It's a revered piece of land steeped in American history.

And preservationists just got a lot closer to being able to protect a piece of it.

Earlier this month, the National Park Service announced that it was awarding nearly a half million dollars for the preservation of a disputed New Jersey battleground that had for years been a point of contention between developers and preservation groups.

The National Park Service is giving more than $490,000 to the Civil War Trust and the municipality of Princeton. The money, a grant from the NPS's American Battlefield Protection Program, is meant to help pay to acquire nearly 15 acres land that American and British troops fought over during the American Revolution.

Princeton Battlefield is eligible for the funding because in 2007 it was listed as a battlefield threatened by development in a report that the NPS prepared for Congress. Victoria Stauffenberg, a spokeswoman for the NPS, said that the Princeton grant was part of a batch of nine grants awarded in five states totaling $3.1 million. Stauffenberg described the NPS's role in battlefield preservation as limited to providing funding and technical assistance.

"We're helping with preservation on the community level, preserving these amazing sites in people's backyards," Stauffenberg said.

Since the NPS's American Battlefield Protection Program began in 1998, money has been provided to help protect more than 29,500 acres at 110 battlefields in 10 states, according to Stauffenberg. This new grant is the second to be awarded in New Jersey; the first was awarded last year.

On January 3, 1777, George Washington led American troops into battle against the British at the Battle of Princeton. The specific land that the grant will help protect, known as Maxwell's Field, is thought by some historians to be the site of Washington's counter attack, which broke the British lines and secured an American victory.

Jim Campi, a spokesman for the Civil War Trust, calls the count erattack one of the most pivotal moments in American history.

"If that hadn't happened, most of our history would be dramatically different," Campi said.

Today, the land is owned by the Institute for Advanced Study, which disputes the specific location of the battle. For years, a plan by the institute to build new faculty housing on the land has been fought by preservationists.

In December 2016, the Civil War Trust, a preservation group dedicated to protecting American battlefields and historic sites, reached a deal with the institute to buy the land for $4 million. The nearly 15 acres agreed to is not the entirety of Maxwell's Field, and the institute will still be able to build the housing it needs.

Campi said that the Civil War Trust hopes to close on the property soon. Once the group officially gains ownership, Campi says it plans to restore the land to its war-time state before transferring ownership to the state so in can be incorporated into the neighboring Princeton Battlefield State Park.

"After years of controversy over this property, the community has really come together over the last year now that there's a positive path forward," Campi said.

The NPS grant money, the only government funds that have yet been contributed to the preservation effort, represents about 12 percent of the cost. Campi said the large grant underscores just how important the preservation of Princeton Battlefield is to the NPS.

Campi said the rest of the money that the Civil War Trust has collected so far has come from private donations, including a single $1.1 million donation from investor and philanthropist Richard Gilder. The Civil War Trust has now raised $3.5 million of the necessary $4 million, according to Campi.

Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook.