Princeton NJ Historical Sites Announcements

Princeton 250th Celebration Events

February 16, 2026

Nestled in the heart of American history and innovation, Princeton is proudly celebrating its 250th anniversary—a remarkable milestone for a town that has long stood at the crossroads of tradition, intellect, and community spirit. This year’s celebration is a vibrant tribute to Princeton’s rich past and dynamic present, featuring a series of exciting events that bring together residents, visitors, and alumni alike. From historical reenactments and art exhibitions to lively parades and community festivals, Princeton 250 is more than a commemoration—it’s a joyful reflection of the town’s enduring legacy and its bright future ahead. 

We will be updating this list all year long so please check back. Also, all events can be found on our Events Calendar.  Feel free to scroll to the bottom of the page for a list of resources regarding local historical references.

 

 

April 6, 2026 - The Declaration of Independence: America's Birth Certificate from Conception to Celebration, 7pm.

VIRTUAL - Historian Joel Farkas discusses the development of the document, from the Magna Carta (1215) to the French and Indian War, the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, the French Revolution (and Napoleon), the War of 1812, to today. Joel Farkas is a graduate of The Ohio State University, an Officer in the United States Army, a National Park Service volunteer docent at Washington's Headquarters, Morristown, NJ, a lecturer at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Rutgers University, and a lecturer at Florham Institute for Lifelong Learning at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Sponsored by the Friends of the Hickory Corner Library. Please visit events.mcl.org to register to receive the link to the program.

 

April 9, 2026 - The Declaration in Script and Print, Morven Museum & Garden, 6:30-8pm.

Join us for the next program in the Generation Declaration series, “The Declaration in Script and Print,” with John Bidwell, Curator Emeritus at the Morgan Library.

The Declaration of Independence became a work of art during the nineteenth century. New printing technologies helped to produce copiously ornamented facsimile editions illustrated with portraits, autographs, and patriotic emblems, some touted as precious relics, others aimed at the bottom of the market. In this talk drawing from his new book, The Declaration in Script and Print: A Visual History of America’s Founding Document, graphic arts historian John Bidwell will illustrate the widespread influence of Declaration prints and broadsides on American popular culture..

Click here for more information

 

April 11, 2026 - Monthly Living History Programs: Soldier Saturdays, Washington Crossing Park. 11-3pm 

Join us each month as historical interpreters and reenactors bring a piece of history to life at Washington Crossing Historic Park. Each month’s program will run from 11-3, and will cover various aspects on military life during the American Revolution. The programs will take place on the 2nd Saturday of each month April – September. There is no admission or registration, all you have to do is show up and be ready to learn something new! You can find the schedule and topics below:

April 11: uniform production May 9: Maritime services in the American Revolution June 13: Continental Army foodways July 11: Hessian occupation August 8: Artillery September 12: Contributions of Camp Follower/Black Soldiers to the American Revolution October 10: Civilian contractors for the war effort

Click here for more information

 

April 15 - July 12, 2026 - 

“Nursery of Rebellion”: Princeton and the American Revolution - Princeton University Library 

Drawing on an array of PUL’s manuscript and rare book collections, this exhibition will commemorate the 250th anniversaries of U.S. independence and the Battle of Princeton, and showcase Princeton’s archival treasures from the revolutionary era alongside documents and artifacts that reveal local experiences of the American Revolution on campus and in the surrounding communities. Exploring the Revolution across lines of gender, class, race, allegiance, and status, the exhibition will offer visitors a range of perspectives on the Revolution’s ideals and contradictions, its anxiety and violence, and its achievements and tragedies. More Info/Hours

 

April 23, 2026 - Old Barracks Museum Lecture Series

Michael C. Harris Fighting for Philadelphia, 6pm.

Attend the Old Barracks Museum's Spring Lecture Series to learn more about the history that helped to shape our nation. Lecture will begin at 6 PM, followed by a Q&A and book signing. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be provided. Copies of these titles will be available for purchase during the event or at www.barracks.org. All proceeds go towards supporting the Old Barracks Museum and its mission. Michael C. Harris gives an in-depth account of the battles between Germantown and Valley Forge during the American Revolution. Highlighting Forts Mercer and Mifflin and the Battle of Whitemarsh, Harris uses extensive research and maps to understand this pivotal period. This lecture will be held at the Historic Trenton Masonic Temple at 100 Barrack St., Trenton, NJ 08608.

