Trenton Walks, in partnership with the non-profit 120 East State Street, will host a walk focusing on women of the Revolutionary War. Walkers will learn that women in the Revolutionary War were not passive observers, but active participants, in the war. Dr. Denise Rompilla, a prominent women’s historian, aims to correct common misconceptions about women’s roles during the Revolution, in the walk that takes place this Sunday, August 2, from 1 to 3 p.m. The walk begins at 120 East State St., the site of the First Presbyterian Church and Cemetery.
The tour will show how the war directly affected women’s daily lives in Trenton by featuring the extraordinary stories of women who lived, led and fought for survival during the Revolutionary era.
Through rich storytelling and immersive visits to historic locations, Dr. Rompilla will talk about women’s experiences living under British and Hessian occupation. She’ll report on women’s political activism and fundraising efforts during the war, noting that women in New Jersey earned the unique right to vote between the Revolution and 1807. She will also report on the tension between the Revolutionary ideal of liberty and the reality of slavery and cover the important contributions of free Black women. The tour also includes a moving firsthand account of a young girl witnessing war unfold in her own home, offering a deeply personal perspective on history.
The walk goes from 120 East State Street to Mill Hill Park and the bridge over the Assunpink Creek, then along the Delaware River and to the N.J. State Museum, where walkers are invited into the museum gallery as Dr. Rompilla references some of the materials in the museum’s exhibition, “The Power to Change.”
On-street parking in downtown Trenton is free on Sundays and the Liberty Commons Parking Garage (16 E. Front Street) is also free until 4 p.m. on Sundays.
