Meet Your Revolutionary Neighbors, an anthology of the life experiences of more than two dozen New Jerseyans who lived during the 
American Revolution, was recently honored with a 2016 New Jersey Historic Preservation Award. The book, a project of the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, was among seven preservation projects from across the state which received the coveted award at a ceremony at Morristown National Historical Park on May 12.
Meet Your Revolutionary Neighbors tells the stories of ordinary people who lived, fought, suffered and/or protested during the five years the American Revolution was fought in the state. With contributions from 16 New Jersey historians, this rich collaboration connects readers to the state’s significant Revolutionary heritage on a personal level. A companion website (https://revolutionarynj.org/the-people/) contains biographies of several other Neighbors and has been endorsed as a teaching aid by the New Jersey Education Association.
“During the Revolution, New Jerseyans were confronted with the choice of allying with Washington and the cause of independence, staying loyal to the British Crown or taking a neutral stance. It wasn’t an easy choice,” said Noreen Bodman, Crossroads’ executive director. “Meet your Revolutionary Neighbors makes that dilemma real for today’s New Jerseyans. We’re tremendously fortunate that some of the state’s most knowledgeable historians contributed to the project, bringing compelling local stories to a larger audience, some for the first time.”
“These awards are our chance to honor the many individuals, organizations and corporations; and state, county and local governments who have worked hard to preserve New Jersey’s historic places,” said Daniel Saunders, NJ Historic Preservation Office administrator and deputy state historic preservation officer.
The annual NJ Historic Preservation Awards honor projects, and groups or persons, dedicated to preserving New Jersey’s history. This year marks the 26th anniversary of the awards celebrating May as National Preservation Month. The awards are presented by the NJ State Historic Preservation Office in the Department of Environmental Protection, and the NJ Historic Sites Council.
About Crossroads
Established by the U.S. Congress in 2006, Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area promotes a greater understanding of Revolutionary-era historical sites and landscapes in New Jersey. Working with Morristown National Historical Park and partners throughout the state, Crossroads connects the people and places of New Jersey’s rich Revolutionary heritage to inspire community pride, stewardship and civic engagement. For more information, visit Crossroads’ web site at www.revolutionarynj.org.
