Nearly 250 years after Gen. George Washington led his troops across the icy Delaware River during a winter storm, another memorable weather day became part of Washington Crossing’s history.
The heat wave that had gripped the region gave way to severe thunderstorm warnings Friday evening as crowds gathered on both sides of the Delaware River to celebrate America’s 250th birthday at one of the nation’s most iconic Revolutionary War sites. Concerts were canceled, fireworks were moved up, and phones buzzed with emergency weather alerts specifically warning visitors at the Washington Crossing fireworks of approaching storms.
Still, the weather did little to dampen the spirit of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration.
As one visitor remarked during the day, “If George Washington could cross the Delaware in the cold, we can show up to America’s birthday in the heat.”
For much of the afternoon, families explored historical demonstrations, listened to readings of the Declaration of Independence, toured historic buildings, visited craft vendors, and learned about the people and events that helped shape the nation’s founding. While the weather changed dramatically throughout the day, the focus remained on celebrating the place where one of America’s defining moments unfolded nearly two and a half centuries ago.
Celebrating where history happened
Activities stretched across both sides of the Delaware River.
On the New Jersey side, Washington Crossing State Park hosted family activities, historical tours, Declaration of Independence readings, craft demonstrations, vendors and exhibits honoring New Jersey’s signers of the Declaration. Visitors also had the opportunity to add their own “John Hancock” to a replica Declaration of Independence that will be displayed in the park’s new visitor center when it opens this fall.
Across the river in Pennsylvania, Washington Crossing Historic Park welcomed visitors to its Living History Day with Revolutionary War reenactors, musket and cannon demonstrations, crafts, children’s activities, food vendors, guided tours and musical performances before the evening fireworks display.
Many visitors crossed the bridge between the two parks throughout the day, experiencing celebrations on both sides of the river.
The coordination between the neighboring parks has been years in the making.
“We meet at least once a month,” said Washington Crossing Park Association Executive Director Annette Earling. “To talk about the 250th birthday and how we can collaborate together. We have a good relationship and try to play off each other. The fireworks are their baby but look at everything we have going on here on both sides.”
Visitors traveled from throughout New Jersey and beyond to celebrate the nation’s milestone where history unfolded.
“We were looking forward to this all year,” said a couple visiting from Chicago while on a cross-country road trip.
Cliff Jones and his wife, Brenda, of Ewing volunteered on the New Jersey side, demonstrating colonial-era writing techniques.
“We are down the street,” Cliff Jones said. “We can drive up here anytime, walk around the Pennsylvania side and walk around the Jersey side and be blessed with all this history.”
Mike O’Connell of Somerville, visiting with his wife Amy, appreciated experiencing both parks during the celebration.
“I mean there’s only one 250th birthday for this country,” O’Connell said. “It’s pretty cool and this is where Washington crossed. New Jersey is the crossroads of the Revolution and it has been cool to see the reenactments, the exhibits and all the history.”
Bringing the 18th century to life
Throughout the day, visitors found opportunities not just to learn about history, but to participate in it.
Declaration of Independence readings were held on both sides of the river, introducing many attendees to the document in its entirety for the first time.
“I didn’t realize it was a complete trashing of England,” said Eric Randelbaum of Manville, who attended with his wife.
Nearby, visitors dipped quill pens into ink and practiced writing as people would have in the 1700s.
Brenda Jones explained that even preparing the ink required patience.
“Quite a while,” Jones said of the process. “You have to boil it down, simmer and strain it until it gets to the right consistency. Then you have to wait till it is dry because they still have a membrane on the outside. Then you cut the tip the right way so you can write with it.”
The demonstrations offered visitors a hands-on connection to the daily lives of the generation that declared American independence.
Watching the radar
As temperatures climbed into the afternoon, another topic began dominating conversations.
Would the fireworks happen?
The previous night’s storms had knocked down trees and caused power outages across the Hopewell Valley, and communities throughout the region had postponed or canceled Independence Day celebrations because of threatening weather. The Blawenburg Band also canceled its scheduled evening performance on the New Jersey side because of the forecast.
Despite the uncertainty, crowds steadily poured into Washington Crossing Historic Park. When the ticketed Living History event opened at 4 p.m., many visitors immediately claimed spots for the fireworks before exploring the day’s activities.
By 8 p.m., when admission became free, more people continued arriving, filling lawns and gathering near food vendors serving Rita’s Italian Ice, Nomad Pizza, Olde City Kettle Corn, El Sabor Del Bajio and hot dogs sold by the Friends of Washington Crossing Park.
Bucks County jazz pianist Keith Chasin performed as families relaxed in lawn chairs while keeping one eye on the darkening sky and another on weather apps.
Around 8:45 p.m., Friends of Washington Crossing Executive Director Jennifer Martin announced the decision to begin the fireworks early because of approaching storms.
Moments later, fireworks launched from barges on the Delaware River as the fife and drum corps provided a patriotic soundtrack.
Then, in one of the evening’s more surreal moments, many spectators’ iPhones simultaneously sounded emergency weather alerts specifically warning people attending the Washington Crossing fireworks about the approaching severe thunderstorms.
Even as the alerts appeared, bursts of red, white and blue continued lighting the sky over the Delaware.
The abbreviated display concluded shortly before 9 p.m.
As families folded lawn chairs and headed toward their cars, flashes of lightning appeared in the distance. For many, the drive home was marked by torrential rain and difficult conditions on the winding roads leading away from Washington Crossing.
The weather forced organizers to adjust plans throughout the day, but Earling said flexibility became part of the celebration.
“It’s thrown a lot of monkey wrenches into the mix,” Earling said. “But everyone is being flexible and, you know, like a woman at the parade said, ‘Do you think George Washington cared about the heat?'”
