In 1719 John Wells acquired the right to operate a ferry from New Hope to Lambertville. In 1745, he sold it to Thomas Canby who sold it to John Coryell in 1764. From 1764 to 1797, the town became known as Coryell’s Ferry. The ferry took on historical significance when, in December of 1776, George Washington and the Continental Army used the ferry before the Battle of Trenton.
Throughout the war the ferry crossing was traversed countless times by messengers, supplies, and military detachments. At the time, the village was a military stronghold protecting the American Army's flank from British forces. Following the capture of Philadelphia in September 1777, Coryell's ferry was one of the few river crossing points between Pennsylvania and New Jersey free from enemy interference.
The ferry itself remained important until a bridge was built in 1814, replacing the ferry crossing with a permanent link between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Help keep the importance of Coryell's Ferry alive by finding this cache!