By Barbara A. Preston | July 4, 2025
Rocky Hill, a small borough of 250 households with about 700 residents in central New Jersey, celebrated Independence Day on July 4th in its usual way — a parade.
There was no marching band, no floats, no fireworks — just a public procession of friends and neighbors walking down Washington Street celebrating a special day.
Rocky Hill's annual Fourth of July Parade proceeded west on Washington Street (known by drivers from surrounding towns as Route 518), then north at Montgomery Avenue to the borough's historic municipal building. It ended with an ice cream social.
Some boys and girls decorated their bicycles and scooters in red, white, and blue. Some had mylar balloons depicting stars and stripes. A vintage Ford Ranger pickup truck with patriotic bunting across its front grille led the parade, driven Joseph Florentine of Skillman, with his wife Lea riding shotgun.
The Rocky Hill Fire Company trailed behind, with the driver occasionally blaring its horn in celebration, and vibrating the ear drums of spectators and paraders.
Those who had front porches sat in the shade and watched the procession, or sat on their front step. While it might not be as common as it once was, porch sitting still happens in Rocky Hill. It's an easy way to connect with neighbors, and enjoy the outdoors. Porches just seem to create a sense of community.
From left: Brenda Fallon and Trey Delaney enjoying Delaney's front porch on Washington Street on the 4th of July.
Montgomery elementary school teacher Johnny Rooney (right) watched the parade with his nephew (left) from the steps of his Washington Street home.
It is fitting that Rocky Hill residents march down Washington Street every Fourth of July. After all, the street is named for George Washington.
Excerpts from the Rocky Hill Tercentenary Committee
According to research by Vivian Engelbrecht, "Rocky Hill was a recognized community at the time of the American Revolution and its few inhabitants were active in the cause of the Colonies. Although it was not the scene of a major battle, its terrain was well known to General George Washington. On January 3, 1776, he and the Army passed through Rocky Hill on their way to the bitter winter encampment in Morristown."
Community members now parade down the very road where Gen. George Washington and his troops once marched.
After victorious battles at Trenton and Princeton, General Washington had planned to travel to New Brunswick to capture British supplies there. He and this army stopped at Kingston, where Washington decided his men were too tired from days and nights of fighting and marching. They then took a side road to Rocky Hill.
Before midnight the last of the Army had passed through Rocky Hill. After traversing the bridge over the Millstone River, they destroyed it to keep the enemy from crossing, according to Engelbrecht.
They then traveled to Somerset Court House (now Millstone), put the prisoners in the county jail there, and then slept on the frozen ground of surrounding fields. The following day they passed Pluckemin and went on to Morristown.
"Rocky Hill is famed most for Washington's prolonged stay in 1783. When Congress met in Princeton, they wanted him nearby to get his 'assistance and advice in the arrangements for peace,'" according to Engelbrecht.
"They rented Rockingham for his (Washington's) use, it was one of Rocky Hill's farm 'mansions.' Situated just across the Millstone River, its balcony afforded a fine view of the village and surrounding hills.
"Here General Washington lived from August 23 to November 10, 1783, with his aides and a suite of young New England yeoman's sons, who pitched their tents in the farmyard. Martha Washington accompanied her husband and remained here until October when she left for Mount Vernon 'before the weather and roads should get bad.'"
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"In October, Congress concluded its business. News of the signing of the Peace Treaty in Paris arrived. Washington prepared his Farewell Address to the Armies of the United States, and legend says he read it to his attending soldiers from the balcony of Rockingham. It was published in the Philadelphia papers on the 2nd of November. On November 10, General Washington left Rocky Hill."
Rockingham, after several owners, has been moved three times. It is now located on Kingston-Rocky Hill Road (on the west side of the Millstone River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal.)
>> Click here to learn more about Rockingham
"After these dramatic moments in history, Rocky Hill returned to a quiet village
surrounded by rolling farmlands," according to Engelbrecht.
Maybe it's not so quiet anymore, and the surrounding rolling farmlands are now housing developments, but Rocky Hill still takes the time to honor its past.