Click here for more information

April 23, 2026 - Lecture: "The Painter's Fire" - Revolution Up Close: A Public Lecture Series, 7pm.

Princeton University - Robertson Hall 100 (Arthur Lewis Auditorium)

Zara Anishanslin presents "The Painter’s Fire: A Forgotten History of the Artists Who Championed the American Revolution" as the first lecture related to Firestone exhibit "Nursery of the Rebellion."

The war that we now call the American Revolution was not only fought in the colonies with muskets and bayonets. On both sides of the Atlantic, artists armed with paint, canvas, and wax played an integral role in forging revolutionary ideals. Zara Anishanslin charts the intertwined lives of three such figures who dared to defy the British monarchy: Robert Edge Pine, Prince Demah, and Patience Wright. From London to Boston, from Jamaica to Paris, from Bath to Philadelphia, these largely forgotten patriots boldly risked their reputations and their lives to declare independence. Click here for more information

 

April 25, 2026 - America Laments Her Loss: George Washington Memorial Needlework, 2:30pm

Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, Princeton

America’s first national tragedy, the death of George Washington, was memorialized in many decorative arts. Among these were the samplers and other needleworks made primarily by young girls as part of their educational process. Dan Scheid, a prominent local needlework collector, will show numerous examples of these works from the early through mid-19th century that honor our first president and reflect the nation’s sense of loss. $10 per person, includes museum admission.

Click here for more information

 

April 29, 2026 - Lecture – “The Writing of the Declaration and What It Meant in 1776, Friends of Washington Crossing Park, 6pm.

Friends of Washington Crossing Park (FWCP) has been awarded a $15,000 grant through America250PA’s Lecture250 Series to support their upcoming presentation, “The Writing of the Declaration and What It Meant in 1776”. The funding will help Washington Crossing Historic Park offer this signature lecture and support the other free public lectures presented at the park throughout the year, exploring the people, ideas, and events that shaped our Commonwealth and the nation.

Dr. Emily Sneff’s new book, When the Declaration of Independence Was News, examines how the Declaration was disseminated, interpreted, and remembered in Pennsylvania and across the Atlantic world in 1776. Sneff, a consulting curator for national exhibitions commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, holds a Ph.D. in History from William & Mary and will be on a national book tour in advance of the 2026 anniversary.

Click here for more information

 

April 29, 2026 - The Ingenious Mr. Hopkinson: A Life in Words & Musick, Morven Museum & Garden, 6:30pm.

Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street Francis Hopkinson, a member of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was also an inventor, designer, accomplished poet, and multi-talented musician, credited as the first native composer of the United States. This lecture/performance, led by The Practitioners of Musick’s John Burkhalter, will include a rich and diverse selection of music, the same repertory owned and enjoyed by Hopkinson in printed and manuscript copies that survive to this day.

Click here for more information

 

May 2, 2026 - Voices Chorale: An American Tapestry - Voices of Many Concert, 4pm.

Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, Princeton, NJ

In honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, our annual spring concert weaves together music from many corners of the American choral landscape. Works by iconic composers such as Randall Thompson, Aaron Copland, and Morten Lauridsen appear alongside African American spirituals, selections from the American Songbook, and music by contemporary women composers. Get your tickets now: VoicesChoraleNJ.org

 

May 4, 2026 - Annual Meeting and Lewis B. Cuyler Lecture: Revolutionary Princeton, 7pm.

Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road

Princeton In conjunction with the Semiquincentennial, historian and author Larry Kidder chronicles the experiences and contributions of Princeton residents during the Revolution. Their individual and group stories help us understand the challenges faced by ordinary people and reveal the human consequences, costs, and benefits of the war.

Click here for more information

 

May 9, 2026 - Building Princeton: America250 Edition, 3pm.

Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road

Visualize the town and campus as you’ve never seen them before! Working from photographs, teams recreate iconic Princeton structures out of LEGO building blocks. Choose among more than 50 historic structures, famous residences, community buildings, and houses of worship to construct a scale model. Additional 18th century buildings have been added for the Semiquincentennial. When complete, models are placed on a 30-foot map of Princeton, providing an amazing aerial view.

