Mercer tells its story not only through buildings. You can also encounter it in collections, on information panels and in the remains of a former settlement. Marshlands, sculptures and expansive trails offer discoveries in their own right. Historic functions are reflected in buildings, while nature preserves and trails turn your attention to the landscape and its past uses.
History in collections, buildings and traces
The New Jersey State Museum in Trenton preserves more than two million objects relating to natural and cultural history, archaeology, ethnography and fine art. Nassau Hall offers a different historical perspective: when it was built in 1756, it was the largest academic building in the American colonies; in 1783, it served for five months as the temporary seat of the Continental Congress. The breadth of a collection and a specific, datable period in politics thus offer distinct ways to encounter history.
The Old Barracks Museum preserves a complex built in 1758 as military barracks during the French and Indian War, which later served both British and American troops during the American Revolutionary War. The William Trent House Museum offers another perspective: it is a National Historic Landmark, is located in the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, and lies along the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail and the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail. Military use, historic designations and named routes each highlight a different aspect.
Tours can also bring history to life through specific places. Howell Living History Farm takes visitors through a one-room schoolhouse, a farmhouse dating to the late Revolutionary War period and a cemetery. The site also includes archaeological remains of a blacksmith shop, a gristmill and two sawmills. At Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain, stone foundations and other remains mark the former agricultural settlement of Honey Hollow. Here, the focus is not on intact buildings, but on visible traces of earlier land use.
Grounds For Sculpture brings art and designed landscapes together: this 42-acre site is a sculpture park, museum and Level II-accredited arboretum. More than 300 sculptures and six indoor exhibition galleries create distinct spaces for art; the offerings also include performances, lectures and workshops on artistic practices. At the Princeton University Art Museum, visits to the Creativity Labs offer hands-on activities. Check dates and reservation options in advance.
Marshlands, trails and open landscapes
John A. Roebling Memorial Park is part of the Abbott Marshlands, the northernmost tidal freshwater marsh on the Delaware River. The park is also home to Watson House, the oldest house in Mercer County: Isaac Watson built it in 1708. The park is considered an excellent area for wildlife watching, including beavers, turtles and birds. Visitors can kayak in the marshlands. Since access conditions can change, check the latest information before your outing.
Tulpehaking Nature Center is located within the Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark, which represents 13,000 years of human history in the Delaware River Valley. Situated in the marshlands, it lies at the intersection of three major trail networks and provides access to Watson Woods, Spring Lake and Abbott Farm. Hands-on programs cover science, nature and archaeology. The center also has walking trails and a play area for children; check the latest information about programs and facilities before visiting.
There are open spaces and trails to suit a range of scales. Institute Woods is a protected open space spanning more than 550 acres, with over eight miles of trails. Mercer County Park covers more than 2,500 acres in the townships of West Windsor, Hamilton and Lawrence, and has four designated mountain biking trails. At Mercer Meadows, trails lead to Stony Brook, Willow Pond and Rosedale Lake. These details can help you decide whether you are looking for an extensive trail network, designated mountain biking trails or routes with access to named bodies of water.
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is a more than 20-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail and transportation corridor through public and private lands in the townships of Lawrence and Hopewell in Mercer County, New Jersey. History and trails also come together at Princeton Battlefield State Park, where you will find paved trails, natural-surface trails and information panels about the battle and the American Revolution. From downtown Princeton, you can reach the park on foot or by bike via the paved trail along Mercer Road or via trails from nearby Institute Woods to the south.
Discover more destinations: Trenton, Hightstown, Princeton, Windsor, Ewing, Hamilton Township, Pennington, Robbinsville.
For the main travel overview: New Jersey.
