa will oversee park operations and staff. “I’m looking forward to taking a deep dive into the history of the crossing,” Marisa says. Marisa’s love of the outdoors began in childhood. Her father was a National Park Service ranger and a city and state parks ranger in Ohio. “I spent a lot time in parks as a kid and have a lot of reverence for the flat hat,” she says. This enthusiasm became the catalyst Read More
We Cannot Tell a Lie: The Danger of Misquoting George Washington
Can you guess what these three quotes from great leaders have in common? “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi “The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.” – George Washington All three are succinct, inspirational, and look great on a bumper sticker. And all three were never said or written by the person to whom they are attributed. Spurious quotations are nothing new, especially in the age of the Internet. They’re often motivational or profound, and the words often reinforce our idea of Read More
These Locally-Grown Plants Were Once Used to Treat Battlefield Ailments
The avid gardeners among us may know that peppermint, sage, and lavender featured prominently in the most common medicines during the American Revolution. But there are a host of lesser-known plants that proved to be just as valuable to the doctors on the battlefields, says Anna Davis-Agostini, the park’s historical horticulturist. We’re featuring four of them here. Please Note: Although you can find these plants among the park’s gardens—which Davis-Agostini designed and maintains, with help—the park’s gardens are not pick-your-own. If you spot these plants, please leave them be. In addition, the information provided below is informational only. All of these plants Read More