East Amwell Historical Society

10/12/2026

09/22/2026

Step Out of the House — Step Into 1776

Hidden History of the Revolution Exhibit • This Sat & Sun • 2–4 PM
East Amwell Historical Society Museum
& Gallery at the Historic Clawson House, 1053 Old York Road, Ringoes, NJ • Free Admission (Donations Appreciated)

If you live anywhere in Hunterdon, Mercer, Somerset, Sussex, Monmouth Counties and surrounding communities you’re standing on land that once belonged to — the original 200‑square‑mile Revolutionary region that carried Washington, his scouts, his spies, the intelligence networks and the women who helped win the war.

Most people have no idea their modern towns were once part of this vast Revolutionary world.
This weekend, you can walk straight into it.

The Hidden History You’ll Finally Learn (lost to time, never taught in school):
Old Amwell’s 200‑Square‑Mile Story — how your modern county was once part of a single Revolutionary township

Washington’s Real Routes — the exact roads he rode, marched and rested through Ringoes, Hopewell, Lambertville, Flemington, Clinton, Pennington, Trenton, The Brunswicks, Princeton, Hillsborough, Monmouth and Bucks County and beyond

Local Spy Rings — families running covert operations from farmhouses and taverns

Courier Riders — 60‑mile‑a‑day messengers carrying coded orders through your towns

Taverns of Rebellion for Independence from Britain's Rule— where intelligence, courage, and strategy were exchanged

1776-1807 Women and Free Black Men Voters of NJ — decades before the other colonies had the right

Safe Houses & Farmsteads — the quiet places that kept the army alive

Artifacts That Survived — everyday objects, Continental and NJ Militia Weaponry that witnessed the war right here

Cool off in our museum and gallery, enjoy fresh cookies, chocolates, bubbly, and wander through events that will have you saying:

“I had no idea this happened where I live.”

And the best part?
You’ll want to come back — because the more you learn, the more you’ll want to know.

📅 This Weekend
⏰ 2–4 PM
📍 East Amwell Museum & Gallery

09/18/2026

This Saturday at 11 AM — you are invited to join on Patriot ground and feel the Revolution beneath your feet.

During 1766-1776 LIBERTY POLES once rose as powerful symbols of courage — proof that ordinary people were ready to stand for freedom, independence, and the future of a nation. Within that 200 square mile revolutionary region 60+ men joined forces to form the Sons of Liberty.

On September 19th, for America’s 250th, we raise one again.

Take this once-in-a-lifetime powerful hour to experience how the Revolution moved through our neighborhoods across Hunterdon, Mercer, Somerset, Sussex, Morris, and Bucks County and surrounding areas, all connected by the historic Old York Road. This is where the courage of everyday people helped change the course of history.

You’ll witness:

• Colonial soldiers raising the Liberty Pole
• Live colonial music
• Scouts supporting the ceremony
• Colonial time municipalities speaking the praises of Liberty
• Cake for all in celebration of Liberty
• A tribute to the NJ & PA militia and the Continental Army who stood their ground for liberty

🪑Feel free to bring a folding chair for comfort — and cake will be served to you as part of our shared Revolutionary camaraderie.

Come for the spirit and pride.
Come for the meaning.
Come because freedom began right here.

📍 Location: Marion F. Clawson Memorial Park, 1055 Old York Road, Ringoes, NJ, plenty of parking and handicap spaces

🕰️ Time: Saturday, September 19 • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

🌦️ Rain or shine
🎟️ Free & Adults & family friendly
🍰 Cake for everyone

📜Step into the story of independence. Stand where courage once stood.

Warm regards,
East Amwell Historical Society Museum and Gallery

09/07/2026

Step inside the Revolution this Friday night. For one evening only, the Historic Clawson House opens after dark for an exclusive tour — 1700s foundations, 1800s rooms, and the hidden stories beneath the NJ and PA roads you travel every day.

Explore the acclaimed Hidden History of the Revolution exhibit featuring Continental Army weaponry, Washington’s pistol from Lafayette, Patriot women, John Hart’s cave, espionage networks, and the safest Patriot passageways rode, marched and rested by Washington and the Continental and Militia armies through our region.

Enjoy bubbly, artisan hors d’oeuvres, and chocolates as you wander this iconic home by night.

🕰️ Exclusive Night Tour — Friday, Sept 11 • 6–8 PM 📍 Historic Clawson House Museum & Gallery, 1053 Old York Rd, Ringoes NJ RSVP — space is limited: [email protected] or text 609‑591‑4661

✨ Also happening Friday evening: Friday Night in the Park (5:30–7:30 PM) — live music & food trucks.

✨ Weekend Hours: The East Amwell Historical Society Museum & Gallery at the historic Clawson House will also be open Saturday & Sunday, 2–4 PM for daytime tours.

Make a night of it — or stop by this weekend. History is waiting for you.

08/20/2026

This weekend, escape the heat and step inside Hidden History of the Revolution — our immersive exhibit revealing the vast Revolutionary world that once covered what are now Mercer, Hunterdon, Sussex, and Monmouth Counties in New Jersey, and even Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Enjoy chocolates and bubbly in the cool comfort of the historic Clawson House as you discover that the very ground beneath your feet — your towns, your roads, your neighborhoods — carried General George Washington, his scouts, the Continental army and Militia during the most pivotal moments of America’s fight for independence.

📅 Saturday & Sunday, August 22–23

⏰ 2 PM – 4 PM

📍 East Amwell Historical Society Museum & Gallery at the 🏛️ Historic Clawson House, 1053 Old York Road, Ringoes, NJ

💛 Free — donations appreciated

🍫🥂 Chocolates & bubbly while you explore

Stroll the very roads Washington’s scouts once marched, rode and rested — by exploring the exhibit’s illustrated paths that trace their movements across the 200‑square‑mile Revolutionary landscape that became today’s Hunterdon, Mercer, Sussex, and Monmouth Counties… and even Bucks County, PA.

