I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 87 
To establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage 
Area in the State of New Jersey, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 4, 2005 
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution Na-
tional Heritage Area in the State of New Jersey, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Crossroads of the 
American Revolution National Heritage Area Act of 
2003’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) New Jersey was of critical importance dur-
ing the American Revolution due to its strategic lo-
cation between the British armies headquartered in 
New York City and the Continental Congress sitting 
in the City of Philadelphia. 
(2) General George Washington spent almost 
half of the period of the American Revolution per-
sonally commanding troops of the Continental Army 
in New Jersey including 2 severe winter encamp-
ments at what is now Morristown National Histor-
ical Park, a unit of the National Park System. 
(3) It was during the 10 crucial days of the 
American Revolution between December 25, 1776, 
and January 3, 1777, when General Washington, 
after retreating across New Jersey from New York 
City to Pennsylvania in the face of total defeat for 
the Nation’s cause, recrossed the Delaware River on 
Christmas night, 1776, and won crucial battles at 
Trenton and Princeton. Thomas Paine, who accom-
panied the troops during the retreat, described the 
events as, the times that try men’s souls. 
(4) There are situated in the State of New Jer-
sey the sites of 296 engagements including several 
important battles of the American Revolution, which 
collectively are of significant importance to the out-
come of the overall conflict and the history of the 
United States. Among these are National Historic
Landmarks including Washington’s Crossing, the 
Old Trenton Barracks, and Princeton, Monmouth 
and Red Bank Battlefields. 
(5) Additional national Historic Landmarks in-
clude the homes of Richard Stockton, Joseph Hewes, 
John Witherspoon, and Francis Hopkinson, all sign-
ers of the Declaration of Independence, Elias 
Boudinout, President of the Continental Congress 
and William Livingston, patriot and Governor of 
New Jersey from 1776 to 1790. 
(6) Portions of the landscapes important to the 
strategies of both armies including waterways, 
mountains, farms, wetlands, villages and roadways 
retain integrity of the period of the American Revo-
lution and offer outstanding opportunities for con-
servation, education, and recreation. 
(7) The National Register of Historic Places 
lists 251 buildings and sites in the National Park 
Service study area for Crossroads of the American 
Revolution associated with the period of the Amer-
ican Revolution. 
(8) Civilian populations residing in New Jersey 
suffered extreme hardships during the American 
Revolution due to the continuous conflict within its
borders, foraging armies, and marauding contingents 
of loyalist Tories and rebel sympathizers. 
(9) Because of the important role that New 
Jersey played in the successful outcome of the 
American Revolution there is a Federal interest for 
the development of a regional framework to assist 
the State of New Jersey, other local organizations 
and governments, and private citizens to preserve 
and protect natural, cultural, and historic resources 
of the period and to bring recognition to this impor-
tant heritage for the educational and recreational 
benefit of this and future generations of Americans. 
(10) The National Park Service has conducted 
a National Heritage Feasibility Study in the State 
of New Jersey that demonstrates the sufficient as-
semblage of nationally distinctive natural, cultural, 
and historic resources necessary to establish the 
Crossroads of the American Revolution National 
Heritage Area. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are as fol-
lows: 
(1) To build the capacity of communities, orga-
nizations, and citizens in New Jersey to preserve the 
special historic identity of the region and its impor-
tance to the Nation.
(2) To foster a close working relationship with 
all levels of government, the private sector, and the 
local communities in New Jersey. 
(3) To provide for the management, preserva-
tion, protection, and interpretation of the natural, 
historic, and cultural resources of the region for the 
educational and inspirational benefit of future gen-
erations. 
(4) To strengthen the value of Morristown Na-
tional Historical Park as an asset to the region by 
establishing a network of related historic resources, 
protected landscapes, educational opportunities, and 
events depicting the revolutionary landscape of New 
Jersey. 
(5) To strengthen partnerships among Morris-
town National Historical Park and other public and 
privately owned resources in the heritage area, that 
together represent the strategic fulcrum of the 
American Revolution, as assets in the quality of life 
in the region. 
(6) To authorize Federal financial and technical 
assistance to serve these purposes. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purposes of this Act: