Event Category: Historical

  • Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence

    Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence

    Community members, youth groups and local officials will participate in a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on Saturday, July 4, at 9 a.m. at the Gazebo at West Town Center Lake on Lake Drive in Robbinsville.

    This first-ever event in Robbinsville will mark our Nation’s 250th Birthday and feature volunteers reading sections of the Declaration of Independence aloud. Those interested in reading are asked to arrive by 8:30 a.m. (No pre-event registration required).

    The 30-minute, family-friendly program is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton in partnership with Robbinsville Township.

    “We’re proud to offer this opportunity to recognize and celebrate the freedoms we enjoy,” said event organizer and Rotary Club President-Elect Joseph Bellina. “Our goal is to bring neighbors together from throughout our area for a shared moment of community spirit.”

    At the conclusion of the event, the Betsy Ross flag will be raised by local officials.

    Event details: 
• Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026 
• Time: 9 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
• Location: Gazebo on Lake Drive, Robbinsville
• Parking: Available on local streets  
• Event will be held rain or shine

  • Special Screening: Hamilton (2020)

    Special Screening: Hamilton (2020)

    Hamilton (PG-13, 2020) with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, and Leslie Odom Jr. The real life of one of America’s foremost founding fathers and first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Captured live on Broadway from the Richard Rodgers Theater with the original Broadway cast. Runtime: 180 mins.

    This program takes place on Thursday, July 2 at 2:00 pm at the Ewing Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • Researching New Jersey Revolutionary and Civil War Records

    Military records are a rich source of genealogical information, often preserving details not found anywhere else, including signatures. New Jersey offers especially strong resources for researching Revolutionary and Civil War ancestors. As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, these records help connect individual family histories to the broader story of the country’s founding and growth. Join Regina Fitzpatrick, Genealogy Librarian at the New Jersey State Library, for an overview of key state and federal collections available through the New Jersey State Archives, New Jersey State Library, and National Archives. She will also introduce the State Library’s new digital exhibition, NJ250: Living Documents, Evolving Rights, exploring how New Jersey’s evolving constitutions shaped the ongoing fight for liberty.

    Registration with an email is required, so we can send you a link to connect through GoToMeeting. You will receive the link approximately 24 hours before the program.

  • NJ Needlework: Stitching New Jersey’s Story

    NJ Needlework: Stitching New Jersey’s Story

    The New Jersey Needlework is an ongoing, collaborative hand embroidery project that illustrates, promotes and commemorates the vast, rich history of New Jersey, showcasing the people, places and events that helped shape the great story of our state. In honor of our nation’s 250th anniversary, the New Jersey Needlework project is currently embroidering scenes that showcase our state’s unique and significant role during the American Revolution in 1776. Our members are hand-stitching pivotal historical events, such as the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in Trenton, Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware, and the Battle of Trenton. The founders of the New Jersey Needlework project will discuss their embroidered work and the fascinating stories behind the historic events they are hand stitching.

    This program takes place on Tuesday, July 28 at 6:30 pm at the Hickory Corner Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • George Washington’s Ten Crucial Days

    George Washington’s Ten Crucial Days

    Drawing from his book Winning the Ten Crucial Days, historian David Price explores the decisive 1776-1777 winter campaign, revealing how leadership, geography, weather, and artillery converged to secure General George Washington’s victory and alter the course of the Revolutionary War.

    This program takes place on Tuesday, July 21 at 6:30 pm at the Hickory Corner Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • The Battle of Trenton in Miniature

    The Battle of Trenton in Miniature

    Our friends at Titusville Tabletop Games are bringing the Battle of Trenton to life… in miniature!  Because this is a game — not a history lesson — the outcome is not guaranteed!

    The historic Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776 was a crucial moment in the American War of Independence. Come play with us or just observe as we discover if history will repeat itself… or if we will rewrite history.  No prior knowledge required!

    Recommended for ages 14 and up.

    This program takes place on Wednesday, July 15 at 5:00 pm at the Hopewell Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • Unearthing History, One Page at a Time: Revolutionary War Pension Files

    Unearthing History, One Page at a Time: Revolutionary War Pension Files

    Through a collaboration of the National Archives and the National Park Service, this archive contains valuable details about Revolutionary War veterans and their families. You may find copies of marriage or other family records, information pertaining to military activities or details about soldier’s lives, along with letters, diaries, or family trees.

    Unearthing History, One Page at a Time is a collaborative transcription series where volunteers convert historical documents into searchable digital text, supporting researchers, genealogists, and the preservation of history for future generations.

    A limited number of library laptops are available; participants are encouraged to bring a laptop.

    This program takes place on Saturday, July 11 at 10:00 am at the Hopewell Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • Poetry Circle: America 250 Poetry Reading and Discussion

    Poetry Circle: America 250 Poetry Reading and Discussion

    Join us for a special Poetry Reading and discussion as we explore the many voices that shape our nation. We’ll share poems such as Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing,” Langston Hughes’s “I, Too,” Maya Angelou’s “America,” Philip Freneau’s “The American Soldier,” Stephen Dunn’s “The Sacred,” and Gregory Djanikian’s “Immigrant Picnic.” We will also honor our Poetry Circle presenters, who have led discussions for over a decade, at this special occasion.

    Sponsored by the Friends of the Lawrence Library.

    This program takes place on Thursday, July 9 at 6:30 pm at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • Getting Your Kicks on Route 66: Tales from the Mother Road

    One hundred years ago, Route 66 was born. The famous federal highway was commissioned in 1926 and stretched 2,400 miles, connecting Chicago to California. Over the next century, millions of people traveled that ribbon of highway. Route 66 witnessed depression, war, boom times, and decline. The experiences it offered were as diverse and complicated as America itself.

    This presentation explores the history of Route 66 and the experiences of everyday people who lived, worked, and traveled along the Mother Road during its heyday. It is informed by a collection of 100 oral histories recently compiled by the Illinois State Museum. Attendees will hear in travelers’ own words what it was like to eat, sleep, and drive Route 66 “back in the day.” They will learn about discrimination faced by Black travelers on Route 66 and the strategies employed to ensure safety and dignity while traveling. And they will learn about the differences in road travel in the mid-20th century vs. today. Presented by Erika Holst, Curator of History at the Illinois State Museum.

    Registration with an email is required, so we can send you a link to connect through GoToMeeting. You will receive the link approximately 24 hours before the program.

  • Historic Local Resources

    Using our free MCLS resources and with your library card, learn about the history of you through both genealogy tools and the history of our community via local newspaper archives dating back to 1846. Includes: Ancestry, Fold3, Heritage Quest, Heritage Hub (New!), Hightstown Digital Newspaper Archive, Trenton Times Archives, & the Trentonian Archives. Please bring your own tablet or laptop.

    This program takes place on Tuesday, July 7 at 7:00 pm at the Hickory Corner Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • Special Screening: Hamilton (2020)

    Special Screening: Hamilton (2020)

    Hamilton (PG-13, 2020) with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, and Leslie Odom Jr. The real life of one of America’s foremost founding fathers and first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Captured live on Broadway from the Richard Rodgers Theater with the original Broadway cast. Runtime: 180 mins.

    This program takes place on Thursday, July 2 at 2:00 pm at the Ewing Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • Author: Brooke Barbier A Revolutionary Take on Cocktails & History

    Author: Brooke Barbier A Revolutionary Take on Cocktails & History

    A happy hour featuring craft cocktails and ciders from Ironbound Farm sets the stage for Brooke Barbier’s presentation of “Cocked and Boozy: An Intoxicated History of the American Revolution.”

    This first-come, first-served event is intended for adults ages 21 and older. Registration is encouraged, but does not guarantee a seat.

    Step back in time to the candlelit taverns of 1776 and the years before as public historian Brooke Barbier examines the surprising role that alcohol played in shaping the nation. In her latest book, “Cocked and Boozy: An Intoxicated History of the American Revolution,” Barbier uncovers how a good pour influenced politics, relationships and the colonial economy. Pairing great stories with great libations, each chapter concludes with an 18th-century cocktail recipe. Join us at the Nassau Inn for an evening of unexpected history, storytelling and spirited sips.

    5 p.m.: Provisions*

    Start the evening in the Yankee Doodle Tap Room with Happy Hour, featuring craft cocktails and ciders from Ironbound Farm inspired by the book.

    6 p.m.: The Boozy Backstory

    Registered guests continue to the Prince William Ballroom for a lively, visually engaging discussion with the author. Enjoy book-inspired cocktails featuring Ironbound Cider, purchase copies of the book from Labyrinth Books, and learn about the Historical Society of Princeton’s newest exhibit, “On the Road to Revolution at Dohm Alley.”

    *Beverages are available by purchase only at both the Happy Hour and author discussion.

    About the author:

    Brooke Barbier received her PhD in American history from Boston College. In 2013, she founded Ye Olde Tavern Tours, a popular outing that takes guests into historic sites and taverns to learn about Boston’s revolutionary and drunken history. She is the author of “Boston in the American Revolution: A Town Versus an Empire” and the award-winning “King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father.” Her next book, “Cocked and Boozy: An Intoxicating History of the American Revolution, examines the influence of alcohol on the creation of the United States.”

    Presented in partnership with Yankee Doodle Tap Room & Nassau Inn, Labyrinth Books, Ironbound Farm and the Historical Society of Princeton. Public Humanities programs are presented with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations Pexpressed in this programming do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.