Past Events

The Trent House hosts lectures on a wide range of historical topics, community and family programs, and special events. Featured are events and programs held in 2019 and 2020.

Digging Up Trenton's History Before Stacy and Trent - An Illustrated Virtual Talk
Richard Adamczyk
October 10, 2020

Richard Adamcyzk, archaeologist with historic preservation firm of Richard Grubb & Associates and Second Vice President of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey, reviewed the field of prehistoic archaeology in New Jersey, showed Native American artifacts found recently on the Trent House property, and explained how the property fits into the greater complex of ancient Trenton sites.

Public Archaeology Day 
Hunter Research
July 9, 2020

Staff from Hunter Research, a Trenton-based cultural resources service firm, collected soil samples across the Museum grounds. The samples will be analyzed to learn more about where on the property are especially important sites for future excavation. Visitors were given an orientation to prior excavations with examples of artifacts and observed the sampling process and initial on-site analysis.

This project was generously supported by the NJM Insurance Group.

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Remember the Ladies – The Critical Role of African American Men and Women in Women’s Suffrage
Lecture by author Angela Dodson 
​March 14, 2020

​Opening our exhibit of Rightfully Hers on the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote in the United States, local author Angela Dodson spoke about the role of African American men and women in the movement for universal suffrage. Copies of her book, Remember the Ladies: Celebrating Those Who Fought for Freedom at the Ballot Box, were available for sale and signing.

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Ms. Galloway with one of her quilts.

African American History In Quilts
A talk by members of the Princeton Sankofa Stitchers Modern Quilt Guild
In conjunction with If These Quilts Could Talk on display at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie
February 29, 2020
 
Mada Coles Galloway, Juandamarie Gikandi, and Gail Mitchell, members of the Princeton Sankofa Stitchers Modern Quilt Guild, spoke about the art and craft of quilting, the history of the Guild and their personal background in quilting, and inspiration for their work in the African American experience.

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Needham Roberts – Trenton’s Own War Hero
Lecture by Algernon Ward
January 19, 2020 

Born and raised in Trenton, Needham Roberts was 17 when he enlisted in the Harlem Hellfighters. He and his fellow Hellfighter William Johnson were awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Purple Heart for their actions fighting off a German patrol in France in 1918. Regardless of these achievements, they and their fellow African American soldiers returned to the United States to face discrimination and prejudice. Trenton resident Algernon Ward, well known for his many roles as African American soldiers from the Revolutionary War through the World Wars, presented a fascinating portrait of Roberts in the context of race relations in America during the Jim Crow era. His illustrated talk was accompanied by a display of Army uniforms and military equipment of the time.

Harlem Hellfighters arriving in NYC in 1919 after serving in Europe during WWI - Photo credit: National Archives

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​Hogmanay 
December 28, 2019

More than 100 guests enjoyed a varied program honoring William Trent’s Scottish heritage in Hogmanay, the traditional celebration in Scotland of the New Year. The program included bagpipers from the Greater Trenton Pipes and Drums, 18th century Scottish songs performed by Liberty Tree (Stacy Roth and Bob Dupre), and Trenton Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson reminisced about Hogmanay in her childhood home of Scotland. 

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​Caledonia – A Scots Musical Entertainment 
December 7, 2019 

The Trent House Association presented The Practitioners of Musick – John Burkhalter III and Donovan Klotzbeacher - in a performance honoring the Scottish heritage of William Trent and celebrating the 300th anniversary of the house he built at the Falls of the Delaware in 1719.  The program, “Caledonia,” included music for recorder and harpsichord composed by Bremner, Oswald, and Ramsey, among other Scottish masters, and was performed in the historic house. 

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Preserving Trenton’s African American History – The Higbee School
Presented by Lisa Michelle Toro
November 8, 2019

Trenton, like other northern communities, did not allow African American children to attend school with their white counterparts and instead built separate schools. The Higbee Street School was built in 1857 as a school for African American children in the city and was soon joined in the neighborhood by other segregated schools. The Trent House Association has joined with other groups and individuals in Trenton seeking to recognize the history of racial injustice and the struggle for equal rights that continues today by restoring the Higbee Street School. Once restored, the School can serve our community as a center for learning and commemoration.

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From HABS Drawings

History and Preservation of The William Trent House
Lecture by Kevin Joy
October 19, 2019

The 1719 home of Trenton’s namesake, William Trent, was the topic of this program in association with The Princeton Preservation Group. The William Trent House, now a museum, is significant historically and architecturally. In the course of its 300-year existence, it has seen many structural changes, in spite of which it remains remarkably intact. In this lecture, Kevin Joy – Trent House Association trustee and historic preservation specialist - presented a brief history of the house, an overview of its architecture, and examined in detail structural changes over the years. He also discussed recent rehabilitations and the conservation and preservation challenges faced in maintaining an antique house museum. 

