Introduction to series
The people of Trenton have experienced the events of our history in many special ways. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution it is appropriate to look at how the events that occurred from July 1 through the two critical battles at Trenton on December 26 and January 2 were experienced by, and contributed to, by the people of Trenton. Even though Trenton has changed greatly since 1776, the street pattern in the heart of town remains basically the same and it is possible for a resident or a visitor to identify locations today associated with what happened there 250 years ago. The story of the Revolution is not just about political and military confrontations taking place in various areas, but also their impact on the ordinary people of Trenton. The recollected and reenacted events of late December 1776 can be much better understood and appreciated if we know the stories of the people of Trenton during these months.
This fourteen-part series tells the story of what Trenton and its citizens experienced 250 years ago between July and December 1776. If you had lived in Trenton then, this is what you would have been experiencing as the Revolution shifted from a struggle for rights, such as no taxation without representation, to a fight for independence and then suffered through events that resulted in the two battles at Trenton.
In 1776 the town of Trenton consisted of slightly more than a hundred buildings mostly located on streets known today as State, Front, Warren, and Broad. Trenton was the county seat of Hunterdon County and not the state capital. The Assunpink Creek was the boundary line between Hunterdon County and Burlington County so areas south of the Assunpink, such as the Trent House estate, were Nottingham Township in Burlington County. The economic and social community known as Trenton was split between Hunterdon and Burlington Counties.
Trenton’s population in 1776 was about a thousand, but, like today, it fluctuated greatly due to travelers, people from the outskirts coming in to make purchases at Trenton businesses, conduct legal business at the county courthouse, attend religious exercises, and other things. Trenton was located on the main route between New York and Philadelphia and about halfway between them. This meant that travelers often wanted to stay overnight in Trenton so there were several taverns serving like today’s motels with restaurants.
The articles that follow will explore the diversity of people who lived in and came through Trenton 250 years ago, how they interacted with each other, and how the events during those months affected them in many ways. Trenton was indeed a crossroad of the Revolution and contributed to it immensely.
First in the series: Title: Publication Date: July 2, 1776