Trenton’s history will come to life next month during Patriots Week, an annual celebration of the city’s role in the American Revolution.
Held from Dec. 26 to Dec. 31, Patriots Week offers dozens of ways to experience and participate in the war that shaped our nation.
The full list of events for the first day of Patriots Week, Dec. 26, can be found below. All events are free unless otherwise noted.
New exhibition: “Preserving the Pinelands: Albert Horner’s Portraits of a National Treasure.” Plus many more galleries in history, art and science. 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Website. New Jersey State Museum, 205 West State St.
Planetarium Shows. Include a live demonstration of the sky set to December 25, 1776. Learn about the constellations and planets that occupied the sky on the stormy evening when George Washington crossed the Delaware! All shows suitable for general audiences. Show schedule: 10:30 a.m. “Season of Light”; 11:30 a.m. “Laser Holiday Magic”; 1:30 p.m. “CapCOM Go!” $7 adult, $5 child. Website. New Jersey State Museum, 205 West State St.
Trenton Battlefield Walking Tour. 10 a.m. to noon. Start at Starbucks, 102 South Warren St. (Corner of Front St). This 10-block interpretive walk brings to life the events of the two battles of Trenton. Guests are welcome to gather at Starbucks at 9:00am for a question-and-answer session over coffee.
The tour begins at 10 a.m. and includes the historic Trenton Battle Monument, ending up along the Assunpink Creek in Mill Hill Park. Ralph Siegel of Trenton Battlefield Tours will lead the walk with block-by-block, minute-by-minute narrative. Event ends at noon.
Tours of the Old Barracks. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Old Barracks Museum, 101 Barrack St. Open for tours. The Old Barracks Museum offers tours that detail Trenton’s role in the 18th century, as well as the details of the Battle of Trenton. www.barracks.org Tickets: $10 adults; $8 students and seniors.
Tours of the William Trent House. 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. William Trent House Museum, 15 Market St. Take a tour of the country estate owned by William Trent, for whom the City of Trenton is named.
George Washington’s Ten Crucial Days with author William “Larry” Kidder. Noon. New Jersey State Library, Level 2 Reading Room, 185 West State St. Between December 24, 1776 and January 3, 1777, George Washington was faced with a number of critical decisions. The actions he formulated would play a major role in either bringing the American Revolution to a crushing defeat or reviving hope for its eventual success.
This talk examines those decisions to understand how the battles of Trenton and Princeton prevented an early end to the war for independence and reversed American despair during the “times that tried men’s souls.”
Please note: Seating for this program is on a .rst come, .rst served basis. Once the room capacity of 75 individuals is reached, no further attendees will be admitted. ID is required as you enter the State Library.
The British Army in North America 1768-1783. 1 p.m. Old Barracks Museum, 101 Barrack St. A presentation by Asher Lurie of the Old Barracks Museum describing the true story of the British soldiers and of.cers sent to defend and maintain the thirteen American Colonies. Website.
King George and the March of Folly. 2 p.m. Trenton Masonic Temple, 100 Barrack St. Literature, media and festivals (including Patriots Week) tend to focus on the triumph of the patriots on our side of the Atlantic. But what was going on in London? Leaders who were arrogant, ignorant and vain put the world’s great superpower on the path to disaster. Patriots Week battle.eld guide Ralph Siegel stays indoors for once to offer a presentation on England’s “March of Folly” as explained by Barbara Tuchman. Free.
Harmonious Art — Musick in 18th century America. 2 p.m. Historic Trenton Friends Meeting House, 142 East Hanover St. The Practitioners of Musick featuring John Burkhalter, recorders, and Donovan Klotzbeacher, harpsichord, perform beautiful 18th Century music in the historic Quaker Meeting House. Website.
Rediscovering British Surveyor and Mapmaker John Hills. 5:30 p.m. Trenton Free Public Library, 120 Academy St. The development of cartography in the 18th century was vital to how citizens of North America came to understand their identities within their communities. This presentation will focus on the work of British surveyor and cartographer John Hills, whose life produced nearly seventy detailed manuscript maps of events between 1777-1815. Lecture is held in the Community Room. Onsite and street parking available. Website.
Revolutionary Pub Crawl. 6 p.m. 14 South Warren St. Join a period pub crawl of downtown Trenton watering holes and restaurants. Attendees must mention the PASSCODE: MERCER, to receive wristbands and ticket at the door for a special giveaway. Colonial dress attire is welcomed and encouraged.
Revolutionary Pub Crawl at 6. (Photo by Andrew Wilkerson),