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​History Never Tasted So Good - Colonial Style Dinner
October 12, 2019

A colonial style dinner was held at Trinity Cathedral for friends and supporters of the Trent House Association in celebration of the 300th anniversary year of the construction of the William Trent House.

See here for our 300th Anniversary program book.
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​Colonial Harvest Festival
October 8, 2019

​This event featured apple cider pressing by Charles Thomforde, historic horticulturist, and colonial cooking demonstrations by Hearth to Heart Cookery.

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The World of Captain William Trent
Lecture by Jason Cherry
July 21, 2019 

Author Jason Cherry shared the results of his extensive research into the life of William Trent’s youngest son as he lead a band of men to defend the English control of the Forks of the Ohio River- the frontier in the struggle between the French and the English for the heart of the continent. 

Colonial Encampment and Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social
July 20, 2019 

​The Trent House Museum’s annual Ice Cream Social for 2019 was enhanced by the presence of Pittsburgh-based Captain William Trent’s Company of re-enactors of the French and Indian War militia led by Trent’s youngest son William.

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​Archaeology at the Trent House
June - July, 2019

The Trent House invited the public to observe professional archaeologists conduct archaeological excavation in search of the foundation of the original colonial building on the site, Mahlon Stacy’s Dorehouse, and the 1742 kitchen wing.

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Celebrating 300 Years of the William Trent House
Hosted by the Philadelphia Chapter of the Institute for Classical Architecture and Art and The Trent House Association
June 1, 2019

Participants enjoyed fine food and drink on the grounds of the Trent House Museum as well as guided tours of the House and its recent restoration. The event was held in honor of the Museum’s 2019 Grand Jury Award for historic preservation from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia.

See here for our 300th Anniversary program book.

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Painting depicting Mahlon Stacy, son, signing deed selling 800 acres at the Falls of the Delaware to William Trent, by Trenton artist William Pedrick, 1923.

Mahlon Stacy : Colonial Pioneer at the Falls of The Delaware
Lecture by Shawn Carney
May 18, 2019

This illustrated lecture explored what is known about Mahlon Stacy, the first European settlers in what is now Trenton.

​Shawn Carney, Trent House docent and researcher, discussed the situation in England that led Quakers like Stacy to immigrate to the American colonies and the experiences of the Stacy family on their plantation at the Falls of the Delaware, much of which was later purchased by William Trent.

For more information about this painting and how you can help the Trent House preserve it, click here!

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The Mystery of the Shoe in the Roof: Panel Discussion
April 7, 2019

Experts on concealed objects, Early American shoes, and the architecture of the Trent House gathered to explore why, when, and how a shoe was hidden in the House roof. Chris Manning explained the tradition of concealing objects such as old shoes in the roof or walls of buildings as a way to ward off evil spirits – a tradition that began in the Middle Ages in Europe and found its way to America through its immigrants. Valentine Povinelli, master shoemaker at Colonial Williamsburg, described his analysis of the shoe and his conclusion that it was likely a woman’s shoe from 1830-1850. Kevin Joy, Trent House Association trustee and historic preservation expert, documented changes to the Trent House roof over its 300-year history, specifically noting changes during the early-mid 1800s that provided the opportunity for workers to place the shoe there.

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​If These Stones Could Talk: Reading and Presentation
Beverly Mills and Elaine Buck
March 30, 2019

Cemeteries have stories to tell, voices to unearth–and lessons from the past that we can draw upon to better shape the future. If These Stones Could Talk documents, through dozens of oral histories, collected lives of a minority Black community in a predominantly White region and brings fresh light to a forgotten corner of American history in a small cemetery in central New Jersey. In their book talk, Elaine Buck and Beverly Mills shared excerpts and images from the book.

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​​Bishop Richard Allen’s Hymnal: Lecture & Concert
February 17, 2019

Jason Allen, former director of the museum at Mother Bethel AME Church, presented an illustrated lecture on AME church founder, Bishop Richard Allen, including his lifelong efforts as abolitionist and patriot that place him among our nation’s founding fathers. Philadelphia’s Craft Works Music group performed music from Bishop Allen’s hymnal, which used shape notes to encourage congregational singing.

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​The Unfortunate History of Slavery and the Quakers in New Jersey
Lecture by Richard Geffken
February 9, 2019

Richard Geffken, an archival historian with the Shrewsbury Historical Society and the Monmouth County Historical Association, presented an overview of the history and legacy of New Jersey’s two-hundred-year embrace of human bondage.