Delaware River Towns

“A number of Sick & wounded brought into Town, calls upon us to extend a hand of Charity towards them… several of the Soldiers who were brought into Town Sick, have died, & it is feard the disorder by which they were affected, is infectious.”

-Margaret Morris, Burlington resident

Along the Delaware River rests a series of river-oriented communities, developed with a common heritage and commercial ties. With the Continental Army reaching Trenton and crossing into Philadelphia, these sleepy communities will become the focus of military uncertainty. From Gloucester to Frenchtown, citizens feel the cold impact of war for the first time. On the Lower Delaware, preparations for naval action is underway. By contrast, on the Upper Delaware, ferries will become critical strategy points of conflict and control.

Then as now, these river communities are connected by a common sense of character. The river is the common thread and roads bordering it tie the landscape and its communities together. The network of river roads from Gloucester to Frenchtown includes two scenic routes, including the Delaware River Heritage Trail and Delaware River National Scenic Byway. Each legacy community can tell its unique stories of their Revolutionary experience.