After exploring the Exhibit, settle into our parlor room for a 16‑minute film that follows Washington’s footsteps through the 10 Crucial Days and onward to Yorktown — complete with fresh popcorn from our vintage popper machine.

These were not quiet backroads. They were considered by George Washington to be the safest passageways during the Revolution — used by courier riders, spies, tavern keepers, farmers, and militia scouts who carried intelligence through Old Amwell during the 10 Crucial Days and beyond.

From the Delaware River crossings from McKonkey’s Ferry to Coryell’s Ferry… to Trenton and Princeton… to Washington’s march toward Monmouth CourtHouse in June 1778… these hills, ridges, and crossroads were the hidden stage on which the Revolution turned.

And now — for the first time — you can follow those routes inside the gallery, illustrated and brought to life through maps, Revolutionary artifacts, and history long forgotten.

Come wander the Clawson House with chocolates and bubbly in hand, and step back into 1776 — into the secret world of scouts, spies, and safe passageways that helped shape a nation.

History didn’t happen far away. It happened on the roads you travel today.

We hope to see you this weekend!

The East Amwell Historical Society Museum and Gallery

08/05/2026

Come by, cool off, and experience the Revolutionary War where it actually happened — on the very roads and landscapes that still carry the echoes of the Revolution.

WHEN: This Saturday & Sunday, Aug 8th and 9th 🕑TIME: 2 PM – 4 PM 📍 WHERE: East Amwell Historical Society Museum & Gallery at the historic Clawson House, 1053 Old York Rd, Ringoes, NJ 💫 Featuring: Hidden History of the Revolution — our acclaimed exhibit revealing the stories you were never taught.

Take a cool break from the 90‑degree weekend and step inside the cool comfort of our gallery. During your visit, indulge and enjoy chocolates & bubbly, wander through the rooms, and discover the Revolutionary War as it unfolded right here, across the New Jersey roads you’re traveling this weekend.

After your tour, slip into the parlor room for a 16‑minute film tracing Washington’s footsteps — from crossing the Delaware to winning the Revolution — while enjoying fresh popcorn from our antique popcorn popper. A perfect little movie moment with the full experience, right inside the museum.

🗝️ Highlights you’ll see: • The women and free Black Men of the New Jersey colony who voted long before the other 12 colonies could • Our five New Jersey signers and their complicated legacy • The roads Washington traveled through Old Amwell and New Jersey and Bucks County Pa • The places Washington rested, fed his horses, and wrote his letters • Spies and espionage operating in our neighborhoods • The couriers who rode 60 miles a day carrying coded messages • The local taverns where rebellion was planned • The artifacts that survived the war right here in Old Amwell and throughout the surrounding NJ Counties and Bucks county, Pa.

🎟️ Admission: Free — donations appreciated 💛 This exhibit leaves a lasting impression on every visitor. It’s powerful and unforgettable.

Hope to see you this weekend!

The East Amwell Historical Society Museum and Gallery

07/24/2026

The True Meaning of This Image:

Molly Pitcher (likely Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley) is the legendary heroine of the American Revolution. She is famous for bringing water to parched troops and swabbing cannons during the sweltering Battle of Monmouth (June 28, 1778) in New Jersey.

The Scene & Her Story

During the intense Battle of Monmouth, Hays carried pitchers of water to exhausted soldiers and to cool the hot cannons. When her husband, artilleryman William Hays, collapsed from severe heatstroke or wounds, she stepped up. Refusing to let the gun go silent, she took his ramrod and helped load and fire the cannon.

Key Facts at a Glance

Location: The Battle of Monmouth Court House in Freehold, New Jersey.

The Nickname: "Molly" was a common nickname for Mary; she got "Pitcher" for dodging enemy fire to bring cool water to the artillerymen.

The George Washington Connection: Legend states General George Washington personally witnessed her bravery and gave her the honorary title of "Sergeant Molly".

07/22/2026

🕯️🌞 Stay Cool This Weekend — Step Into 1776!

EAHS Museum & Gallery, 1053 Old York Rd, Ringoes NJ • Open Saturday & Sunday • 2–4 PM FREE Admission (Donations Appreciated) • Chocolates & Bubbly

Beat the heat and wander into the extraordinary forgotten history hidden right here in New Jersey!

This weekend, the EAHS Museum & Gallery invites you to slow down, cool off, and explore the stories that textbooks left behind:

🗝️ Washington’s Secret Spy Networks

🗺️ Safe Passageways Used by Continental Troops & Militia

🍻 Patriot Taverns & Farmsteads That Fed the Army

⚔️ Weaponry, Raids & Local Intelligence Operations

🗳️ Women and Black Men Voting in 1776-1807! — only in the Colony of NJ!

📜 The Stamp Act, Sons of Liberty

🪶 Discover the roads, trails, and waterways Washington’s troops once rode and marched and fought for our freedom — the same Revolutionary ground still lying beneath your feet today.

All within the Old Amwell region — once a 200‑square‑mile stretch of central New Jersey, now divided into the modern towns that surround us today. Discover how ordinary families, tavern keepers, farmers, and even local women played extraordinary roles in securing American independence.

During your visit enjoy a complimentary assortment of fine chocolates and sparkling bubbly — a little indulgence as you uncover America’s most surprising hidden stories.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The East Amwell Historical Society Museum & Gallery

07/06/2026

Stay cool this weekend, July 11 & 12, 2pm-4pm at the new exhibit, "Hidden History of the Revolution".