The Association

Built in 1719 for William Trent, founder of the city of Trenton, the historic house changed hands multiple times until 1861 when the Stokes family became the last private owners, gifting the house and property to the City of Trenton in 1929. The gift stipulated that the original structure, by then surrounded by multiple additions, be restored to its colonial appearance and used as a public cultural facility. Restoration of the house was undertaken between 1934 and 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project. 

When restoration of the historic house was completed in 1936, a Trent House Commission was formed to establish, maintain, and manage the House Museum.  A furnishings committee or “Women’s Committee” oversaw the furnishing of the House in the 1930s, using the 1726 probate inventory as a guide, while the Garden Club of Trenton accepted the responsibility of restoring the Trent House gardens.  In 1957 the Trent House Association was formed, gaining its status as a non-profit organization in 1975.

​For many years the Association was responsible primarily for acquiring and preserving the furnishings in the historic house, with full-time professional staff employed by the City providing site management and programming.  In 2011, these staff were laid off as part of overall municipal budget cuts. Over the subsequent years the Association has taken on increasing responsibility for both managing the site and providing programming. In addition the Association has taken the lead in acquiring funding for research, capital improvement, and public history projects and for building strong relationships with other local cultural and educational institutions as well as with the City administration. The Association is governed by a board of trustees and holds an annual meeting in December.  

Over the past 10+ years programming at the William Trent House has expanded to include more family and community events such as an annual ice cream social, re-enactment of the 1781 Revolutionary War encampment, and celebration of Hogmanay in recognition of Trent’s Scottish heritage; a regular program of presentations, video premieres, poetry readings, and music; exhibits on topics such as the daily life of the Trent family and enslaved workers, archaeological artifacts from Native American occupation and European colonization, house restoration history, and neighborhood residents and industrial workers of the late 19th to mid-20th centuries.

​The Trent House Association works in cooperation with the City of Trenton to preserve the historical integrity and expand the interpretation of the William Trent House through stewardship of the site, research, and public programming.  ​

Meet The Officers

Christine
​Sampson-Clark
President

James T. Peeples, Vice President

Jocelyn Francis White,
Secretary

Ronald W.
Zilinski,
​Treasurer

The Trustees

Patricia Atkins
Diane Campbell
Anne Clementson, DAR Representative 
Damian Malave

Nina Maruca
​Pete Maruca
Rachel McMullan
Carolyn Stetson
Lisa Toro

 Executive Director

Samuel Stephens

Museum Administrator & Docent

Shawn Carney

Historic Horticulturist

Charles Thomforde