I have been to Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland on several occasions, and each time, when the movie shown in the Visitor Center is over, as “The Star-Spangled Banenr” plays and the curtain opens, revealing the American flag flying over the fort, I am deeply moved. On September 14, 1814,…
Built in 1775, this meeting house on High Street in Mount Holly, New Jersey played a significant role in the Revolutionary War, being used by the State Legislature when the British captured Trenton. In addition to weekly Quaker meetings, the building continues to serve its community with programs, plays, art…
Whenever you drive around a city full of historical landmarks, almost every other building that you pass begins to look as though it has been around for a very long time and surely has a story to tell. Such was the case when my husband and I were in Burlington,…
On November 19, 1776, British and Hessian forces invaded New Jersey. At the time, General George Washington and the Continental Army were in nearby Fort Lee, having just sustained multiple defeats in New York City. With the arrival of the enemy troops, the American militia began a retreat across New…
Benjamin Franklin was in his seventies when the fight for independence began. He played a critical role in the Revolutionary War and that is the Ben we often think about, rather than the man whose plethora of contributions, inventions and scientific discoveries changed the world forever. It is hard to…
Built in 1723, the Three Tuns Tavern was already a half-century old at the start of the Revolutionary War. I could not find any definitive history of the tavern, in fact, most resources refer to its past as “sketchy” (meaning not thorough or detailed). The information I did locate suggested…
Built by Thomas Shinn in 1712, the Shinn Curtis Log House is made of hand-hewn logs. The Curtis family took possession in 1802, continuing to own the home for almost 150 years. As the family grew, rooms were added around the log house, as well as two additional floors The…
Built in 1856, the Ulysses S. Grant House is located on Wood Street in Burlington, New Jersey. General Grant’s wife, Julia, and their four children lived here during the final year of the Civil War. It is thought that President Abraham Lincoln invited General and Mrs. Grant to join him…
Lately I have been thinking about US history (if you are a frequent reader of this website, that will not be a surprise), how even if you don’t have an interest in history, it is still a part of you. Everything that happened in the Revolutionary War impacted those of…
Our house was built in 1907 and much of it, I am happy and proud to say, has remained unchanged. Of course additions have been made in order to align with the times. One of those updates is a large mailbox affixed to the brick wall on our porch. The…
