The New Jersey Historic Trust (NJHT) on Sept. 29 released the names of 69 non-profits whose applications for projects to save and promote the state’s historic sites have been approved for grants totalling $14,305,959. The NJHT, part of the Department of Community Affairs, will present its grant recommendations to the Garden State Preservation Trust, following which an appropriations bill must clear the N.J. State Legislature and be signed by the governor to enable the grants.
Crossroads’ $50,000 heritage tourism grant is for the creation of an audio tour. The tour, which will be available through a free downloadable smartphone app, will include a network of trails to help you connect to New Jersey’s rich Revolutionary-era heritage, on the road or at home. Download a tour to your smartphone, and as you drive, embedded GPS coordinates will activate brief audio stories of people, places and events that connect you to our rich Revolutionary-era heritage. Stop at a featured location to explore on foot and enjoy local recreation, dining or shopping, or continue on and listen to the narrative as you drive.
The Crossroads audio tour series includes stories of the war’s impact on New Jerseyans of all backgrounds and the hard choices they made during the conflict. With accounts of the enslaved, free Blacks, women and children, heritage travelers will find a deeper, more nuanced understanding of life in New Jersey during the late 18th century.
See the Historic Trust’s full announcement here and learn more about Crossroads’ audio tours here.