What We Know

At the 1719 William Trent House Museum, we don’t just preserve history; we don’t just interpret history; we uncover history and help our visitors explore and reflect on the complex and rich history of our city, state, and nation.

The House

William Trent built his country home north of Philadelphia, in New Jersey, on ancestral lands of the Lenni Lenape people around 1719. It remained a private home until 1929, when it was donated to the City of Trenton. The House was restored in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration and was dedicated as a museum in 1936 and opened to the public in 1939.  Click image for more info.

Residents

After purchasing land from Mahlon Stacy the first English colonist, William Trent, his family, and enslaved servants made the house at the Falls of the Delaware their permanent residence in 1721. Following Trent’s death in 1724, many others lived in the house.  Click image for more info.

Inventory

The William Trent House Museum is fortunate to be able to use the probate inventory of the house taken after his death as a “blueprint” for re-interpretation of Trent’s home and household.  Click image for more info.

Grounds & Gardens
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Managed by historical horticulturist Charles Thomforde with the assistance of Rutgers Mercer County Master Gardeners, the Trent House garden and orchard grow examples of vegetables, herbs, and apples that Trent’s plantation probably contained.  Click image for more info.

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What We're Learning

Archaeological Investigations
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Since 1995, Hunter Research has been conducting archaeological investigations on the Trent House property. New excavations are being conducted in 2019-2020.  Click image for more info.

Interpreting Slavery 
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The Trent House Museum is recognized as one of 20 sites interpreting slavery in the northern colonies. Visit the House to learn more about the eleven enslaved people in the Trent household and how this history continues to affect us today.  Click image for more info.

Archival Research
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Interns and volunteers continue to find documents related to occupants of the Trent House from Trent’s time on.  Contact Us to learn more and to get involved. To learn more about the Trent family history, contact Jason Cherry, Trent House consultant researcher, at captaintrent1754@gmail.com. ​