History & Culture · Hudson Valley
Highland Has a River-Edge Revolutionary Story
Highland's Delaware River edge carries hamlet life, the Minisink Ford Battleground, the Roebling Bridge, and a Revolutionary War memory close together.
Published July 6, 2026 · Last verified July 6, 2026
Highland is one of those Sullivan County towns where the map makes more sense when you follow the river. Barryville, Eldred, Highland Lake, Minisink Ford, and Yulan are all part of the local pattern, and the Delaware River edge gives the town a stronger shape than a quick drive on Route 55 can show.
Minisink Ford is the old-story anchor. The Town of Highland and Sullivan County both point to Minisink Battleground Park off Route 97 on County Road 168. The park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is dedicated to the men who fought and died at the Battle of Minisink, a major Revolutionary War skirmish on the Upper Delaware.
That is a lot of history for a quiet bend of road. The park also has 57 acres, trails, picnic areas, interpretive displays, and monuments. The Town of Highland adds the nearby Roebling Bridge and Tollhouse, tying this same river edge to the old Delaware and Hudson Canal and the bridge work of John A. Roebling.
So Highland’s local feel is not one single downtown. It is river crossing, battleground, hamlets, bridge, and wooded road, all close enough to fold into an ordinary afternoon.