Interpretive Sign Unveiled For ‘Washington’s Headquarters’ In Lambertville

Provided by the Lambertville Historical Society:

The Lambertville Historical Society and Mayor Andrew Nowick hosted an unveiling of the Richard Holcombe House interpretive sign on Friday, October 27.  

The sign is located near 260 North Main Street, Lambertville, at the corner of North Main Street and Phillips Barber Road.

Attendees included New Jersey Historic Trust Executive Director Dorothy Guzzo and Historic Preservation Specialist Ashley Parker, Lambertville Historical Society board members, fellow community members as well as Mayor Nowick.

The sign describes the history of the Richard Holcombe House dating back to circa 1756 and the acquisition of land surrounding the house by Richard’s father, John Holcombe, one of Lambertville’s first settlers, in the early 1700’s. Richard Holcombe and his family hosted General George Washington and his aides in July 1777 and again in June 1778, giving the house its status as “Washington’s Headquarters.” Washington’s stay in 1778 occurred when he waited for his army to cross the Delaware at Coryell’s Ferry (the original name for Lambertville) en route to the Battle of Monmouth.   The Continental Army had left Valley Forge to intercept the British army as it marched from Philadelphia to New York.  

A companion interpretive sign entitled “Coryell’s Ferry” was installed near the New Hope- Lambertville bridge.  This sign describes the early history of the ferry and the 1778 crossing of the Delaware by the Continental Army of over 10,000 soldiers as it marched along Old York Road from Pennsylvania into New Jersey.  

The Lambertville Historical Society fosters, inspires and encourages the awareness, preservation and appreciation of Lambertville’s history and architecture through education, member engagement, community involvement, and the curation, promotion and conservation of the James Wilson Marshall House and Museum.

This project was supported by financial assistance from the New Jersey Historic Trust through the Discover New Jersey History License Plate Heritage Tourism Grant Program.