Union County’s Four Centuries in a Weekend event was the backdrop as Crossroads’ newest interpretive sign was unveiled at Caldwell Parsonage in Union, NJ on October 16. Joining Crossroads Executive Director Janice Selinger in the ceremony were Union Township Historical Society President Barbara La Mort, Union Township Mayor Michele Delisfort and Union County Commissioner Bette Jane Kowalski. Watch ceremony highlights on YouTube.
The sign relates the story of the death of Hannah Caldwell during the June 7, 1780 Battle of Connecticut Farms. Hannah was the wife of Presbyterian minister James Caldwell, a fierce advocate for independence who was known as the Fighting Parson. While the exact source of the bullet that caused Hannah’s death is unknown, her story became a powerful weapon in building public support for the patriot cause, and is featured in Crossroads’ Revolutionary Neighbors series.
“The ground we stand on today was truly a crossroads, and the war for independence was a very real part of life for people like Hannah and her neighbors,” said Mayor Delisfort. “With the addition of this sign, people will now be able to stop, read the story of Hannah Caldwell and consider the hardships faced by the people who lived here during the American Revolution.
“This is one of a growing number of signs that Crossroads is working to install at historic sites across the state,” said Crossroads Executive Director Janice Selinger. “Each sign features the six-pointed star from the original U.S. flag, a mark that will help travelers easily locate key sites in New Jersey’s crucial role in the war for independence. It’s one of the many ways we’re working to promote New Jersey’s Revolutionary heritage and to prepare for what we hope will be a massive influx of visitors to the state during the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.”
Other dignitaries attending the event were Union Township Committeemen Clifton People Jr. and Manuel Figueiredo, and Crossroads Trustee Jeff Kaszerman.
The sign was funded through a generous grant from the Union Foundation. The fourth Crossroads sign installed in Union County, it joins interpretive signs at Liberty Hall in Union, and two at the First Presbyterian Church and Burial Grounds in downtown Elizabeth.
