Manufacturing a Revolution
Trenton in the Winter of 1778
CANCELLED as a precautionary measure regarding COVID-19 / Coronavirus 

​CANCELLED as a precautionary measure regarding CoViD-19 / Coronavirus 

On Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29, from 10 am – 5 pm, the Old Barracks Museum will break your winter cabin fever by reliving the winter of 1777-1778, when Washington’s troops were experiencing the harsh Winter at Valley Forge. The Old Barracks will host 18th century carpenters, tailors, cordwainers and shoemakers, hatters, gunsmiths, laundresses, clerks, and members of the local militia. Come see the scale at which production was happening in Trenton in 1778 in order to sustain the needs of the Continental Army. Artisans and tradesmen will be demonstrating all day, both days.

​This program is included with our regular admission fee:
$10-Adult, $8-Student/Senior, Free-Children under 6, Active U.S. Military, Members

In the winter of 1777-1778, George Washington’s Army suffered through harsh winter with limited supplies at Valley Forge, PA. During that same winter, the residents of Trenton were almost overwhelmed with satisfying the Army’s manufacturing and supply demands while also trying to perform their obligations to serve in the militia. This bit of history about New Jersey’s capital city was not well known until the publishing of “Crossroads of the Revolution: Trenton 1774-1783”, written by local historian, Larry Kidder. The book vividly portrays Trenton as a beehive of activity that winter. Gen. Casimir Pulaski had come to town making a great many demands for leather goods and supplies for all the cavalry units under his command. The Pennsylvania State Navy had taken refuge in town, with supply demands for weapons, clothing, shoes, boots, and more to be manufactured by the many artisans in the community.