Click here for more information

 

May 13, 2026 - Old Barracks Museum Lecture Series, 6pm.

Robert Fanelli Lydia's Tale - Attend the Old Barracks Museum's Spring Lecture Series to learn more about the history that helped to shape our nation. Lecture will begin at 6 PM, followed by a Q&A and book signing. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be provided. Copies of these titles will be available for purchase during the event or at www.barracks.org. All proceeds go towards supporting the Old Barracks Museum and its mission. Robert Fanelli Lydia's Tale In "Lydia's Tale," Robert Fanelli shares the story of Lydia Darrah, whose actions are said to have saved George Washington's army from a devastating ambush. Using genealogical sources, legal documents, and other correspondence, Fanelli reveals for the first time the life and experiences of this remarkable heroine of the American Revolution. Check barracks.org for location.

 

May 14, 2026 - New Jersey Women’s Revolutionary Experiences, Morven Museum & Garden, 6:30-8pm.

As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of American Independence, this presentation will explore the varied experiences of New Jersey women during the era of the American Revolution. For many New Jersey women, the home front and battlefields remained inextricably connected throughout the war. Attention to women’s experiences brings to light the complex, contested, and prolonged nature of the American Revolution in New Jersey. This program is offered in a hybrid format offering both in-person and virtual access. A Zoom link for virtual attendees will be shared via email following registration. The program will be recorded and a recording shared with all registrants after the event.

Click here for more information

 

May 30, 2026 - Living History: George Washington's Encampment, 10-4pm

Millstone Township and Friends of Millstone Township Historic Properties is gearing up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, and we’ve asked George Washington and the 1st NJ Regiment to come celebrate with us! Come meet George and Martha Washington, Washington’s enslaved cook Hannah Till, and the members of the 1st NJ Regiment. Participate in a musket drill. Learn about people from Millstone’s past who participated in the War for American Independence. Visit a field hospital. Discover 18th-century field cooking, laundry and food rations. Listen to 18th-century music. Visit with farm animals. The event is family friendly with activities for people of all ages.

Click here for more information

 

June 19 - 21, 2026 - Battle of Monmouth Reenactment

Each year the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield co-sponsors, with the State of New Jersey, an annual reenactment of the battle. The event commemorates the anniversary of the longest, hottest battle of the Revolution, fought on June 28, 1778. Hundreds of troops encamp at the park and recreate scenarios of the battle over the weekend. There are also numerous presentations and lectures, tours of the camps, and sutler area open to the public. A suggested donation of $10.00 per car is requested to help cover the cost of the event. A food vendor will be on site and handicapped parking is available. DETAILS

 

September 10, 2026 - Princeton and the American Revolution: A Four-Part Series, HSP

Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road

When: Thursdays, September 10, 17, 24, and October 1 Time: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm (one hour talk with Q & A)

Dive into the 250th anniversary with this comprehensive program highlighting several Revolutionary War events, culminating in the Battle of Princeton. Discussions will include the largest battle of the war, the Battle of Brooklyn, and its local implications; the “Ten Crucial Days;” and the summer of 1783, when Princeton served as the nation’s capital.  Click here for more information

 

October 3, 2026  - Princeton 1776 Fest - Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street

Rain Date - October 4

This free community celebration — 250 years in the making — will include live music, living history interpreters and craftspeople, special exhibitions, and food and drink. Co-sponsored by HSP, Morven, Princeton Battlefield Society, and Daughters of the American Revolution. Click here for more information

 

 

HISTORY LINKS WE LIKE

 

David Center for the American Revolution - https://www.amphilsoc.org/david-center-american-revolution

Historic Germantown - https://historicgermantownpa.org/2026-events-and-experiences/

Historical Society of Princeton - https://princetonhistory.org/

Mercer 250 - https://250.mercercountynj.gov/

Old Barracks Museum - https://revolutionarynj.org/sites/old-barracks/

Princeton Battlefield Society - https://pbs1777.org/

Princeton Battlefield State Park - https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/princetonbattlefieldstatepark.html

Revolution NJ - https://www.revnj.org/

Rockingham Historic Site - https://www.rockingham.net/

Trent House Museum - https://www.williamtrenthouse.org/

Washington Crossing Historic Park - https://www.washingtoncrossingpark.org/