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
Park Welcomes New Environmental Educator
Matt Truesdale always wanted to be outside as a kid. Today, it’s his job. As the new Environmental Educator at Washington Crossing Historic Park, Matt has many plans for when the park fully reopens. He’s itching to get going. “I’ve seen how beneficial being outside is for people…this pandemic has really driven that home,” Matt says. “My job is to help the public discover the outdoors and learn about all its wonders. Every program I run is meant to get people to connect with nature. I bring my passion for the outdoors to my job, and I hope people notice Read More
What Was Life Like for Colonial-Era Medical Practitioners?
Reproductions of Colonial-Era Medical Tools Imagine all of the uncertainty and anxiety surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and then compound it several times over. That will begin to give you a sense of what life was like for the doctors and nurses who tended to the Continental Army. Their ignorance was perhaps both a blessing and a curse. After, all, you can’t fear what you don’t know exists. Still, death was always looming. “More people died from disease or infection during the war than from battle wounds, which is counter-intuitive,” says Katherine Becnel, a colonial historian and the volunteer coordinator Read More
Astro Photographer Captures a Different View of the Park
Washington Crossing Historic Park is a great place to learn about history, take a hike, have a picnic, or practice soccer. But as Temujin Nana (aka Temu) found, the park is also an ideal location for deep-space astro photography. “My fiancée and I were in the area last fall scouting locations for our wedding when I noticed the open green at the park,” explains Temu. “I immediately thought it would be a good place to photograph the night sky.” Temu’s suspicions were confirmed when he checked a light pollution map and found the area to be the darkest sky location Read More
Our Flock Needs Ewe: Sponsor a Sheep Today!
While Washington Crossing Historic Park may be closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 14 sheep at the Thompson-Neely Farmstead still need to eat! In addition to foraging 8-12 pounds of grass and plants every day, each sheep needs supplies like hay, grain, and supplemental minerals. They also require veterinary care, medications, fresh straw bedding, and the loving attention of the park’s farmstead manager, Ross. You can help us defray these costs by sponsoring a sheep. Sponsorship is $50 per sheep per week. All donors will receive a personal thank-you note from the sheep you choose to support.
Book Review of “Crossroads of the Revolution: Trenton, 1774-1783”
Reviewed by David Price, Washington Crossing Historic Park Historical Interpreter Local author William L. “Larry” Kidder has produced a history of Trenton during the Revolutionary War that is meticulously researched, deeply informed, and thoroughly comprehensive in scope. This is a story that has received scant attention until now and, as such, is a worthy addition to the literature on this tumultuous period. Kidder’s wide-ranging examination of a locality that was the site of a pivotal moment in young America’s struggle for independence enables the reader to understand how this community and its residents coped with the vicissitudes of late 18th Read More